Looking for repository of available HD-2 programming

[DaveBayArea]

I have a friend who has started an Internet programming service. He worked at the legendary KFAT radio in the Bay Area, and calls the service fatmusicradio. It could be loosely described as "Americana" but to me, it sounds pretty good - far superior to the HD-2 channels that are available around here anyway. I was wondering if anyone knows of a forum to post offerings of HD-2 programming to stations. Ibiquity has a location on their site, but it looks like it is outdated and so far I haven't received a response to my inquiry from them.

Any ideas?

Dave B.

 

[KB1OKL]

Maybe iBiquity went out of business finally?

 

[DaveBayArea]

Maybe iBiquity went out of business finally?

They just offered our station a "discount" if we sign up for HD by July 1st. So I'm pretty sure they're ready to collect money. But the HD formats have been a big disappointment - at least in San Francisco. The stations are jukeboxes, many with inferior audio quality. You can tell that they're taking an MP3 stream and then encoding it again with the HD radio codec. I don't know how they expect it to impress people, quite honestly.

Dave B.

 

[pqgeorge]

Maybe iBiquity went out of business finally?

They just offered our station a "discount" if we sign up for HD by July 1st. So I'm pretty sure they're ready to collect money. But the HD formats have been a big disappointment - at least in San Francisco. The stations are jukeboxes, many with inferior audio quality. You can tell that they're taking an MP3 stream and then encoding it again with the HD radio codec. I don't know how they expect it to impress people, quite honestly.

Dave B.

Let's face it. Unless your station is owned by one of the conglomerates, converting to HD Radio is a little low on the priority list. In this wallowing economy, most stations will not be able to afford to buy it, never mind implementing it with their exorbitant $25,000 license fee. The major problem in radio today is not so much that the programming is not being heard in digital, but rather that the problem is in the programming itself. With 8 minute commercial stop-sets, homogenized playlists and cookie-cutter programming the norm on radio.... that's why terrestrial radio is becoming not the choice of the new generation of listeners. MP3's, CD's and Internet radio are becoming more commonplace for many people. Today, a lesser amount of college students bring radios to the dorms. They bring their own playlists of MP3's or listen on-line. If radio does not take more time to listen to the audience more often, the audience will not listen to them. I'm finding myself listening more to Sirius satellite radio or listening on-line. I don't have the time to listen to 8 minute commercial stop sets on terrestrial radio, especially when these stations always run a liner saying "another 10 in a row will be coming up in minutes on.........(put your call-letters HERE)". HD Radio is not the end all for radio. It's, at best, an additional device for a stereo system. Bring the prices (including the license fees) down to earth so than any station can afford it and maybe it might have a chance. Increasing the power of IBOC is like trying to make a silk purse out of a sow's ear. It will only add further interference to an already congested band. IBOC still needs work to bring it to prime time (which I wonder if that is truly possible). Personally, I'd rather use FMeXtra.

 

[staticradio]

Will FMeXtra work with existing HD Radio receivers (if HD goes quiet)?

I find myself listening to XM more (possibly since of its portability from car to home, programming, and overall variety in music), and HD Radio works better in a fixed position anyway.

At least, there are some interesting choices for HD-2 channels in TC:

wondergroundradio.org
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/KTCZ-FM#KTCZ_HD2
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/KTLK-FM#KTLK_HD2

 

[jegrant]

I really do like Wonderground Radio. It seems like what would happen if you crossbred AAA with Oldies. And it nicely complements The Current.

 

[DaveBayArea]

Will FMeXtra work with existing HD Radio receivers (if HD goes quiet)?

Nope. It's a totally incompatible system. Receivers for FMeXtra are even more non-existent than HD receivers. BTW - I sent another email to Ibiquity on this and actually got a response. They said that they have no means of linking programmers to stations. Interestingly enough, I found this on their website tho:

http://www.ibiquity.com/broadcasters/multicasting

(I told them about it, so they'll probably take it down)

Dave B.

 

[Carmine5]

Here is an excellent article by BE’s Tim Bealor on some of the problems facing FM-HD should the FCC allow the 10 db increase in power.

http://www.rbr.com/media-news/intel_briefs/hd_radio_signal_bealor_cavell.html

Mr. Savage has related most of this information already but it's interesting to get it from a TX manufacturer's perspective.

I post it here because of this point:

"...these extended channels (HD2 & 3) suffer from something called digital “cliff-effect”, by not having a fallback analog backbone available. Simply put, HD-2/3 coverage is essentially “lost” long before the end of the listener’s anticipated “signal reach”.

So these extra channels are at a severe disadvantage, coverage-wise, when compared to the HD main channel.

C5

 

[LinoNYC]

Will FMeXtra work with existing HD Radio receivers (if HD goes quiet)?

Nope. It's a totally incompatible system. Receivers for FMeXtra are even more non-existent than HD receivers. BTW - I sent another email to Ibiquity on this and actually got a response. They said that they have no means of linking programmers to stations. Interestingly enough, I found this on their website tho:

http://www.ibiquity.com/broadcasters/multicasting

(I told them about it, so they'll probably take it down)

Dave B.

Also from the article Radio is facing increased competition from all sides - from the Internet, WiFi, hand held devices, and the like. Yet our radio industry is still hanging on to its single stream per carrier mode. Ask your kids (or younger co-workers) where they learn about new music. Ask them what they use to listen to music. Is it still radio? Will it still be for much longer?


And:The ultimate bottom line is, if we as an industry wish to stay competitive with the ever increasing alternatives for our listeners, then we will have to face the very real need to embrace digital technology and transmission systems…and soon.

Lino