Status
The LW/MW/SW standard has been approved by the IEC, and the ITU has approved its use in most of the world. Approval for ITU region 2 (North and South America and the Pacific) is pending amendments to existing international agreements. The inaugural broadcast took place on June 16, 2003, in Geneva, Switzerland, at the ITU's annual World Radio Conference.
Current broadcasters include All India Radio, BBC World Service, Deutschlandradio, biteXpress, HCJB, Deutsche Welle, Radio Netherlands Worldwide, RTÉ Radio (RTÉ), Radio Exterior de España, RAI, Kuwait Radio, Radio New Zealand International, Vatican Radio, Voice of Russia and Radio Romania International.
Until now DRM receivers have typically used a personal computer. A few manufacturers are presently selling stand alone DRM receivers (Himalaya Electronics, Technisat, Morphy Richards, Starwaves, UniWave, Sarapulsky Radiozavod), which are mostly based upon the no longer available Radioscape RS500 module. The UniWave set is based upon the Chengdu NewStar Electronics WR608 module. New modules are expected from Chengdu NewStar Electronics (WR998), from Analog Devices, and others. Kenwood and Fraunhofer presented a prototype standalone receiver chip in September 2006.
Morphy Richards is mass producing DRM receivers, which are being promoted by the broadcaster Deutsche Welle. The receivers cost under £169.99 in the UK (as of October 2008). At the time of writing, Morphy Richards are only distributing these sets around Germany, Austria and the UK, but Europe-wide distribution is expected shortly, with grey market importers using German sourced radios to distribute across Europe. UniWave has created a receiver called the Di-Wave 100, capable of receiving MOT Slideshow, pictures, and text (Journaline) streams. Support of low bitrate videos (Diveemo) is expected in an upcoming version of this receiver. It is not currently offered for sale.
Chengdu NewStar Electronics is offering the DR111 from May 2012 on which meets the minimum requirements for DRM receivers specified by the DRM consortium and is sold worldwide.
The British Broadcasting Corporation BBC has trialed the technology by broadcasting BBC Radio Devon in the Plymouth area. The trial lasted for year (April 2007 - April 2008). Digital Radio Mondiale is being considered by Ofcom for introduction in Britain in 2012 on the present AM medium wave band.
RTÉ has also run single and multiple programme overnight tests during a similar period on the 252 kHz LW transmitter in Trim, Co.Meath, Ireland which was upgraded to support DRM after Atlantic 252 closed.
Read more about this topic: Digital Radio Mondiale
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