International players showcased their products, facilities and services. On display were whole range of products like Amplifiers, Antenna Systems(Broadcast, FM & TV), Attenuators, conductors, Antenna testers, Audio measuring & test equipments, Audio mixers, Audio processors, Automation systems & softwares, Broadcast equipments & softwares, Broadband access products, Cables & accessories, Channel automation systems, Compact & digital disc production systems, DTH Systems, DAB Systems, Digital Audio & Video recording systems, Digital storage,archival & retrieval systems, DVB-T Transmitters, Earth stations/systems, Fibre optic solutions/services, Filters & splitters, Frequency monitoring systems, FM Exciters, HD Radio, HDTV, Headphones, Microphones, Mixers, Network management systems, Radio data systems, Radio automation softwares, Scheduling softwares, Satellite receivers, Switchers, Transmitters (AM,FM,TV), Test & Measuring equipments, Virtual Studio, VSAT systems, Wireless systems.
The event was inaugrated by Sri.Anand Sharma, Hon'ble Minister of State, External Affairs & Information & Broadcasting, Govt of India on 23rd Feb'09. Guest of honour were Sushma Singh, Secretary, Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, Mr.B.S.Lalli, CEO,Prasar Bharati & Philip Laven,Chairman DVB. The key note address was delivered by Ruxandra Obreja, Controller, Business Development, BBC & Chairperson, DRM.
In her keynote address Ruxandra Obreja said " I suggest that digitisation is vital for the 21st century interdependent world. Against all this I propose a vision that I could sum up as "globalization with local relevance". "FM is replacing AM, mobile phones are replacing fixed line phones, digital technologies are replacing analog ones, and what would have warmed my DRM chairperson's heart more than your is the DRM transmissions to Europe & the UK on your 250 kW SW transmitter at Khampur " Obreja said. Ruxandra Obreja summed up with " Digital technologies are here to stay. Digital Radio, DRM specifically, has an opportunity to play a part in the future to help build our relationship with audiences".
A workshop on DRM was organized by DRM consortium,UK in which presentations were made by Julian Cable, SeniorProject Manager, BBC, Lindsay Cornell, Principal Systems Architect, Future Media & Technology Division, BBC & Chairman World DMB & DRM Technical Committee, Thomas Feustel, Head of Terrestrial Transmission, DW, Joseph Troxler, Managing Director, Thomson Broadcast & Multimedia AG, T.V.B.Subramanyam, Senior Programme Manager, Analog Devices. Most of the All India Radio officials & engineers were present at the workshop. Julian Cable spoke about Content & Planning, Coding & Multiplexing, Distribution , DRM modes, coding rates & MW experiences. Joseph Troxler emphasized on DRM transmitter conversions, DRM features, Advance possibilities & Multi Program structure. T.V.B.Subramanyam spoke about DRM receivers using programmable DSP chips.
Prasar Bharati ( Broadcasting Corp. of India ) put up a huge stall (A 1-6) in which latest technical innovations from All India radio & Doordarshan were exhibited.
Among the systems displayed by AIR were :
a) DRM
b) SMS Based Remote Monitoring System for Unmanned VLPTs.
c) EWBS - Emergency Warning Broadcast System.
d) Telemetry System for MW Transmitters.
e) Remote Monitoring and Control System for FM Transmitters.
All India Radio Research Department carried out extensive propagation measurements at Delhi, Moradabad, Mathura,Gwalior, Agra, Karnal, Kurukshetra, Aligarh, Lucknow, Bangalore, Patna, Kolkata for the following investigations
· Near Vertical Incidence Skywave(NVIS) propagation for planning of DRM Regional SW transmitters of AIR.
· Long distance reception of DRM SW signals for external services.
· Simulcasting of analogue & DRM signals in SW band.
· Simulcasting of analogue & DRM signals in MW band.
The R&D propagation studies will help in choosing the optimum DRM parameters for example: Robustness mode, Modulation, Code Rate, Interlever, Bit rate, Power of transmitter, required difference between analogue & DRM powers during simulcast operation etc.
DRM Future Plans :
· Existing 25 MW transmitters will be replaced by DRM transmitters.
· Existing 10 MW transmitters will be modified to DRM transmitters.
· 40 New DRM + FM transmitters will be installed.
· Existing 43 FM/MW transmitters will be replaced by DRM+ FM transmitters.
Transmitter manufacturer & provider of technology,services & systems, Thomson also participated in this years expo, they displayed their latest DRM solution equipments & also some DRM receivers. Among some of the prominent exhibitors were Autodesk India, Autoscript Broadcast BECIL(Broadcast Engineering Consultants India Ltd.), Broadcast & Cablesat, Broadcast Tecnologies, Falcon Technologies, Harris Broadcast Comm., HCL, NDTV Labs, Qualcomm India Pvt. Ltd., Radio Frequency System, Radio Systems Inc., Royal Broadcasting, Samsung, Sony, Rohde & Schwarz, Sun Broadcast & Wide Orbit,USA.
A conference was also held for which theme was "Broadcasting Technologies : Integrating the World" at Pragati Maidan,New Delhi. Some of the prominent speakers were - Philip Laven,Chairman, DVB, A.K.Bhatnagar, Chief Engineer, Doordarshan, Vineeta Dwivedi,Project Director, DRM, Lindsay Cornell, Principal System Architect,BBC,Joseph Troxler, MD, Thomson,T.V.B.Subramanyam, Sr.Programme Manager, Analog Devices, S.R.Aggarwal, Chief Engineer AIR & DD, Thomas Feustel,DW, Mr.R.N.Choubey,TRAI,New Delhi, Sharad Sadhu,Technical Director, ABU,Malaysia, Hal Kneller, Broadcast Business development, Ibiquity Digital Corp., USA, Tim Bealor, Broadcast Electronics, Bharat Bhatia, Regional Director, Motorola, ManavSinghal, Sr. Project Manager, Infosys, Arnaud Elnecave, Dalet, Charles W.Kelly, Director of sales, Nautel etc........
----
Alokesh Gupta
New Delhi.
Alokesh - Thank you very much for the meeting summary. I wish we here in the States had such forward thinking about the future of radio.
ReplyDeleteVery nice to hear that it appears that DRM will be widely implemented in India, as it can only help to further the switch to digital radio worldwide.