22 September 2003
DVB-RCS is Belgacoms broadband platform, using 2-way satellite technology. With new developments ready for roll-out, the Belgacom solution will enable ISPs in infrastructure-poor regions the possibility to offer their customers broadband services.
Belgacom is working in partnership with Eutelsat and Newtec to provide these services. There is widespread use of broadband in Europe, North America and many Asian countries, because of existing sophisticated infrastructure.
But many regions lack the necessary infrastructure and Internet use suffers as a result. DVB-RCS offers an answer by enabling broadband via satellite. DVB-RCS is an Open Standard technology, and allows multiple ISPs to use the same platform. ISPs can then develop their own broadband solution for their customers.
19 September 2003
German company Sonarics Labs has unveiled a high-performance DAB radio reference design that may be a significant step towards more affordable digital radio receivers.
Sonarics Labs CSM1 DAB-ready reference design breaks the DAB module cost barrier of 25 dollars, enabling digital radio manufacturers to advance towards high-performance, cost-effective products. This was possible because of Sonarics’ unique technology for implementing the radio in software on a low-cost general-purpose DSP.
The chip used in CSM1 is from the Analog Devices BlackfinT DSP family and sells for less than US $5. Sonarics software enables key radio features required by modern electronic device consumers, including DAB Band III and L-Band reception, MP3 playback from MMC and digital sound recording.
The design could aid the transition from early-adopter to mass-market, as it is aimed at manufacturers of the next generation of low-cost, high-performance digital radios. It enables swift engineering and production cycle.
19 September 2003
FollowingIn a pattern seen recently in Australia, Austria and Israel, Swissinfo/SRI [Swiss Radio International] could lose all its government funding by 2006. It would then be up to the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation to guarantee its future financing.
That’s one of the possibilities under consideration as the Swiss parliament debates controversial proposals to cut public spending by SFr3.3 billion (about 2.4 billion US dollars) to avoid massive deficits over the next few years. Switzerland’s national debt is currently SFr120 billion, and the government expects this to increase by SFr3 billion a year. So the government has drafted a radical savings plan which represents the biggest spending cut in Swiss history.
19 September 2003
The US Broadcasting Board of Governors has been busy strengthening the signals of Radio and TV Marti, to allow the people of Cuba access to news and information not censored by the Cuban government. The next move is to see if TV Marti can be sent to the Cuban people by satellite. This would allow viewers in Cuba to receive the TV Marti signal via free-to-air reception, so that TV Marti can be viewed by anyone with a dish and an ordinary digital receiver. Radio Marti’s signal would also be included in the transmission.
Satellite power will be provided by Hispasat, with a footprint covering all of Cuba and nearly all of Latin America. Satellite receivers now on the island can be easily tuned to receive the signal. According to various commercial sources, satellite dishes are being used by more and more Cubans, and the numbers continue to rise.
Said BBG Chairman Kenneth Tomlinson: We expect that as a powerful television signal with reliable, objective news and information becomes available to the Cuban people, it will inevitably find viewers. If we build it, they will come.
17 September 2003
EADS Astrium will be the builders of the Hot Bird 8 broadcast satellite, to be launched in early 2006 by Arianespace on-board an Ariane 5 rocket. With 64 transponders that can be operated simultaneously, of which 58 transponders will operate at full power for most of the satellites lifetime, Hot Bird 8 is the largest satellite yet ordered by Eutelsat. It will join the companys constellation of Hot Bird broadcasting satellites at 13 degrees East that provide television, radio and interactive services to almost 100 million cable and satellite homes in Europe, North Africa and the Middle East.
The satellite has been designed to cover all 102 Ku-band transponders/frequencies at 13 degrees East which means that it can substitute any transponder on the other Hot Bird satellites.
Hot Bird 8 is based on the E3000 version of the Eurostar family, already ordered by five major satellite operators. 34 Eurostar spacecraft have been ordered to date, of which 23 have already been launched and have proven highly reliable in operational service.
17 September 2003
James Murdoch, youngest son of Rupert, seems set to become CEO of UK satellite broadcaster BSkyB. The company, Britains 18th largest, has 6.8 million subscribers, moved into profit last year for the first time for 5 years, and is 35.4 % owned by the News Corporation.
The contract of current CEO Tony Ball runs out next May, and it is said that there are few UK broadcasting executives able to step into his job. James Murdoch has some qualifications, having been chief executive of News Corps Asian satellite broadcaster for three years, and before that being responsible for the groups US internet activities.
The News Corp group meanwhile is expected to show a profit of 20% over the next two years.
