Digital radio receivers - market situation
| The availability of a wide range of receivers and an economic entry-level are essential conditions for the success of digital radio. To help realise this it is essential that cost-effective dedicated integrated circuits and modules are available so that receiver manufacturers can easily integrate digital radio in their products.
The process for the design of integrated circuits and modules requires high investment (millions of €) while profit margins on receivers are low. This is the reason why manufacturers need to see a real market in more than just a single country. Fragmentation of technologies is a barrier to the emergence of cheap receivers, also. | |
Harmonizing Europe
The situation in Europe was fragmented and so the EBU, WorldDMB and EICTA (now called DIGITALEUROPE) decided in 2008 to harmonize the situation for the DAB family of standards. Pan-European receiver profiles have been defined with manufacturers and broadcasters. The profiles are as follows:
| Profile 1 - Standard receivers with simple displays Profile 1 receivers must receive DAB, DAB+ and T-DMB audio . The Profile 1 target is the mass market of cheap receivers (starting at around 20€). | | |
| Profile 2 - Multimedia receivers Includes all Profile 1 features + multimedia features such as Slideshow, rich media BIFS, enhanced text, Electronic Programme Guide and TPEG for car receivers. Integration in multimedia players is expected.
Profile 3 - Full multimedia receivers Includes Profile 1 and 2 + mobile TV (T-DMB video). |  |
Win-win-win
These Profiles define a pan-European solution. Manufacturers following these Profiles will have a ready market in all European countries with digital radio services, consumers will have the assurance of having a compatible product and broadcasters will have more flexibility for the delivery of their programmes.
At the moment (2009), around 350 different DAB receiver models are commercially available. Manufacturers are currently adapting this receiver base to be compatible with the Profiles. It is also expected that DRM/DRM+ receivers will materialise as more countries plan regular DRM based transmissions and markets mature.