DIGITAL AUDIO BROADCASTING

CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION

1.1 Digital Audio Broadcasting

DAB Digital Radio, which is also known as digital audio broadcasting, is an entirely new
system for broadcasting and receiving radio stations. As the name indicates signals are
broadcast in a digital format to enable CD quality to be achieved. People who have heard
DAB digital radio have commented on the significantly better sound quality and "presence"
of the new radio system. Also it does not suffer from the multipath effects often experienced
on FM transmissions and as the system uses what it known as a single frequency network
(SFN) there is no retuning required when moving from one coverage area to the next.
In addition to this many new services can be carried on these digital radio transmissions
enabling the new system to be compatible with the 21st century. The digital radio signal
carries data alongside the audio, and this enables text and images to be transmitted
alongside the audio to enhance the listening experience. In this way it is possible to transmit
the title of a track, and a picture of the artist whilst the some music is being transmitted. It
is also possible to have news scrolling across the bottom of the screen used on the radio.
DAB digital radio is now well established in many countries around the world from the UK
and Europe to Canada, Australia and many other countries. With the facilities that digital
radio offers it is now being accepted and listeners are switching to these new digital radio
transmissions in the areas where they are available.

Fig 1.1 Portable radio that can receive digital radio transmissions

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1.2 History of DAB

Radio broadcasting is one of the most widespread electronic mass media. Since the
beginning of broadcasting in the early 1920s, the market has been widely covered by the
AM and FM emission standards. These broadcasting services have achieved the
technological and operational maturity such that there was hundreds of programs provider,
thousands of HF transmitter and billions of receiver word wide. They offer a large diversity
of speech and audio programs to the listeners. Today we live in a world of digital
communication systems and services. These analog standards are now failing to provide
the quality of services to the listeners they expect. Now the essential parts of the production
processes in radio houses was to change to digital ones in recent times. The world was
changing from analog to digital techniques to produce the optimum performance, with
acceptable cost to a large consumer market. There are now many mass-storage digital
medium to offer superior sound quality like CD‟s, hard disks, digital compact cassettes,
Mini-Disks, DVDs etc or streaming and download formats (such as MP3) for distribution
via Internet. Consequently, broadcast transmission systems now tend to change from
conventional analogue transmission to digital. The first steps in the introduction of digital
broadcasting services were taken by the systems NICAM 728 (Near Instantaneously
Companded Audio Multiplex, developed by the BBC for stereo television sound in the
VHF/UHF bands), DSR (Digital Satellite Radio, which was already shut down), or ADR
(Astra Digital Radio), but none were suited to replace the existing conventional services
completely, especially for mobile reception. For that reason, the universal digital
multimedia broadcasting system Eureka 147 DAB was developed and is now being
introduced worldwide [1][2]. The first digital sound broadcasting systems were developed
in the early 1980s for satellite delivery providing CD-like audio quality. Literature on DAB
5 Primarily they broadcast in 10 to 12 GHz bands, employed very little sound data
compression. They were not suitable for mobile reception. Thus, it was not possible to serve
all users, especially not for mobile users. These well-established FM radio were not able to
provide satellite delivery, namely „local services‟. As a result terrestrial digital sound
broadcasting was come into consideration. Therefore, towards the end of 1986 a consortium
of 19 organizations from France, Germany, The Netherlands and the United Kingdom had
signed a co-operation agreement and applied for notification as a Eureka project. The
Eureka 147 project was initiated through the collaboration between IRT (Institut für
Rundfunktechnik) and CCETT (Commun d‟Etudes de Te´ le´diffusion et Te´le’

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communications), both of which undertake research on behalf of broadcasting organization

in their respective countries. Following goals were set up for DAB from the beginning with
the sole aim of quality audio for mobile reception:
• High quality audio comparable to that of the CD
• Suitable for mobile reception in a car, even at high speeds
• Efficient use of frequency spectrum
• Transmission capacity for ancillary data
• Low transmitting power
• Terrestrial, cable and satellite delivery options
• Easy-to-operate receivers
In the beginning, DAB system was created by the conjunction of two advanced digital
techniques, audio bit-rate reduction, pioneered by IRT, and RF transmission using a
technique known as COFDM, pioneered by CCETT. The BBC contribution has been
diverse, including the third major component in the system, the dynamic, flexible multiplex
and system control mechanism. The BBC contribution also involved research into many
aspects of audio, data and RF parts of the system, as well as the major role in determining
the final system parameters and drafting the written specification for the system. Literature
on DAB 6 As the system has evolved, parameters such as bandwidth of the RF signal have
been changed. The first system approach considered at least 16 stereo programs of CD
audio quality plus ancillary data to be transmitted in the 7 MHz bandwidth of a television
channel. This definitely cannot be achieved by simply transmitting the combined net bit
rates of 16 CD-like program channels, which are around 1.4 Mbps each, over the TV
channel. So a high degree of audio data compression without any perceptible loss of audio
quality was mandatory. Data rates below 200 kbps per stereo channel had to be achieved.
In Canada experiments with the COFDM system revealed that substantial performance
degradation begins around 1.3MHz and lower. So, a reasonable bandwidth for a DAB
channel or „DAB block‟ was defined as 1.5 MHz. Starting at 7 MHz to fill a continental
television channel, changes have been made to 3.5 MHz and then to 1.5 MHz in order to
fit 4 DAB signal, plus guard bands into such a television channel, the final specification
correspond to 1.537 MHz. During this evolution, extensive field test taken extensive field
tests of the system were undertaken by Research Department using experimental
transmitter in London (Crystal Palace) and Birmingham and latterly a mini-network of low-
power transmitter at existing UHF television transmitter site in Surrey, followed by a
London-wide network. Finally, the DAB system completed in autumn 1994

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1.3 Organization of the Report

This report starts with an overview of the different timing methodologies. We
analyze the impact of spatial variations of the clock signal, called clock skew, and temporal
variations of the clock signal, called clock jitter, and introduce techniques to cope with
synchronous approach. These variations fundamentally limit the performance that can be
achieved using a conventional design methodology. The report is organized as follows:
Chapter 1: Introduction - This chapter briefly explains the overview of the report.
Chapter 2: Working of Digital Audio Broadcasting Working - This chapter describes about
the allocation of frequencies,Radio equipment and channels .
Chapter 3: Block Diagram - This chapter discusses the transmitter and receivers blocks.
Chapter 4: Advantages - This chapter explains about the advantages of Digital Audio
Broadcasting.
Chapter 5: Disadvantages- This chapter describes the disadvantages caused by Digital
Audio Brodcasting.
Chapter 6: Conclusions - This chapter summarizes the major accomplishments of this
report.

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CHAPTER 2
Working of Digital Audio Broadcasting

2.1 Introduction
To produce a digital system that operates satisfactorily under the conditions required for
digital radio a large amount of work was undertaken in the development stages. Some
existing digital techniques were investigated but it was realised these had significant
limitations for this application. One of the major problems was that many receivers would
use non-directional antennas and as a result they would pick up reflected signals. These
would be delayed sufficiently for the data to become corrupted. Additionally the bandwidth
required to accommodate a full stereo signal would need to be reduced to ensure efficient
use of the spectrum. The technical standards for digital radio were developed under the
auspices of the European Eureka Project 147. This consortium consisted of manufacturers,
broadcasters research bodies and network operators.
There are two main areas of the system that are of interest in digital radio: namely the
modulation system and the audio digital encoding and compression system.
The encoding and compression system is of paramount importance. For the system to be
viable the data rate has to be considerably reduced from that of a standard CD. The digital
radio system adopted reduces the data rate down to 128 kbits / sec, a sixth of the bit rate for
a similar quality linearly encoded signal. To achieve these reductions the incoming audio
signal is carefully analysed. It is found that the ear has a certain threshold of hearing. Below
this the signals are not heard. Additionally if a strong sound is present on one frequency
then weaker sounds close to it may not be heard because the threshold of hearing is
modified. By analysing the incoming audio and only encoding those constituents that the
ear will hear the significant reductions can be made. Further reductions in data rate can be
achieved by reducing the audio bandwidth. This is implemented on some channels such as
those used only for speech.
The other key to the operation of digital radio is the modulation system. Called Coded
Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplex (COFDM) it is a form of spread spectrum
modulation that provides the robustness required to prevent reflections and other forms of
interference from disrupting reception.
The system uses about 1500 individual carriers that fill around 1.5 MHz of spectrum. The
carriers are spaced very close to one another. Interference between the carriers is prevented

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by making the individual signals orthogonal to each other. This is done by spacing each
one by a frequency equal to the data rate being carried. In this way the nulls in the
modulation sidebands fall at the position where the next carrier is located. The audio data
is then spread across the carriers so that each carrier takes only a small proportion of the
data rate. This has the advantage that if interference is encountered in one area then
sufficient data is received to reconstitute the required signal. Guard bands are also
introduced at the beginning of each symbol, and the combined effect is such that the system
is immune to delays consistent with signals 60 km further away than the primary source.

2.2 Note on OFDM

Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplex, OFDM is a form of signal format that uses a
large number of close spaced carriers that are each modulated with low rate data stream.
The close spaced signals would normally be expected to interfere with each other, but by
making the signals orthogonal to each other there is no mutual interference. The data to be
transmitted is shared across all the carriers and this provides resilience against selective
fading from multi-path effects.
With this level of immunity, the system can operate with other digital radio transmitters
operating on the same frequency without any ill effects. This means that it is possible to set
up a system where all the transmitters for a network operate on the same frequency. This
means that it is possible to set up single frequency networks throughout an area in which a
common "multiplex" is used. Even though it may appear that this is a recipe for poorer
reception caused by several transmitters using the same frequency, the opposite is actually
true. It is found that out of area signals tend to augment the required signal. It also means
that small areas of poor coverage can have a small transmitter on exactly the same
frequency filling in the hole and further improving reception in adjacent areas.
A further advantage of this digital radio system is that it requires less power than the more
traditional transmitters. For example those that carry the main BBC FM networks from the
main transmitting sites like Wrotham in the South East of England run at powers of around
100 kW for each of the four main services that are transmitted. The cost of the electricity
alone is a significant factor in the BBC's running costs and the power reductions will bring
huge savings, not to mention the environmental benefits.

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2.3 DAB band allocations

In the UK a spectrum allocation between 217.5 and 230 MHz has been reserved for digital
radio transmissions. This gives a total of seven blocks of 1.55 MHz, each able to carry a
multiplex of services. In other countries as well spectrum is being made available. Within
Europe spectrum is being made available either in Band III as in the UK or in L band
between 1452 and 1467 MHz. The upper part of the band between 1467 and 1492 will be
reserved for satellite delivery of digital radio.

2.4 DAB radio equipment

One of the main problems with the initial launch of digital radio was the availability of the
equipment. A large investment had been required from the equipment manufacturers. The
heavy reliance on digital signal processing techniques meant large development
programmes were needed to develop the equipment. There were also problems with the
fact that the early implementations required high current levels. These solutions would not
have been suitable for portable receivers, and for in car and home applications heat
dissipation was a problem. Furthermore the multi-chip solutions made the equipment large
and bulky as well as making the manufacturing costs high.
Manufacturers soon solved the problem. Specific chip sets for DAB were developed and
these enabled costs to be reduced dramatically from the initial ones that were seen so that
DAB is no where near as high as it was when compared to FM receivers.
Many people now comment on the significant enhancements that DAB digital radio brings.
One typical example was when a friend walked into a shop and noticed the music playing
had an increased presence. He assumed it must be DAB, and this was confirmed when he
asked. Others have noticed the seamless performance when in a car. None of the
intermittent hissing when travelling through a marginal area between the two transmitters.
Accordingly DAB digital radio is now the broadcasting medium for the 21st Century.

2.5 DAB Digital Radio Frequencies & Channels

DAB digital radio can be broadcast on a wide number of frequencies. There are both
terrestrial and satellite allocations for Digital Audio Broadcasting (DAB). Currently the
main frequencies where it is being deployed are within the Band III (Band 3) frequencies.
Here a number of channels have been allocated. A complete table of the channels is given

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below, although in many countries the full number of channels is not available. Within the
UK, the DAB multiplexes are being broadcast on channels 11B through to 12D inclusive.
Although it may appear that comparatively few channels are available, each multiplex is
able to carry many stations. If high quality audio is required then fewer stations can be
accommodated. However it is often possible to accommodate around four or five high
quality broadcasts along with several lower quality ones. In addition to this data can also
be carried.
DAB DIGITAL RADIO FREQUENCES & CHANNELS
DAB CHANNEL FREQUENCY
MHZ
5A 174.928
5B 176.640
5C 178.352
5D 180.064
6A 181.936
6B 183.648
6C 185.360
6D 187.072
7A 188.928
7B 190.640
7C 192.352
7D 194.064
8A 195.936
8B 197.648
8C 199.360
8D 201.072
9A 202.928
9B 204.640
9C 206.352
9D 208.064
10A 209.936
10B 211.648
10C 213.360
10D 215.072
11A 216.928
11B 218.640
11C 220.352
11D 222.064
12A 223.936
12B 225.648

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DAB DIGITAL RADIO FREQUENCES & CHANNELS

DAB CHANNEL FREQUENCY
MHZ
12C 227.360
12D 229.072
13A 230.748
13B 232.496
13C 234.208
13D 235.776
13E 237.448
13F 239.200

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CHAPTER 3
BLOCK DIAGRAM

3.1 Transmitter
The block diagram follows the following steps:

Fig 3.1 Transmitter block diagram

. Audio data as well as other data is individually encoded with channel coders, then error
protected and time interleaved

. A multiplexer combines many different services to create a main service channel

(MSC).

. The multiplexer output is frequency interleaved and synchronization symbols are added
. Coded Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (COFDM) with quadrature phase
shift keying modulation is employed for each carrier to create Literature on DAB 10 an
ensemble DAB signal.
In this we study two elements in detail. These are:
1. Multiplexing and Transport Mechanism
2. COFDM Modulation

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3.1.1 Multiplexing and Transport Mechanism

The data from individual services such as audio, data are to be initially encoded at
individual level, error protected and time interleaved. The output services are combined
into a single data stream ready for transmission. The process of combining data stream is
known as multiplexing and the resulting data stream is called multiplex. In DAB several
programs are multiplexed into a so-called ensemble with a bandwidth of 1.536 MHz The
transmission frame consists of sequence of three groups of OFDM symbols:
Synchronization channel symbol, Fast Information Channel (FIC) symbols, and Main
Service Channel symbol. The synchronization channel symbol comprises
the null symbol and the phase reference symbol.

The main advantage of the DAB system developed in the European Eureka-147 standard
is its ability to deliver high quality audio (near CD quality) services to mobile receivers
under different channel conditions. This is because of the use of rugged transmission
technology called the Coded Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (COFDM). This
is the heart of Digital Audio Broadcasting. OFDM is multi-carrier system. Data is
transmitted at a low symbol rate using many narrow-band carriers rather than at a higher
rate using single wide-band carrier. Carriers are arranged to be mutually orthogonal, so
each carrier has its peak amplitude, in the frequency domain, where all other have a zero-
crossing.

Fig 3.2 COFDM Transmission Frame

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The description of three channels is given below:

1. Main Service Channel (MSC): used to carry audio and data service components.
The MSC is a time- interleaved data channel divided into a number of sub-channels which
are individually convolutionally coded, with equal or unequal error protection. Each sub-
channel may carry one or more service components. The organization of the sub-channels
and service components is called the multiplex configuration.
2. Fast Information Channel (FIC): used for rapid access of information by a
receiver. It is used to send the Multiplex Configuration Information (MCI) and optionally
Service Information and data service. It is a non-time-interleaved data channel with fixed
equal error protection.
3. Synchronization channel: used internally within the transmission system for basic
demodulator functions, such as: Transmission frame synchronization, Automatic frequency
control , Channel state estimation ,Transmitter identification.
Each channel supplies data from different sources and these data are provided to form a
transmission frame. Both the organization and length of a transmission frame depend on
the transmission mode. The Fast Information Block (FIB) and the Common Interleaved
Frame (CIF) are introduced in order to provide transmission mode independent data
transport packages associated with the FIC and MSC respectively.

3.2 Receiver
ETSI DAB standard provides only the transmission standard. Receiver design completely
based on the receiver designer and manufacturers; however the receiver should be able to
work with DAB signal. The receiver design is the focus point of my work. In this I have
designed the basic receiver with conventional synchronization method with a new QPSK
classification scheme. In this classification a new continuous learning approach for SVM
classifier is used. This new classification scheme will be discussed in different section.

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Fig 3.3 Receiver block diagram

3.3 Cyclic prefix removal

This sub-block performs the reverse operation of the cyclic prefix done at the transmitter.
It removes the guard interval from each OFDM symbols. Thus the output of this sub-block
is the useful OFDM symbol which is given input to the FFT block.
3.4 FFT
This block performs FFT operation to every OFDM symbol block. This transforms the
OFDM symbol back to frequency domain.
3.5 Zero padding removal
This block remove the 128 padded zeros and re arrange the data.

Fig 3.4 After Zero Padding removal and data rearrangement

Fig 3.5 Dpsk Symbol block zero Padding removal and Rearrangement

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3.6 Synchronization
Synchronization is a challenging but very important issue in a digital communication
system. We address two problems in the design of receiver. One problem is the unknown
symbol arrival time and second problem is the mismatch of the oscillator in the
transmitter and the receiver. These problems need to be eliminated, so the receiver need
to know about the carrier phase, carrier frequency offset, symbol timing and frame timing
for synchronization. In this section we study about the synchronization. The receiver
simulation has been carried in base band, it does not include the RF section neither analog
to digital conversion

3.7 Differential demodulator

Differential demodulation of the carriers is performed by applying complex multiplication
by the complex conjugated amplitude of the received D-QPSK symbol blocks from
OFDM symbol demodulator

3.8 SVM
Support vector machine (SVM) is one of a method for solving classification and function
estimation problems. SVM is based on the structural risk minimization principle. SVM rely
on preprocessing the data to represent patterns in high dimensions-typically much higher
to the original feature space. The derivation of SVM is based on constructing an optimal
separating hyperplane after nonlinearly mapping the input space into a higher dimensional
space. The explicit construction of this mapping is avoided by the application of Mercer‟s
condition. Kernels that satisfy this condition and can be employed for SVM‟s are
polynomials, splines, radial basis functions, and multilayer perceptrons with one hidden
layer. For classification problems the parameters which are related to these kernel functions
are chosen so as to minimize an upper bound on the Vapnik–Chervonenkis (VC) dimension
of the SVM.

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CHAPTER 4
ADVANTAGES
4.1 Nationwide coverage
DAB broadcasts throughout the country – where available – use the same frequency and
consequently do not require retuning. DAB radios automatically tune to all available
stations, and they’re sorted by name as opposed to a frequency number – making it, in
theory, easier to locate stations.
4.2 Added info
DAB stations also have the ability to display additional information courtesy of PAD.
This can include real-time data such as the name of the track currently playing, or details
of the radio station.
4.3 A greater choice of stations
Digital radio is more efficient than analogue, consequently allowing for more data to be
sent in the same spectrum. This has enabled broadcasters to cram more stations into the
same space, creating greater choice for the listener.
4.4 Less interference
Due to the method of transmission, including COFDM modulation, DAB broadcasts are
far less susceptible to interference and reception quality should be of a high standard. As
a digital transmission, DAB broadcasts should also be free of the hissing and crackling
associated with FM.
4.5 Pause and rewind
Modern DAB radios include the ability to pause and rewind live radio broadcasts.

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CHAPTER 5
DISADVANTAGES
It all sounds good thus far, but DAB isn’t without its faults.
5.1 Coverage
DAB isn’t yet available to everyone in the UK. Although coverage has increased rapidly in
recent years, many areas still suffer from poor coverage or no coverage at all.
5.2 Quality
One of the benefits of DAB broadcasts should be an increase in quality, but that doesn’t
always prove to be the case. It is widely documented that many UK DAB stations broadcast
in the MP2 format at a bit rate of just 128kbps, resulting on occasion in better sound from
age-old FM. The MP2 format does support bit rates of up to 384kbps, so why such drastic
compression? It’s done simply to create greater room for more stations; a case of quantity
over quality, sadly.
5.3 Equipment
DAB broadcasts can’t be received by traditional FM/AM radios. Although DAB radios are
now readily available, they are yet to become common place and their supremacy may not
be realised until 2015 – that’s the year in which the UK government plans to cease analogue
broadcasts. Today, many car manufacturers continue to use FM radios as standard.

5.4 Power requirements

As DAB requires digital signal processing techniques to convert from the received digitally
encoded signal to the analogue audio content, the complexity of the electronic circuitry
required to do this is higher. This translates into needing more power to effect this
conversion than compared to an analogue FM to audio conversion, meaning that portable
receiving equipment will tend to have a shorter battery life, or require higher power (and
hence more bulk). This means that they use more energy than analogue Band II VHF
receivers. However, thanks to increased integration (radio-on-chip), DAB receiver power
usage is getting closer to that of FM receivers

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CHAPTER 6
CONCLUSION
1.More and more countries across the world are switching onto DAB.
2.Any how DAB is going to be the sound of future,It is in the path of growth and
development
3.It is going to replace the present methods, even through it may take time. As a successor
of DAB, DTV hams started broadcasting in the UK, the USA e.t.c
4.The above developed DAB base-band transmission system is based on Eureka 147
specifications.

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References

[1] Nikos Manouselis and Pythagoras Karampiperis “Digital Audio Broadcasting:An

interactive services architecture” , IEEE conference on Digital Signal Processing ,
2001,0-7803-7080-5/01.
[2] Yi Han, Yahui Hou and Lunhui Deng “Simulation and Implementation of
Convolution Interleave in Digital Audio Broadcasting (DAB) Transmission System”
IEEE conference on Digital Signal Processing 2012, 978-1-4577-1415-3/12.
[3] Jilong Li, Na Di, Peng Gao, Guofang Sheng, Zhiyong Wu “A Digital Audio
Broadcasting System Using Short Length QC-LDPC” , IEEE Transactions on Speech
and Audio Processing ,2012.

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