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Power Boost or Bust for HD Radio

C

Carmine5

Interesting article by Guy Wire.

http://www.rwonline.com/article/75514

He's basically saying that the 10 db boost is HD Radio's last gasp.

So far, less than a million HD Radio units have been sold, according to Ibiquity. This is nothing compared to the numbers of other entertainment devices (like the iPod) sold in the same amount of time.

Says Guy:

"Bob Struble can spin all he wants but this one issue has become a real and serious problem that iBiquity and its stakeholders know they have to solve. And they have to solve it sooner than later."

On the matter of interference, some engineers are suggesting that a full 10 db be granted to FMs with no projected interference issues while 6 db be granted to short-spaced stations. Of course, AM is left in the cold.

According to Guy, the power boost might be approved sometime this year.

C5
 
Great: more "make it up as we go along" alchemy from the HD sing-along crowd.

"10db for stations with no interference issues?" And who determines whether there are interference issues? The HD interferor? The Alliance/iBiquity? Will the victim station have a say in this matter? (And don't expect the FCC to actually do its job and enforce adjacent channel complaints. WYSL has seen what level of interest the Commission has in resolving these disputes: ZERO.)

Given that many, if not most, engineers outside of obedient Alliance lap-puppies have serious doubts about whether -10dBc will improve digital penetration, -6dBc is a joke.

It's yet another in the endless parade of inconsistent, implausible arguments from HD Radio. First, they declared -20dBc would be just fine. Then, when two years of field experience forced them to retreat from their false insistence that digital coverage = analog, the HD contingent suddenly discovered that they NEEDED 10 more dB digital to make their system work reliably. Now, I'm hearing the suggestion (since an across-the-board -10dBc will obviously be disastrous in terms of interference) that they might settle for some value less than -10....like -6 or even less in some cases.)

So what's your story? Does the system need -10dBc or doesn't it? Pick one and stick with it. Or is this a tacit admission that you fear the adjacent-channel problems WILL actually be horrible?

HD Radio: trying to have it both ways. As usual.

In the meantime: in terms of broadcaster and listener interest in HD, the train has LONG since departed. Don't take my word for it. Head out to any nearby electronics retailer and just TRY to buy an HD Radio. (Never mind about whether the freakin' thing will actually work when you get it home.)
 
Correction: the various proposals for a digital power hike for HD Radio (FM) envision at most a 10 dB increase in the digital component, or in cases of "interference susceptibility" the interferors might employ less than a 10 dB increase, like 6 dB, as suggested by RW's Guy Wire.

So the injection levels would be at most -10dBc, and a 6dB increase would thus represent -14dBc (not -6 dBc as I posted. Good grief - can you imagine THAT adjacent-channel hiss potential?)

My bad...sorry....
 
Reality is, with wall street radio stocks now equal to pennies and broadcasters hanging on for dear life, it's likely any further HD development will be sidelined through 2010 or 2012..

And with consumers losing jobs and fighting to keep their homes, it's again doubtful they'll be rushing into best buy for HD radio. Even before the recent depression, a few short months ago, consumer interest was na..

I know all my radio's still work & sound great too. Plus with less commercials playing now, radio is once again pleasurable. Next we need to fix our repetition/content problems..

But sound quality isn't a radio problem for average/ 99.9% of our listeners.
 
The technical considerations we so like to babble about are completely irrelevant to the general public. They don't know an exciter from a 10db boost.

There are only three things that could have saved HD-Radio.....content, content and content.

The complete and utter failure of HD Radio to offer anything that cannot be had somewhere else plus the absurd price of the equipment means it's stillborn.

Oh yes, I'd LOVE to spend $100-$200 for a flakey radio that may or may not pick up exactly what I can listen to right now.

Pull the plug. Turn out the lights. Stick a fork in it. (insert cliche here)

It's done. Any further transmissions are a waste of electricity.
 
"content, content and content" Broadcaster were charged with creating content for radio's new and exciting format called HD, radio's digital future!!! My god the future is here.. But instead, broadcasters created content that isn't really compelling or unique.

Plus broadcasters got it wrong. Better sound, or near CD quality is a feature, but not the benefit.
New content not found anyplace else, other than HD, is the benefit. And so far HD has features.. with no benefits. WBZ in HD serves WBZ. WBZ broadcast in HD, won't suddenly attract more 18-34's, the very reason digital was created in the first place! New talk radio programmed for 18-34's might! Content, content content with a fresh new approach...
 
pocket-radio said:
"content, content and content" Broadcaster were charged with creating content for radio's new and exciting format called HD, radio's digital future!!! My god the future is here.. But instead, broadcasters created content that isn't really compelling or unique.

Plus broadcasters got it wrong. Better sound, or near CD quality is a feature, but not the benefit.
New content not found anyplace else, other than HD, is the benefit. And so far HD has features.. with no benefits. WBZ in HD serves WBZ. WBZ broadcast in HD, won't suddenly attract more 18-34's, the very reason digital was created in the first place! New talk radio programmed for 18-34's might! Content, content content with a fresh new approach...
Click to expand...

WBZ sounds like krap in analog on very good sounding radios and does not come in on excellent HD radios (that's an oxymoron actually) unless you camp out under the transmitters and any content that is good will be put on the main channel of FM's which makes HD a waste of time and money, because..... CD quality sound is a myth, there is little if any difference in sound especially on FM. AM is very quiet but has the range of a 1960's Walkie talkie and sounds VERY artificial, I wonder of the fact that the highs are synthesized has anything to do with that? ;) High fidelity means true to the program source which of course means that analog AM is much closer to actual hifi than is HD AM, and we all know about all the other wonderful attractions of AM iBlock, chief among them is the beautiful whoosh!!! which takes up for 30 KHz of bandwidth wiping out two other stations with it.
 
Savage said:
In the meantime: in terms of broadcaster and listener interest in HD, the train has LONG since departed. Don't take my word for it. Head out to any nearby electronics retailer and just TRY to buy an HD Radio. (Never mind about whether the freakin' thing will actually work when you get it home.)
Click to expand...

The Walmart I visited yesterday had their JVC HD car radios marked down to half price, $60. They've been collecting dust for quite awhile.
 
Most of us here have been saying for a long time that iBiquity's 'happy talk' regarding HD Radio's growth hasn't been passing the smell test.

It's nice to see a member of the trade press finally acknowledge that as well.

C5
 
radioracket said:
New content was tried with Format Lab and iChannel, but both failed miserably. If they can't program the main channels effectively, then forget one or two more. There are too many radio statons already on the dial.
Click to expand...

Format Lab new content? I'm sorry, but....... ::) ::) ::)

Let's take an obscure genre of music, not promote it or its channel, make the price of the new receiver it demands a minimum of $200 and then wonder why no one listens.

That's not compelling content...that's a recipe for failure.

You're right in saying if they can't program the main channels...etc..., however, there are NOT too many stations on the dial. There are too many stations on the dial doing the same damned silly thing in the same damned silly way.

...and who wants to hear that?
 
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