Grundig Digital Radio - Manual (Page 66)

DIGITAL RADIO GUIDE SATELLITE TRANSMISSION - WORLDSPACE
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WorldSpace has successfully launched several public benefit services including:
•
General Distance Education (e.g. CLASS)
•
Specialised Medical Practitioner Education
• Science Promotion
•
Health Awareness
• Empowerment (Women and Girls, Business, etc.)
Satellite DSB can also be used to provide a reliable emergency and disaster warning
broadcast system. Before the Asian Tsunami in December 2004, WorldSpace had
successfully trialed a cyclone warning system for Indian Fishermen. After the Asian
Tsunami WorldSpace has been working with affected countries and aid agencies to
provide disaster relief and rehabilitation services in India and Indonesia.
Figure 5.1. WorldSpace Coverage Map (Transmission Footprints)
Depending on the audio quality required for each service, each transponder of each
beam on one of the satellites is capable of carrying up to 96 x 16 kbps services. Audio
coding developed by the Fraunhofer Institute (FHG) for the project is based on the MPEG
Layer 3 algorithm with customisation to suit the WorldSpace project. The coding rate for
each service is available in simple multiples of a basic 16 kbps channel, up to a
maximum of 128 kbps. Subjectively, the system offers audio quality standards :
Better than AM 16 kbps
Mono FM 32 kbps
Better than ‘near stereo’ CD 64 kbps
Stereo CD 128 kbps
Data services are provided at up to 128 kbps per channel, using either a shared or
dedicated channel.