Con il tipico suo piglio autolesionistico, il consorzio DRM annuncia la partecipazione all’IFA di Berlino con la solita carrellata di prodotti in parte già visti, in parte solo annunciati e comunque quasi tutti in perenne versione dimostrativa: a parte quelle due o tre eccezioni che ormai si sanno, i “ricevitori” del DRM si vedono solo sugli scaffali delle fiere, non in quelli dei negozi. La novità dell’anno è l’economica MultyRadio di TechniSat. Anche il ricevitore russo, proveniente dalla repubblica udmurta (giuro), di cui ora dovrebbe esistere una versione autoradio, è stato annunciato nel corso del 2007. Ce la immaginiamo già nei negozi occidentali l’ondata di autoradio DRM udmurte.
Ancora in fase di test, il DRM+ non può vantare nemmeno un prototipo funzionante, ma i dirigenti del consorzio si dicono tutti molto fiduciosi del suo successo e intanto annunciano la disponibilità di 700 ore di programmazione DRM in onde corte. Lo abbiamo capito, l’offerta c’è da quattro anni almeno. Le radio no. E leggere nel comunicato stampa che queste ore sono disponibili “senza doversi collegare a Internet” è dal punto di vista comunicativo una boiata pazzesca, perché il consorzio DRM sa perfettamente che al momento l’unico strumento abbastanza diffuso per ascoltare il DRM è un PC collegato a un buon ricevitore a onde corte. Una duplice martellata sul piede, visto che col PC senza DRM ho accesso a migliaia di stazioni radio su Internet, mentre da sola la radio mi fa ascoltare le stesse trasmissioni del DRM e molte altre. Devo dire che non ho mai visto un gruppo, industriale per giunta, di persone così totalmente incapaci di percepire il ridicolo in una situazione.
Latest DRM capable receivers and DRM+ developments on display at IFA 2008
Berlin, Germany – The DRM Consortium introduces its most recent advancement at IFA in Berlin, one of the key events for the global consumer electronics industry. This year the DRM Consortium will be showing the latest DRM capable receivers at the Digital Radio Stand, Hall 2.2, booth 107. DRM+ will be featured in the Science and Technology Forum (TWF), at the Fraunhofer IIS stand, in Hall 5.3, booth 15.
There are currently more than 700 hours per day of programming broadcast in FM-like quality around the world using the Digital Radio Mondiale (DRM) digital radio system. It offers listeners the possibility of receiving exciting and exclusive radio content from the world´s leading broadcasters without connecting to the internet. The DRM digital radio system operates on the long, medium and short wave bands but has recently been extended to the broadcasting bands below 120 MHz for the digitalisation of the FM band. This extension of the DRM standard is called DRM+.
During IFA, the DRM Consortium in association with 004 GmbH, eCommence service providers and official supporters of DRM, will showcase the following receivers on the Digital Radio Stand, Hall 2.2, booth 107:
– the Himalaya DRM2009, a DRM and DAB capable receiver. Additionally, two DRM receiver prototypes (DRM2008 and DRM2012), each based on its own unique hardware architecture, will be on display.
– Morphy Richards’ receiver supports DAB/DRM/AM/FM with MP3/WAV playback. It is a portable, AC/DC, digital multi-band receiver with scheduled recordings and EPG for DAB.
– Starwaves’ Car Box is a DRM / DAB digital radio converter box for vehicles and boats and can also receive analogue short, medium long wave and FM broadcast.
– TechniSat´s MultyRadio can receive analogue FM, long-, medium and shortwave as well as DAB and DRM transmissions. The device is equipped with high quality stereo-bass reflex loudspeakers and an SD card reader.
– Sarapulsky Radiozavod showcases an automobile digital radio receiver suitable for AM, FM, DRM. Text information as well as USB port and a record option are integrated in this receiver.
– Analog Devices will present its Digital Desktop Audio Developer’s Kit. The Digital Desktop Audio system is a digital radio and an audio player based on the Blackfin Processor. As a digital radio, the unit performs as an internet radio and a DRM radio.
The results of recent DRM+ field tests from Germany will be presented publicly during IFA session entitled “Talk im TWF” on Tuesday, September 02, from 11:00 am to 1pm. Expert speakers from the DRM Consortium and the German DRM Forum will contribute to the session which takes place in TWF Halle 5.3.
Detlef Pagel, Chairman of the German DRM Forum, expressed his confidence in the success of DRM + worldwide: “DRM+ is more than the digitalisation of the FM band, DRM+ leads to a highly efficient usage of spectrum and allows for more station to launch on-air with low-cost energy consumption. For listeners, DRM+,
like DRM, offers an undisturbed mobile reception and digital quality sound and a wealth of optional features including DRM surround sound and data and text services such as Journaline.”
