At the recent IBC conference in Amsterdam, the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) demonstrated a number of hybrid radio devices using open source radio production and transmission tools.
Above is a video of RadioVIS/FM running on a Chumby One: demonstrating FM audio being accompanied by visuals from the internet connection, using RadioDNS.
Notably, this service displays live pictures from traffic cameras, and the production tools also built by the EBU allow broadcasters to immediately slot live pictures into the broadcast.
The stand also displayed RadioVIS/DAB on a PURE Sensia and two implementations of RadioVIS/FM on two mobile phone platforms; as well as other digital transmissions. The entire platform, including the software-defined radio system for DAB transmission, cost less than €5,000.
The team behind the software suite – both the production suite and the Chumby software – plan to release the code in open source.
Further information related to this project:
- The EBU’s open-source RadioVIS server source, hosted at Google Code
- Photographs and more information about the open-source digital transmission chain at IBC