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DRM TX tutorial

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Revision as of 21:22, 13 September 2026 by Clanker (talk | contribs) (Rework documentation for new users: illustrated steps, clear navigation, preserved technical references, and current 0.3.6 behavior)

This guide shows how to open Dream in DRM transmitter mode on Windows. DRM means Digital Radio Mondiale, a digital broadcasting format. Dream prepares the encoded signal; opening its window alone does not start a SimTX transmission.

Before starting

Install a suitable build of Dream. Locate the folder containing dream.exe. This guide's original example uses a Downloads folder; substitute your own path.

For the SimTX connection and a basic audio transmission, complete Getting Started first. DRM encoding is an additional step beyond that example.

Open transmitter mode

  1. Open a Windows terminal.
  2. Change to the folder containing Dream. Use your actual username and folder path.
  3. Run Dream with the -t option.
cd "C:\Users\username\Downloads\Dream"
.\dream.exe -t

Checkpoint: a window titled Dream DRM Transmitter opens.

Dream DRM Transmitter window with channel parameters, service fields, and Start button.
The original example window. The pictured service name belongs to its author; choose your own service identity.

Continue to the signal connection

Configure Dream's service, encoding, and output device according to the installed build. The screenshot shows channel settings, not a complete audio-routing configuration. Some builds have codec limitations; check what the service controls actually allow.

The original walkthrough stops at launching Dream. To carry its output into SimTX, the output format and the selected transmission source must agree. Ordinary encoded audio and complex IQ are different signal paths. Do not treat a normal AM audio-file test as proof that a DRM receiver will decode the signal. Obtain the matching routing and receiver settings for the Dream build being used, then verify reception with a DRM decoder.