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New Accessible Radio Publications and an NPR Labs Video Presentation: Overview of Radio Captioning
Click here To browse NPR Labs' Video Presenation: Overview of Captioned Radio; Radio Text Display Final Report: 3 Studies; Best Manufacturing Recommendations For Blind and Low Vision Users; Results from NPR Election Night '08 Captioned Radio Event; and see the NPR Labs' CONSOLIDATED REQUESTS FOR INFORMATION (RFI)
 
Update regarding the NPR Labs IBOC Power Calculator

Now that the FCC has acted on the NPR/iBiquity IBOC Power Proposal, the NPRLabs IBOC Power Calculator, originally provided as a courtesy to the industry to estimate allowable digital ERP for preliminary planning purposes, has been superseded.
Although the FCC ruling adopts the NPR-recommended power increase formula, the IBOC Power Calculator itself was based on a snapshot of the FCC database from late 2009, and is not to be relied upon for filing purposes.
Licensees may now prepare to file for voluntary digital facility upgrades, which should be based on accurate, current studies prepared by a qualified engineer, to determine their station's permissible digital ERP.

Please feel free to contact NPR Labs for more information on preparing digital ERP studies via

Comments and questions on retiring the power calculator should be directed to

 
Advanced IBOC Coverage and Compatibility Study (Final Report) Available
This report adds sections dealing with compatibility (impairment to analog main FM channel reception from same-station IBOC transmissions) and a means for estimating increases in IBOC coverage at elevated digital powers.
 
NPR Labs Online Viewing Applications for Public Radio and Television
The NPR Labs Public Television Online Viewing Application and the NPR Labs Public FM Radio Online Viewing Application comprise a set of tools that let users dynamically explore mapping and demographic data for PTFP-qualified FM and TV transmitters.
The tools are now freely available your interaction, and are intended for anyone affiliated with a PTFP-qualified FM and/or TV transmitter. Please see the abstracts introducing these tools and the scope of work in these PFTP studies.
 
20100301: REVISED NPR Labs PAD Applications for iBiquity v4.x and later Importer software
NPR Labs has learned that the PAD applications provided free-of-charge to NPR Members are incompatible with iBiquity's version 4.x and later Importer Software. NPR Labs has been working to revise the software, and is developing the replacement using the PADSDK provided through iBiquity Digital Corporation.
The alpha version has recreated the software as a Windows service with 'plug-in' components to operate the desired PAD stream, flexible scheduling to allow different services to push PAD to the same network port at different times.
 
IBOC DAB Interference Maps and Population Reports for 49 Public Radio Stations
Click here to see the maps and learn more about them.
 
Digital Radio Coverage and Interference Analysis Study Now Available

NPR Labs completed their DRCIA project - an exhaustive 18-month study projecting the consequences of interference between HD Radio and station analog broadcast signals, as well as HD Radio’s overall success in meeting coverage expectations and needs. Visit http://www.nprlabs.org/research/drcia to download the final report.
 
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Welcome to NPR Labs

NPR Labs’ mission is to identify, evaluate, and advance the application of innovative technologies in support of the public service mission of NPR and our member stations.

NPR Labs was established on October 1, 2005 as America's only not-for-profit broadcast technology research and development center. Located in the heart of Washington, DC, at NPR headquarters, the Lab works daily on technical research projects supporting the interests of public radio stations across the country.

July 2010: NPR LABS TO DEMONSTRATE NEW TECHNOLOGIES AT CELEBRATION OF THE 20TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT. INNOVATIVE DUAL SCREEN CAR DASHBOARD WILL ENABLE DEAF PASSENGERS TO EXPERIENCE RADIO
NPR Labs was invited to demonstrate its latest technical innovations at the White House and at the Commerce Department as part of the celebration of the 20th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) on July 19, 2010. At both events, NPR Labs demonstrated its captioned-radio initiative which paves the way for enabling deaf and hard of hearing Americans to experience or "listen" to radio.
Mike Starling, Vice President & Executive Director, NPR Labs, addresses the White House ADA celebration. (photo Ellyn Sheffield)

NPR was one of three organizations invited by the administration's Chief Technology Officer Aneesh Chopra to demonstrate their innovations at the White House. The NPR Labs team showed government officials and representatives from groups representing disability communities its prototype car dashboard featuring a captioned-radio display. The display is a dual-view screen. The driver's view shows GPS navigational maps while the passenger’s view shows real-time text of the audio being broadcast over the radio. The technology takes advantage of digital radio transmissions to send a closed-captioned transcript of a live broadcast to the screen on a specially built receiver. Read the full press release.


June 2010: NPR Labs' Video Presentation: Overview of Radio Captioning
This short video provides a look at NPR Labs' efforts of the last two years in bringing Captioned text to HD Radio transmissions, including the first-ever radio captioning on Election Night, November 2008.

January 2010: The Technical Basis of PAIS
Background and Technical Specifications of the Personalized Audio Information Service (PAIS) Project under NIDRR grant CFDA #84.133G‐2. Includes the history, research, program category codes and more.

November 2008: "Captioned Radio" Debuts on Election Night
Get the details on the left-hand side of the ICART homepage.

NPR Labs has prepared audio samples to demonstrate the impairments resulting from elevated IBOC transmission power.
Follow this link to the samples.

 

 

 

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