The "BUZZ" is that KYW and perhaps WPHT 1210 will be cutting fidelity in half and adding HD radio buzz soon. Apparently this is in response to a demand from iBiquity and to comply with contractual agreements with CBS for timely HD conversion of major stations.
-
Get involved.
We want your input!
Apply for Membership and join the conversations about everything related to broadcasting.
After we receive your registration, a moderator will review it. After your registration is approved, you will be permitted to post.
If you use a disposable or false email address, your registration will be rejected.
After your membership is approved, please take a minute to tell us a little bit about yourself.
https://www.radiodiscussions.com/forums/introduce-yourself.1088/
Thanks in advance and have fun!
RadioDiscussions Administrators
KYW HD?
- Thread starter SUPERCASTER
- Start date
E
eGillCVI
Guest
I just got my first HD radio and one of the reasons I was excited about it was to hear KYW in HD.
I wonder how the strength of AM's HD signals will measure up to that of FM's HD signals. Or if it even makes a difference. It's probably a dumb question but I'm not up on the technical part of HD transmissions. The techies probably can answer. If a non-directional AM and a non-directional FM were transmitting from the same tower at the same ERP, would one's HD signal do better simply by virtue of it being AM or FM?
I wonder how the strength of AM's HD signals will measure up to that of FM's HD signals. Or if it even makes a difference. It's probably a dumb question but I'm not up on the technical part of HD transmissions. The techies probably can answer. If a non-directional AM and a non-directional FM were transmitting from the same tower at the same ERP, would one's HD signal do better simply by virtue of it being AM or FM?
F
fredflintstone
Guest
eGillCVI said:
I say nay.
If a tree falls in an empty forest, does it make a sound. Can a signal be said to do better if no one is listening.
What doth it profit a station to gain a digital signal and lose analog AM listeners thanks to noise and distortion.
Just for the record, KYW is directional (old class 1B) to protect 1050 in New York.eGillCVI said:
It will be interesting to see how KYW digitally buzzes all over the old WHN (now WEPN) and perhaps New Jersey's 1040 AM as well.
Interesting and devastating at the same time...
With the obvious exception of WIP, this would be the first Philadelphia AM with significant listenership to destroy its air signal with IBOC (for half the day). But WIP's processing has historically been so muddy anyway that fewer noticed than would likely be annoyed should KYW be forced to do the deed. What a shame to hear the nice, crisp audio of this station reduced to sounding like a telephone line.
And to think, it's all so unnecessary. (Those who heard the Brusstar Plan to fix the HD-On-AM problem unveiled on the Racket know there's a better way-- not as good as abandoning this nonsense altogether, but certainly better than ruining the audio of one of the few AM stations anyone ever listens to anymore.)
KYW should be the absolute last AM station in the market to "test" this "technology". Flintstone's right with his tree-falling-in-the-forest analogy, but unfortunately the hundreds-of-thousands who do listen to 1060 (with regular analog radios) will hear the harmful effects of "HD" hash.
Let's hope this rumor is unfounded, at least for the immediate time being.
With the obvious exception of WIP, this would be the first Philadelphia AM with significant listenership to destroy its air signal with IBOC (for half the day). But WIP's processing has historically been so muddy anyway that fewer noticed than would likely be annoyed should KYW be forced to do the deed. What a shame to hear the nice, crisp audio of this station reduced to sounding like a telephone line.
And to think, it's all so unnecessary. (Those who heard the Brusstar Plan to fix the HD-On-AM problem unveiled on the Racket know there's a better way-- not as good as abandoning this nonsense altogether, but certainly better than ruining the audio of one of the few AM stations anyone ever listens to anymore.)
KYW should be the absolute last AM station in the market to "test" this "technology". Flintstone's right with his tree-falling-in-the-forest analogy, but unfortunately the hundreds-of-thousands who do listen to 1060 (with regular analog radios) will hear the harmful effects of "HD" hash.
Let's hope this rumor is unfounded, at least for the immediate time being.
E
eGillCVI
Guest
I've never witnessed the hash. How bad is it? I mean, WIP's regular signal sounds the same to me as it always has (not great). How does it affect a station's reach? And since I am one of the invisible people in the forest who are enjoying HD radio, I hope that tree doesn't hit me when it falls! 
Oh, and George: I didn't hear your plan to save HD on AM. Can you go over the finer points? Personally, I think AM's who want to go HD may as well just put it on the HD-2 of one of the FM stations in town (assuming they have at least one).
Oh, and George: I didn't hear your plan to save HD on AM. Can you go over the finer points? Personally, I think AM's who want to go HD may as well just put it on the HD-2 of one of the FM stations in town (assuming they have at least one).
F
fredflintstone
Guest
eGillCVI said:
I think we can all agree on that one.
The only advantage HD can claim to offer is more usable bandwidth (three channels for every one station). CD quality sound versus FM quality sound is not going to matter to most listeners, or on all but high-end receivers. More choices does matter but the industry is doing little or nothing with the extra bandwidth. Many are not using the second channel; few are using the third. Take 94.1 and make it talk central with Free FM, Newsradio and The Big Talker and you might have something. Add channels five and six to the FM band with even more 3-in-1 HD stations and you can compete with satellite radio can offer.
What will save AM is shutting down most stations and turning the rest into high-powered regional super-stations in less densely populated parts of the country.
F
fredflintstone
Guest
Bill_W said:
I presume you mean the audio quality rather than content. :
Not only has current audio technology made AM obsolete, new media have made all news radio obsolete. There are better, faster ways to get anything KYW offers. KYW is a ship with a leak. It's still floating but it's gradually sinking into the water.
I would not call KYW obsolete. I have it on right now in my lab to listen to traffic on the 2s. (listening on the radio) Listening online is blocked by my company's firewall.) I can't listen to Satellite here b/c my windows point North.
When 9-11 happened, I immediately put on KYW here at work and just listened. You could not get any information online b/c internet traffic was just too much. We didn't even have cable here at work. That's changed. We have a full analog Comcast lineup in every conference room now.
When 9-11 happened, I immediately put on KYW here at work and just listened. You could not get any information online b/c internet traffic was just too much. We didn't even have cable here at work. That's changed. We have a full analog Comcast lineup in every conference room now.
- Status