Year: 2024

WorldDAB President Jacqueline Bierhorst spoke at IBC Amsterdam this week to update broadcasters and technology suppliers on latest advances and innovations in DAB+ broadcasting in Europe and around the world.“UK DAB share of listening is 67% in cars,” said Bierhorst. Radio is the most listened to audio platform in UK cars. “Car buyers expect broadcast radio to be standard in their next new car,” she said, quoting research conducted by WorldDAB.“Some unregulated IT tech giants think they can do radio, but then they find it is more complicated than they first imagined,” said Bierhorst, showing a picture of Elon Musk and Donald Trump trying to do a radio style interview via online streaming… it crashed. “Online radio doesn’t always work.”The Netherlands has “50 great DAB radio stations… France has 60% population coverage, penetration in Germany is 70%,” she said.Spain is also revitalising its DAB coverage due to increased commitment from the public broadcaster and also the mandatory inclusion of DAB in European cars.In Africa and the Middle East there is also significant movement taking place with a series of trials.DAB has also improved its alert functionality for emergencies. “Radio will work even when phones and internet go down during emergencies. ..Lives will be saved as a result of this work,” said Bierhorst […]

The French audio specialist and equipment manufacturer Digigram has announced the release of a new Dante sound card as part of its ALP-X range. Launched at IBC Amsterdam 2024 and available from Digigram’s network of distributors early October 2024, ALP-DANTE-LE is the eighth addition to the fast growing range of sound cards launched in 2022.
Capitalizing on the success of the ALP-DANTE, Digigram has developed ALP-DANTE-LE, a lighter version of the PCIe sound card that benefits from its most prominent features.
ALP-DANTE-LE was designed using the same sturdy hardware platform as the rest of the ALP-X range,  whose proven design is a synonym for legendary reliability. The card also features the famous low-profile form factor, coupled to a fanless design to address audio applications where space and reliability are at stake. ALP-DANTE-LE operates under Windows and Linux drivers and is compatible with AES67 and SMPTE 2110-30 protocols, increasing its versatility to address countless applications regardless of the environments. Lastly, the card seamlessly integrates Dante networks thanks to the usual Dante Controller interface, and Digigram’s signature reliability and low latency coupled with the audio quality inherent in the Dante protocol.
ALP-DANTE-LE capitalizes on Digigram’s decades of expertise and naturally comes as the new extension of  the ALP-X family, while being a cost-effective addition to the range.
“We have concentrated all the acclaimed benefits of ALP-DANTE in its lighter version ALP-DANTE-LE, and kept the main functionalities that are essential to most projects where audio is critical. The slim form factor, Dante compatibility with other protocols, 64 channels in and 64 channels out, plus support for Linux and Windows operating systems – are among the card’s highlights” states Stéphane Bert, Digigram’s Presales Manager.
ALP-DANTE-LE comes with adjusted connectivity, while keeping the same number of channels. This optimized card will power a larger array of 365/24/7 run applications that require recording, playout or real time processing.
“It is important for Digigram to cater to all of our customers’ projects, regardless of the application or budget, and provide them with untouched quality. All these benefits now come at an optimized price for improved cost-effectiveness,” concludes Bert. […]