FIC decoder application.


With each DAB ensemble included in our list, recordings of the Fast Information Channel (FIC) are provided.

What is the FIC? It is a separate DAB data channel, conveying - among other - binary information on how the DAB multiplex is organized. Every DAB receiver must process this essential on-air tuning data. The services list from which you select the desired DAB service is built by the DAB receiver upon FIC decoding.

Our FIC decoder for Windows® lets you display technical key information on a given ensemble. It displays e.g. bitrate, sub-channel, capacity units used by a service, error protection profiles, secondary services and much more.

To decode the FIC files, proceed as follows:
  • Download the FIC decoder application here
  • Download the desired FIC files from the services overview and store them on your PC
  • Open the FIC file using the FIC decoder's "File..." button. The decoder then processes the file.
  • Click on the services to display detailed information, or click the "Mux details" button to display multiplex configuration information.

Screenshot FIC decoder application


For people who want to develop their own FIC decoder:
Our FIC file's data format is as described with EN 300 401, subclause 5.2.1. However, the 16 CRC bits at the end of each FIB are omitted. Thus the file contains a sequence of FIB data fields (having 30 bytes each) after the CRC checked OK.