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fm switchover to digital

stv viewerstv viewer Posts: 17,549
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in Radio and Podcasts #1
Logically could the UK fm's signal be switch to digital similarly to the analogue tv to digital tv switchover using the same frequency.

This could result in e.g
Radio 1 frequency becoming home to a bbc radio A digital with R1,R1 xtra,R2,R3,R4,R4 extra broadcasting on the existing radio 1 frequency.

Radio 2's frequency could become bbc radio B digital with R5L,R5L Extra,R6,WS,Asian network and regional bbc stations broadcasting on the existing bbc radio 2 frequency.

This could be repeated with the commercial stations too.

If this could be done wouldnt it save money.

Comments

  • lundavralundavra Posts: 31,790
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    #2
    You seem to be suggesting using the existing VHF FM channels for digital.

    VHF FM is on Band II

    DAB is on Band III

    So you cannot use the existing VHF FM frequencies for a digital services without producing a whole range of new receivers to receive them and getting people to buy them.
  • stv viewerstv viewer Posts: 17,549
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    #3
    lundavra wrote: »
    You seem to be suggesting using the existing VHF FM channels for digital.

    VHF FM is on Band II

    DAB is on Band III

    So you cannot use the existing VHF FM frequencies for a digital services without producing a whole range of new receivers to receive them and getting people to buy them.
    Oh right
  • redcar1redcar1 Posts: 1,827
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    #4
    Actually there is no reason why radio can't be transmitted digitally on the 88-108MHz band either as the present DAB or any other system such as DAB+.
    Presently of course band III 217.5-230.0MHz is used so if the move were made all present DAB radios would be obsolete, but it may be the case that many are rendered obsolete if it is decided to move to DAB+ for it's greater efficiency (better sound or more stations in given bandwidth) anyway.
    For home based listening at least, internet radio seems to be the way to go - there are now many portable and hi-fi units available for this so you don't have to listen through your computer. Sound quality can be excellent and of course the choice of stations is virtually infinite!
  • Hybrid telliesHybrid tellies Posts: 1,580
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    #5
    Also each FM channel is only 200Khz wide whereas a digital multiplex uses aprox 1.5Mhz.
  • david16david16 Posts: 14,821
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    #6
    Just really needs the AM stations to switch over to the FM, and FM stations to switch over to DAB if they haven't already done so. FM stations that are simcasting on DAB would just need to close down their FM output. The AM ones that are simcasting on DAB but would be on FM in event of switchover would just need to close their DAB output.

    FM is a good enough waveband that doesn't need the same stations to simcast on 2 wavebands i.e. FM and DAB in the same broadcasting area come AM switchover.
  • danrichardsdanrichards Posts: 427
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    #7
    From a totally tech-free point of view, you also need to look at logistics.

    The BBC and a vast majority of commercial stations can afford to switch - but for those who can't, and for community stations, there's need to be a subsidy scheme so they can switch.

    That or leave them on FM, which I imagine most would love! Anyone who won't retro-fit their car radios would be far more likely to listen to community radio on FM...
  • david16david16 Posts: 14,821
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    #8
    danrichards wrote: »
    From a totally tech-free point of view, you also need to look at logistics.

    The BBC and a vast majority of commercial stations can afford to switch - but for those who can't, and for community stations, there's need to be a subsidy scheme so they can switch.

    That or leave them on FM, which I imagine most would love! Anyone who won't retro-fit their car radios would be far more likely to listen to community radio on FM...

    Yes the community stations and some commercial stations should be allowed to stay on FM or switch over from AM.

    Come switchover time there will probably be something similar to what happened in the 1990's when BBC were forced to close their AM frequencies and replace Radio 2 on AM with Radio 5 and many commercial stations forced to split in 2 providing one service on AM and another on FM 24/7. A station will either be on FM or it will be on DAB instead of being either on AM/LW or on FM.

    The London local stations simcasting on DAB national ought to just be local on London DAB on switchover. Well they ought to be anyway at present really.
  • lundavralundavra Posts: 31,790
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    #9
    Hybrid tellies wrote: »
    Also each FM channel is only 200Khz wide whereas a digital multiplex uses aprox 1.5Mhz.

    But each national service is allocated roughly the bandwidth required for a DAB MUX but if VHF FM was replaced by DAB then it would not matter. Again, there are no receivers manufactured anywhere for DAB on Band II because no one transmits it there. The only alternative used is L Band so there are (or were) a few made to work there.
  • hanssolohanssolo Posts: 22,648
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    #10
    david16 wrote: »
    Yes the community stations and some commercial stations should be allowed to stay on FM or switch over from AM.

    Come switchover time there will probably be something similar to what happened in the 1990's when BBC were forced to close their AM frequencies and replace Radio 2 on AM with Radio 5 and many commercial stations forced to split in 2 providing one service on AM and another on FM 24/7. A station will either be on FM or it will be on DAB instead of being either on AM/LW or on FM.

    The London local stations simcasting on DAB national ought to just be local on London DAB on switchover. Well they ought to be anyway at present really.
    And thats roughly whats planned if the criteria of 50% digital listening and DAB having better coverage, then a DSO date could be set, but as there is currently 36.9% and DAB still being rolled out and no regular DAB+ transmissions in the UK (the Fun Kids test finishing in Dec) a DSO date is still a few years away.

    The FM band is full in some places and some new community stations will have to launch on AM and internet. But finding low cost sites for AM is difficult.

    There is DRM+ which was tested in Scotland on 107Mhz, but until there is more space and DRM+ sets, DRM+ will not take off? The next generation of DAB/FM chipsets will support DRM+ so might be in radio sets in 2015? But any new radio station will probably go DAB or DAB+/internet.
    http://www.frontier-silicon.com/world’s-most-integrated-digital-radio-chip#.VCj_Cus1iaw

    Some local stations and perhaps Absolute will switch off AM to go DAB and internet only perhaps in 2015 or 2016? R4 LW is expected to switch off in perhaps 2020?
  • VectorsumVectorsum Posts: 876
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    #11
    Ofcom are also thinking about [url="http://media.ofcom.org.uk/news/2011/ofcom-considers-future-of-fm-radio-band/]opening up Band II for White Space devices[/url], which will add to the fun. The current thinking is that any re-farming of Band II is more likely to use a TD-LTE variant rather than DRM+, which would result in a part-broadcasting, part-Internet-Radio-over-Radio content distribution model. Millenials, who any new broadcaster has to reach in order to survive, are glued to their phones the entire day so keeping just one chipset [LTE] powered up continually makes a lot more sense than keeping two active, from a power consumption PoV.
  • OrangyOrangy Posts: 1,441
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    #12
    danrichards wrote: »
    From a totally tech-free point of view, you also need to look at logistics.

    The BBC and a vast majority of commercial stations can afford to switch - but for those who can't, and for community stations, there's need to be a subsidy scheme so they can switch.

    That or leave them on FM, which I imagine most would love! Anyone who won't retro-fit their car radios would be far more likely to listen to community radio on FM...

    Have a look at this http://www.radioacademy.org/events/radio-festival-2014/techcon-2014/techcon-2014-speakers/

    Ofcom carried out some DAB+ tests in Brighton a while back which was partly about how a low cost solution suitable for community stations might be a way forward. The TechCon stream of the Radio Academy's annual conference in a couple of weeks is going to cover it in a bit more detail.
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