Digital Only FM

[MarioMania]

Would it work?

 

[fybush]

It's technically possible. There's a defined standard for it in the specs for HD Radio, and the firmware in most receivers can already decode it. There was an experimental demo in Las Vegas a few years ago at NAB that put something like 12 stereo streams on an all-digital FM.

But it's not an approved standard for broadcast yet, and no broadcasters seem to be rushing to get rid of their analog audience. So for now it's more of a science experiment than anything else.

 

[radiofan2023]

There was an experimental demo in Las Vegas a few years ago at NAB that put something like 12 stereo streams on an all-digital FM.

How did the demo sound compared to regular FM?

 

[K.M. Richards]

But it's not an approved standard for broadcast yet, and no broadcasters seem to be rushing to get rid of their analog audience.

In other words, Mario is trying to put the cart waaaay in front of the horse.

I don't think HD radio receiver penetration is high enough that anyone would consider turning off analog for a while yet.

 

[MarioMania]

Just wondering that's all

No harm asking

 

[Kelly A]

As has been pointed out here many times, the vast majority of consumers don't buy new radios anymore. Optimistic penetration of HD into the public has been sitting at 19-20% after 25 years since the introduction of HD. The distribution of HD radios has mainly been via vehicle sales. That means if a station were even allowed to go full digital, there wouldn't be enough listeners that would likely hear it anytime soon. It would be like opening an ice cream shop on an island where you are the only resident, hoping someone else came along and found you.
Consumers don't buy single-use products on the chance it might be a benefit in the future, considering that smartphone in their pocket do so many things right now.

 

[MarioMania]

As has been pointed out here many times, the vast majority of consumers don't buy new radios anymore. Optimistic penetration of HD into the public has been sitting at 19-20% after 25 years since the introduction of HD. The distribution of HD radios has mainly been via vehicle sales. That means if a station were even allowed to go full digital, there wouldn't be enough listeners that would likely hear it anytime soon. It would be like opening an ice cream shop on an island where you are the only resident, hoping someone else came along and found you.
Consumers don't buy single-use products on the chance it might be a benefit in the future, considering that smartphone in their pocket do so many things right now.

Same thing on AM

I don't think MA3 on AM would bring in Listeners

 

[Kelly A]

Same thing on AM

I don't think MA3 on AM would bring in Listeners

But that's the thing, no modulation type or requirement to buy a new radio will ever attract listeners.
Consumers want the content they want when they want it. Lately, that's most convenient via the smartphone in their pocket or purse.

 

[tomservo]

How did the demo sound compared to regular FM?

I've long wondered this myself but have never found an answer.

Our standard hybrid digital with two or three lower bitrate subchannels sounds noticeably bad to my ears, so 12 on one all digital would no doubt sound even worse. I picture the aural equivalent of one of those multicultural LPTV stations with 12 or 13 subchannels in major markets. They all look terrible.

 

[fybush]

You're missing an important piece of the puzzle here: the entire point of all-digital FM is to be able to put a lot more carriers in the part of the spectrum where you'd normally have analog L+R, pilot, L-R, RDS and SCAs.

So instead of the 120 kbps you get with the hybrid system, you get a lot more to work with. I no longer remember the exact number, but I want to say it was around 400 kbps, which would give you a dozen or so stereo 32 kbps audio streams that would sound the same as a current hybrid HD operation.

Yes, you could carve out more bits for a somewhat higher-fidelity stream, but since when has commercial radio ever gone for quality over volume?

 

[Deleted member 76036]

Yes, you could carve out more bits for a somewhat higher-fidelity stream, but since when has commercial radio ever gone for quality over volume?

Here in DFW, I think the Univision stations (94.1 and 107.9) already sound phenomenal in HD! I don’t speak any Spanish, but I love listening to the Uforia Club Mix on Latino Mix on the weekends. That’s partly because of the beat of the music and the other part is the high audio quality. With that being said, I don’t think all digital FM makes sense now or even in the future. Some stations have already turned off their subchannels and I don’t see stations wanting to pay the Xperi costs or other fees to operate up to 12 streams. If Univision can already provide a high fidelity stream, nobody is really going to notice if you shut analog off and provide an even higher-fidelity stream. Not even an audiophile like me.