The World DAB Forum Newsletter N.4 - September 2001

Welcome to the 4th edition of the World DAB Forum Email Newsletter.  This
edition of the newsletter mainly concentrates on news coming from IFA 2001 which
took place in Berlin from 25th August to 2nd September.

The WorldDAB Project Office
http://www.worlddab.org


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   News From IFA 01

   Germany announces deadline for analogue radio sign-off

   Opening the 43rd Internationale Funkausstellung ? or consumer electronics
   fair - in Berlin on Friday 24 August, German Chancellor, Gerhard Schröder
   confirmed that radio in the Federal Republic of Germany has an entirely
   digital future and cited 2015 as the latest date for analogue radio to be
   replaced by Digital Radio.  Read more at www.worlddab.org

   On Exhibit

   There were new digital radio products on display at IFA, including the
   impressive Radioscape EPG software which found a home on the Deutsche Telekom
   stand.

   Meanwhile, Blaupunkt unveiled the new Woodstock DAB in-car receiver on its
   stand.  This is the first in-car product to come with an MP3 removable chip
   allowing music to move between home and car.  The Woodstock will be available
   from February 2002.

   Panasonic, too, had an impressive display of new product including a new
   MiniDAB Mobile receiver and a prototype DAB mobile phone receiver using the
   Roke Manor board.

   Grundig was exhibiting its new DAB compatible Audion high-tech tuner and CD
   player which can transmit to cordless loudspeakers located in different rooms
   around the house.  It?s top of the range equipment for real audiophile and
   launches at the end of 2001 at a retail price of DM11,000 (£3,000).

   UK manufacturer VideoLogic had  prototypes of its new midi-unit and kitchen
   radio on show.

   Press Conference

   The German Initiative Marketing Digital Radio (IMDR) and World DAB held a
   joint press conference on August 27 at the DG Bank beside the famous
   Brandenberg Gate.  Panelists, including senior executives from Deutsche
   Telekom, Blaupunkt, Grundig, and Bayern Digital Radio as well as IMDR and
   World DAB, outlined current and future plans for digital radio in the Federal
   Republic.  The moderator was German TV presenter, Ursula Heller.

   After the press conference, the first Digital Radio Media Awards were held
   under the patronage of the Governing Mayor of Berlin, Klaus Wowereit, and
   Berlin?s Senator for Science and Culture, Adrienne Goehler.

   In-Car

   At a meeting with WorldDAB and Digital One, Blaupunkt confirmed that a major
   European car manufacturer has placed a significant order with them for stereo
   equipment, including DAB as a feature for the 2004 model year.

   For more information on all these stories go to www.worlddab.org.

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   Canadian Expansion
   Ottowa will be the next Canadian city to enjoy the benefits of digital radio
   when services launch early in 2002.  Currently more than 50 DAB stations
   cover 10 million people in Vancouver, Toronto, Windsor and Montreal.

   DRRI (Digital Radio Roll-Out Inc ? a non-profit joint initiative of private
   and public broadcasters in Canada, supported by the Canadian government) has
   also announced plans for a comprehensive engineering study designed to bring
   DAB to new markets across Canada?s major population corridors.  These markets
   will include Calgary, Edmonton, and Quebec City among others.

   Duff Roman, President of DRRI says: ?The launch of the corridor studies sets
   the stage for unleashing the true power of DAB  - the addition of value-added
   datacasting services to accompany superb digital audio delivered seamlessly
   over vast areas to millions of Canadians.?

   For more information visit www.digitalradio.ca

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   Hessen Digital Radio
   The launch of a regular DAB service in the German state of Hessen was
   announced at a press conference in Frankfurt on August 16.  Local radio stars
   from both the commercial and public sector joined journalists and technicians
   to discuss the benefits of digital radio.  Also on hand was a selection of
   manufacturers including Blaupunkt, Grundig and VideoLogic, with samples of
   their products.
   www.hessendigitalradio.de

   New DAB Receiver Module LC2 from Blaupunkt

   The LC2 is Blaupunkt's ready to deliver, cost effective digital radio
   receiver module for OEMs. Designed for in-car use, the module is easy to
   adapt for integration into Hi Fi tuners, mini stereo equipment, kitchen
   radios etc.  Based on the Bosch DAB chipset D-Fire2 and CF800, the DAB Module
   LC2 is at the heart of Blaupunkt's new Woodstock 1-DIN in-car receiver. An
   evaluation board is available now.

   For more information contact bernd.meyer2@de.bosch.com

   Blaupunkt is the Car Multimedia Division of Bosch.
   http://www.blaupunkt.de or http://www.bosch.com

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   Digital Radio 2001 in San Francisco
   The conference season is about to start in earnest once more with at least
   five events that we know of over the next few months.  November 1 and 2 at
   the Hyatt Regency in San Francisco is where international leaders in digital
   radio will gather for a conference subtitled ?Digital Radio?the next step in
   the radio revolution??  Speakers include Digital One?s Quentin Howard, CRCA?s
   Paul Brown and from Canada, DRRI?s Duff Roman.  World DAB has negotiated a
   $200 discount on registration, just email craig@firstconf.com and quote
   WorldDAB1.

   Other conferences featuring digital radio include the NAB Europe conference
   in Paris November 11 ? 13 and the Institute of Economic Affairs? DAB
   Broadcasting conference in London on November 26.

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   Command Audio at IBC
   Another conference of note coming up is the International Broadcasting
   Convention in Amsterdam on September 14 - 18.  WorldDAB President Michael
   McEwen gives the keynote address, and Command Audio demonstrates its unique
   end-to-end Personal Radio solution for DAB.

   It?s the first time Command Audio has shown, live, how its on-demand
   interactive audio technology will change the way consumers use radio.
   Listeners will be able to subscribe to all the media they want to through
   their digital radio, allowing reception of programmes when and where it suits
   them.  For example, a listener could choose to receive all financial
   headlines from a range of media in the car on the way to work.  They can
   stop, play back or skip content as they wish.  And they can drill deeper to
   receive more information, or explore associated links through the radio.
   www.commandaudio.com