Polish technology conquers IBC 2019 in Amsterdam. BCAST will present the first Polish radio transmitter to be shown in almost 25 years

For 5 days in September RAI Amsterdam will become a place where the most significant companies in the industry of media & technology will present their accomplishments to almost 60 thousands of visitors. This year the exhibitors are joined by BCAST: the Polish biggest broadcast operator who not only provides operating services, but also implements his own high-tech projects. On its stand, the company will present some software solutions, e.g. a web application for multimedia content management by radio broadcasters, the so-called Virtual Studio (Wirtualne Studio), or another a fully cloud app aimed at creation of DAB+ multiplexes. Some hardware novelties will also be presented: the first Polish radio transmitter to be shown in almost 25 years or a probe for the DAB+ signal quality monitoring.

BCAST is one of few companies in Poland which benefit from the European programme Horizon 2020 phase II. The obtained funding helped not only to carry out some DAB+ test broadcasting (BCAST broadcasts in digital format in Warsaw, Wrocław and Tricity), but also to considerably expand the company's R&D division. As a result, the company which used to be a typical FM radio operator transformed into a fully technological enterprise, owning a complete technical and intellectual infrastructure able to deliver an original, integral system of digital radio broadcasting in DAB+ standard, named DABCAST. Its unique component is a transmitter DTX050 which will make its debut in Amsterdam.  For the first time in 25 years such a device has been designed, constructed and certified in Poland, for the commercial purposes. So far, in broadcasting we have been using our partners' devices, from Italy, Spain or France. By applying some cutting-edge technology, we have developed our own transmitter which integrates the DAB+ and FM systems in one casing. Its modular construction with separated functional blocks and appliance of FPGA logics, in order to implement the idea of programmable radio (SDR), makes it a completely customizable and very promising solution. DTX050 has a great potential for implementation in Poland and in the rest of the world, especially as the device has passed many technical assessments for the compliance with norms in an accredited measuring laboratory, says Maciej Lipiński, responsible for innovation and technology in BCAST. Apart from that, visitors at BCAST stand will be able to see another unique component of DABCAST: a solution for DAB+ signal monitoring, that is DABMON. Though it constitutes an optional element of the platform, it considerably upgrades the quality of offered services. The monitor was set up in such a way that it could respond to the most demanding market standards. It measures not only such 'digital' parameters as MER (Modulation Error Ratio) or BER (Bit Error Ratio), but also all the data concerning the analogue aspects, related to frequency: RF level, C/N, SNR i PAPR. Last but not least, the DABMON device can work independently from DABCAST. However, only by integrating all of the platform's elements, DABMON will become a complete system in which implementation, control, management and services monitoring can be held from one place, with the support of the virtual cloud, adds Maciej Lipiński from BCAST.

The company's participation in show such as IBC is an opportunity not only to show the firm's latest accomplishments to the world, but also to make many valuable business connections. BCAST would also like to make use of such an opportunity, as the company's goal is to export its technologies abroad. During the last years we have proved that our solutions work out not only in Poland, but also in some partner countries, e.g. when constructing multiplexes in Italy and Sardinia. The uniqueness of the DABCAST solution makes it outstandingly competitive. That's why we will certainly be informing you on our next DAB+ broadcasts abroad, concludes Maciej Lipiński from BCAST.