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Great RW article on FMeXtra!

audiophile. said:
The bottom line is nobody has a problem with the FmeXtra system. If FCC is gonna stick us with a system, how about one that doesn't cause interference, and one that everyone can afford...
Click to expand...

That's true, it would be better that IBOC - what I don't get, if I am listening to Classic Rock on one station, and some side-channel offers it with another station, chances are I am not going to keep changing stations. Beats me, there are too many choices already, so hopefully this whole thing will meet with the same fate, as it appears to be doing in Canada. But, I have another agenda, as I enjoy listening to DX AM ! :)
 
700WLW said:
SUPERCASTER said:
It's taken years to overcome all the false iBiquity propaganda, but at last some of us are looking at the same page.
The iBiquity AM or FM HD Radio system is a defective, destructive, problematic, unnecessary, expensive, proprietary system that causes far more harm then any possible good. It is not compatible with current AM and FM station assignments, and therefore should not get final FCC approval. In fact, FCC interim authority should end. The HD Radio iBiquity system does not meet any of it's claims, specs, coverage, or promises, and it insidiously invades adjacent channels with jamming buzz. It holds no promise for the future, as bandwidth will not be reduced when the analog is dropped, and therefore power can not be increased without creating vast, buzzing, multi-channel, interference zones between stations.
FM has a built in "capture ratio" that has been taken into account in the assignment of FM stations. Pure digital transmission has no such advantage. The bits just get scrambled and jam each other, in a vast buzz zone.
FMeXtra is the HD digital answer, and future of FM. www.dreinc.com

If some broadcasters bought the toxic, fraudulent, hype pumped out by the HD Radio peddlers to sell this problematic system, then they should return it for a full refund. It was totally misrepresented.
After all we now have until 2010 before the big "HD Radio rollout" begins. Tell HD Radio to "buzz off" until then.
Keep in mind the iBiquity HD Radio systrem requires a much wider RF front end in recievers then FMeXtra.
Click to expand...

SUPERCASTER,

I still don't see the point in HD Radio, or FMeXtrea - there are still too many AM/FM stations to choose from, and like everyone else, I just change stations, when I want to hear jazz versus classic rock, etc. I just don't see the point in extra channels, that are squeezed into the already crowded broadcast bands - and just like in Canada, nobody seems to care...
Click to expand...
FMeXtra is an inexpensive, extra, program choice that the public and stations have, and it does no harm. It is compatible with all existing FM station assignments and radios. If the public and broadcasters want the extra channels they can have them, inexpensively, without creating jamming, if not, then they just do not have to buy the broadcasting equipment, or radios. Total maximum freedom of choice at minimum expense and disruption.
What a wonderful country!
Free of tyrants peddling defective, destructive, products.
Perhaps some of the best AM programming can be duplicated in stereo, in other coverage areas, on FMeXtra channels!
 
I remember Mark Ramsey pointing out, a while ago, that too many choices was part of Satellite Radio's problem - that people are somewhat overwhelmed and end up listening to just a fraction of the up to 170 channels. Like most people, in my car and at home, I just have about 10 favorite stations pre-programmed, and that seems to be quite enough to choose from. Just seems like people don't have a problem with the current broadcast bands - AM is great for DXing and FM stereo is always crystal clear and quite adequate...
 
700WLW said:
I remember Mark Ramsey pointing out, a while ago, that too many choices was part of Satellite Radio's problem - that people are somewhat overwhelmed and end up listening to just a fraction of the up to 170 channels. Like most people, in my car and at home, I just have about 10 favorite stations pre-programmed, and that seems to be quite enough to choose from. Just seems like people don't have a problem with the current broadcast bands - AM is great for DXing and FM stereo is always crystal clear and quite adequate...
Click to expand...
Optionally adding FMeXtra channels does not compromise any of that. If you don't want it, you will not notice it, and don't have to buy it. FMeXtra jams nothing, and costs nothing, unless you want it.
 
So, it is compatible with existing analog receivers, and would still allow AM DXing ? That was a pretty stupid statement ! :D Can it be used on AM, as IBOC ? I just glanced over the article - I guess not, sorry... :D
 
700WLW said:
So, it is compatible with existing analog receivers, and would still allow AM DXing ?
Click to expand...
FMeXtra is only used on FM and does not create additional interference to either FM or AM stations, or radios, but provides bonus possible streams in the existing FCC allotted SCA FM bandwidth. Extra digital programming channels, without iBiquty HD Radio jamming.
For more info:
www.dreinc.com
Some AM stations may want to use FMextra to extend their range and have stereo programming on their co-owned FM stations new, digital, FMeXtra sub-carriers.
 
700WLW said:
So, it is compatible with existing analog receivers, and would still allow AM DXing ?  That was a pretty stupid statement  ! :D  Can it be used on AM, as IBOC ?  I just glanced over the article - I guess not, sorry...  :D
Click to expand...

The AM side has its own fully-compatible 24-hour-a-day digital solution that also happens to preserve your DXing hobby. It's Cam-D.  http://wrathofkahn.org/
 
vsa said:
700WLW said:
So, it is compatible with existing analog receivers, and would still allow AM DXing ? That was a pretty stupid statement ! :D Can it be used on AM, as IBOC ? I just glanced over the article - I guess not, sorry... :D
Click to expand...

The AM side has its own fully-compatible 24-hour-a-day digital solution that also happens to preserve your DXing hobby. It's Cam-D. http://wrathofkahn.org/
Click to expand...

Thanks - you can tell, I am just a software engineer, and sometimes not too bright ! :D
 
700WLW said:
SUPERCASTER said:
It's taken years to overcome all the false iBiquity propaganda, but at last some of us are looking at the same page.
The iBiquity AM or FM HD Radio system is a defective, destructive, problematic, unnecessary, expensive, proprietary system that causes far more harm then any possible good. It is not compatible with current AM and FM station assignments, and therefore should not get final FCC approval. In fact, FCC interim authority should end. The HD Radio iBiquity system does not meet any of it's claims, specs, coverage, or promises, and it insidiously invades adjacent channels with jamming buzz. It holds no promise for the future, as bandwidth will not be reduced when the analog is dropped, and therefore power can not be increased without creating vast, buzzing, multi-channel, interference zones between stations.
FM has a built in "capture ratio" that has been taken into account in the assignment of FM stations. Pure digital transmission has no such advantage. The bits just get scrambled and jam each other, in a vast buzz zone.
FMeXtra is the HD digital answer, and future of FM. www.dreinc.com

If some broadcasters bought the toxic, fraudulent, hype pumped out by the HD Radio peddlers to sell this problematic system, then they should return it for a full refund. It was totally misrepresented.
After all we now have until 2010 before the big "HD Radio rollout" begins. Tell HD Radio to "buzz off" until then.
Keep in mind the iBiquity HD Radio systrem requires a much wider RF front end in recievers then FMeXtra.
Click to expand...

SUPERCASTER,

I still don't see the point in HD Radio, or FMeXtrea - there are still too many AM/FM stations to choose from, and like everyone else, I just change stations, when I want to hear jazz versus classic rock, etc. I just don't see the point in extra channels, that are squeezed into the already crowded broadcast bands - and just like in Canada, nobody seems to care...
Click to expand...

FMeXtra is the sensible option. It uses existing allotted FM SCA channel space that has been there, allotted for, planned, and used for SCA for well over 50 years since FM was begun in it's current band. It is optional. Use it if you wish. Just as options on a car, some want them, some don't, but they are there for those who do. It obsoletes or interferes with nothing, and is therefore harmless.
It's all about choices. Americans like choices, and available options.

The Canadian digital broadcasting systems are not in band, or hybrid, and therefore are different from what is being discussed here. The difference between apples and bananas with some comparisons.

FMeXtra is already approved, and if you do not like it, or need it, just don't buy the FMeXtra radios. FMeXtra, then, will not have any effect on you, whether it is there or not. Millions of blind Americans, and other users, currently depend on analog SCA reading services, why not upgrade these uses to the better, stereo, higher fidelity, digital FMeXtra system?

It can also be used for digital FM broadcasting, with the same FMeXtra radios.

Just because you find no personal benefit, does not mean others won't. It's optional, and works. This is the opposite of HD Radio, who's aim is to go be totally digital and incompatible with 1 Billion analog radios in North America, and is incompatible with current AM and FM allocations, and works poorly if at all.

So, you see, there are those who care, even if you personally find no use for the FMeXtra technology. Since it costs you nothing, and interferes with nothing, why are you so against it?
 
Actually, I am not against FMeXtra, but don't see any use for IBOC, or FXeXtra - if there were a lack of broadcast stations, then fine, but there seems to be more than enough choices, already. Obviously, time will tell, if there is a demand for digital radio, but I read that in Canada with the separate L-Band, consumers are showing very little interest. I just think that terrestrial radio is very low on people's entertainment lists, with all the other available technologies. Obvioulsy, there are people who care about FXeXtra, whether I do, or not. Bridge Ratings have analog terrestrial radio, worse case, going out to the middle of the century, and have HD Radio at 25 million by 2020 (that is a VERY optimistic figure). Any system that doesn't wreck havoc on AM is fine by me ! :)
 
700WLW said:
Bridge Ratings have analog terrestrial radio, worse case, going out to the middle of the century, and have HD Radio at 25 million by 2020 (that is a VERY optimistic figure).
Click to expand...

I doubt too many people put any stock in the projections of an Arbitron wannabe.

Just like even fewer people (in the dozens maybe but likely not even that) put any stock in the anti-IBOC internet ramblings of hardcore DX fans.
 
Great!
We finally all agree.
FMeXtra is the real HD radio solution.
FMeXtra www.dreinc.com provides everything iBiquity HD Radio does including 5.1 digital surround sound, without any of the interference, expense, coverage limitations, critical adjustment problems, etc., etc. of the problematic iBiquity system.
FMeXtra wins the debate.
Now how do we get rid of the iBuzz?
Petition the FCC?
Link to Road Test:
http://rwonline.com/pages/s.0049/t.463.html
 
audiophile. said:
Better yet, make a FREE PC software solution for decoding DRE, just like DRM. It's really easy to pick off a composite signal from your FM tuner...

Every serious geek could experiment with the technology, until the production receivers kick in...
Click to expand...
A software decoding solution should be pretty simple for FMeXtra. An FM tuner with composite output (even an FM tuner computer card, with added composite output tap) going into a high quality, high bitrate, soundcard, with free Winamp 5.3 software that includes the AACplus coding technologies decoding codec.
Easy, and free if you have an ordinary FM tuner and recent high quality soundcard, that can accept high bitrate digital input. Some of the newer soundcards accept up to 192 kHz digital sampling input.
Links:
www.dreinc.com
http://rwonline.com/pages/s.0049/t.463.html
http://www.codingtechnologies.com/
Example soundcard:
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/MAudio-Audiophile-192-PCI-Interface?sku=703610
 
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