Clear Channel scouring MySpace Music for HD talent

[PocketRadio]

I wish I could say what I really feel about this last post of yours. Sangean produced a radio which you say is flawed. Sangean has already developed a firm wear fix and they have offered to take the radios back, fix them and return them to their owners if they'd like (a small bit of information you left out of your post, but I digress) and yet you condem a technology for this? The new HDT-1's don't have these problems (clock and output levels) but you insist the problems still exist. Then you say that the 1X is a replacement for the 1. Another lie coming directly from your keyboard. The 1X was developed after those of us who own the radio contacted Master Theous requesting certain changes be made to improve the HDT-1, such as forced analog/digital modes and a spidf output etc. Sangean will continue to produce the HDT-1 and wil be releasing the 1X as a deluxe model to the public this Wednesday. They quickly sold every prerelease 1X within a few weeks, by the way. I received mine about 2 or 3 weeks ago and it's an outstanding receiver. What is it with your character that you feel you must pathologically lie to us? You make statements which can be proven false with little effort but still you insist on acting like a spoiled child when those points are shot down. Eventually all this lying will catch up with you I guess, but don't say the grass is orange when we all know it's green. the big lie didn't work for Joseph Goebbels either. If you really had good arguments to back up this you wouldn't need to lie. By the way, Master Theous who I have been in contact with never made the statement you quoted him as saying.

I looked on one of the other two HD boards and Sangean is only fixing the clock and output levels - NO RETURNS. We've seen the other issues with the HDT-1 with our thread, "Issues list with the HDT-1", so "buyer beware". As with the UK, where DAB radios will become obsolete with DAB+, HD radio purchases will be a never-ending vicious cycle. So, what did you really think of my other post ? Besides, the Sangean is a $200 empty box !

 

[Chuck]

How are you connecting to the internet wirelessly? Are you doing it via cell towers? Does that $40 afford you unlimited service 24/7? Is it absolutely seamless coverage?

I'm having amazing luck with my Alltel EVDO card. It works very well in place I'd never have guessed it would. It is a flat rate, and so far they haven't spanked me for leaving it on streaming audio for several days on end. As far as I know, it works off the same cell tower as their phone service. I'm a happy customer. To me, it is well worth the cost.

 

[louisNatl]

How are you connecting to the internet wirelessly? Are you doing it via cell towers? Does that $40 afford you unlimited service 24/7? Is it absolutely seamless coverage?

I'm having amazing luck with my Alltel EVDO card. It works very well in place I'd never have guessed it would. It is a flat rate, and so far they haven't spanked me for leaving it on streaming audio for several days on end. As far as I know, it works off the same cell tower as their phone service. I'm a happy customer. To me, it is well worth the cost.

Not trying to play devil's advocate, but here are some issues to consider...

For those of you that use enjoy streaming radio, the Copyright Royalty Board has significanty increased royalties for internet radio effective July 15 retroactive back to 2006. The effects remain to be seen but many "experts" predict that your favorite station will either start charging or go belly-up. This is completely unfair but it's part of the crazy world that we live in.

For those of you that enjoy streaming internet radio in your car using your 3G cell phone/PDA or EVDO card, many providers impose restrictions on this. Verizon Wireless forbids streaming media in the TOS and terminates users that exceed their data cap. Cingular/AT&T also have similar restrictions. Sprint does not have any restrictions and I am not sure about Alltel. I have tested my Sprint Treo 700wx (EVDO REV. 0) in my car here in Atlanta, and the dropouts and disconnects made listening unbearable because the coverage is not seamless. The only stations that were somewhat reliable were those that streamed at 16k or less. Also, it was very difficult (and unsafe) trying to change stations while driving. It's a good idea in theory and has potential once 3G is upgraded and better devices penetrate the market but I can't see the majority of consumers adopting this cumbersome setup at this time.

Also, how much do you guys think that internet streaming radio will costs? With at least $30/month for internet (on the low-end), and many stations such as sky.fm charge fees for commercial free service. Also, the cost of the internet radio hardware for your car will not be cheap and probably require a contract. How will this compare to other options such as XM and Sirius ($12.95), iPods (cost varies), and HD & analog radio (FREE)?

Again, all of this new technology offers potential for the future, but so does HD radio. Some examples are onscreen displays of traffic alerts, news & weather, local and niche content, and special events such as Live Earth. If the local stations want to give me 15 additional stations for free, what's wrong with that?

For the record, I have a Treo 700 Windows Mobile PDA (mostly used for podcasts), 3 XM radios, and a BA Recepter HD. I enjoy all of them as each fills a unique niche for me. After sampling my Recepter, many of my friends have purchased their own. I have also turned many people on to XM. I am not an evangelist for either technology and I try to be as objective and offer advice with as little personal bias as possible. There are chances that HD radio will not catch on. There are also chances that satellite radio will go belly-up sans a merger since both services are losing $$$. And, how do we know if internet radio in the car will ever catch on? Say what you want about wimax but it's not hear yet except for Clearwire and a few Sprint areas. Some analysts say it could end up in the tech graveyard with dark fiber and BPL (and possibly HD radio )!

I see a world where all of this technology can co-exist and force more innovation in an industry that has not changed since the birth of FM stereo. How is all of this competition bad for consumers???

 

[Chuck]

I see a world where all of this technology can co-exist and force more innovation in an industry that has not changed since the birth of FM stereo. How is all of this competition bad for consumers???

It is not bad for the consumer. Choice is good. They probably will coexist for some time. Which one will ultimately win is anyone's guess. It is entirely possible that her will be no single "winner."

Clearwire has just moved into my community and it seems to work very well. Alltel's EDVO works a lot better than I ever expected. Sprint, Verizon and AT&T are also in the market with wireless service as well. There are tons of free wi-fi hot spots in many unexpected places. Depending were you live, we can also choose from a locally owned wireless Internet subscription system, DSL and cable Internet. If that doesn't work, there is always Hughes Net satellite. So far we have no HD radio, except for one NPR station some 60 air miles away. I may not live in a major market (# 148) but so far, HD is behind the curve.

 

[vsa]

R.F. Burns wrote: "So don't buy the radio."

That's my point. Nobody is buying them.

R.F. Burns also wrote: "...sure people have internet but you can't use it in the car. As others have pointed out, not everyone has access to or can afford high speed internet..."

U-S broadband penetration at-home is now 47 percent. Monthly charges run as little as $15. If you can't afford that, you can't afford an HD radio and it's "radio stations in-a-box". People have been voting with their pocketbooks and HD radio is getting whipped by the write-in candidates.

I access the Internet wirelessly in my car every day - on my hand-held device and/or my tethered laptop. $40 per month for wireless broadband and getting cheaper. I'm far from alone.

Your statement that NOBODY is buying these radios. Uhh, what is your basis for this statement? Do you have access to numbers which the rest of us don't? I'm being serious, you said nobody is buying these radios. That differs with what I've read. Oh and another 40 dollars a month for wireless internet? Do you have a internet car radio? Is the coverage seamless or is it like cell phone coverage with lots of dropouts and weak signal areas (and this is in a major urban environment) The kind where most people live. How much did that internet car radio cost by the way? On another similar topic pleae read my comments concerning the difference between radio and broadcasting. I guess this comes from someone who doesn't live in an area where stations are unattended and are satellite fed from a distant city. As tough as it is to unuderstand your radio situation, I'm sure you really can't understand mine either. If you speak Korean or Polish we have 24 hour stations providing programing in thiose languages as well. I read alll sorts of commments concerning programing issues, just what is it you would like to hear on the radio. Let's see if we have anything to suit you.

Nobody is buying HD radios. I'm basing my assertion on a personal conversation I had with an iBiquity representative at the NAB Show in Las Vegas this year. You read propaganda. I talked with the source directly.

My Verizon Wireless EV-DO Internet access is seamless with more complete coverage than the Mt. Wilson FM stations in Los Angeles. Certainly much more seamless than HD radio coverage. The EV-DO coverage is presently being upgraded to Revision A, full broadband speeds of 1.5M DOWN and 768kbps UP. And this is even before Wimax becomes fully deployed. Sprint is doing that right now.

U-S broadband penetration at-home is now 47 percent. Monthly charges run as little as $15. If you can't afford that, you can't afford an HD radio and it's computer-based "radio stations in-a-box". People have been voting with their pocketbooks and HD radio is getting whipped by the write-in candidates.

I access the Internet wirelessly in my car every day - on my hand-held device and/or my tethered laptop. $40 per month for wireless broadband and getting cheaper. I'm far from alone.

That's very interesting. I don't know who the Ibiquity rep was but that's not what they told us at our local SBE meeting. Ibiquity themselve have stated that over 200,000 radios have been sold. Companies such as Sony wouldn't be getting into this is these radios weren't selling. I've been told that Boston Acoustics lowered their Receptor price because they were dumping radios. That was in the Spring of last year and they are still selling HD Receptors. Sangean is already selling 3 HD radios. Radiosophy is on their second unit. New radios wouldn't be designed if NOBODY was buying them. Now I don't know about others but in my area of NY state high speed cable internet is $50 a month. How are you connecting to the internet wirelessly? Are you doing it via cell towers? Does that $40 afford you unlimited service 24/7? Is it absolutely seamless coverage?

You ask all of these questions, even though I've already answered them in the posting you replied to. Try reading what I've already written.