Digital Radio

[Radiohead]

Yes, I think after my USA experience with HD Radio, I am glad that Australia went with DAB+, apart from the limited spectrum allocated to it.

[TheViewer]

@Radiohead

But good to see that HD Radio is much more common in Chicago than it seemingly was in Hawaii. But some of that could be to do with reception,

Nah, I think it’s just Hawaii. A friend of mine was over there recently and said the same thing about the lack of HD stations.

[crankymedia]

Fantastic DX catch, great effort dxnerd

[TV.Cynic]

SCA will create a new bespoke DAB+ digital radio channel called ‘7 Rio Live’ which will run live audio simulcast of the events coverage from 5:30am to 1pm AEST each day.

More:

Olympics Coverage - History

Southern Cross Austereo announced as the official FM radio broadcaster of the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio, under a new partnership with Seven Network Southern Cross Austereo (SCA) and the Seven Network – which has a long-term partnership with the International Olympic Committee encompassing all broadcast, radio, online and digital rights for coverage of the Olympic Games - today announced that SCA will be the official commercial FM radio broadcaster of the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio, in an exclus…

[Brianc68]

Stardust radio is now Easy Radio.

And More is now identifying as Old School and is including songs from the 00’s

[AustralianAerial]

Now with new websites to boot

Hit Oldskool | Hit Network

Hit Easy | Hit Network

Hit Buddha | Hit Network

Also explains why Triple M Classic Rock has dropped the Triple M brand (although, last time I checked, its imaging still contained it). Clearly, SCA want to strengthen their digital brands, perhaps with a little bit more promotion on the FMs too?

[SydneyCityTV]

Some DAB+ slideshow images from the rebranded Easy Radio. It certainly looks like someone has taken some inspiration from the Instagram “Microsoft Office Gradient” logo here!

Plenty more slideshow images from Sydney DAB+, including the ones for the relaunched “Old Skool” can be seen at this Imgur page if one is so inclined: http://imgur.com/a/QJ7Ms

[Petarkco]

@AustralianAerial

http://www.oldskoolradio.com.au

I wish they would stop spelling school “skool” we’re not edgy thirteen year olds. The Today network switched from skool to school.

[Jonesy72]

Dance Anthems Super Digi seems to be off the air at the moment…all the other BOG stations are still there

[Brianc68]

@MLVD
Yes I totally agree! The “skool” spelling is so lame! It makes them appear desperate to seem cool, when it actually screams un-cool

[tvcl]

Current audio bitrates for Sydney, after the PAD is removed:

2GB, 2UE, 2SM (Mono) and NTS (Mono) are using LC-AAC. At the bitrates Nova and 2CH are running at, they should really be using LC-AAC. Above about 80kbps LC-AAC is superior to HE-AAC since LC-AAC has real high-frequency data as opposed to fake high-frequency data (i.e. spectral band replication) used by HE-AAC.

[Radiohead]

Thanks for that, TVCL!

Very useful.

I guess I shouldn’t be shocked to learn The 80s is a below par 20 kbps . One reason why they can never use the claim of “CD sound quality”.

[TheViewer]

This is awesome. And knowing which variety of AAC is being used. Thanks tvcl. Wish someone was able to do the same in other cities.

[tvcl]

@TheViewer

This is awesome. And knowing which variety of AAC is being used. Thanks tvcl. Wish someone was able to do the same in other cities.

No problem. Here is the codec breakdown (all stations are stereo unless otherwise denoted):

LC-AAC
2GB 873, 2UE-954, 2SM Talk & Sport (Mono), News Talk Sport (Mono).

HE-AAC v1
Magic 2CH, Nova 969, Triple M, ABC Classic FM, ABC Extra, 2RPH Digital, Fine Music, 2SER 107.3, FBi Click, Inspire Digital, smooth fm 95.3, 702 ABC Sydney, ABC Country, ABC Jazz, ABCRadioNational, Double J, SBS PopAsia, triple j, triplejUnearthed, SBS Chill, 2DayFM hit 1041, 2OOO Languages, SkySportsRadio1, Coles Radio, ABCNewsRadio (Mono), Koffee, ABC Grandstand (Mono), Sky Tbred Cent (Mono), SkySportsRadio2 (Mono).

HE-AAC v2
FUN Classic Hits, GorillaDanceHits, ZOO MusicVariety, Buddha - Chill, Classic Rock, Easy Radio, MORE8090, OLDSKOOL, SBS Radio 4, Kinderling Kids, KIIS 1065, The Edge, WSFM 1017, SBS Arabic24, SBS PopDesi, SBS Radio 1, SBS Radio 2, SBS Radio 3, TheRange-Country, 2MFM Muslim DR, Koori Radio, HOPE, CW Remix, The 80s, The 90s.

[Radiohead]

Just in Canberra, and found a DAB+ station called “CRA Test” with text of “FEC test channel” but it is a straight audio feed of Mix106.3. Seems a bit pointless when Mix is a separate station anyhow.

There are still only 18 stations, hard to adjust when you are used to having 57 stations on Sydney DAB+ !!

[SydneyCityTV]

Interesting to hear.

[Moe]

@Radiohead

Just in Canberra, and found a DAB+ station called “CRA Test” with text of “FEC test channel” but it is a straight audio feed of Mix106.3. Seems a bit pointless when Mix is a separate station anyhow.

I think they’ve been running that - though previously called “FEC Test” - for the whole time Canberra has had DAB+.

The point would be to compare the coverage of the regular digital Mix, with that of the test channel. If you take the radio to a really marginal signal area, the CRA Test station would stop being receivable before the main Mix.

I don’t know exactly what FEC mode they are using on the test station, but I posted a while back about how a single multiplex could be configured in EEP-4A mode to combine ABC/SBS/Community/Commercial without as many compromises as the Canberra multiplex has.

Measuring the difference is about the only relevant thing that justifies it continuing to have a testing license - which coincidentally has to be renewed by 30 June. It probably already has been by now though, there’s just no mention on the ACMA website.

[crankymedia]

Is it still distorted? In Sept 15 & Jan 16 it was either very loud or distorted.

Signal was no better or worse on this station to Mix. I tried it in Yass and west along the Hume where the signal drops in and out from Jugiong in to Yass.

[Radiohead]

It didn’t sound any different to the regular Mix DAB+ station

[TV-Expert]

The 2nd DAB+ Digital Radio Report for the year has been released by GfK: http://www.radioitsalovething.com.au/RIALT/media/RIALT/Images/GfK_DAB-Digital-Radio-Report-2-2016.pdf

It’s worth noting that it took place before More 80s & 90s became OldSkool Radio and Stardust became Easy Radio, both of which occurred on June 1.

Coles Radio is the #1 DAB+ commercial station, followed by Classic Rock Digital, The Edge Digital, Buddha, The 80s iHeartRadio, More 80s & 90s (now OldSkool), Koffee, Stardust (now Easy Radio), The 90s iHeartRadio & Chemist Warehouse Remix.

In Sydney, The Edge Digital is the #1 DAB+ commercial station, where 69% of its cumulative audience across the 4 cities that it broadcasts in (Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane & Adelaide) are in that city alone, where the station is also available on FM in many parts of the metro area. Coles Radio is the 2nd most popular DAB+ station, followed by Classic Rock Digital. In Melbourne, Aussie Digital is #1, followed by Classic Rock & The 80s iHeartRadio, whilst in Brisbane, Coles is #1, followed by Classic Rock & Smooth. In Adelaide, Triple M Modern Rock tops the list, followed by Coles & The 90s iHeartRadio, whilst over in Perth, Buddha is #1, followed by Smooth & Classic Rock.

Also, according to this link, it would appear that Triple M Modern Rock has been dropped from DAB+ in Perth to make way for Easy Radio. Meanwhile, over in Sydney, as mentioned in another thread, Dance Super Digi has disappeared from DAB+.