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Harrisburg area HD multicast possibilities

D

danwxman

Now that several stations across the country have started using HD multicasts to offer another channel of programming, do you think any Harrisburg stations will follow?

So far only Wink 104 is broadcasting in HD, but they aren't multicasting. What, if any, type of format should Wink consider if it were to begin multicasting? I think it would be cool to hear a "classic" Wink 104, circa 1990-2000, when they were still CHR, playing the big hits of the 80's and 90's. Actually, that's kinda what they sound like now. But I think you get the point.

As for Kiss-FM, maybe an all hip-hop/r&b multicast. For Hot (though with their signal issues, I doubt they will ever multicast), maybe even a dance one.

What do you think?
 
Who has a digital receiver? Anyone? Anyone? Bueller? Bueller?

People are not going to buy digital receivers to get the exact same content they can get on a regular unit. If they want digital, they'll get satellite.<P ID="signature">______________
</P>
 
> Who has a digital receiver? Anyone? Anyone? Bueller?
> Bueller?
>
> People are not going to buy digital receivers to get the
> exact same content they can get on a regular unit. If they
> want digital, they'll get satellite.
>

I agree, but look on the plus(es) with HD Radio. You get multi-cast. You can have a channel with all traffic or news or do something like suggested in the earlier posts. I have XM and I wouldn't trade it in for the world. But, the curious mind that I have, if the price comes down a little, I would get it.

Also, to my knowledge, KISS-FM, The River, Warm 103, WINK 104 and yes MIX all broadcast in some form of HD Radio. Yes, it's catching on.

-- Matt
 
> Who has a digital receiver? Anyone? Anyone? Bueller?
> Bueller?
>
> People are not going to buy digital receivers to get the
> exact same content they can get on a regular unit. If they
> want digital, they'll get satellite.
>

The point of this thread wasn't to discuss the viability of HD radio. On that point, I agree with you. But it's here to stay.

I was actually expecting a sarcastic response from you. If you could get on that ASAP, that'd be great.
 
> I was actually expecting a sarcastic response from you. If
> you could get on that ASAP, that'd be great.

You talked tech. I loooooove the nerdy shtuff. I'm surprised ANYONE in this market moved to IBOC....hell, I was surprised to see a lot of RDS stuff.

I'm waiting for Supplee to put IBOC on 1400 and take out 1460 from adjacency problems. FYI, I took the spectrum analyzer out and about to see if some stations were within compliance....look what I found for Cumulus:

am_iboc_in_reality.gif


Sarcastic enough for you? :)<P ID="signature">______________
</P>
 
> Also, to my knowledge, KISS-FM, The River, Warm 103, WINK
> 104 and yes MIX all broadcast in some form of HD Radio.
> Yes, it's catching on.

Bluetooth is also catching on...EVERYTHING is bluetooth enabled. Oh wait. Bluetooth is dead.

Don't even bother with this crap yet. Wait until all the cars and all the new receivers come with it. Spend the money on new jingle packages or FREAKING LIVE JOCKS instead.

Yes, it will be TOTALLY awesome when Wink has hot ac on the primary, chr on the secondary and traffic/news/talk on the 3rd (even though 32k will sound like ass). The public isn't ready for it yet.<P ID="signature">______________
</P>
 
> > I was actually expecting a sarcastic response from you. If
>
> > you could get on that ASAP, that'd be great.
>
> You talked tech. I loooooove the nerdy shtuff. I'm
> surprised ANYONE in this market moved to IBOC....hell, I was
> surprised to see a lot of RDS stuff.
>
> I'm waiting for Supplee to put IBOC on 1400 and take out
> 1460 from adjacency problems. FYI, I took the spectrum
> analyzer out and about to see if some stations were within
> compliance....look what I found for Cumulus:
>
>
>
> Sarcastic enough for you? :)
>
That is the funniest response I have ever seen in any forum. A standing ovation for you, sir!<P ID="signature">______________
Apathy is bliss.</P>
 
>>
> Don't even bother with this crap yet. Wait until all the
> cars and all the new receivers come with it. Spend the
> money on new jingle packages or FREAKING LIVE JOCKS instead.
>
My thoughts exactly. To the average non-geek listener, FM is already CD quality, no HD needed. On AM, it will never fly because it can never be authorized at night. Too many interference issues. Just imagine if all 190 stations on, say 1400 or 1340 or any of the "graveyard" frequencies put HD on. First adjacent (and perhaps even second adjacent) channels on either side would be completely wiped out by the "hash." Imagine if two 50-kw Class-A Non-Directional first adjacencies, like WSM and WFAN put IBOC on at night. All "fringe" listening would be completely wiped out and lawsuits would fly faster than you can say "IBOC." I believe HD Radio will ultimately be relegated to the scrap heap of broadcasting history.
>
 
I know the river has been doing the HD thing for maybe 6 months now- I remember when they started they touted that they were the first station in the area to go with it. As far as actually listening to HD, I wonder how many people actually make the connection about what HD radio actually is- I've heard it mentioned on both river and wink, but as of yet, no real explanation to listeners as to what the actual benefits are. Am I going to go out and buy a new tuner just because it gives me slightly better audio on 2 stations? Nope. Same reason I still haven't bought an HDTV.

However, if some of the stations did start offerning a second channel of programming that is different from anything else currently available, I might consider it. I like the classic Wink idea...

> Now that several stations across the country have started
> using HD multicasts to offer another channel of programming,
> do you think any Harrisburg stations will follow?
>
> So far only Wink 104 is broadcasting in HD, but they aren't
> multicasting. What, if any, type of format should Wink
> consider if it were to begin multicasting? I think it would
> be cool to hear a "classic" Wink 104, circa 1990-2000, when
> they were still CHR, playing the big hits of the 80's and
> 90's. Actually, that's kinda what they sound like now. But I
> think you get the point.
>
> As for Kiss-FM, maybe an all hip-hop/r&b multicast. For Hot
> (though with their signal issues, I doubt they will ever
> multicast), maybe even a dance one.
>
> What do you think?
>
 
> I wonder how many people
> actually make the connection about what HD radio actually
> is

It must be our civic duty to let the listeners know that the sound quality to their radio hasn't changed at all because they don't have HD receivers. I don't know why they didn't make a stink about digital STLs/transmitters/boards/processing and such...that DID affect the sound quality.<P ID="signature">______________
</P>
 
> >>
> > Don't even bother with this crap yet. Wait until all the
> > cars and all the new receivers come with it. Spend the
> > money on new jingle packages or FREAKING LIVE JOCKS
> instead.
> >
> My thoughts exactly. To the average non-geek listener, FM
> is already CD quality, no HD needed. On AM, it will never
> fly because it can never be authorized at night. Too many
> interference issues. Just imagine if all 190 stations on,
> say 1400 or 1340 or any of the "graveyard" frequencies put
> HD on. First adjacent (and perhaps even second adjacent)
> channels on either side would be completely wiped out by the
> "hash." Imagine if two 50-kw Class-A Non-Directional first
> adjacencies, like WSM and WFAN put IBOC on at night. All
> "fringe" listening would be completely wiped out and
> lawsuits would fly faster than you can say "IBOC." I
> believe HD Radio will ultimately be relegated to the scrap
> heap of broadcasting history.
> >
>


I admire your devotion to the AM band -- and you may be correct in your assessment of the future of AM IBOC. The same squabbling that doomed AM stereo will also doom the entire AM band unless reason prevails. The fact is that there are simply too many stations on the AM band -- some stations being "taken out" by IBOC is not necessarily a bad thing -- unless you're the one being interefered with. Listen to AM at night -- even the big 50KW stations are virtually unlistenable due to the man-made noise and jumble of stations. The worst thing the commission did to AM was authoize the nighttime power for daytimers -- all this did was add to the congestion.

There are also too many AM stations that operate marginally -- bad Antenna systems, old tube-type transmitters, ancient consoles and noisy STLs have contributed to the poor quality. IBOC conversion forces stations to clean up their act -- benefiting analog listeners as well. I travel frequently and see and hear unbelieveable things on the AM band.

IBOC on FM will succeed - multicasting is truely the future and will give the car companies a reason to include it, as well as the rest of us a reason to go out and buy the radios if we don't have a new car. It won't happen overnight, but 5 or 10 years down the road it will.
 
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