One of the biggest flops of all time

[Tom Wells]

The ibiquity box would have to know when next the payment is due.
How else to ensure the payment comes?
It simply won't work untill the fee has been paid.
Maybe they were late.

 

[cd637299]

The ibiquity box would have to know when next the payment is due.
How else to ensure the payment comes?
It simply won't work untill the fee has been paid.
Maybe they were late.

I am not sure if you are referring to my post---but if so, why would one Cox station still have its HD (WEDR 99.1) while co-owned stations (WFEZ 93.1 & WFLC 97.3) had it missing? (At least that's what I recall happened.)

It doesn't matter who the owner is? Is it all one payment?

[Oh...I believe that Clear Channel's WBGG 105.9 still had it over the weekend, while many other CC stations were missing it. I tend(ed) to think that WBGG had some sorta auxiliary transmitter deal.]

I am not in the business, so consider me oblivious!

cd

 

[KB1OKL]

The ibiquity box would have to know when next the payment is due.
How else to ensure the payment comes?
It simply won't work untill the fee has been paid.
Maybe they were late.

I had thought the same thing but WBZ has been off for a few days now and I'm sure they can afford to pay their bills. A 5KW local WTAG was off for a few weeks several weeks ago so maybe it's updates? I'm sure WBZ's phone is ringing off the wall

 

[davideduardo]

The ibiquity box would have to know when next the payment is due.

iBiquity exciters are not made by iBiquity. They come from various transmitter makers. They don't "phone home" to iBiquity.

How else to ensure the payment comes?

They have contracts with each station.

 

[davideduardo]

It seems odd that they'd crash in clumps! I wonder if it's somehow time/date related? If it were just some internal counter, eventually, those would all fall out of step with each other... so that is why I wonder if it's something date related? ???

It's likely that all the affected stations were at the same site or antenna farm. Either common antenna maintenance was being done and they all went to auxiliary sites or antennas of there was some kind of power issue at a farm that cause stations to go to backups that did not have HD exciters.

 

[tomservo]

They have contracts with each station.

If the contract ends and a station elects to stop paying, does iBiquity have any way to remotely disable the HD box, or do they just send someone out to repo it?

 

[davideduardo]

They have contracts with each station.

If the contract ends and a station elects to stop paying, does iBiquity have any way to remotely disable the HD box, or do they just send someone out to repo it?

iBiquity does not make or own the exciter. In some cases, the exciter is built into the transmitter, in other cases it is in the rack next to it. iBiquity can not take away the box, but they can use the normal legal channels if a station breaks its contract.

 

[Savage]

All true, but I'm told there is a time-date "enforcement" protocol built into each IBOC exciter (irrespective of manufacturer.) And that IS policed by iBiquity. The Decepticons have set-up modes allowing you to install the exciter/importer/exciter and test it for a finite (brief) period. Then to get it to work ongoing, a code has to be entered. If your payment isn't made, you don't get a code to unlock the device. At the end of the license period the code runs out and cancels operation.

Incidentally, our automation software has the same "timeout" feature, and it runs on any computer you use, whether you get it locally or from the same vendor. Once they get your check they download unlock codes directly to the machine over the web.

I doubt iBiquity has any interest in pursuing its customers legally to enforce contracts when this simple, zero-cost expedient is available. What's The Stroob gonna do with a fistful of deadbeat station "judgments suitable for framing??"

 

[davideduardo]

I doubt iBiquity has any interest in pursuing its customers legally to enforce contracts when this simple, zero-cost expedient is available. What's The Stroob gonna do with a fistful of deadbeat station "judgments suitable for framing??"

Oh, but I think they do. While you may not get your activation (the idea of activation or dongles goes back to the early 80's, in fact), there is also a signed contract. You may move out of the apartment, but you still owe rent on your contract.