Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Ed, who notes:
I just received a status update on the pantronX Titus II portable SDR from Mike, their chief engineer.
Mike said the self-contained SDR portable will include “SoapySDR as the interface to make it much easier to roll your own SDR app.” Here’s some info about SoapySDR:
https://github.com/pothosware/SoapySDR/wiki
Mike also said, “To be 100% truthful, our biggest push right now is for the international MW & SW broadcasters. They want to go DRM digital is the worst way!”
You might want to share this news with SWLing Post readers.
Thank you for the update, Ed! Click here to view the pantronX website.
Thankfully, (K)TWR has invested much in DRM and continues to push the development of this DRM receiver along with other partners. I certainly can understand why religious broadcasters want to use DRM, especially its capability for broadcasting data. It’s only a matter of time. Yeah, baby, but use 16 QAM modulation for the MSC on the shortwave bands!
Totally agree….16 QAM all the way!
I’m a little bit concerned we’re talking about rolling our own SDR apps at this point in time. I’m happy the platform is as open as it sounds it’s going to be but this leaves me worried they might leave it up to the “community” (aka: unpaid open source developers, volunteers, and broadcast companies) to actively develop software for this device. If this ships with a barebones SDR interface missing expected features and isn’t tailored for casual SW/MW/FM listening or the hobbyist out of the box I’ll be disappointed.
DRM has extra data…and even low definition TV…modes that could be quite interesting on the HF bands
Assume they meant IN the worst way. . . which is interesting,
considering that DRM hasn’t exactly knocked the doors down
as a major medium of transmission.
That makes sense, but DRM is a good digital mode but lack of mainstream recievers has reduced confidence amongst broadcasters, with good reason.
Badly implemented DRM broadcasts offers little advantage to listeners, examples include: lack of info on DRM labels, poor bitrates, non-existent journaline. DRM needs to give the listener a reason to buy a DRM capable receiver.
Only the BBC have properly implemented DRM correctly, with RRI getting a mention for decent bandwidth.
The only hope is for DRM is to be mainstream in silicon chips for cars (NXP) and domestic receivers.
“To be 100% truthful, our biggest push right now is for the international MW & SW broadcasters. They want to go DRM digital is the worst way!”
Huh?
Is this a typo? shouldn’t it be:
“They want to go digital, DRM is the best way!”
Or did they really mean:
“They want to go digital, DRM is the worst way!
*scratches head*
Anyway….looking forward to the Titus II