RDS Introduction
RDS - Available in Europe for more than 10 Years
RDS stands for Radio-Data-System. And RDS is a service of the broadcasting companies. In addition to the normal radio program they transmit an inaudible telegram with further information. E. g. Program Identification (PI), Traffic Message Channel (TMC), Alternative Frequencies (AF) and more.
The Radio-Data-System is accepted in nearly all European countries and thus a component of every broadcasting station. RDS receivers in cars and at home can only detect and decode a part of these transmitted information.
The Radio-Data-System (RDS) has more power as it shows today. By help of 2wcom RDS decoder and RDS application you can use the Radio-Data-System for your own needs.
The Radio Data System (RDS) comprises much more potential than used up to now, i. e. more services in the future. With the already existing equipment of RDS encoder and decoder you can create customized RDS application to your own demands.
An existing network of FM transmitter is available world wide. This infrastructre can be used to reach the public efficient and at very low costs.
Download a PDF document about all RDS features here (80kb).
Examples
Control of large-scale displays, billboards
The installation of large-scale displays at stations, airports, harbours e. g. for commercial or informative purpose, is very expensive. The largest part of the expenditure is needed for the laying of the interface cable to the computer to run the display. Very often it is not possible to install a display at a specific place because streets, channels/rivers, houses have to be passed. The alternative is to run the display via RDS and to decode the RDS signal with our decoder. Another advantage of this technique is the ability to control several displays within the service area of the transmitter without the need to lay cables.
Control of switching processes
The installation of pumps, electronic gates (for watering for example) and electronic traffic signs is very expensive and often not feasible in difficult terrain especially with natural obstacles. The laying of cables to supply the hardware is extremely difficult or simply not possible. The installation of a transmitting set is too expensive considering the short range provided by such a set. The alternative is to control these processes via RDS and to decode the RDS signal with our decoder.
Data Bridges
By help of data bridges a transmitter site is able to receive RDS data (e. g. dGPS) from his adjoining transmitter. This received data can be feed into an encoder again, retransmitted and received at the next transmitter site. In the same way e. g. Paging, TMC (Traffic Message Channel), TDC (Transparent Data Channel), EWS (Emergency Warning System) data may be handled.