HD Radio’s Truth or Dare

[pocket-radio]

Welcome to HD Radio’s Truth or Dare.

IBiquity claimed 200,000 Digital AM/FM equipped radios were sold in 2006.

The actual numbers for 2006 were just 40,000.

They missed their own target numbers by 160,000 units or 98%

Then they claimed one million units would be sold in 2007
While their new target was very aggressive, the actual number makes The Digital Alliance look incompetent and HD radio a loser.

The actual numbers for 2007 were just 330,000

They missed again by 99,670,000 units.

Well here we’re in 2008, and again the Alliance is again claiming 100,000,000 units will be sold.

I guess history repeated itself, because the Alliance said the same thing in 2007. History repeats itself because we forget the lessons learned. To the Alliance, the lesson is obvious don’t project what you can’t deliver because it makes you look foolish
and causes a loss of credibility.

Anyone care to guess what the real 2008 number would be?

Assuming the same annual growth rate of 290,000 I’d peg the units sold for 2008 at 620,000 units. I figure my uneducated guess is as good as the Digital Alliance.

 

[TheBigA]

Well here we’re in 2008, and again the Alliance is again claiming 100,000,000 units will be sold.

Maybe you can source the 100,000,000 number.

Maybe you can source where you came up with this "truth or dare" idea.

If your point is that HD Radio is lying, it doesn't help your credibility when you do so by stealing other people's content.

 

[pocket-radio]

Gen. Taylor: "Dick, I've covered for you a lot of times cause I thought you was a little crazy. But you're not crazy. You're mean. And this is just radio."

Brig. Gen. Taylor: "This is a tempest in a teacup, much ado about nothing.

Fhttp://www.moviewavs.com/Movies/Good_Morning_Vietnam.htmlor

I hope did that ok.. Will somone hold me I'm afraid?

 

[hipporadio]

Here's the facts, gang... "Radio" MUST offer CONTENT [beyond "corporate" technology] - Best Buy may in-fact be a so-called friend - "the corporate" contingent is a robot to the collasped stock technology - "Radio" finally has "a boss" - DARN! ...Expect more after your get the receiver home [on FM to boot]... But, AM radio deserves a new-millenium opportunity.

I am NOT ready to discard "the AM medium"... I view it as a neglected natural resourse in an era that compels such... AM radio offers fidelity and dependble coverage, and SHOULD NOT be dismised! FACT IS: Modern AM stations offer comparible fidelity [within even the NRSC mask]... I HAVE PROOF! HA

IBOC dogital IS NOT the answer... 'Just look at the consumer-driven sales figures... TRUTH HURTS - 'just like a bad AEB!

 

[RadioEngnr]

I like FMeXtra, my stations are both HD 2 & 3 plus FMeXtra. I'm sure it’s been said. but if the medium to smaller markets install FMeXtra which would cost them under $9,000 then the number of FM stations broadcasting FMeXtra could surpass HD with no problems and the radios (HD + FMeXtra) for the consumers will start rolling off the assembly line. But, I would like to see both technologies implemented and in turn both forms of digital broadcasting would help each other.
It’s my belief that terrestrial radio has to do something to survive and FMeXtra + HD could work

does that qualify for a "truth or dare"?

 

[hipporadio]

I’m on a visit to my boyhood hometown—Connersville, Indiana... Home of lone-remaining 1580 AM [after the now-penny-stock raiders had had their way]... WIFE is the lone-remaining and LOW-POWER AM survivor (FIVE-WATTS at night] thanks to a “hijack” of its near-SIXTY-year FM allocation by Radio One—now a PENNY STOCK with a one-share in the Cincinnati corporate radio malaise – HA-HA

Anyway, I’m in my parents home listening to “SuperOldies 1580” on my battery of fine AM receivers—including the wideband “Deck” Meduci tuner—AWESOME full-fidelity low-distortion audio from a hand-made “project box! When is the last time you read such a commentary about an AM radio listening experience? OH, IT’S TRUE... “FM” quality on AM in a small ugly box. ‘Just good circuits and NO Sony-Style!

OH DARN, 1580 WIFE just dropped from their PSSA to FIVE-WATTS and the dreadful 10kHz “superhet” has invaded... I’m actually happy that I can hear it on my receiver at three miles, and it sounds MUCH BETTER than the IBOC-diminished WLW signal which is now-local at this location. "10kHz superhe"”— ain’t really much different than then the "128k MP3 artifacts" tolerated by the yutes that celebrate that format. I I like AM radio... 'Let's DO SOMETHING!

I like FMeXtra, too... MUCH Better than the iNiquity "Mafia"!!!

 

[KB1OKL]

I guess history repeated itself, because the Alliance said the same thing in 2007. History repeats itself because we forget the lessons learned. To the Alliance, the lesson is obvious don’t project what you can’t deliver because it makes you look foolish
and causes a loss of credibility.

Anyone care to guess what the real 2008 number would be?

Are you talking about sales or returns? Since we know iniquity obviously inflates their sales figures by who knows how much and of course will not release official sales figures which would prove to all that they are full of it, I would say optimistically 2500 sales and 10,000 returns (without sales slips of course) with 50,000 donations to Goodwill and the Salvation Army, with those being re-donated an average of 3,2 times each), and lastly 37 trade ins to hifi shops with the average trade in price being $3.88.
The rest of them besides the 29 which are still in actual use at various locations within the shadows of transmitters (between dropouts), will have been relegated to the cellar between the Christmas tree box and the dryer.

Incidentally Hippo I have one of those Meduci AMX-2000 wideband C Quam tuners also and listen to CHWO 740 quite a bit and it does sound great, kills any AM receiver I own and I own quite a few.

 

[hipporadio]

Your endorsement of Mr. Deck’s fine AM tuner warms my heart, KB! Despite its "science-fair project" profile IT WORKS—WELL! I’m glad that you called Jeff 'n bought one... Happy AM listening! As I type this, I’m listening to Oldies WIFE [1580] with its new BE rig and Omnia proc – sounds BETTER then those notorious MP3 files routinely-traded on the net ...I'll embrace the cliché - IT SOUNDS LIKE FM!

There is NO EXCUSE for the decline of AM radio... Unless you consider the horrible reduction in "quality" brought to us by the radio imatators of the world. If the good Mr. Deck can "re-invent" a competent AM receiver on a workbench in the rear of his home, WHY can’t we see this performance in products for-sale at the local WalMart? AM radio would be vastly different if we could easily buy the Meduci.

Instead of WASTING its efforts on defective 'n destructive AM “HD” technology, the corporate radio cadre may-well be better-served by promoting the manufacture of AM receivers that actually work!

 

[clouseau]

Welcome to HD Radio’s Truth or Dare.

...

Then they claimed one million units would be sold in 2007
...
The actual numbers for 2007 were just 330,000

They missed again by 99,670,000 units.

,,,,

Maybe you can source the 100,000,000 number.

Or maybe correct subtraction would make it clearer.

Clouseau

 

[Play Freebird]

Your endorsement of Mr. Deck’s fine AM tuner warms my heart, KB! Despite its "science-fair project" profile IT WORKS—WELL! I’m glad that you called Jeff 'n bought one... Happy AM listening! As I type this, I’m listening to Oldies WIFE [1580] with its new BE rig and Omnia proc – sounds BETTER then those notorious MP3 files routinely-traded on the net ...I'll embrace the cliché - IT SOUNDS LIKE FM!

As you've observed, even with the NRSC-imposed 10 kHz audio bandwidth limit, a well-processed AM station can sound really good on a typical radio as long as the receiver's IF bandwidth is sufficient to pass the entire range.

I ran some experiments a few weeks ago on the FM translator which simulcasts our AM station. I fed 10 kHz-filtered, pre-emphasized "NRSC" audio from the second output of the AM processor (Optimod 9300) straight into the mono input of the FM exciter (with its internal pre-emphasis defeated). I also left the positive peak enhancement enabled (we run about 90-95% negative and 120-125 positive on the AM.)

On most portables, it was difficult to tell any difference between our "10 kHz" translator and other FM station, and on the GE Superadio III, our AM sounded very close to the FM. However, my aftermarket car radio and speakers (which have wider HF response) did reveal more of a difference, but nothing that would offend the casual listener.

There's an AM in upstate PA which decided to use their AM processor on the FM as an cost-cutting move. The owner reports no complaints from listeners.

Hippo, thanks again for making me aware of 1580 WIFE, one of the best oldies formats I've come across. I have WIFE programmed as a preset in my Sangean WiFi radio and it's playing as I write; my only complaint is that I'm forced to listen to the 31k WMA stream rather than the real thing! From what you've said (and what I've heard), it's clear that the local station owner really cares about doing things right.

 

[pocket-radio]

Re: HD Radio’s Truth or Dare

Numbers? Don’t tell me, tell that to Bubble Struble and the HD Radio Alliance.

It’s as plain as the nose on Bubble Strubles pale face. The smoke has finally cleared and what we are left with is a radio system that doesn’t really work, it’s more like a fixer upper. Now I happen to like fixer uppers, heck I’ve dated a few and called them home too.

But listeners, the ones who really matter in this crazy radio drama called HD, don’t like fixer uppers. I suppose some do and radio geeks for sure. But the fact remains, listeners have far to many media options to choose from, it’s called over-choice and they suffer from time scarcity. Television is suffering from the same problem and it doesn’t work like it once did.

Maybe the Alliance could learn a thing or two about marketing sliced bread. Maybe you can too.
http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/seth_godin_on_sliced_bread.html

We might have to wait 10 years for the kinks to be finally worked out. Maybe the FCC will increase the power allowed for HD or they’ll move the AM band to new frequencies.

I personally don’t think HD can take 10 years to fix up their little radio project. In another 10 years listeners will have even more media choices and I can’t wait. Wimax will be well entrenched by then. Every car will come with wireless access standard and they’ll be things we haven’t even thought of yet. Just 10 years folks or maybe less.

I hate to say this, but someday your grand children will be asking you about mass media, 45’s, 8 tracks, CD’s, Am stereo radio and HD too. And I bet you’ll have one heck of a greasy little story to tell those little pesky tikes.

Moores law just works.

Gordon Moore, co-founder of Intel, that the number of transistors per square inch on integrated circuits had doubled every year since the integrated circuit was invented. Moore predicted that this trend would continue for the foreseeable future. In subsequent years, the pace slowed down a bit, but data density has doubled approximately every 18 months, and this is the current definition of Moore's Law, which Moore himself has blessed. Most experts, including Moore himself, expect Moore's Law to hold for at least another two decades.

 

[TheBigA]

Numbers? Don’t tell me, tell that to Bubble Struble and the HD Radio Alliance.

That makes you no better than him.

 

[KB1OKL]

Your endorsement of Mr. Deck’s fine AM tuner warms my heart, KB! Despite its "science-fair project" profile IT WORKS—WELL! I’m glad that you called Jeff 'n bought one... Happy AM listening! As I type this, I’m listening to Oldies WIFE [1580] with its new BE rig and Omnia proc – sounds BETTER then those notorious MP3 files routinely-traded on the net ...I'll embrace the cliché - IT SOUNDS LIKE FM!

As you've observed, even with the NRSC-imposed 10 kHz audio bandwidth limit, a well-processed AM station can sound really good on a typical radio as long as the receiver's IF bandwidth is sufficient to pass the entire range.

I ran some experiments a few weeks ago on the FM translator which simulcasts our AM station. I fed 10 kHz-filtered, pre-emphasized "NRSC" audio from the second output of the AM processor (Optimod 9300) straight into the mono input of the FM exciter (with its internal pre-emphasis defeated). I also left the positive peak enhancement enabled (we run about 90-95% negative and 120-125 positive on the AM.)

On most portables, it was difficult to tell any difference between our "10 kHz" translator and other FM station, and on the GE Superadio III, our AM sounded very close to the FM. However, my aftermarket car radio and speakers (which have wider HF response) did reveal more of a difference, but nothing that would offend the casual listener.

I just bought an 09 $33,000+ car the other day, it has a 230 watt 11 speaker audio system in it with two subwoofers. It has XM which is pretty cool, has FM which sounds good, has a 6 CD player in it which also sounds good, this was an upgraded sound system, it's a Blaupunkt, oh yeah it also has an AM section in it which..... guess what? sounds like krap, my communications receivers sound hifi compared to this AM section, and the Meduci makes it sound like a telephone, it has no bottom and especially no highs, sounds like about the 3Khz filter on a typical communications receiver, I would say the frequency response is probably about 300-3000 Khz just like my DX-100 AM-CW transmitter . Why do manufacturers have to do this? I put on CHWO 740 which sounds great on the Meduci and it receives it very well but sounds like it's coming through a telephone receiver. Perhaps this good for nothing FCC ought to lean on the audio manufactures to UPGRADE the existing AM receiver sections instead of allowing a bomb like HD to disturb radio for three years, and all for nought. No wonder people fly right by the AM band most of the time, it's ridiculous, it's neglect and stupidity.

 

[pocket-radio]

Struble and The HD Alliance both have their heads on the chopping block. Broadcasters invested plenty and thus far it’s a dog with fleas.

I don’t know about you, but if I told my boss I’d delivery a million units and only sold
330,000 I’d be in hot water. It’s always better to under promise and over deliver. It makes you look like a superstar. Doing it the other way creates doubts. So the goal of Diane Warren for 2008 should be on target to deliver a million units. Doing whatever it takes to make the number happen. Wouldn’t you agree?

I’m sure they have to hype big numbers to keep investors interested. And even though HD radio, Satellite and Steve Jobs ipod are different technologies they compete with each other for consumer’s tech dollars. Struble may believe his technology is far superior
but HD is losing the marketing war. HD radio is good, but it’s not remarkable. Average people don't gather the water cooler talking about how remarkable HD radio is. So far it's reached background noise status and easy to block out.

http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/seth_godin_on_sliced_bread.html