iBiquity Collecting Retail Tales

[TheBigA]

FMeXtra gives you the choice of digitizing your analog audio in one of the subcarrier channels, plus an additional full bandwidth channel of programming you choose, or you can split the entire subcarrier region into as many as nine narrower channels.

So what? Look at it from the audience point of view: They have to buy new radios. The same issue as with IBOC. As long as consumers are required to buy new radios, this will continue to be a non-starter for the majority of people in this country, regardless of the system, regardless of the content, and regardless of it being digital.

The only thing AM needs is to have its bandwidth restored to 10 kHz and put AM stereo on it.

The FCC has absolutely no interest in granting any more bandwidth to existing broadcasters. None. At least not for free.

 

[KB1OKL]

I have my Sony tuner plugged into a very good system and I may not be the average listener but I do hear a fairly significant difference but only on one station and that station also sounds very good in analog. I suspect most people can't hear the difference because

1.you need a very good system to really hear the difference, most people don't have a 240 watt RMS per channel system in their living room with two 10" woofers per side.

2. most people just can't hear the difference anyway, it's kind of subtle.

I would like FM digital if it didn't kill adjacents, didn't have artifacts that make it sound like it's under water half the time and leaves didn't stop reception ;D. If FMeXtra can deliver like the way radio is supposed to deliver I'm all for it.
I just hope that IBOC hasn't given digital such a bad that it impacts FMeXtra also. AM IBOC is a ruinous waste of time.

 

[radiotower40]

I had to chime in here and give you guy's some comedy relief. I went into Walmart to pick up a few things so I
decided as long as I was there I would go to the electronics department. I looked through all the radios, and guess
what I could NOT find? I think you can answer that for yourself ;D. Not one HD radio on the shelves! So I decided
to ask an employee if they had any(a young lady about 20 or so), and she did not have a clue what HD radio was.
I explained to her what it was and what was on the HD-2's, and how it worked on AM. The woman I spoke to listens
to WGRB AM 1390 here in Chicago. It is the number 1 rated Gospel music station here. She asked me if that station
broadcasts in HD, and I told her it did and she said and I quote "Is that the reason it sounds hissy(her exact words)
now in my car? I thought something was wrong with my radio. I wish they would get rid of it. I then told her she
could pick the station up on 102.7 HD 2, and she said why would I buy a new radio for that I can hear it on 1390.

I guess there are a few lessons to I learned from this, That a woman in the electronics department at the nation's biggest
retailer did not know what HD radio was, and that people who are under 30 will listen to AM if you put programming
on that is compelling to them.

 

[SUPERCASTER]

FMeXtra gives you the choice of digitizing your analog audio in one of the subcarrier channels, plus an additional full bandwidth channel of programming you choose, or you can split the entire subcarrier region into as many as nine narrower channels.

So what? Look at it from the audience point of view: They have to buy new radios. The same issue as with IBOC. As long as consumers are required to buy new radios, this will continue to be a non-starter for the majority of people in this country, regardless of the system, regardless of the content, and regardless of it being digital.

The only thing AM needs is to have its bandwidth restored to 10 kHz and put AM stereo on it.

The FCC has absolutely no interest in granting any more bandwidth to existing broadcasters. None. At least not for free.

1- FMeXtra is being promoted as an adjunct, and not a replacement for analog FM. Since it is 100% compatible with the existing analog FM system and channel assignments, no one "has to buy" anything, unless they wish to listen to FMeXtra channels. This is unlike iBiquity HD radio where the hybrid analog/digital mode is just an interim until all digital operation can be implemented, thereby requiring all listeners to buy new radios.
FMeXtra would be a very inexpensive way for AM stations to make their programming available in digital stereo, over an FM station's FMeXtra sub-carriers.

2- AM stations require no more (or new) additional bandwidth or new approval from the FCC to transmit 10kHz audio AM stereo. Some are doing it right now. The only requirement is that they stop transmitting HD radio which requires that the analog be mono and reduced to about half the allowed 10kHz audio bandwidth.

 

[KB1OKL]

I had to chime in here and give you guy's some comedy relief. I went into Walmart to pick up a few things so I
decided as long as I was there I would go to the electronics department. I looked through all the radios, and guess
what I could NOT find? I think you can answer that for yourself ;D. Not one HD radio on the shelves! So I decided
to ask an employee if they had any(a young lady about 20 or so), and she did not have a clue what HD radio was.
I explained to her what it was and what was on the HD-2's, and how it worked on AM. The woman I spoke to listens
to WGRB AM 1390 here in Chicago. It is the number 1 rated Gospel music station here. She asked me if that station
broadcasts in HD, and I told her it did and she said and I quote "Is that the reason it sounds hissy(her exact words)
now in my car? I thought something was wrong with my radio. I wish they would get rid of it. I then told her she
could pick the station up on 102.7 HD 2, and she said why would I buy a new radio for that I can hear it on 1390.

I guess there are a few lessons to I learned from this, That a woman in the electronics department at the nation's biggest
retailer did not know what HD radio was, and that people who are under 30 will listen to AM if you put programming
on that is compelling to them.

You should send this to Boob Strew-Bull, good topic for a new column.

 

[pocket-radio]

A Digital Proposal:

Plan # A http://www.dreinc.com
Fmextra: Requires a processor nothing else. It uses any FM radio station's existing equipment and transmitter to transmit digital audio. The Codecs sound much better than HD, and can also send data, like traffic reports and limited video too. coverage is similar to Fm stereo, maybe less. “Requires no royalties for its use,” which run thousands of dollars per year for HD Radio. System works with HD capable receivers broadcasters can use Fmextra, HD or both.

The only thing AM needs is to have its bandwidth restored to 10 kHz and put AM stereo on it.

Plan # B http://www.ibiquity.com/
HD: (iBiquity) their sound is a little better than analog fm, and greatly improves Am. Stations need to spend money on combiners or additional antennas. Thirdly, There is the “annual licensing fee for HD.” And there’s issues of adjacent channel interference.

So broadcasters and the NAB made their choice and supported iBiquity.
If you were a larger than life, CEO type making these decisions, which plan would you pick?

Could it be broadcasters followed the money, and might also benefit from the licensing strategy?

licensees agree to pay (i) a one time cash payment and (ii) per unit royalties based on a percentage of the aggregate total gross invoiced sales for receiver products sold to unaffiliated third parties.

 

[pocket-radio]

“People who are under 30 will listen to AM if you put programming
on that is compelling to them.”

So if I understand what you’re saying, if you build programming
designed for adults under the age of 30, they will come to Am radio.

And adults under 30 won’t listen to Rush & Hannity in great numbers. ???

TR1992 is a genius, pure genius. ;D

 

[Chuck]

A Digital Proposal:

Plan # A http://www.dreinc.com
Fmextra: Requires a processor nothing else. It uses any FM radio station's existing equipment and transmitter to transmit digital audio. The Codecs sound much better than HD, and can also send data, like traffic reports and limited video too. coverage is similar to Fm stereo, maybe less. “Requires no royalties for its use,” which run thousands of dollars per year for HD Radio. System works with HD capable receivers broadcasters can use Fmextra, HD or both.

The only thing AM needs is to have its bandwidth restored to 10 kHz and put AM stereo on it.

Plan # B http://www.ibiquity.com/
HD: (iBiquity) their sound is a little better than analog fm, and greatly improves Am. Stations need to spend money on combiners or additional antennas. Thirdly, There is the “annual licensing fee for HD.” And there’s issues of adjacent channel interference.

So broadcasters and the NAB made their choice and supported iBiquity.
If you were a larger than life, CEO type making these decisions, which plan would you pick?

Could it be broadcasters followed the money, and might also benefit from the licensing strategy?

licensees agree to pay (i) a one time cash payment and (ii) per unit royalties based on a percentage of the aggregate total gross invoiced sales for receiver products sold to unaffiliated third parties.

It's amazing I know, but my LPFM tried FMeXtra last summer. As far as I know, we were the first digital low power station in the US, even if it was only for a few hours. We are a grand total of 74 watts ERP. FMeXtra worked well. It went about as far as our analog signal. We also rebroadcast our programming on some translators. It was no problem for them to pass the signal. It sounded great.

I had a hard time figuring out what was not to like. It worked fine and sounded excellent. It took about 20 minutes to install. It caused no interference to my neighbors. I could afford it. There was no recurring licensing fee. Even I could understand it. Nothing else had to be replaced. It was "plug and play."

The only problem I can find is a lack of receivers. To me this is a system that works for all FM broadcasters, regardless of the size or power. I suppose that is the issue. It seems that some folks are in favor of a system that only works for the "big guys," and excludes smaller stations. Am I really paranoid or is this just my imagination?

 

[KB1OKL]

It's amazing I know, but my LPFM tried FMeXtra last summer. As far as I know, we were the first digital low power station in the US, even if it was only for a few hours. We are a grand total of 74 watts ERP. FMeXtra worked well. It went about as far as our analog signal. We also rebroadcast our programming on some translators. It was no problem for them to pass the signal. It sounded great.

I had a hard time figuring out what was not to like. It worked fine and sounded excellent. It took about 20 minutes to install. It caused no interference to my neighbors. I could afford it. There was no recurring licensing fee. Even I could understand it. Nothing else had to be replaced. It was "plug and play."

The only problem I can find is a lack of receivers. To me this is a system that works for all FM broadcasters, regardless of the size or power. I suppose that is the issue. It seems that some folks are in favor of a system that only works for the "big guys," and excludes smaller stations. Am I really paranoid or is this just my imagination?

ibiquity and the rest of the bullies (Alliance) got the FCC to approve the exclusive iBlock system so they could all reap the millions when HD exploded, the only problem for them is it is imploding. It seems like a millionaires club to me also. Maybe when the dust settles FMeXtra will slowly take hold as it should

 

[RadeoEngineer]

The receivers are available directly from the FMxTra folks and also from Bext and I think one other supplier I can't recall. They're a tad pricey at around $150 but they do work well. No system will begin to take hold until receivers can be made in a portable, iPod like package.

Like someone said earlier, there really isn't a huge need for analog FM to become digital, but the FMxTra system opens some doors for transmitting an AM in high fidelity, or providing niche formats. I had two foreign broadcasters using SCA's to send Korean and Vietnamese programming over analog SCA's and they were making money doing it, even providing the receivers to their listeners, albeit at around $19 a copy. With FMxTra receivers being addressable you could charge a monthly fee for such programming and be able to turn an individual receiver off for nonpayment.

More clever minds than mine could figure out good uses for the FMxTra system and maybe turn a little coin in the process.

 

[calstymes]

KB1OKL did thusly postulate:

ibiquity and the rest of the bullies (Alliance) got the FCC to approve the exclusive iBlock system so they could all reap the millions when HD exploded, the only problem for them is it is imploding. It seems like a millionaires club to me also. Maybe when the dust settles FMeXtra will slowly take hold as it should

I am hoping for the same thing as well, Bob. From everything I have heard and read about FMeXtra, it is THE system of choice for FM radio stations. Maybe it's the radio industry's sleeper of the 2000s and it will find its niche in the next decade! We can hope.