Just Sharing This European DAB

[william-1]

Norway will shut down FM radio in the country beginning in 2017,

Radio.no reports. The Norwegian Ministry of Culture finalized a shift date this week, making it the first country to do away with FM radio entirely. The country plans to transition to Digital Audio Broadcasting as a national standard.
A statement released this week by the Ministry of Culture confirms a switch-off date that was proposed by the Norwegian government back in 2011. The government has concluded that the country is capable of meeting all the requirements necessary for a smooth transition to digital.
FM IS EIGHT TIMES MORE EXPENSIVE THAN DAB
"Listeners will have access to more diverse and pluralistic radio-content, and enjoy better sound quality and new functionality," Minister of Culture Thorhild Widvey said in a statement. "Digitization will also greatly improve the emergency preparedness system, facilitate increased competition and offer new opportunities for innovation and development."
http://radio.no/2015/04/norway-to-switch-off-fm-in-2017/

 

[william-1]

Digital Radio Germany: Digital radio board - an important step towards the introduction of DAB +

The installation of the new digital radio boards that gave the Parliamentary Secretary Dorothee bear during an event of the Federal Ministry of Transport and digital infrastructure (BMVI) in Berlin announced the DRD Digital Radio GmbH Germany welcomed very much.
"To bring the best radio ahead to the future and the digital switchover, this new digital radio Board is of enormous importance," said DRD CEO Willi Schreiner. "Terrestrial Radio: Future development in terms of competing pathways" At this event, the Ministry also the study of the Institute of Radio Technology (IRT) under the title was presented.

Secretary Dorothee Baer recognized at this conference that the analog radio would have been exhausted and he could no longer cope with the challenges of the future.
"Together with all market participants, we want this digitization force, so it's good if the federal, state, ARD, the Germany radio, private providers, and trade and industry together now discuss this transition and prepare," said Willi Schreiner.
The DRD looks especially good that the strengths of the two infrastructure systems and mobile radio can be linked consistently through this initiative, as formulated by the State Secretary in her speech.

 

[william-1]

As we well know Dab+ is not as good as VHF/FM Radio for audio quality given the low bit streams used by Dab in the UK & hopefully we will not follow the Norwegians,

BBC Radio 3 is down from 192 to 160kbps Classic FM down from 160 to 128kbps most of the Network Music Radio is @ 112 to 128 in stereo MP2 & some such as Absolute CR 64kbps mono & Planet Rock 80kbps mono (These stations when they launched were in 128kbps Stereo)

http://www.theguardian.com/technolo...at-are-the-options-for-radio-in-a-digital-age

Good luck Norway I wonder how long it will be when most of your Dab+ radio is in 48kbps mono to keep the price down

 

[2cvbloke]

Let me know when DAB (or any variants) are streaming at 320Kbps, anything lower is an insult to the cochlea...