The Internet's Number One Radio Channel Processes With Omnia
UK-based Virgin Radio also uses Omnia for FM, AM and DAB
LONDON, UK, September 8, 2000
London-based Virgin Radio's Internet channel, the biggest streaming channel in the world, uses Omnia to process its audio content. Virgin achieved Number One status among total listeners this year in Arbitron's InfoStream ratings service.
Virgin was one of the first radio stations in the UK to use the Omnia.fm on its Londonbased 105.8FM service early in 1998. Last year Virgin decided to upgrade all of its AM sites and purchased 34 Omnias to provide high-quality AM audio to the 4.2 Million people across the UK who listen to its programs, according to Chief Engineer Alex Lakey.
"All medium wave sites from 100 Watts to 100kW now use Omnia audio processing; we worked closely with Frank Foti and the folks at Cutting Edge, as well as UK distributor SBS, to perfect the hardware and software on the AM units," Lakey explained.
Virgin Radio also operates a national Digital Radio service on the Digital One network in the UK (Eureka 147 DAB) also processed with an Omnia. Lakey noted that the processing has been tailored for the digital radio market. All Omnia audio processors are DAB-ready.
"DAB listeners are discerning folk and we have had some great comments on the audio quality of the service," Lakey said. "We also broadcast on the analog and digital Sky satellites as well as the Internet, and these streams all use Omnia processing."
In all, Lakey noted, Virgin Radio has 38 Omnia digital audio processors, including the recently-introduced Omnia-3 model, which is employed to process Virgin's newlylaunched Digital Radio service in London.
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Cutting Edge (Omnia) is world-renowned for its innovative digital audio signal processing expertise. Its family of digital audio processors for FM, AM, TV, DAB, Internet, and broadcast audio production are setting new standards for audio quality in the broadcast and Internet industries worldwide. To find out more about Omnia, call +1 (216) 241-3343, or browse www.omniaaudio.com.
Trademark Acknowledgements: Omnia is a registered trademark of TLS Corporation, dba Telos Systems and Cutting Edge. All other trademarks are property of their respective holders.