FMeXtra

[Chuck]

Okay then I'm seeking, but there appears to be nothing to find. Where are the test results? You'd think the DRE folks would have SOME technical information on the decoding chips needed for FME, or even some spectral results of the wonderful spectral efficiency. Even some lab results!

Again, go to their website! Other than a bunch of text-hype, there is no meat to their claims. And what about the list of their test stations? Oh that's right, they're working on that too...

If, and I emphasize IF, they actually can do as claimed, then DRE should do the industry a favor and approach a major manufacturer with real R&D and marketing money to develop and sell the product. Otherwise FME will be just another garage dream with a bad web site.

Why don't you give them a phone call and ask them yourself? Surely you have some free minutes left on your cell phone. Tel: 408.956.8707 Fax: 408.956.8748 Email: [email protected]

Then let us know what they have to say.

 

[RadeoEngineer]

http://www.radio-guide.com/issues/RG-OCT-2006.pdf

Scroll down to page 12.

And also here:

http://www.rwonline.com/pages/s.0049/t.463.html

Yeah, no hard empirical data yet, but there will be soon.

 

[hipporadio]

Honestly, to me FM Extra smacks of "snake oil".

Now Kelly, that statement come dangerously-close to an example of “the pot calling the kettle black”!

I have tried to obtain some spectral information, coding details, or anything with some techincal data with substance for FME, but have come up empty.

I too have surveyed the DRE and Energy-Onix websites... KNOCK KNOCK... There is FAR MORE regarding “technology” there that has EVER been offered at iBiquity’s “sales pitch” site!

You can easily follow my own recent experiences with the “informative” technical motivations of iBiquity by reviewing my following posts...

I don’t make it a priority to live at the iBiquity site, but just visited and could find NO detailed technical explanation of the system whatsoever, and NO mention of codecs or aacPlus. The “details” were nearly NON-EXISTENT—mostly just marketing bluster... Contrast this to the Energy-Onix site where FMeXtra is completely detailed (theory, application(s), occupied spectrum alternatives, codec technology) in a lengthy slide show...

vsa cleared it up for me...

Hipporadio wrote: "I had to stand corrected on my prior belief that iBiquity was using the PAC codec from Lucent Technology..."

Let me correct myself a bit. It is at least very aacPlus-like within a shroud of iBiquity's secrecy... Ibiquity's PAC codec [is] not good enough for broadcast on AM... Ibiquity has a new codec called HDC... The HDC codec is unique and proprietary to Ibiquity... Others believe it could be a custom version of aacPlus...

A “custom version”... Yet another “hybrid”... This time of the former PAC and newer aacPlus? My how iBiquity enjoys the term “hybrid”... Meaning—“can’t make up our minds, so we’ll try a little of both”; and “proprietary”—meaning “we’re on double-secret probation and won’t admit what we’re up to”.

So WHO REALLY earns credit for happily providing the facts?

With all respect to Bernie Wise, I don't hold his company up to any sort of modern science development or R&D for our industry.

See displayed yet another example of corporate radio’s infamous “my frat’s better than yours” mentality. IIRC Mr. Wise departed from the upper-echelon of RCA to pursue his own transmitter manufacturing business when “Nipper’s” plan to exit that industry became apparent. Granted, the product provided by Energy-Onix initially appealed to smaller stations who couldn’t afford to operate on a “Harris budget”, but E-O enlisted long-established designs and offered that segment a value-oriented, reliable, and well-supported product. To quickly judge them (and DRE via its relationship) based ONLY on the radio market rank they choose to serve is unfortunate and downright unfair.

 

[hipporadio]

Honestly, to me FM Extra smacks of "snake oil".

Now Kelly, that statement comes dangerously-close to an example of “the pot calling the kettle black”!

Kelly... I should not hurriedly compose a post when up against the clock for a lunch date!

I did NOT mean to infer that YOU where in the oil biz... IN FACT—I have the very highest regard for good broadcast engineers in general, and have enjoyed reading YOUR posts here in particular. The “pot” in that analogy should have referenced the promoters of IBOC cast in that role. I understand that your company has chosen a “wait and see” philosophy—and for very good reason. You are entitled to support that technology—MANY in your same position do so within the rays of sunlight. The overwhelming majority of technicians employed in smaller “non-aligned” radio concerns plus independent “contract engineers” that I have occasion to know—DO NOT.

It is an excruciating stretch to accuse DRE and its sales affiliates (such as Energy-Onix) of “selling snake oil” and failing to offer relevant technical information when it is so boldly available in front of you at their websites. ALL the parameters you showed concern in knowing (implementation details, spectrum occupation, codec use, etc.) are easily found at these sites. I CANNOT say the same about iBiquity!

 

[dbdigital]

Thats great Tom. So I guess both you, and the FME guys can share more specifics of your inventions. Otherwise, its just a bunch of unsubstantiated claims.

200 kHz on each side of the carrier for HD digital is not the same thing as the total bandwidth of 200 kHz that is the standard for analog FM. It's double.

The "snake oil" is all from HD radio and their blatantly false claims of In Band On Channel, etc.

This is true. At least the DRM Consortium is upfront about the extra bandwidth needed to broadcast their system.

But it took independent engineers analyzing the HD-R signal to realize that iBiquity was not telling the truth about their technology being IBOC.

db

 

[SUPERCASTER]

Okay then I'm seeking, but there appears to be nothing to find. Where are the test results? You'd think the DRE folks would have SOME technical information on the decoding chips needed for FME, or even some spectral results of the wonderful spectral efficiency. Even some lab results!

Again, go to their website! Other than a bunch of text-hype, there is no meat to their claims. And what about the list of their test stations? Oh that's right, they're working on that too...

If, and I emphasize IF, they actually can do as claimed, then DRE should do the industry a favor and approach a major manufacturer with real R&D and marketing money to develop and sell the product. Otherwise FME will be just another garage dream with a bad web site.

Why don't you give them a phone call and ask them yourself? Surely you have some free minutes left on your cell phone. Tel: 408.956.8707 Fax: 408.956.8748 Email: [email protected]

Then let us know what they have to say.

Bext, now has their FMeXtra XD1 digital exciter available (as well as production model FMeXtra recievers) for FMeXtra HD digital radio, (and for those who have some strange bias against the Orban FMeXtra exciter):
http://www.bext.com/pdf/Bext%20FMeXtra%20NAB%2005.pdf