RadioScape plc, a provider of end-to-end digital audio broadcasting solutions, has added new solutions for Mobile TV receivers based on the new additions to the Blackfin processor family from Analog Devices (ADI).
The new, high-performance, low-power processors will enable RadioScape to integrate the DAB baseband decoder and the audio video decoder onto a single platform. This provides a clear saving in costs while being competitive on space and power compared to the conventional approach of having DAB baseband decoder and the audio video decoder on two separate chips.
RadioScape is leveraging its Digital Radio systems knowledge to focus on creating Mobile TV (MTV) receiver solutions based on the Eureka 147 DAB standard, including the T-DMB and DAB-IP standards.
DAB-based standards have been adopted for MTV in many parts of the world as they use spectrum that is already available and provide robust reception. RadioScape's initial MTV solutions will provide DAB/T-DMB and DAB-IP reception as well as DAB radio.
RadioScape's Software Defined Radio (SDR) approach means that it can add additional standards as appropriate to meet market demands and create multi-standard MTV solutions.
"Using our tightly integrated solution of DAB radio and MTV in mobile phone handsets or Personal Multimedia Players will enable many features and applications to be created in software that will further enhance the user experience," said Les Sabel, RadioScape's VP of Technology.
"These include music downloads, Electronic Programme Guide, picture downloads, broadcast websites, interactive voting and games, and other user specified feeds such as sport, news, traffic, and weather.
"Our Software Defined Radio approach also allows service providers to deliver value-added applications to existing customers though software updates in the field."
RadioScape's solution integrates both the Eureka 147-based, baseband decoder software (including DAB audio, DAB data, T-DMB and DAB-IP) with the Audio and Video decoders (H.264 video and MPEG 4 for both AAC+ and BSAC audio) into a single software solution.
"This approach provides significant cost savings over traditional multiple ASIC designs while maximising the flexibility of MTV and Digital Radio solutions," said John Croteau, General Manager, Convergent Platforms&Services Group, at ADI.
The use of SDR allows MTV and Digital Radio solutions to be quickly tailored to individual customer and product requirements. This ensures that products can have differentiating features while also reaching the marketplace in the minimum time.
The SDR approach also allows future proofing for both existing products and new designs. New product designs can be generated through the addition of a number of multimedia features (such as pause, rewind, record and cache service) and, in addition, the Blackfin has the flexibility to be either the system master or a slave coprocessor.
"The ADI investment in technology development and their evolutionary path provides an excellent route to lower cost, lower power solutions that will have backward compatibility with previous product generations.
"This continuity in the development process minimises the total cost of ownership by improving product development efficiency relative to traditional approaches where ASIC hardware changes cause significant costly and time-consuming rework," added Les Sabel.
