MANILA – The Philippines is well on the road to going digital with its National Telecommunication Commission (NTC) in the midst of fine-tuning its memorandum circular for digital terrestrial TV (DTT) broadcast services, and a major network already conducting DTT trials in some parts of the country.

by Millette Burgos

NTC-Technical Working Group responsible for the drafting of the Digital Television Standard of the Philippines From Left to Right: Engr. Rodolfo Hererra Jr., Engr. Erwin Galang, Engr. Dominador Abogado, Engr. Melvin Acosta, Engr. Armand Ursal, Engr. Alvin Blanco, Engr. Antonio M. Leduna, Engr. Thomas M. Sales, Engr. James Rodney P. Santiago

In May this year, regulatory body NTC, which governs the broadcast and communications industry, formed a Technical Working Group (TWG) composing of NTC’s technical personnel, key people from network associations and broadcasters/TV network operators, and other industry stakeholders. The TWG was tasked to study and submit recommendations on how best to address the various technical and regulatory issues concerning the provision of DTT services in the country.

In the latest draft of the memorandum released last month, the TWG has recommended the adoption of the European-based digital video broadcast-terrestrial (DVB-T) standard. While NTC as a whole maintains a policy of technology neutrality, this covers only the telecommunication sector and not broadcasting.

At the same time, while the TWG is aware of the existence of several other DTV standards, namely the US-developed Advanced Television Systems Committee (ATSC), 
Japan’s Integrated Services Digital Broadcast (ISDB) and, most recently, China’s own DMB-T, the group still needs to choose a DTV standard based on “legal, technical and practical limitations”.

Technical and practical considerations likewise dictate that TV network operators adopt a single DTT standard not only to facilitate the country’s transition to DTV, but enhanced levels of functionality, clarity and quality.”

The seven-month trial incorporated a series of “world-first” field tests, expanding the global knowledge base for this emerging digital radio platform.
Conducted at Broadcast Australia’s existing Gungahlin broadcast facility in Canberra, the AM-band trial was undertaken between March and October this year. The trial was carried out in partnership with Australia’s multicultural and multilingual public broadcaster Special Broadcast Services (SBS), which was also the trial’s licence holder.

Technical experts from Broadcast Australia explored a range of services, obtained field-performance measurements through extensive drive tests, and evaluated a range of transmission equipment and receivers.

“With our in-house capability and expertise, the seven-month trial has allowed us to complete significant DRM testing, some of which have not been conducted to-date outside of a laboratory,” Kepreotes said. “It has provided Broadcast Australia with a great deal of knowledge and experience with DRM, and arms us well in supporting our existing customers and Asian broadcasters as they explore this important new digital radio platform.”

DRM is an open-standard digital radio system most suitable for application in the short-wave and AM bands. Originally conceived as an analogue short-wave replacement technology, DRM is particularly suited for regional and remote radio services.

It can be used for a range of audio content, including multilingual speech programmes and music. These can be complemented by text or additional data services, depending on the receiver functionality.

Broadcast Australia said DRM could readily be applied to many existing short- or medium-wave transmission facilities within existing channel allocations. DRM could also offer a simulcast capability, which means the broadcaster could support both the existing analogue service and a new DRM service within the same channel allocation, for a suitable simulcast period.

“This allows broadcasters to introduce the higher-quality DRM service to their listeners without immediately switching off the existing analogue service to facilitate a smoother transition from analogue to digital services,” said Kepreotes. “DRM also offers some multichannel capability, which could support broadcasting in more than one language.”

The DRM consortium would soon make the detailed findings of Broadcast Australia’s DRM trial public.