STARWAVES Milestones

  • STARWAVES
  • STARWAVES Milestones

    • Foundations (1995–2000)

    • 1995: Founded as MUSIC & BYTES by Johannes von Weyssenhoff in Hannover – initially as a music recording and publishing house.
    • 1996–2000: Built a complete digital production chain (CD production, own recording studio, CD pressing plant and first live-streaming servers). In 2000, STARWAVES realised the first internet livestream for Hitradio Antenne – the first in Lower Saxony.

    Entry into Digital Broadcasting (2001–2007)

    • 2001–2004: Entry into terrestrial digital radio. Development of DRM receivers, presentation of the world’s first stereo DRM receiver and the first combined DRM-DAB receiver at IFA and CeBIT. Company renamed to STARWAVES. Winner of the “Hannover Impuls” Award.
    • 2005–2007: Launch of own DRM transmitter trials (digital11.de), presentation of the world’s first DRM/DAB HiFi receiver and the first automotive DRM solution. World’s first DRM+ transmission went on air. Winner of the German Industry Innovation Award 2006.

    International Expansion & Innovation (2012–2022)

    • Development of new approaches for community television in the L-Band (South Africa) and presentation of the world’s first standalone DVB-T2 exciter.
    • Strong focus on Africa: First DRM+ trials and comprehensive DRM projects, winning the DRM Enterprise Award 2017 and presenting the first multi-standard receiver (DRM30/DRM+/DAB+).
    • 2020–2022: New generation of receivers, including the W2401 – the world’s first DRM receiver with integrated WiFi hotspot.

    New Horizons (2023–2025)

    • 2023–2024: Exhibitions at E-Learning Africa in Dakar and Kigali – marking the start of our commitment to closing the education gap. Series production of the W2401 and participation at AidEx Geneva.
    • April 2025: World-first DRM distance-learning pilot project in The Gambia. In cooperation with Fraunhofer IIS, Encompass Digital Media and TDF (France), a live mathematics lesson was transmitted via DRM shortwave from the UK directly to students in Banjul – without internet, multilingual and interactive.
    • September 2025: World-first real-time video transmission demonstration over DRM (“Diveemo”) at IBC 2025 in Amsterdam. Showcasing modern codecs (VVC + xHE-AAC) for high-quality video delivery via digital radio.
    • 2025: Entry into intelligent Energy Solutions. Kick-off and presentation of the Südniedersachsen BESS project in cooperation with strong industry partners – marking STARWAVES’ expansion into large-scale battery energy storage systems and grid flexibility solutions.

     

     STARWAVES Production Line