AIBD/DRM Regional Webinar on the Introduction Efficient Broadcasting

AIBD with the collaboration of DRM Consortium organised an online webinar on DRM – An Introduction to Efficient Broadcasting on 6 May 2020. The workshop was specially designed for the broadcast engineers/technicians who are associated with studio and transmitter department. Over 70 participants from the Asia Pacific region (Cambodia, India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Pakistan, Indonesia, Brunei, Malaysia, New Zealand, Vietnam etc.) participated in this webinar.

The session was divided into two sessions, the first session focused on the aspects of DRM – its standard and its features like band usages, multi-programme capabilities, audio quality, multimedia capabilities, good coverage supporting single frequency networking (SFN), audio-tuning and emergency warning functionality (EWF)-the usage of radio during EWF, where normal programme is replaced by emergency programme.

The workshop also highlighted the benefits of digital over analogue radio for emergency warnings.

The second part focused on the coverage of DRM – local/regional and large coverage and energy efficiency. The session discussed on the role of DRM in the AM Bands for large area and international coverage, AM energy consumption, AM vs DRM, FM vs DRM in terms of coverage and the likes. Benefits for the Broadcasters of DRM in FM Band were also discussed-all new AM transmitters today are analogue & DRM broadcast ready. The session also discussed the fact about DRM in Cars, Desktop Receivers and Mobile phones and presented the records like over 2 million cars with DRM receivers are on road in India.

Participants wanted to know if DRM required license like other standards, the role of content servers and if one can feed several transmitters with one content server. Other questions referred to the benefits of up to three audio channels and one data in DRM on an existing or new FM frequency. Most participants took interest in the Single Frequency Network (SFN). They inquired about the possibility of having DRM on mobiles, simulcasting, the energy efficiencies delivered in DRM and the excellent and flexible DRM coverage possibilities.

Ms Ruxandra Obreja, DRM Chairman, in her opening session stated that this webinar was the first collaboration of the Consortium with AIBD, the level of interest cemented the cooperation with prestigious organisation like AIBD.

Ms. Philomena Gnanapragsam, Director AIBD, in her closing remark thanked DRM consortium, the speakers – Alexander Zink, Vice- Chairman DRM Consortium, Radu Peter Obreja, Marketing Director, DRM Consortium and Yogendra Pal, Honorary Chairman, DRM Consortium (India) and participants who showed such active interactive participation in the webinar. She further put forth her plan to continue such a workshop at another level in the near future.