From: pbaatech@peg.apc.org
Subject: The Complete DAB, parts 4 & 5 of 6
Originator: wdp@gagme
Organization: Austraia Public Radio
Date: Thu, 15 Oct 1992 00:13:30 GMT

****************************SECTION 4****************************
**EXAMPLE OF COST ASPECT COMPARING TERRESTRIAL DAB WITH VHF/FM***

Comparison based on 6 DAB services network in Bavaria.

a) Existing network consists of 15 high power transmitters (25-
100 KW ERP) and 14 medium power fill-in transmitters (100W-5KW  
ERP).

b) A terrain database and propagation model were used to 
establish theoretically a detailed DAB network plan: an SFN 
consisting of 24 main transmitters (1 KW ERP) and 10 fill-in 
transmitter (50W ERP), providing between 90% and 99% of the 
locations in the coverage area for fixed/mobile reception.

c) costs at TX site were divided into:
- Investments (transmitters, coders, antennas, combining filters)
- Rental fees (land, building, masts, power supply)

- Distribution:
(i) VHF/FM programmes are fed via landlines or rebroadcasting
(ii)DAB programmes are assumed to be fed via an FSS satellite, 
this being a simple and sure way to ensure that at every 
transmitter of the SFN, the signal are transmitted  
synchroneously.

With respect to investments, it was found that 45 million DM 
would be necessary for the VHF/FM network against only 21 million 
DM for DAB SFN

With respect to rental fees, it was found that about 10.3 
millions DM per year would be the overhead for VHF/FM against 
only about 5.6 million DM for DAB SFN.

With respect to distribution costs, The high cost for 2 
transponders on a satellite lead to a fee of 6 million DM per 
year for DAB ( 6 programmes) against 3 million DM per year for 
VHF/FM.

It can be summarized that for DAB SFN, about 24 million DM could 
in this example be economize on initial outlay and a further 1.7 
million DM per year saved in rental fees.

The main difference in cost between DAB SFN and VHF/FM can be 
attributed to the number of programmes accommodated in one DAB 
channel, namely 6 programmes transmitted via a single transmitter 
and antenna system whereas in the case of VHF/FM, six transmitter 
are needed with associated antenna/combining equipment.

Note: This example is based for SFN, Cost of conventinal DAB 
network based on "local: options is not known.


*****************************SECTION 5*************************
******PRELIMINARY EVALUATION OF QUESTIONNAIRE ON DAB***********

A questionnaire on DAB was drawn up and sent to EBU members in 
early 1992 in order to investigate the variety of opinion and 
interest on this matter.

35 organisations responded including the Canadian Broadcasting 
Corporation (CBC), The National Public Radio (NPR) in Washington  
and The Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC). The remaining 
32 organisations are based in Europe or North Africa.

30 organisation considered themselves well informed about the 
main technical developments within EUREKA 147 and EBU, 5 did not.

For the most part, DAB is being studied by public broadcasters, 
(32) and Administrations (20), and to a lesser extend by private 
broadcasters (10), industry (12) and research institute (11). 
There are DAB platform in Australia, Canada, Czechoslovakia, 
France Germany and the Netherland.

GENERAL TRENDS:
In general, it can be concluded that:
a) "improved service performance"
b) "CD quality"
c) "more programmes/MHz"
d) "larger coverage area per ERP"
   are considered the main driving force. Receiver aspect has 
   lesser importance and data services the least of all.

The main priority with respect to the limited capacity of a 
parking band are definitively centred on simulcast approach for 
existing services and future DAB service (24 FM/DAB), and, to a 
lesser extend, on a mixed approach (12: some DAB and also some 
simulcast FM/DAB); only 4 organisations foresee DAB-only services 

The Bands most likely to be used for starting a terrestrial DAB 
service are as follow:
Band I	11
Band II	10
Band III	25
Band IV/V	2
1.5 GHz	6*
* Australia, Canada, ARD/Germany, Israel, JRT/Yugoslavia, Radio 
Vatican.

7 organisations intend to start a DAB service in 1995, 20 between 
1996 and 2000, and 7 after 2000
]
13 Organisations feels that it is essential that FM and DAB 
capabilities should be included in the first generation DAB 
receivers, 20 think that AM should also be included, whereas only 
two think that this is not necessary ( in Australia and Canada).

The service concepts felt to be applicable to mature DAB services 
are as follow:
Individual local terrestrial	18
SFN ( national/sub national)	26
satellite/hybrid national		14
satellite/hybrid multinational	9

The required number of individual programme services at one 
location range from 1 to 20 for local, from 2 to 12 for regional 
and from 3 to 32 for national.(Australia and Canada have 
generally indicated a higher requirement in all categories)

Only 4 organisations consider the multiplexing of separate sound 
programmes in a frequency block to be a real constraint (YLE, RV, 
RTE and ABC seeing it both as a constraint and an advantage.). 
The vast majority feels that it will be an advantage, though 
problems in agreement perhaps could arise.

There is a wide difference of opinion as to the types of service 
that may exclusively be transmitter on AM/FM, ranging from "low 
power local" to "national" in the use of FM, and from "speech 
based" to "foreign service" in the case of AM.

Type of service (exclusive) more suited to FM

Low power local,		ABC
Small local			ARD
local				BRTN NTL RA RTBF 
Community Radio		SLR
Private local		YLE
National			ERTT
Music only			RTE
Security/Traffic		SRB
Data				RAIT
All				SSR RV 
None				DR JRT

19 EBU members did not answer this question (about 55%)

It may be interesting to analyse the responses to questions 
relating to general trends from the three EBU Members outside the 
European sphere of influence; they are:the Canadian Broadcasting 
Corporation (CBC), The National Public Radio (NPR) in Washington  
and The Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC).

Is your organisation well informed on Eureka 147 project ?
- Yes

Indicate the organisations involved in the DAB studies in your 
countries ?

					ABC	CBC	NPR
Administration			Y	Y	Y
Public broadcasters			Y	Y	Y
Private broadcasters		Y	Y	Y
Industry				N	Y	Y
Universities				N	N	N
Research Institute			N	Y	N
Nat DAB platform			Y	Y	N

What is the main driving force toward DAB ?
1 = highest priority
8 = lowest priority

QUESTIONS					ABC	CBC	NPR	EBU AVERAGE

a) CD quality				1	2	1	2
b) Improved service performance		2	1	3	1
c) More programmes/MHz			7	4	?	3
d) Larger coverage area/ERP		8	?	2	4
e) Common receiver design			6	3	?	7
f) Low-cost receivers			3	5	?	5
g) Data services with sound		4	5	?	6
h) Data service independent		5	?	?	8

Given that the capacity for DAB services in a parking band may be 
limited (e.g. the use of 7 MHz TV channel initially for 4 blocks 
of 1.5 MHz until final spectrum is available ), what do you 
consider you priorities to be ?

QUESTIONS					ABC	CBC	NPR
a) provide new DAB only services		N	N	N
b) simulcast FM/DAB				N	Y	Y
c) Mixed approach as appropriate		Y	N	N


Have you already started to develop a possible strategy for the 
introduction of DAB in the mid- and long-term ?

QUESTIONS					ABC	CBC	NPR
a) In you country ?				Y	Y	?
b) In your organisation ?			Y	N	Y

If a positive DAB policy is agreed in your country/organisation, 
which start-up band are you likely to use for terrestrial DAB 
services ?

Both ABC and CBC have indicated 1.5 GHz
NPR has not replied to this question.

Given that DAB receivers will be available and a start-up band is 
available as of 1995, indicate anticipated earliest possible date 
for introduction of DAB services ?

1995		ABC
1996-2000	CBC, NPR

Do you believe that it is essential that the first generation of 
receivers should have both FM and DAB reception capabilities ?

QUESTIONS			ABC	CBC	NPR	EBU TOTAL ANSWER
a) YES			/	/	Y	13
b) YES Plus AM		N	N	N	20
c) NO				N	N	/	2

Indicate the types of service concepts applicable to mature DAB 
services (final implementation as opposed to initial parking band 
concept) in your country ?

QUESTIONS					ABC	CBC	NPR	EBU TOTAL
Individual local terrestrial		Y	Y	Y	18
Terrestrial national SFN			Y	Y	/	26
Satellite Hybrid National			Y	Y	Y	14
Satellite multinational			/	/	/	9

For mature DAB environment, how many individual programme 
services at any one location would you need to be available on 
DAB in each of the following categories ?

QUESTIONS		ABC		CBC		NPR	
Local			>100		30-50		Yes
Regional		15-50		15-20		?
National		15-50		10		?

The Dab signal involves multiplexing separate sound programmes in 
a frequency block which is transmitted from a common transmitter. 
Does this represent a constraint or an advantage ?

QUESTIONS				ABC	CBC	NPR	EBU TOTAL
Constraint				Y	/	/	4
Advantage				Y	Y	/	17
A problem for agreement		/	/	Y	20
No opinion				/	/	/	4

Which types of service (if any) in you country might be better be 
transmitted exclusively :

ORGANISATIONS			ON FM			ON AM
ABC					low power local	high power regional

CBC and NPR have not replied to this question

FEATURES OF THE DAB SYSTEM AND SERVICES
The following is a preliminary list of the foreseen features of 
the DAB system as presently designed by the joint EBU/Eureka 147 
Working party. Note that not all the these features may be 
implemented in the first generation of services.

The desirability of these features are graded using the following 
5-grade scale :

5- essential
4- very desirable
3- desirable
2- could be omitted
1- undesirable
0- don't know

The results of this survey are presented in two distinct 
categories for ABC, CBC and NPR, plus  EBU average for 
comparison:

- Phase A: start of DAB service (first generation of receivers)

- Phase B: operational (regular, mature) DAB service

*****Phase A********

QUESTION					ABC	CBC	NPR	AV
- CD Quality					5	5	4	4.5
- Multichannel or surround sound		2	2	2	0.1
- Able to split stereo into 2 mono	3	2	3	1.2
- Uninterrupted service quality		5	5	5	4.3
- High spectrum efficiency		4	5	3	3
- Lower quality programme available	3	1	2	0.3
- Low transmission cost			3	3	5	3.3
- Common rcver for terrestrial band	5	0	5	4.3
- Common rcver design ( Terr, sat.)	4	0	2	2.9
- Low cost receivers			3	3	5	3.4
- Same size as conventional car-radio	3	3	5	3.5
- Simple multiband non-direct. antenna	5	0	3	4.2
- User-friendly operation of receiver	4	5	4	4.1
- Flex. assignment sound/data service	2	3	5	2
- Interface rcver to personal computer	2	2	2	0.1
- Service identification display		3	5	4	3.2
- Selection programmes/automatic tuning	4	5	4	3.9
- Programme name labelling		3	3	4	2.8
- Programme type ident/selection		3	3	4	2.9
- Auto control companding music/speech	3	2	3	2.4
- Automatic sound dynamic compression	3	4	3	1.7
- program delivery control(auto-record)	3	1	2	0.9
- Copyright control information		4	1	2	0.4
- Conditional access			4	3	2	0.1
- Dynamic link of equivalent services	4	0	3	1.7
- Smart card possibility			5	0	1	0.3
- Dedicated sound/data channels 		3	3	3	0.2
- Service for Hearing-impaired		2	0	3	0.6
- Traffic message channels		3	0	3	1.9
- Paging					4	0	1	0.6
- Still picture/graphic transmission	3	0	1	0.3
- Text transmission				3	0	2	0.2
- Low bit-rate video/audio transmit.	3	0	1	0.6
- One way data transmission into P.C.	3	0	1	0.1
- Time and date information		5	0	3	1.3
- Radio progr.schedule information	4	0	3	0.9
- Fast receiver response to command	5	3	2	3.3
- High resistance to interferences	5	5	3	3.8
- Use of sat and co-channel terrestr.	4	0	2	1.6
- All digital signal path (from studio)	2	5	2	2.6
- DAB source cod. which can be recorded	2	4	1	2.2
- Common worldwide DAB standard		5	3	4	3.5
- European standard based on Eureka 147	3	0	0	3.4
- Worldwide stand. based on Eureka 147	3	0	0	1.9
- Common worldwide spectr. for Terrestr.3	4	4	2.2
- Common worldwide spectrum for Satel.	3	4	4	2.8
- Coherent/coord.intro of DAB/ Europe	2	0	4	3.2
- Codec in tandem (at lest 2) ability	5	0	3	3.1
- Delay in receivers about half seconds	0	3	0	0.7
- Drop in signal quality at high speed	3	2	0	0.2
- Need for further demonstration DAB	3	0	3	2.8
- Desirability Archimedes project	0	0	0	0.9

******Phase B******

QUESTION					ABC	CBC	NPR	AV
- CD Quality					5	5	5	4.6
- Multichannel or surround sound		2	3	3	1.7
- Able to split stereo into 2 mono	4	3	3	1.7
- Uninterrupted service quality		5	5	5	4.3
- High spectrum efficiency		4	5	3	4.0
- Lower quality programme available	5	1	2	1.2
- Low transmission cost			5	5	5	4
- Common rcver for terrestrial band	5	0	5	4.3
- Common rcver design ( Terr, sat.)	5	0	4	3.9
- Low cost receivers			5	4	3	4.2
- Same size as conventional car-radio	5	4	3	4
- Simple multiband non-direct. antenna	5	0	3	4.5
- User-friendly operation of receiver	5	5	3	4.5
- Flex. assignment sound/data service	5	5	5	3.2
- Interface rcver to personal computer	3	3	3	1.9
- Service identification display		5	5	5	4.3
- Selection programmes/automatic tuning	5	5	5	4.4
- Programme name labelling		5	3	5	3.7
- Programme type ident/selection		5	3	5	3.5
- Auto control companding music/speech	5	2	5	3.2
- Automatic sound dynamic compression	5	4	5	3
- program delivery control(auto-record)	5	1	5	2.2
- Copyright control information		5	3	4	1.2
- Conditional access			5	5	4	1.2
- Dynamic link of equivalent services	5	0	5	2.6
- Smart card possibility			5	0	4	0.8
- Dedicated sound/data channels 		5	5	5	1.8
- Service for Hearing-impaired		5	0	5	1.5
- Traffic message channels		5	0	5	3.1
- Paging					5	0	5	1.7
- Still picture/graphic transmission	5	0	5	1.2
- Text transmission				5	0	5	1.6
- Low bit-rate video/audio transmit.	5	0	3	0.3
- One way data transmission into P.C.	5	0	3	1.2
- Time and date information		5	0	5	2.2
- Radio progr. schedule information	5	0	5	2.3
- Fast receiver response to command	5	4	4	3.8
- High resistance to interferences	5	5	5	4.8
- Use of sat and co-channel terrestr.	5	0	4	2.9
- All digital signal path (from studio)	5	5	4	4.2
- DAB source cod. which can be recorded	5	4	4	3.4
- Common worldwide DAB standard		5	3	5	4
- European standard based on Eureka 147	3	0	0	3.5
- Worldwide stand. based on Eureka 147	3	0	0	2.8
- Common worldwide spectrum for Terrestr.5	4	4	3.1
- Common worldwide spectrum for Satel.	5	4	4	3.7
- Coherent/coord.intro of DAB/ Europe	4	0	4	3.6
- Codec in tandem (at lest 2) ability	5	0	5	3.6
- Delay in receivers about half seconds	0	3	0	1
- Drop in signal quality at high speed	4	2	0	0.5
- Need for further demonstration DAB	2	0	0	2
- Desirability Archimedes project	0	0	0	1


 
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