-
Get involved.
We want your input!
Apply for Membership and join the conversations about everything related to broadcasting.
After we receive your registration, a moderator will review it. After your registration is approved, you will be permitted to post.
If you use a disposable or false email address, your registration will be rejected.
After your membership is approved, please take a minute to tell us a little bit about yourself.
https://www.radiodiscussions.com/forums/introduce-yourself.1088/
Thanks in advance and have fun!
RadioDiscussions Administrators
Has WBZ-AM Finally Dumped IBOC For Good?!?
- Thread starter Uncle Kaimbridge
- Start date
Right, iHeart stations in Richmond were traded to Entercom for WRKO, WKAF.
Could it actually be that WBZ-AM has finally thrown in the IBOC towel? P=)
They have been turning it off at night for the past few years, to protect (then co‐owned) adjacent channel KDKA.
And they do occasionally shut it off for up to 2-3 weeks at a time, either for tower work (hence, using the IBOC‐less alt. xmtr), or waiting for a software upgrade/replacement.
However, after being off several times since last summer for 2-3 weeks at a stretch, coming back on Dec.6th, then going off again a week later, it hasnʼt been back since (well over 2 ������������ )!!
Can we actually celebrate...or am I jinxing it by saying anything and it turns out to just be an extended outage?!? P=/
The main reason most of the original AM-HD stations stopped doing HD, was because the HD Exciters died and the lack of factory support. Most stations had a main and spare exciter but when the hard drive in the spare failed, there wasn't much point in trying to revive them.
I think the US picked the wrong supplier/technology, but that being said it did not sound bad.
The problem was IMHO, the splash over, and the amount of delay in the analog for seamless transition....
I hate to say I'm old, but I remember being able to listen to the Bruins on WBZ-A and watch on Channel 38 .... and have the audio and picture in sync
But the real reason it was a failure was lack radios with the capability to receive IBOC broadcasts.
I have one HD radio, and do not have one preset as a HD2 on the FM side
I agree, and the reason for that was iBiquity over-estimated the enthusiasm for their product, and insisted on collection their royalty on the front end. That made it expensive and cumbersome for people or companies that wanted to try the technology. Plus they were a closed technology that didn't allow anyone else to make improvements. Both of those things don't work in today's world.
People are not buying radios. They are buying smart speakers for the home, smartphones as portable devices.
You mean like iPhones, iPads and Mac computers?
The difference is that Apple makes the attempt to work with outside developers. iBiquity didn't.
I HAD several HD subchannels preset, but most of them are gone.
All HD Radio tuners will receive AM or FM in HD. Beyond the curmudgeon-thinking that "there's nothing wrong with AM the way it is", I attribute the lack of interest in AM HD with timing. Most people who care about audio quality moved away from AM years ago. When the US IBOC standards were approved and receivers started slowing being rolled out into the market, music was for the most part- gone from the Medium Wave bands. There was no reason for the vast majority of listeners to bother tuning in the few AM HD stations on their radio, since they had pretty well abandoned AM anyway.
Fast forward to 2018, where 20% of the new vehicles being delivered have HD radios, most of the AM stations dropped HD transmission for lack of interest and manufacturer support.
Not my Insignia portable -- it's FM only.
It's chip is capable of HD-AM, assuming the tuner inside the radio has AM. Cheap portable radios that most consumers wouldn't bother owning are the exception, not the norm. All the car radios have HD capability for AM and FM.
I believe he means the Insignia HD personal (Walkman-style) portables that were made with the FM band only. No AM band at all. I've had some of them.
Unfortunately, I found that, after a few years, the irreplaceable (by the average consumer) rechargeable internal lithium battery holds a charge for diminishing lengths of time, until it no longer accepts a charge at all.
I also had one go to an apparent software failure, just a white screen. Hitting the "reset" (inserting the end of a paper clip into a tiny hole) didn't help.
No, not a Walkman. This is is the model "NS-HDRAD" (bizarre nomenclature, but that's what's on the plate in the back; the front just says "Insignia' and "HDRadio" with no model info at all. That back plate actually describes it as a "tabletop," and while it's true that it has no handle, it is very easy to pick up and carry around. It runs on four AA batteries or AC and it is FM only. It was the lone HD-capable receiver for sale at Best Buy when I got it in 2013 or 2014.
Here's a photo of the unit:
https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/412hzEVX3wL.jpg
Last edited:
OK, I thought you meant the very small personal portable with no speakers, earphones only.
I also have one of that same model “tabletop or portable” too, HD FM, no AM band at all.
I also have one of that same model “tabletop or portable” too, HD FM, no AM band at all.
880 WCBS's HD Radio is back on. I think for the few days it was off they just forgot to turn it back on after a Mets game, and nobody noticed.
Yes, 880 is in HD now. I don't get an HD lock on it on skywave here near Boston, but the HD indicator was just now flashing. Same with 1010 WINS and 1210 WPHT Philly.
The problem with this is when stations go HD, and people then go buy receivers, there is an understanding by the end user that the station will continue using that technology and the investment in the receiving side will not go to waste. Thru the 1990's I bought AM Stereo receivers primarily to receive WBZ but also other stations. In Boston there were several others - WILD, WJIB, 1510AM, I think 1150AM at one point - even more by skywave. Then WBZ and most of the others pulled the plug on it leaving a bunch of expensive receivers degraded.
Then HD comes along, I hesitated having been burned before but after a few years when it looked like it would stick I started buying receivers - converted my cars, multiple receivers at home, etc. Now, the plug is pulled on this at WBZ (as it was on 1260, 1430, 1200, 1090,.....). It is false advertising and breach of contract with the audience. Are they going to repay my AM Stereo receiver and HD receiver costs because they wouldn't stick with it - no. At least there is still WJIB so the AM Stereo receivers have a use but my HD receivers are really duds. There isn't enough benefit of FM-HD vs analog to care and the sub channels cut in and out too much to bother with. My HD tuners were bought with AM in mind. Is/was HD the best solution for AM - probably not at least in hybrid mode; AM Stereo sounded better; but still they pushed it so I made the investment.
Then HD comes along, I hesitated having been burned before but after a few years when it looked like it would stick I started buying receivers - converted my cars, multiple receivers at home, etc. Now, the plug is pulled on this at WBZ (as it was on 1260, 1430, 1200, 1090,.....). It is false advertising and breach of contract with the audience. Are they going to repay my AM Stereo receiver and HD receiver costs because they wouldn't stick with it - no. At least there is still WJIB so the AM Stereo receivers have a use but my HD receivers are really duds. There isn't enough benefit of FM-HD vs analog to care and the sub channels cut in and out too much to bother with. My HD tuners were bought with AM in mind. Is/was HD the best solution for AM - probably not at least in hybrid mode; AM Stereo sounded better; but still they pushed it so I made the investment.
No, they assume you will be enjoying the HD receiver for FM broadcasts....which I assume you are? ;-)
- Status