Give up the HD Ghost already

[KB1OKL]

The problems with the technology vastly outweigh the benefits. Especially it's use on AM. Even on FM, it has issues.

Given what's been going on with TV, I think it's time to rethink digital broadcasting - or at least to reconsider how and where it's utilized. Because whatever reception issues that are dogging TV right now are nothing when compared with what will happen on radio. Most people (80+%) didn't notice any change in their TV reception when everyone went digital, thanks to cable and satellite penetration. And, TVs are almost entirely used in a stationary environment. Radio is nothing like this.

Right now, we have the greatest selection of analog radios for an increasingly mobile society. The insistence of broadcasters to move toward digital over time (for example, there's talk in the UK of vacating FM in less than 10 years) does not have the best interests of the public in mind. Although the digital signal sounds better and does more when you get a lock, you need an almost perfect signal to do that. Otherwise, you get nothing.

Our problem here is that, to push HD, broadcasters (suits) are pushing for a big power increase to the sidebands which will eventually ruin standard analog reception for many. That's just a fine segue toward going entirely digital eventually. Which will cost the public billions of dollars and result in inferior service with the main beneficiaries being broadcasters and the government who get to divvy up the spectrum even further. Let's stop it here and now.

Yup it's entirely a proposed money making situation for suits everywhere only, people just don't care. DAB is not doing well in the UK, many people are disenchanted with it which may be why they're trying to force it. Digital transmission is a big money making scam, nothing more. I used to think that the people who had said that digital radio's main reason for existing is to try to ruin analog reception to force people to buy HD radios were well meaning but conspiracy minded, I now believe them, there is no other logical reason for digital radio to still be on the air as everywhere it's been tried there has been great resistance from most people in the know and just yawns from the vast majority of people, but yet it still pushed, why? What other reason could there be than to ruin analog and make people buy new radios as has been done with TV?

 

[JimmyJames]

DAB isn't doing well in the UK? References?

 

[BRNout]

Well, for all the boosterism that surrounds DAB (which is on an entirely different piece of spectrum), it's not compatible with the system in use on continental Europe and it often features some pretty inferior audio quality (basically like a 32 kbps web stream in some cases). That's why there's a move afoot to convert to DAB+ which, at this point, isn't backwards compatible with DAB.

Ask folks on a UK radio board and you'll get a lively debate that ranges between people complaining that it's not as good as standard broadcasting, those who like it, and those who wonder why the UK doesn't just adopt the European system.

As far as mandates go, subjects of The Queen have become accustomed to a big nanny state dictating their behavior and tend to sigh and accept things. This includes some pretty scary and draconian limits on personal behavior for the sake of that lousy government health system that they have (and it's atrocious). That's why they may actually succeed in a shutoff of AM and FM signals in the UK within a decade - even if it's an incredibly unpopular idea (and it is). God help us all if we go down the same road - culturally.

 

[Savage]

As usual, excellently put, BRNout....your comment reminds me, I've got to order that Rosetta Stone language-training course so I can learn Pakistani before the second Obama term...

So somebody here would like us to believe there's no controversy about all-digital radio in the UK?

Enjoy video one (yes, I know, I posted this link elsewhere on this board, but its apropos to the current discussion.)

www.southhertsradio.com/video.html

 

[JimmyJames]

Several DAB networks in the UK have an extremely loyal and passionate following. No technology is perfect, but I'd say a good number of people that have tried DAB and want expanded programming choices actually like it.

 

[BRNout]

Several DAB networks in the UK have an extremely loyal and passionate following. No technology is perfect, but I'd say a good number of people that have tried DAB and want expanded programming choices actually like it.

Yes, that's somewhat true. And it has been received far better than our HD crap has here (which isn't saying much). This is because it's on a different band and has its own set of transmitters. Some stations have a good following - though I am not aware of any digital-only signals being particularly popular. Generally, the most listened to DAB stations still have more listeners to their FM or MW feeds.

However, to imply that DAB is without controversy in the UK is incorrect. There's plenty of controversy surrounding it, and a lot of griping in the UK about reception and sound quality.

 

[Savage]

Yes - if you clicked the link on the DRM experiment in Plymouth on MW, even with the linked audio from the video clip you can hear the nasty digital "swimming" and artifacts. (The commentator noted his disappointment with the audio quality and explained the compromises imposed by a 20 kbps data rate!)

I constantly hear the apologist "no technology is perfect" from the pro-digital faction. Isn't the whole idea supposed to be effecting an improvement over the status quo? If digital isn't dramatically better, why bother?

Pro-HD people relentlessly draw an analogy about how long it took FM to overtake AM as some kind of justification for the non-acceptance of HD by the public and by the industry. Let me tell you - from somebody who was there and was in radio at the time - there was no apologizing for the audio improvement FM offered over AM. It was obvious. This is one of many sources of controversy - "digital" just sounds lousy on MW in its various iterations. There isn't enough bandwidth - period.

If I have to choose between two "imperfect" technologies - the status quo versus and expensive and trouble-prone replacement - I'll stand pat, thank you. Especially when analog AM can sound as good as many FMs these days.