HD Radio false claims checklist

[SUPERCASTER]

Just for starters, here ar just a few of HD Radio's false claims.

CD-quality sound
No. HD radio uses a lossy codec.

Crystal-clear reception
No. HD Radio uses spectral band replication. It is not High Fidelity.

No station drop-off
No. HD Radio signals regularly drop off, rebuffer, and are not robust. HD Radio coverage is frequently less then half that of analog.

No static, hiss or audio distortion
No. HD Radio is not immune to static from storms, electrical interference, and creates additional hiss, interference and distortion to analog reception.

All digital, all the time
No. HD Radio requently drops out or switches back to analog.

No hiss, distortion or station drop off
No. HD Radio causes hiss, distortion, and station drop off.

 

[Radioman100]

Just for starters, here ar just a few of HD Radio's false claims.

CD-quality sound
No. HD radio uses a lossy codec.

Crystal-clear reception
No. HD Radio uses spectral band replication. It is not High Fidelity.

No station drop-off
No. HD Radio signals regularly drop off, rebuffer, and are not robust. HD Radio coverage is frequently less then half that of analog.

No static, hiss or audio distortion
No. HD Radio is not immune to static from storms, electrical interference, and creates additional hiss, interference and distortion to analog reception.

All digital, all the time
No. HD Radio requently drops out or switches back to analog.

No hiss, distortion or station drop off
No. HD Radio causes hiss, distortion, and station drop off.

I'm not even going to bother addressing this because each of the points has been discussed ad nauseum.

What I will do is make an analogy. Many of the same claims being made today by HD Radio were made by the cellular companies during their transition to digital. Analog cell phones offered a lot of the same qualities that analog radio offers, greater range, fewer drop offs, etc.

But like digital cell phones, HD Radio offers more. The biggest feature right now is multicasting. Every FM has the ability to transmit two or more programs simultaneously. Of course there's also the new iTunes tagging and features that haven't even been dreamt up yet, much like digital cell service in its infancy.

Are digital cell phones perfect? No. A buddy of mine kept his old analog unit activated somehow until just recently when they shut down all analog service in his area. He had some compelling reasons. But how many people are like my buddy? Not many. Most just went with the flow, and when they got their new phones, they were digital and had new features.

This is exactly how things will play out with HD Radio.

 

[clouseau]

Just for starters, here ar just a few of HD Radio's false claims.

CD-quality sound
No. HD radio uses a lossy codec.

Crystal-clear reception
No. HD Radio uses spectral band replication. It is not High Fidelity.

No station drop-off
No. HD Radio signals regularly drop off, rebuffer, and are not robust. HD Radio coverage is frequently less then half that of analog.

No static, hiss or audio distortion
No. HD Radio is not immune to static from storms, electrical interference, and creates additional hiss, interference and distortion to analog reception.

All digital, all the time
No. HD Radio requently drops out or switches back to analog.

No hiss, distortion or station drop off
No. HD Radio causes hiss, distortion, and station drop off.

I'm not even going to bother addressing this because each of the points has been discussed ad nauseum.

What I will do is make an analogy. Many of the same claims being made today by HD Radio were made by the cellular companies during their transition to digital. Analog cell phones offered a lot of the same qualities that analog radio offers, greater range, fewer drop offs, etc.

But like digital cell phones, HD Radio offers more. The biggest feature right now is multicasting. Every FM has the ability to transmit two or more programs simultaneously. Of course there's also the new iTunes tagging and features that haven't even been dreamt up yet, much like digital cell service in its infancy.

Are digital cell phones perfect? No. A buddy of mine kept his old analog unit activated somehow until just recently when they shut down all analog service in his area. He had some compelling reasons. But how many people are like my buddy? Not many. Most just went with the flow, and when they got their new phones, they were digital and had new features.

This is exactly how things will play out with HD Radio.

Interesting analogy about analog cell ohones. We just gave up on our emergency analog bag phone last year. That bad boy on top of a football statium could get signals where non was before. Of course now 6 differnet digital companies have towers all the way to Bumfield and back.

It's time passed. Will analgo radio? Who knows.

Clouseau

 

[Play Freebird]

What I will do is make an analogy. Many of the same claims being made today by HD Radio were made by the cellular companies during their transition to digital. Analog cell phones offered a lot of the same qualities that analog radio offers, greater range, fewer drop offs, etc.

But like digital cell phones, HD Radio offers more. The biggest feature right now is multicasting. Every FM has the ability to transmit two or more programs simultaneously. Of course there's also the new iTunes tagging and features that haven't even been dreamt up yet, much like digital cell service in its infancy.

Are digital cell phones perfect? No. A buddy of mine kept his old analog unit activated somehow until just recently when they shut down all analog service in his area. He had some compelling reasons. But how many people are like my buddy? Not many. Most just went with the flow, and when they got their new phones, they were digital and had new features.

This is exactly how things will play out with HD Radio.

Exactly?

Let's not forget that the cellular carriers are working with prime 850 MHz spectrum and don't have to protect analog stations on first adjacent channels. They also have the flexibility to add new cells to fill in dead spots, sectorize existing cells to handle more traffic, etc. Plus, when they want to make a transition to a new modulation scheme, they just give the existing customers new phones.

 

[clouseau]

What I will do is make an analogy. Many of the same claims being made today by HD Radio were made by the cellular companies during their transition to digital. Analog cell phones offered a lot of the same qualities that analog radio offers, greater range, fewer drop offs, etc.

But like digital cell phones, HD Radio offers more. The biggest feature right now is multicasting. Every FM has the ability to transmit two or more programs simultaneously. Of course there's also the new iTunes tagging and features that haven't even been dreamt up yet, much like digital cell service in its infancy.

Are digital cell phones perfect? No. A buddy of mine kept his old analog unit activated somehow until just recently when they shut down all analog service in his area. He had some compelling reasons. But how many people are like my buddy? Not many. Most just went with the flow, and when they got their new phones, they were digital and had new features.

This is exactly how things will play out with HD Radio.

Exactly?

Let's not forget that the cellular carriers are working with prime 850 MHz spectrum and don't have to protect analog stations on first adjacent channels. They also have the flexibility to add new cells to fill in dead spots, sectorize existing cells to handle more traffic, etc. Plus, when they want to make a transition to a new modulation scheme, they just give the existing customers new phones.

From a technical standpoint you are correct. No doubt.

It does have eerie similarities as a consumer, though.

Clouseau.

 

[dbdigital]

Just for starters, here ar just a few of HD Radio's false claims.

CD-quality sound
No. HD radio uses a lossy codec.

Crystal-clear reception
No. HD Radio uses spectral band replication. It is not High Fidelity.

No station drop-off
No. HD Radio signals regularly drop off, rebuffer, and are not robust. HD Radio coverage is frequently less then half that of analog.

No static, hiss or audio distortion
No. HD Radio is not immune to static from storms, electrical interference, and creates additional hiss, interference and distortion to analog reception.

All digital, all the time
No. HD Radio requently drops out or switches back to analog.

No hiss, distortion or station drop off
No. HD Radio causes hiss, distortion, and station drop off.

But like digital cell phones, HD Radio offers more. The biggest feature right now is multicasting. Every FM has the ability to transmit two or more programs simultaneously. Of course there's also the new iTunes tagging and features that haven't even been dreamt up yet, much like digital cell service in its infancy.

Let's just see what HD Radio offers verses a cell phone.

With a cell phone (depending on make/model) I can:

Make a phone call
Check e-mail
Save/retrieve phone numbers and addresses
Play music
Use the internet and internet radio
Take a picture
Store pictures and video
Connect it to other Bluetooth-enabled devices

With HD Radio I can:

Play 2 possibly 3 audio streams
Watch a data stream (traffic, song info, etc.)
Tag a song for purchase on iTunes

Wow! And imagine, here I was lusting after a new iPhone 2.0. What was I thinking?!

Now THAT'S sarcasm.

db

 

[clouseau]

Just for starters, here ar just a few of HD Radio's false claims.

CD-quality sound
No. HD radio uses a lossy codec.

Crystal-clear reception
No. HD Radio uses spectral band replication. It is not High Fidelity.

No station drop-off
No. HD Radio signals regularly drop off, rebuffer, and are not robust. HD Radio coverage is frequently less then half that of analog.

No static, hiss or audio distortion
No. HD Radio is not immune to static from storms, electrical interference, and creates additional hiss, interference and distortion to analog reception.

All digital, all the time
No. HD Radio requently drops out or switches back to analog.

No hiss, distortion or station drop off
No. HD Radio causes hiss, distortion, and station drop off.

But like digital cell phones, HD Radio offers more. The biggest feature right now is multicasting. Every FM has the ability to transmit two or more programs simultaneously. Of course there's also the new iTunes tagging and features that haven't even been dreamt up yet, much like digital cell service in its infancy.

Let's just see what HD Radio offers verses a cell phone.

With a cell phone (depending on make/model) I can:

Make a phone call
Check e-mail
Save/retrieve phone numbers and addresses
Play music
Use the internet and internet radio
Take a picture
Store pictures and video
Connect it to other Bluetooth-enabled devices

With HD Radio I can:

Play 2 possibly 3 audio streams
Watch a data stream (traffic, song info, etc.)
Tag a song for purchase on iTunes

Wow! And imagine, here I was lusting after a new iPhone 2.0. What was I thinking?!

Now THAT'S sarcasm.

db

Congratulations to you. You got lots of cash. Of course my low budget friend pays $79.95 once and gets more radio choices forever.

Honest answer please.

How much was your cell phone bill last month if you have the service you describe?

And how much less is that than your precious iPhone "2.0"?

Did I say HD is "FREE"?

Clouseau

 

[Radioman100]

Wow! And imagine, here I was lusting after a new iPhone 2.0. What was I thinking?!

You should be if you're a web radio fan! iPhone 1.0 doesn't do it!

 

[dbdigital]

Just for starters, here ar just a few of HD Radio's false claims.

CD-quality sound
No. HD radio uses a lossy codec.

Crystal-clear reception
No. HD Radio uses spectral band replication. It is not High Fidelity.

No station drop-off
No. HD Radio signals regularly drop off, rebuffer, and are not robust. HD Radio coverage is frequently less then half that of analog.

No static, hiss or audio distortion
No. HD Radio is not immune to static from storms, electrical interference, and creates additional hiss, interference and distortion to analog reception.

All digital, all the time
No. HD Radio requently drops out or switches back to analog.

No hiss, distortion or station drop off
No. HD Radio causes hiss, distortion, and station drop off.

But like digital cell phones, HD Radio offers more. The biggest feature right now is multicasting. Every FM has the ability to transmit two or more programs simultaneously. Of course there's also the new iTunes tagging and features that haven't even been dreamt up yet, much like digital cell service in its infancy.

Let's just see what HD Radio offers verses a cell phone.

With a cell phone (depending on make/model) I can:

Make a phone call
Check e-mail
Save/retrieve phone numbers and addresses
Play music
Use the internet and internet radio
Take a picture
Store pictures and video
Connect it to other Bluetooth-enabled devices

With HD Radio I can:

Play 2 possibly 3 audio streams
Watch a data stream (traffic, song info, etc.)
Tag a song for purchase on iTunes

Wow! And imagine, here I was lusting after a new iPhone 2.0. What was I thinking?!

Now THAT'S sarcasm.

db

Congratulations to you. You got lots of cash. Of course my low budget friend pays $79.95 once and gets more radio choices forever.

Honest answer please.

How much was your cell phone bill last month if you have the service you describe?

And how much less is that than your precious iPhone "2.0"?

Did I say HD is "FREE"?

Clouseau

My cell phone bill is low because I don't have an iPhone or any smart phone yet. But there's no denying the capabilities of a such a phone or the potential of cell phone technology (which is ever evolving) over HD Radio which gives all the appearance of a one-trick pony.

As for HD Radio being free, we all know that with conditional access technology being considered and/or implemented, not every aspect of HD-R will be free.

I have 3 analog radios (two of which have AM stereo, BTW) and they all pull in free OTA content just fine and sound very good (except for some noise on the FM band). So I guess I've come to the same conclusion that millions of others have come to...I don't need HD Radio for free content.

db

 

[Tom Wells]

Don't forget the claim of AM "compatibility".

 

[Radioman100]

Don't forget the claim of AM "compatibility".

It seems perfectly compatible with the AMs around here. On the radio in my car, I can't tell any difference between pre-IBOC and post-IBOC.

On my HD Radios however, the HD AMs have a lot more highs.

 

[SUPERCASTER]

Don't forget the claim of AM "compatibility".

It seems perfectly compatible with the AMs around here. On the radio in my car, I can't tell any difference between pre-IBOC and post-IBOC.

On my HD Radios however, the HD AMs have a lot more highs.

HD Radio cut the analog AM fidelity in half and added lots of HD hiss so it would seem that way.

 

[clouseau]

As for HD Radio being free, we all know that with conditional access technology being considered and/or implemented, not every aspect of HD-R will be free.

? ?

As opposed to all those aspects of cell phones that are free of monthly service fees like....the carrying case?

C'mon, that's pretty weak.

HD Radio is free.

Clouseau

 

[calstymes]

clouseau spoke the following truth:

HD Radio is free.

I guess you get what you pay for.

 

[SUPERCASTER]

clouseau spoke the following truth:

HD Radio is free.

I guess you get what you pay for.

With HD radio's hissing interference you get much less then what you already had!

 

[Radioman100]

Don't forget the claim of AM "compatibility".

It seems perfectly compatible with the AMs around here. On the radio in my car, I can't tell any difference between pre-IBOC and post-IBOC.

On my HD Radios however, the HD AMs have a lot more highs.

HD Radio cut the analog AM fidelity in half and added lots of HD hiss so it would seem that way.

No, Toyota builds radios that don't pick up much above 3-4k. The IBOC 5k limit would be an improvement in my ride, and most others made in the last decade or so.

 

[dbdigital]

As for HD Radio being free, we all know that with conditional access technology being considered and/or implemented, not every aspect of HD-R will be free.

? ?

As opposed to all those aspects of cell phones that are free of monthly service fees like....the carrying case?

C'mon, that's pretty weak.

HD Radio is free.

Clouseau

Look, you said HD Radio is free. I simply showed how not every aspect of HD Radio will be free based upon current plans for the technology.

But here's a thought. We know the general public is not interested in HD Radio and no amount of whining and government strong arming is going to change that.

However, HD Radio does provide a digital delivery pipe (for that matter so does FMeXtra). Why not redirect the focus from providing more of the boring same audio programming on additional channels to a delivery system that provides VoIP and internet traffic in addition to analog radio?

Imagine iBiquity joining forces with Vonage, Samsung and broadcasters of all sizes to build an infrastructure that would rival telecommunications companies using IBOC technology. Broadcasters would become a utility as their HD2 and 3 channels get leased by new telephone start ups (or some provider like Earthlink which failed to create its own network), in addition to being an entertainment conduit. The value of broadcast properties, particularly FM stations, would rise significantly.

IBiquity, in concert with Samsung, could design and build some very interesting handheld convergence products using this technology; products that might resonate with the public instead of the same old, same old in a digital package.

I think it's something the industry should seriously consider. After all, most of the pieces for this type of service are already in place it just needs a cohesive vision and plan to make it happen. And let's face it, as it stands now, HD Radio is just so much wasted spectrum if the public isn't buying it.

db

 

[R.F. Burns]

"But here's a thought. We know the general public is not interested in HD Radio and no amount of whining and government strong arming is going to change that."


And you know this how? For all of the "it's all boring programming" argument, the vast majority of citizens have voted with their pocket book and stuck with terrestrial radio. People certainly aren't flocking to satellite radio or internet broadcasters in great numbers. How do you suppose you will get privately held companies to agree to use their IBOC exciters, which they have paid for, for a purposes other than what they spent their monies on? Is the government going to come in an take control of these privately held broadcast devices? Do you own an HD radio? I happen to enjoy having these new formats available to me and I regularly listen to the HD 3 channel of one of our local stations. Is the programing compelling? I enjoy it, maybe you wouldn't, but that's what makes the world we live in, the world we live in.

 

[vsa]

I happen to enjoy having these new formats available to me and I regularly listen to the HD 3 channel of one of our local stations. Is the programing compelling? I enjoy it, maybe you wouldn't, but that's what makes the world we live in, the world we live in.

Please tell us about this particular HD3 station, its format, personalities, your TSL, etc. Perhaps someone might be moved to buy an HD radio if they find the description appealing.

 

[R.F. Burns]

I happen to enjoy having these new formats available to me and I regularly listen to the HD 3 channel of one of our local stations. Is the programing compelling? I enjoy it, maybe you wouldn't, but that's what makes the world we live in, the world we live in.

Please tell us about this particular HD3 station, its format, personalities, your TSL, etc. Perhaps someone might be moved to buy an HD radio if they find the description appealing.

I listen to WNYC's HD3. Usually turn it on about 8:30 and listen to it while I go to bed and again as I am waking up in the AM. What it is, is the WNYC AM audio which is audible here with a lot of interference on AM. They run NPR talk shows as well as a local NYC talk show, which airs while I am at work. With HD 3 typically being a mono feed there is no problem with a talk radio format being on the HD 3 channel. Before WCBS FM reverted to "oldies" on their HD1/analog channel, I used to listen to their HD 2 which not only included music unavailable elsewhere in the NY market but also a weekly countdown show. I'm not trying to convince anyone to purchase an HD radio. All I'll say is that I ws motivated enough to buy three HD radios and I've been contemplating replacing my kitchen Super Radio with the new Sony HD radio.