Broadcast

The Broadcast working group manages technical issues with regard to Audiovisual devices and services, Broadcast services, and content matters. The group main objectives include enabling the emergence of new markets using digital technologies for content and programme delivery, contributing to the successful growth of High Definition Television equipment in Europe, addressing Digital Radio Reception in cooperation with broadcasters to enable this market Europe-wide, contributing to the specification of Digital Television Accessibility in order to develop an inclusive Information Society in Europe.

DVB-T/H Mobile Access Interface Specification

DIGITALEUROPE is creating a radio access specification for portable and mobile DVB-T/H (Handheld Terrestrial Digital Video Broadcasting) receivers, for example frequency range, minimum and maximum input range and tolerance to impulse interference. It is important for industry to develop a unified specification before implementation begins to avoid the repetition of diverse specifications due to lack of guidance that occurred in the case of DVB-T set top boxes.

Digital Radio

Radio programmes are going digital, with optimised management and transmission costs, with the possibility of friendlier reception and selection. Whilst radio programmes are local, regional or national, interoperability of receivers is a pan-European matter common to all member states, and should be addressed by the European Institutions: the transition to digital should not create fragmentations due to opposed technology choices by some countries, with a situation degraded from the analogue radio era, with FM and AM being universal and interoperable. Consumer choice, affordability of mass market receivers, and availability of receivers in car and in phones will be stimulated by interoperability. The European Commission should encourage Member States to adopt a framework for interoperability and coherent spectrum allocation for radio. DIGITALEUROPE's objective is to discuss what actions are required in order to ensure a harmonised approach in Europe, and the suitability or otherwise of DIGITALEUROPE developing a minimum requirements document for Digital Radio reception in Europe.

 

Accessibility of DTV and contents

DIGITALEUROPE is facilitating industry's participation to a dialogue with the Broadcasters and user groups such as EDF (European Disability Forum), RNID (Royal National Institute for Deaf and Hard of Hearing People) and AGE (European Older People's Platform). This dialogue aims at identifying the specific needs of elderly people and users with disabilities, and the technical solutions that can be implemented in Digital TV equipment and services to satisfy these needs.