2008/10/21 Ant Miller <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Having said that, and my earlier point about low bit rates actually > being better for reaching the audiences they're tyring to get to, the > higher bit rates do exist. If anyone in backstage would like to > suggest something we could do with better quality streams at low cost > (i.e. none!) then fire away!
The UK audience's bitrate doesn't need to be the same as for other areas, and there are lots of different services worldwide... *BUT* my DAB rescue plan: - BBC given 'national commercial multiplex 2' on five-year loan - BBC doubles up all it's DAB TX sites to do this mux - BBC emits DAB+ version of all services -> boost audio quality for all services - Restricted national commercial bandwidth drives up DAB slot values - BBC promotes upgrade to DAB+ for all existing users! - After five years, BBC moves it's national mux to DAB+, returns com mux 2. - Com Mux 2 for new DAB+ services - Then Com Mux 1 moves to DAB+ Then the BBC can promote the "true CD quality DAB+ get it now" service, people have five years to upgrade all their DAB sets. > > > a > > On Tue, Oct 21, 2008 at 10:39 AM, Brian Butterworth > <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > 2008/10/21 Christopher Woods <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > >> > >> This one's a late night, in-the-kitchen thought. I turned the radio on > >> while > >> I was making a cup of tea and of course, after R4 closedown the WS is > >> simulcast. On FM, you get a wonderful, crisp stereo feed. On DAB, the WS > >> feed is fine when listening to the Radio 4 simulcast, 128kbps stereo, > but > >> its own dedicated slot is naff: a 64kbps mono stream. On the web, it's > >> even > >> worse - only streamed at 32kbps WMA/RA. AsianNetwork is 64kbps mono on > DAB > >> - > >> even 5Live has a better bitrate (80kbps mono). > > > > It is probably worth pointing out that the World Service, unlike all > other > > BBC services is paid for out of direct taxation. Thus the service has > an > > even more limited budget than License Fee services, it is down to the FCO > > > http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/about-the-fco/what-we-do/funding-programmes/public-diplomacy/world-service > > > >> > >> While I'm not a big Asian Network listener, I do live in Brum so take a > >> bit > >> of an interest in Asian community goings on. However, I'd quite like to > >> listen to the WS during the daytime, either via the web or via DAB - how > >> come the bitrates haven't been upped for these stations on the web > >> streams? > >> They're dragging behind the other BBC radio stations' online streams. > Are > >> there any plans to ever up the bandwidth of these neglected stations, > >> either > >> on DAB, on the web or both? I'm under the impression that the maximum > >> bitrate for the multiplex is 1184kbps useable. According to > >> DigitalRadioTech > >> [1], the pre2002 bitrates were significantly higher (which I remember), > >> and > >> I can understand the reasons for lowering the bitrates to fit in the > newer > >> channels. The web's a different matter entirely though. What's stopping > >> the > >> Beeb from upping the bitrates for all the online streams to the same > >> bitrate? > >> > >> (and will the bitrates ever go above 128kbps? I'd love a 192kbps or > >> 256kbps > >> stream, particularly for... Well, all of the radio stations!) > >> > >> > >> And also, as a final question - how come the iPlayer pages for *all* of > >> the > >> radio stations are currently reporting each one as being currently > >> off-air? > >> Have the boxes doing the encoding and streaming been taken offline for > >> work > >> overnight or something? If someone aboard the HMS Sceptre is browsing > the > >> Radio 4 iPlayer site and sees that it's currently offair, they might > think > >> Britain is under attack and launch some Tridents at the Soviets. > Wouldn't > >> *that* be an interesting one for Gordon Brown to try and explain! > >> > >> - > >> Sent via the backstage.bbc.co.uk discussion group. To unsubscribe, > please > >> visit http://backstage.bbc.co.uk/archives/2005/01/mailing_list.html. > >> Unofficial list archive: > >> http://www.mail-archive.com/backstage@lists.bbc.co.uk/ > > > > > > > > -- > > > > Brian Butterworth > > > > http://www.ukfree.tv - independent digital television and switchover > advice, > > since 2002 > > > > > > -- > Ant Miller > > tel: 07709 265961 > email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > - > Sent via the backstage.bbc.co.uk discussion group. To unsubscribe, please > visit http://backstage.bbc.co.uk/archives/2005/01/mailing_list.html. > Unofficial list archive: > http://www.mail-archive.com/backstage@lists.bbc.co.uk/ > -- Brian Butterworth follow me on twitter: http://twitter.com/briantist web: http://www.ukfree.tv - independent digital television and switchover advice, since 2002
