HD Radio's failure so complete, Radio Shack introduces new HD Radio

[JimmyJames]

Every kind of dance music? Funny, that XM/Sirius merger removed a lot of good dance music from the satellite waves. Especially deep/soulful/jazzy house.

 

[BRNout]

Yes, while it is true that the XM/Sirius merger has lessened the variety of format slices offered, they still offer a lot more choices than are available via HD in any market. For example, not all big markets have an HD-2 or HD-3 programming dance music. In fact, it is a relatively small percentage of people with HD radios (who can actually pick up all of the channels in their respective markets) that have access to a dance music option.

As we go forward, you see more and more AM station simulcasts filling in HD-2 or 3 slots that once had specialty formats. While some can argue that this is a 'public service,' the move is also further eroding the concept that buying an HD radio will avail you of some cornucopia of format choices. Increasingly, that's just not so.

Makes buying the hot, ugly, box even less of a 'value' than before.

 

[Savage]

Yeah, BRNout, it cracks me up how the "big trend" towards using HD subs to simulcast co-owned AMs is being heralded as some kind of indicator of HD's success. As you have noted: that doesn't represent "variety in programming" which has long been a mantra of HD promoters. It represents duplication.

And apparently it also indicates the level of desperation among HD-pushers to identify a successful application, ANYWHERE, for HD Radio generally and for its side channels in particular.

The second level where HD-2 and 3 simulcasts of sister AMs is funny: many of those AM stations are broadcasting in HD. Seems to me that if HD offered all the advantages claimed for digital broadcasting on AM stations, FM simulcasts wouldn't be necessary, now would they?

 

[BRNout]

The second level where HD-2 and 3 simulcasts of sister AMs is funny: many of those AM stations are broadcasting in HD. Seems to me that if HD offered all the advantages claimed for digital broadcasting on AM stations, FM simulcasts wouldn't be necessary, now would they?

You are so right. Recently, there's been a lot of buzz about this. Some examples that I can think of off-hand are: WLS-AM (WLS-FM HD2), WSCR (WJMK HD-2), KYW (WYSP HD-2). In all three cases the AMs are in HD (although WLS shuts down at night) and all are 50 kw blowtorches. Basically, if you can get the HD-2 in those markets, you should be able to get the AM in HD, right?

The duplication makes no sense unless these guys already see the writing on the wall for AM HD. Let's hope so.

 

[KB1OKL]

Yeah, BRNout, it cracks me up how the "big trend" towards using HD subs to simulcast co-owned AMs is being heralded as some kind of indicator of HD's success. As you have noted: that doesn't represent "variety in programming" which has long been a mantra of HD promoters. It represents duplication.

And apparently it also indicates the level of desperation among HD-pushers to identify a successful application, ANYWHERE, for HD Radio generally and for its side channels in particular.

The second level where HD-2 and 3 simulcasts of sister AMs is funny: many of those AM stations are broadcasting in HD. Seems to me that if HD offered all the advantages claimed for digital broadcasting on AM stations, FM simulcasts wouldn't be necessary, now would they?

Isn't simulcasting AM stations on FM back during the 60's looked on now as a sign of how moribund the FM band was at that time?

 

[Mike Walker]

Hey, you've got an FM with multicast channels to fill, and down the hall you have an AM that has trouble covering the market, particularly at night. Seems like a solid fit to me...and a way to keep the buzz off the AM band!

 

[stormy01]

Isn't simulcasting AM stations on FM back during the 60's looked on now as a sign of how moribund the FM band was at that time?

Now AM is the stepchild of FM - role reversal.

Hey, you've got an FM with multicast channels to fill, and down the hall you have an AM that has trouble covering the market, particularly at night. Seems like a solid fit to me...and a way to keep the buzz off the AM band!

Don't we wish the broadcasters would notice the degradation of their signals? I suspect that other than the engineers, the other people at the station only hear their station at work through studio monitors and don't have a clue how bad their on-air signal sounds - the sound coming through a cellphone is better than the on-air sound!

Radio Shack's perhaps carrying the HD radios as a way to create curiosity to bring traffic to their stores. You may not want or need an HD radio, but they're hoping you'll at least buy a cellphone, batteries or some accessory...

 

[BRNout]

Hey, you've got an FM with multicast channels to fill, and down the hall you have an AM that has trouble covering the market, particularly at night. Seems like a solid fit to me...and a way to keep the buzz off the AM band!

A lot of the AMs being simulcasted do not have trouble covering the market though. WSCR, for example, covers tons more of the Chicago DMA on 670 than on 104.3 HD-2. Literally multiple times the territory - 670 is a marketwide powerhouse. If you have trouble with the AM, the FM HD-2 will probably not be reaching you with enough signal to decode either. How about KYW 1060? Again, it covers a lot of the Philly market day and night on 1060 than it ever could on 94.1 HD-2. I could go on.

For each example you can give me of filling in a signal hole via HD-2, I can give an alternate example where the HD-2 is far more limited in range than the AM. Much of this is pure duplication.

 

[stormy01]

Much of this is pure duplication.

Duplication. Exactly. The broadcasters (except perhaps NPR) and Ibiquity/Inquity promised us we would have such a great variety of choices for free no less that we wouldn't need Satellite Radio. So much for that promise. Makes people really want to run out and buy an HD radio, when they already know there are more choices on their MP3 players, satellite, internet, and good old fashioned radio!

 

[rbrucecarter5]

A lot of the AMs being simulcasted do not have trouble covering the market though. WSCR, for example, covers tons more of the Chicago DMA on 670 than on 104.3 HD-2.

HD-2, etc. the supposed killer application for HD radio, has one critical defect. When the HD lock drops, there is only silence. The duplication needs to go the other way; HD-2 formats should be on AM's, with the radio programmed to switch over to AM when HD lock is dropped. This would provide a much better degradation path for HD-2 listeners than just dead silence.

 

[SUPERCASTER]

My analog radios have never "locked up", nor have I heard of that happening to anyone else.

Since problematic HD Radio is neither cheaper, better nor more reliable then analog, why would anyone (but iBiquty) want to bother with it?

HD Radio is the only card iBiquity has. Without it they are toast. So I understand their survival instinct, but I see no usefulness or advantage to anyone else, but there are huge difficulties and many disadvantages.

Extra "stations between the stations"?

Broadcasters should fill up all their main analog channels with excellent, compelling programing first, before wasting time and squandering resources by filling these other hidden HD Radio "stations between the stations" with junk.

 

[kc1ih]

I think where HD radio is thriving is on the public/NPR stations. They are using multicasting for such things as bringing in stations from other cities, BBC World Service, classical music, etc.. They also have been smarter in how they promote HD radio compared to the commercial stations, they don't insult their listener's intelligence.

As far as new radios, Kenwood now has a car radio with HD built-in. I was looking to get one until I got the chance to play with one in a store, and found it is definitely not user friendly IMO. There are no buttons for the presets, you have to dial thru all the presets to get to the one you want.

 

[SUPERCASTER]

I think where HD radio is thriving is on the public/NPR stations. They are using multicasting for such things as bringing in stations from other cities, BBC World Service, classical music, etc.. They also have been smarter in how they promote HD radio compared to the commercial stations, they don't insult their listener's intelligence.

If HD Radio disappeared tomorrow (a GREAT idea!!) NPR would still have FMeXtra to provide those additional digital services without the handicaps of poor coverage, and adjacent channel interference plaguing the often shorter spaced, lower powered educational broadcasters.
Link:
http://www.vucastmedia.com/fmextra.html

 

[SUPERCASTER]

With FMeXtra commercial broadcasters and listeners would equally benefit from the greater coverage, elimination of the use of adjacent channels and the additional interference created by the problematic adjacent channel HD Radio system.

 

[kc1ih]

I did a little research on FMeXtra and it appears what you say is correct, although IMO not likely to happen anytime soon.