NAB FASTROAD Steering Committee Meeting

NAB FASTROAD Steering Committee Meeting

Chair: Bruce Reese, Bonneville

December 18, 2007

Call in: 1-877-848-7030 Access Code: 2182944

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Agenda

• Chairman's opening remarks (Reese)

• Report on status of projects (Claudy)

• New project proposals (Claudy/committee)

• Action items (Reese/committee)

• Other business

• Adjourn

Report on Status of Current

Projects

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Report on Status of Current Projects

• Projects requiring NAB action– DTV reception on laptop PCs– Smart antenna development– Electronic Program Guide for HD Radio

• Other projects– In progress– Deferred or on hold

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DTV reception on PCs

Goal: Facilitate the introduction of integrated DTV reception in computers, especially laptops

Project Approach:– Outreach– Development funding– Facilitate stakeholder adoption

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DTV reception on PCs• Outreach Phase completed

– Hired consultant on retainer– Identify potential Partners

• Survey of players identified 55 organizations, • Resulted in discussions under NDA with 6 organizations

– Very high product interest found for DTV among PC firms– Finalists are Hauppauge and AMD– different innovative approaches

• Next steps– Get quotes for reference antenna designs from two companies– Negotiate contract with antenna design companies (February 08)

• NAB Action– Authorize Major Funding

• 1Q2008: $500k

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New Indoor Smart Antenna

• Goal: show feasibility of an indoor smart antenna using the new CEA standard for control signals over a single-wire coax interface

• Project approach:– Fund construction of Smart Antenna and

control signal prototype – Communications/briefings for CE

manufacturers

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New Indoor Smart Antenna

• RFP stage complete (3 responses)– Selected Antennas Direct as antenna developer– Actively recruiting a receiving device developer

• NAB Actions:– Authorize major funding

• $250k design and construction of Indoor antenna, design and construct receiving device and interface and conduct CE industry briefing/demonstrations

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Electronic Program Guide for HD Radio

• Goal: Develop infrastructure for HD Radio-based EPG, conduct field demonstration– Original Project Budget Estimate: $290k

• Project approach: – Issue RFP– Select team of vendors to implement project

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Electronic Program Guide for HD Radio• Proposal received from BIA partnered with

Broadcast Signal Lab and others– Total cost of $1.25M (too high)– Met with iBiquity; strongly support project

• Revised proposal from BIA/BSL received 12/14:– Break project into two phases, $400k each

• NAB Action:– Near-term: fund phase 1 at $400k– Mid-2008: decide on funding for phase 2

Discussion on NAB Actions

-- DTV reception on laptops: $500K

-- Smart DTV antenna: $250K

-- EPG for HD Radio: $400K (phase I)

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Other Projects

• Projects that are in progress– Improved antenna selection program for DTV– Economic study of mobile/handheld DTV

systems– High Power FM IBOC field test evaluation

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Improved Antenna Selection Program

Goal: Enhance the current www.antennaweb.org website to improve capability of roof-top antenna selection– Scope revised to co-sponsor existing

antennaweb.org website initially, work with CEA to improve it over time

• Project Approach: – Partner with CEA

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Improved Antenna Selection Program

RFQ issued and quote received fromTitanTV– Algorithm improvement on hold– Funds reallocated to NAB co-sponsorship of

current Antennaweb.org website– Contract negotiated with CEA

Funding: $250K co-sponsorship fee to CEA

– waiting for signed contract from CEA

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Study of the Impact of Multiple Systems for Mobile/Handheld Digital

TelevisionGoal: Report to assess:(1) the possible effects of introduction of

multiple technology solutions on the introduction of M/H DTV in the U.S., compared to a single ATSC standardized solution, and

(2) the effect of delay in the standardization process

Project Approach:– Contract with team of new media consultants and

economists to produce report

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Study of the Impact of Multiple Systems for Mobile/Handheld Digital

Television• Agreement signed with BIA Financial Network (LECG as

subcontractor) in early October– Contract value $125,000 + expenses

• Consultants have carried out interviews with more than 20 broadcasters, proponents, manufacturers, and others

• Reports:– Preliminary report received 10/22/07– Interim status reports received 11/2/07 and12/2/07– Pre-final report due12/21/07– Final report due 1/14/08

• NAB actions– Review of pre-final report– Presentation at January NAB Board meeting– Distribution to Open Mobile Video Coalition, ATSC, others

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High Power FM IBOC Evaluation

• Goal: Analyze and organize the test results obtained from iBiquity/industry field testing of raising FM IBOC power 10 dB– Field tests conducted in 2007– Received the iBiquity High Power FM report

October 5, 2007

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High Power FM IBOC Evaluation

• Hired the engineering firm of Hammett & Edison to evaluate

• Preliminary report will be presented to the NAB Digital Radio Committee January 16

• Target completion for presentation at January NAB Board meeting

• Within original $47k budget

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Other projects

• Currently deferred or on hold– Add-on HD Radio devices– “Pause-plus” HD Radio receivers– HD Radio receiver in laptop PC– HD Radio front end improvement

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Add-on HD Radio devices

• Goal: Acccelerate development of personal HD Radio devices (e.g., for MP-3 players)– Personal devices require integrated circuit

devices that are low power, small size, low cost

• Project Approach: – Initial meeting with iBiquity to assess IC

development status

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Add-on HD Radio devices

• Met with iBiquity:– Low-power IC development proceeding

(Samsung, SiPort)– Very high-priority item at iBiquity, but no real

opportunities at present for NAB to accelerate this development

• Will re-evaluate FASTROAD prospects for participation in 2008– Triggering event – release of low-power ICs to

manufacturing

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“Pause+” HD Radio receivers

• Goal: Accelerate development of HD Radio receivers incorporating “Pause+” feature

• Project approach: – Initial meeting with iBiquity to assess

development status

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“Pause+” HD Radio receivers

• Met with iBiquity:– Technology development has been completed– FASTROAD involvement in development of a

commercial product could accelerate time-to-market

• Work in earnest to begin during 1Q 2008– iBiquity developing “short list” of

manufacturing partners – Will evaluate as work begins

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HD Radio receiver in laptop PC

• Goal: make HD Radio receiver a standard feature in laptop PCs

• Project approach:– Outreach– Development funding– Facilitate stakeholder adoption

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HD Radio receiver in laptop PC

• FASTROAD Technical Committee discussed this project on 9/18/07– Logical progression is from “add-on” device to

integrated feature (true for DTVs)– Since “add-on” device is not available,

development of integrated feature premature

• Will re-evaluate FASTROAD prospects once add-on devices are a reality

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HD Radio Receiver Front-end Improvement

Goal: Determine if HD Radio receiver RF “front ends” can be improved and if so, work with receiver manufacturers– Original budget estimate $552k

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HD Radio Receiver Front-end Improvement

• Met with NPR to discuss their work related to IBOC receivers

• Cost factor to significantly improve receivers may be prohibitive; practicality of influencing manufacturers’ product designs questioned

• On hold currently

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New Projects

• TV Technical Subcommittee– Document front end RF performance of existing DTV

receiver products– Participation in CableLabs project on including over-

the-air DTV reception in cable set top boxes-- ongoing

• Radio Technical Subcommittee– Digital translator/booster development and testing

• Strong committee support

– iBiquity proposal: develop broadcaster “toolkit”– iBiquity proposal: HD Radio consumer “portal”

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Current FASTROAD Commitments/Expenditures

• DTV reception on PCs: approx. $50K

• Improved antenna selection program: approx. $250K

• Study of the Impact of Multiple Systems for Mobile/Handheld Digital Television: approx. $135K

• High power FM IBOC evaluation: approx. $50K

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NAB Actions: Summary

• DTV reception on PCs: spend up to $500K

• New indoor smart antenna: spend up to $250K

• Electronic Program Guide for HD Radio: spend up to $400K for Phase I

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Agenda• Chairman's opening remarks (Reese)

• Report on status of projects (Claudy)

• New project proposals (Claudy/committee)

• Action items (Reese/committee)

• Other business

• Adjourn