RadioDNS

RadioDNS is an organisation that promotes the use of open technology standards to enable hybrid radio. Hybrid radio combines broadcast radio and internet (IP) technologies to create a harmonised distribution technology.

The core technology standard (ETSI TS 103 270) relies on the Domain Name System (DNS) to allow a connected radio receiver to look up IP resources based on their broadcast parameters, such as the station identifier received within the broadcast signal. RadioDNS operates the root name server for the radiodns.org domain according to a published trust model.[1] Although RadioDNS reserves the right to charge a small annual registration fee of USD10, this has never been charged and continues to be waived.[2]

The project is an open standard, initially created by a series of broadcasters and manufacturers.[3]

History

RadioDNS was originally created as a collaborative project between Global Radio (at that time called GCap Media) and the BBC, to investigate creating a mechanism for linking Broadcast Radio and IP delivered webservices.

The concept was first presented to the WorldDMB Technical Committee in Munich in May 2008. Interest in the project grew, to the extent where it was necessary to formalise the project.

The First General Meeting of RadioDNS was hosted by the European Broadcasting Union in Geneva in October 2009 [4]

The Second General Meeting of RadioDNS (held on 16 February 2010 in Geneva) adopted the Statutes,[5] Intellectual Rights Policy,[6] Trust Model[1] and Membership Process,[7] and thus effectively established RadioDNS as a not-for-profit organisation.

At the Seventh General Meeting (held on 18 July 2013),[8] the Members unanimously voted to incorporate RadioDNS as a Company Limited by Guarantee, registered in England and Wales. The company is jointly owned by its members, is governed by Articles[9] and continues as not-for-profit entity. RadioDNS Limited holds the trademark registrations of the RadioDNS Logo and Words.

In January 2015, the original technology standards (RDNS01 and REPG01, which had been forked from the DAB EPG standard) were migrated to standards published by ETSI. RDNS01 became ETSI TS 103 270, and REPG01 was integrated into ETSI TS 102 818 v3.1.1.

Details

The standard supports several radio bearers including VHF/FM, DAB, HD Radio, DRM and AMSS. Using a standardised format, a fully qualified domain name (FQDN) is constructed and queried. This returns a CNAME record known as the "authoritative FQDN", which is a domain that represents the requested radio service. From this domain, SRV record lookups can be performed to verify the availability and location of various other applications that utilise RadioDNS.

For example, an FM radio service is identified by its RDS parameters. To identify a radio service on 95.8 MHz with a country code of E1 and the PI code C479, the following FQDN is constructed:

09580.c479.ce1.fm.radiodns.org

Querying this domain returns a CNAME record:

09580.c479.ce1.fm.radiodns.org    canonical name = rdns.musicradio.com.

This CNAME record can then be used to look up SRV records that advertise the availability of applications based upon RadioDNS (in this example an application identified by the name radiovis):

_radiovis._tcp.rdns.musicradio.com    service = 0 100 80 vis.musicradio.com.

Applications

The linking of broadcast media with IP, as RadioDNS enables, allows additional functionality on receivers.

Service and Programme Information (formerly RadioEPG) (ETSI TS 102 818) allows receivers to retrieve detailed metadata about radio services, programme schedules and on-demand audio.

Visual Slideshow (formerly RadioVIS) (ETSI TS 101 499) specifies how to provide visuals for radio broadcasts. Demonstrations have also been made of RadioVIS running on a mobile phone.

Other examples being worked on by the RadioDNS project include RadioTAG, a way for a listener to request more information, or simply bookmark a place, in a live broadcast.

Implementations

RadioDNS standards have been implemented in a variety of connected radio devices and connected vehicles.

Domestic and Mobile Receivers
  • The Sensia, manufactured by PURE, is an example of a receiver with Visual Slideshow
  • Samsung Galaxy Grand 2 and Samsung Galaxy Express 2 LTE - Visual Slideshow, and Service and Programme Information
  • Revo PiXiS RS - Visual Slideshow

Vehicles
  • Audi A8
  • Audi A7
  • Audi Q7
  • Volkswagen Touareg
  • Porsche Cayenne

Alternatives

Service and Programme Information can be transmitted as a data service on DAB Digital Radio, and can include the Fully Qualified Domain Name of each radio service. This avoids the need for a DNS registration.

RadioText+ (RT+) in RDS (FM) and DynamicLabel Plus (DL+) in DAB already provide content type Programme.PROGRAMME.HOMEPAGE (and possibly Info.INFO.URL) which allows radio stations to pass along their website address to receivers without the need for a DNS registration.

References
  1. RadioDNS Trust Model, radiodns.org
  2. RadioDNS Registration Process, radiodns.org
  3. About RadioDNS Archived 2010-03-03 at the Wayback Machine, radiodns.org
  4. EBU Technical Journal - RadioDNS Gets Formal In Geneva, tech.ebu.ch
  5. RadioDNS Statutes, radiodns.org
  6. RadioDNS Intellectual Property Rights Policy, radiodns.org
  7. RadioDNS Membership Application Process, radiodns.org
  8. RadioDNS Seventh General Meeting, radiodns.org
  9. RadioDNS Articles of Association, radiodns.org
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