Digital Broadcasting Audio

Name: Fernando Pedreros Segarra:

Digital Broadcasting Audio or DAB, is the name that receives according to the Ministry
of Industry, Tourism and Commerce of Spain and the International Union of
Telecommunications, the technology used for the transmission of digital audio signals (to
which we must add user data ) by broadcasting.
Digital Broadcasting Audio is proposed as an alternative to traditional radio systems,
such as short wave or medium wave (both modulated in AM amplitude) or FM modulated
frequency. Over time, these three analog technologies will be "turned off" to encourage
the introduction of the DAB.
With the incorporation of Digital Broadcasting Audio, the aim is to achieve a higher
quality in the radio service, especially by reducing the error rate introduced by the
transmission channel and the effects of multipath propagation. Also, you can provide
additional services through user data associated with the program, such as the title of the
song (in case of music stations), the name of the station and others.
Currently, the implementation of Digital Broadcasting Audio in the countries of Europe,
is regulated by the government of each country, therefore, it is very different from the
coverage offered by the services, such as inclusion or without user data, the form of
obtaining the licenses by the operators and even, the obligation or not by the suppliers of
the DSB.
There are three large parameters in which analog radio and digital radio are compared :
The integration of programs:
In digital radio systems, multiplexer technology is used, it is a single channel in which
various radio programs are grouped. Through this technology, once tuned a multiplexer,
you can change the channel (to another channel of the same multiplexer), with much
higher speed, since we do not need to hook the traditional PLL of analog technology. This
technology also provides a higher spectral performance, since analogically only one radio
program could fit, with digital technology, we can include several. This provides the user
with a potentially greater range of possibilities, since the number of programs issued can
be increased.
Variable data flow:
Another technique to optimize the use of the radio frequency spectrum is to use a variable
bandwidth. In digital terminology, it is a variable data flow. In this way, those programs
that do not need a large capacity in bps (mainly those that do not include music), will
occupy a smaller space in the multiplexer, thus allowing to incorporate more programs to
it.
Sound quality:
DAB uses the MP2 encoder, with a variable sampling rate. Depending on the desired
sound quality, this parameter can be increased to obtain better results. On the other hand,
the number of programs broadcast with higher sound quality must be reduced since the
bandwidth associated with each multiplexer is finite. It is for this reason that in some
countries, digital radio has worse quality than analog. However with about 192 kbps the
qualities are comparable. The DAB + solves that problem by using the AAC + audio
codec that makes 18 CD-quality stations fit in each multiplex (64 kbps). In addition to
being digital is immune to interference caused by mountains, buildings and other stations.
Guarantees high quality reception with reduced signal levels. A relation between the
received signal and the noise of 9 dB already allows a quality of sound signal of quality,
in front of the 50 dB (decibels) s / n that are required in FM.