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RT
RadioText: This is a 64-character block of plain text that the listener can select for visual
display on the faceplate of the radio by pressing an INFO button on the receiver. This function is
not available on many automobile radios for safety reasons, which has precipitated the frowned-
upon practice of scrolling the PS field instead.
Most radios have limited alphanumeric display capability, so the 64 characters of RadioText
march across the front panel, much akin those annoying LED advertising signs found in airport
buses or fast food emporia. Like the scrolling-PS implementation, RadioText can announce song
titles and performers, run special promotions or contests, or broadcast sponsors' messages.
RT+
RadioText Plus is "semantic analogue radio". It allows the RDS feature RadioText (RT) to be
understood by FM RDS receiving terminals. RT+ is based on RDS RT messages and is completely
backwards compatible with RT. RT+ has been designed to let the listener (or user) derive additional
benefits from the RDS RadioText service. It enables FM RDS receivers to "understand" the
RadioText – to recognize designated objects, to make those objects manageable by the user and
thus offer the user direct access to specific elements of RadioText messages. Such an element can,
for example, be programme associated metadata such as the Title and the Artist of the currently
playing song, or it can be news headlines. This provides the listener with an "mp3-player feeling"
while listening to analogue FM radio. The elements can also carry additional service messages
or information about the Radio Station such as the telephone number or the web address of the
Radio Station's hotline. These objects, or more accurately RT+ information elements carried in
the RDS RadioText (RT) messages, are identified by their location within the RT messages and
by the class code of their content type. Once an information element is received and understood, a
receiver is able to, for example, store the different RT+ information elements and the listener may
then select and request a specific content type from the radio's memory at an instant in time that
suits the listener's needs. Thus the listener is no longer forced to watch the RT information passing
(scrolling) by. Moreover, RT+ offers selected RT message elements to car drivers on a static
display, without risk of distracting the attention of the driver. Furthermore, RT+ is well suited for
mobile phones with built-in FM receivers: telephone numbers can be directly used to initiate calls,
and web addresses can be used to start browsing the web content offered by the radio programme
provider. Last but not least, RT+ is also used for satellite radio broadcasting via DVB-S. It may be
adopted by DRM and DAB in the future, too.
65 Aleksandar Stamboliyski Str., 8000 Bourgas, Bulgaria
Tel: +359 56 820027, Fax: +359 56 836700
E-mail: office@devabroadcast.com ,Web: www.devabroadcast.com
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