6 October 2004
As a sign of the explosive growth in the Eureka 147 digital audio broadcasting (DAB) market, Texas Instruments Incorporated (TI) announced that it is has shipped one million digital radio basebands for receivers in the DAB market. Spurred by the launch of the first TI digital signal processor (DSP)-based RadioScape module in September of 2003, TI continues the pace it set in this market by outgrowing competition over the past year.
We are very excited to get to the one million milestone in such a short space of time, said Nigel Oakley, vice president of Marketing at RadioScape. The release of our range of modules has really accelerated the adoption of DAB and contributed to the record time of reaching one million units shipped. Our modules combination of RadioScapes Software Defined Digital Radio approach and TIs powerful DSPs meets manufacturers needs perfectly by providing tremendous scope for rapid innovation and product customization as well as being highly cost effective. This has resulted in milestones such as the first MP3 and DAB player, the first FM/RDS DAB radio and the first tri-band DAB receiver. In addition, this software approach has enabled us to pioneer innovative features such as pause, rewind, record, Electronic Program Guide, 5.1 surround sound and video that can be implemented for nominal additional costs as these are done via software.”
Many of the leading digital radio manufacturers have built radios around TIs analog and digital radio basebands, including Acoustic Solutions Limited, Cambridge Audio, Hitachi, Intempo, LG Electronics, Morphy Richards, Perstel and Roberts Radio Limited. In addition, module makers leveraging TIs digital radio solution have played an important role in the growth of this market, including GyroSignal, KwangSung Electronics and TBK Electronics, by enabling manufacturers to get DAB radios to market more quickly and cost effectively.
We would like to thank RadioScape and all of our customers and technology partners for the tremendous success we have seen so far in the DAB market, said Les Mable, business development manager for Digital Radio, Texas Instruments. TIs Digital Radio business has experienced exceptional growth over the last two years and will continue to drive this market by pioneering innovations that will enable the technology and features of tomorrow.
RadioScape is one of the world leaders in Software Defined Digital Radio solutions and provides not only DAB broadcast infrastructure but also the software used on these TI chips and designs DAB modules based on these same chips.
5 October 2004
ProSiebenSat1 Produktion and SES ASTRA are serving up a first in European commercial free-to-air television. On 14 October, ProSiebenSat.1 Produktion will, for the very first time, simultaneously broadcast a high-resolution HDTV (High Definition Television) signal in parallel with the traditional digital standard-resolution via ASTRA 19.2° East.
The ProSieben/BBC co-production “Pride – The Law of the Savannah” (a wildlife programme about the adventures of a young lion) will be available to viewers equipped with appropriate receivers both via conventional standard-definition (SD) reception and, exclusively via ASTRA, in the new, crystal-clear HDTV standard.
The visual experience will be completed by Dolby Digital 5.1 sound, providing viewers for the first time ever with true cinema quality in the living room. Technically speaking, the broadcast will be simulcast in parallel to the regular SD signal, the film being played out in HDCAM SR (1080i/50 Hz) and delivered to an MPEG-2 HD encoder with a data rate of some 1.4 gigabits/s. The HD broadcast of Pride will be available via ASTRA Transponder No. 103 (12460 Mhz, H-polarisation, SR 27.500, FEC ¾.). An HD promo trailor of Pride will be available as of October 12th. The transponder capacity required for this HDTV premiere in commercial Free-TV is provided courtesy of SES ASTRA.
Dr. Martin Emele, Management Board Member and Head of Technologies, views the first HDTV broadcast of ProSiebenSat.1 Produktion as a milestone, and Ferdinand Kayser, President and CEO of SES ASTRA, welcomes the HD Initiative: “ProSiebenSat.1 Produktion has produced an HD trailer for ‘Pride’ which is broadcast as part of the ASTRA HDTV promotion channel and which has proved to be an eye-catcher notably at the recent IBC trade fair in Amsterdam. We are very pleased to be able to assist one of Germany’s leading private broadcasting companies in testing HDTV and, based on current market trends, remain convinced that the successive transfer from standard resolution to HDTV will have the same impact on the television sector as the introduction of colour TV.”
5 October 2004
French international broadcaster Radio France Internationale has signed a partnership agreement with public service broadcaster Radio Canada.
From 4 October, RFIs information and cultural programmes can be heard on Radio Canadas Première Chaîne every day.
Radio Canada will also be able to tap into RFIs vast network of correspondents, which is particularly extensive in African countries.
Sylvain Lafrance, VP Radio of Radio Canada welcomed the cooperation by saying: « De tels échanges entre médias internationaux permettent d’offrir à l’auditoire canadien un contenu plus diversifié en matière d’information et d’accroître notre ouverture et notre compréhension du monde. » And Antoine Schwarz, Président of RFI commented that he hopes this is a first step which will lead both stations to explore further possibilities of cooperation.
www.radio-canada.ca/radio
www.rfi.fr
4 October 2004
Asian pay TV growth, video piracy, opportunities from China and the roll-out of 3G services will top the agenda when the regions leading broadcasters and satellite and cable operators meet this year at the annual CASBAA Convention in Hong Kong from October 27-29.
This is a great time for the regions cable and satellite broadcasters to come together, with massive opportunities opening up in China and from the genuine convergence of broadband and wireless technologies, said Marcel Fenez, Chairman of the Cable and Satellite Broadcasting Association of Asia (CASBAA).
The CASBAA Convention 2004 will hear from senior broadcast and studio executives, specialists on technology, and regulation and industry leaders from growing markets such as China, Korea and India. Simon Twiston Davies, CEO of CASBAA, said this years line-up of speakers and topics goes well beyond the pay TVs industry traditional boundaries. With the focus on the key areas of advertising, technology and the China market, we examine some of the central issues of the day, Mr Twiston Davies said. The conference is all about approaching the new convergence technologies as platforms for delivery of multi-channel content. He said the event has also extended into vertical markets such as wireless and multimedia content which are becoming increasingly important to Asian pay TV operators and content owners.
The CASBAA Convention 2004 will be held at the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts from October 27-29.
1 October 2004
The BBC has completed the procurement for a 10-year Technology Framework Contract (TFC) with Siemens Business Services worth almost £2billion. As part of the landmark deal, Siemens Business Services has acquired BBC Technology Ltd, a commercial subsidiary of the BBC. Led by Tom White, Managing Director, Siemens Business Services, BBC Technology will be renamed Siemens Business Services Media Holdings Ltd.
The BBC has received approval for the sale from the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport and approval from the BBC Governors for both the procurement and the sale.
The two-part deal covering both contract and acquisition the first of its kind in the media industry means Siemens Business Services will work closely with BBC Technology Direction, the department responsible for the BBCs technology strategy and development, to deliver the BBCs technology services across the whole corporation for the next 10 years. The BBC expects to save around £30m per annum over the life of the contract.
John Smith, Chief Operating Officer, BBC commented: This deal marries both our legendary broadcasting experience in making great programmes with the resource and expertise of a global IT player ensuring the BBC can achieve its Building Public Value vision to secure our digital future.
The value and substantial savings created from the sale of BBC Technology and this procurement of our technology services is a significant step for us in ensuring the BBC is fit for the future and continues to create innovative programmes.
As part of the deal, Siemens Business Services will also provide the skills, expertise and investment to support the BBCs technology vision. This vision aims to put creative tools on desktop computers in the BBC by the end of the decade, enabling a revolutionary approach to programme making in a digital Britain.
John Varney, Chief Technology Officer, BBC said: The deal with Siemens Business Services is significant for the BBC as we enter a new phase in the way we work and operate. Technology is vital to the BBCs future and in ensuring we build public value in everything we do. We look forward to developing our relationship with Siemens Business Services to meet our technology vision over the next decade.
