Study Indicates Most People Are Clueless About HD Radio

[hubcity]

The technology is flawed. Sarnoff or Paley would have thrown the iBiquity people out the door.

I think that statement is absolutely true. They'd have had a problem (though less of one) with cell phones and VoIP, too.

/can't give up wired telephone line, connected to at least one wired telephone in the house.
//came in handy during the hurricane
///calling the power company and saying "when, already?!?"

 

[wgliradio]

Even Dial Global's ABM is playing much less Frank and more Manilow, Supremes, Beatles. I even heard a Phil Collins cut last week.

As long as they play any standards, it's a 65+ format.

I agree, I think they're just *trying* to catch the upper 25-54 with some of the newer additions. That being said, spots on there are nothing to write home about. Cruises and medical spots.

 

[Barry]

Does anyone have an idea how HD radio could be more effectively promoted? The thousands of spots for HD Radio, and the HD Radio website apparently have not done their jobs, since most people are apparently unsure what it has to offer.
I find it interesting that most station websites barely mention it, or don't have anything about it at all. Generally one has to search the sites carefully to find any reference to their HD2. It's as if the stations are not too anxious to have people listen to the subchannels.

 

[Ai4i]

Well in the old slide rule tuning days, my step-father thought he was listening to "103" - it was 105.1 WRFM! (I was happy he never received a diary)
Jeff in Sa-ra-so-ta!

And...how often do you inform people that there is no FM station in North America with an even tenths digit?

I'm an early boomer (born 5 days after the "generation" began) and nothing will make me turn down the radio faster than standards.

Hip hop?

 

[badjef]

Well in the old slide rule tuning days, my step-father thought he was listening to "103" - it was 105.1 WRFM! (I was happy he never received a diary)
Jeff in Sa-ra-so-ta!

And...how often do you inform people that there is no FM station in North America with an even tenths digit?

Never.

But you are thinking in terms of 2012. This was in 1979 and WRFM was still calling themselves "Stereo 105, WRFM". My step-father didn't care to listen that close. Stations used to be asked how they wanted to be identified by the diary or call outs from Birch. They did not have to include the .1, etc.

Jeff in Sa-ra-so-ta!

 

[SonoSational18]

"Because it's about the content. Most HD Radio stations run poorly-executed automation, have zero identity or personality, and sound boring and/or amateurish. Who wants to listen to that, especially with all the signal problems thrown in?"
That's the same thing they were saying about FM 45 years ago. Hmmm.... maybe we're on to something. Better content.... get the receivers in cars.... clean up some of the technical glitches and make reception more reliable.....

 

[badjef]

"Because it's about the content. Most HD Radio stations run poorly-executed automation, have zero identity or personality, and sound boring and/or amateurish. Who wants to listen to that, especially with all the signal problems thrown in?"
That's the same thing they were saying about FM 45 years ago. Hmmm.... maybe we're on to something. Better content.... get the receivers in cars.... clean up some of the technical glitches and make reception more reliable.....

I'd be in favor of the "clean up the technical gliches" suggestion.

Until then, analogue is just fine, always has been, always will.

Jeff in Sa-ra-so-ta!

 

[ansky212]

clean up some of the technical glitches and make reception more reliable.....

I just don't know how that would be possible. It's the nature of a digital signal. Just look at how OTA TV was ruined by switching to all digital. People who had reception before the switch are now in the dark because fringe signals just aren't usable anymore. Even in the middle of cities people have issues with the buildings causing problems.

 

[badjef]

clean up some of the technical glitches and make reception more reliable.....

I just don't know how that would be possible. It's the nature of a digital signal. Just look at how OTA TV was ruined by switching to all digital. People who had reception before the switch are now in the dark because fringe signals just aren't usable anymore. Even in the middle of cities people have issues with the buildings causing problems.

It was left as a government decision based on faulty research.

Yeah, I want them determining my healthcare, too.

Jeff in Sa-ra-so-ta!

 

[Barry]

I believe power boosts help HD radio considerably.
Up till last year, I had difficulty receiving WLTW HD2/New York Country in most locations. Then it was off the air for quite a few weeks over the summer. When it finally returned, wow. It now comes in quite solid while traveling over a radius of about 35 miles. There are still occasional dropouts in certain areas, but they are generally very brief and infrequent. All I need to receive a solid signal now on my table radio in Westchester county is a wire attached to the back that is about a meter long. WLTW must have raised the power of its HD signals.
There are a few other superior HD signals in the New York area, according to my experience. They include WWPR HD2, and WBLS HD2.

 

[badjef]

I believe power boosts help HD radio considerably.
Up till last year, I had difficulty receiving WLTW HD2/New York Country in most locations. Then it was off the air for quite a few weeks over the summer. When it finally returned, wow. It now comes in quite solid while traveling over a radius of about 35 miles. There are still occasional dropouts in certain areas, but they are generally very brief and infrequent. All I need to receive a solid signal now on my table radio in Westchester county is a wire attached to the back that is about a meter long. WLTW must have raised the power of its HD signals.
There are a few other superior HD signals in the New York area, according to my experience. They include WWPR HD2, and WBLS HD2.

Since they are all coming from the same copper, it should be relatively easy to tell which stations have increased their hd power. Much simpler than I can in my area.

We had several stations move to a higher antenna and brought their hds back as well, but there are too many variables for me to say whether a power increase, if any, had much of an effect.

I am also using a different hd receiver in my car.

Drop outs are plenty, if I was a "normal" listener, hd would not still be in the car.

Jeff in Sa-ra-so-ta!

 

[hubcity]

clean up some of the technical glitches and make reception more reliable.....

I just don't know how that would be possible. It's the nature of a digital signal. Just look at how OTA TV was ruined by switching to all digital. People who had reception before the switch are now in the dark because fringe signals just aren't usable anymore. Even in the middle of cities people have issues with the buildings causing problems.

Ultimately, it'll be a codec and retransmission methodology fix, I think. But the way things are built these days, there'll have to be money in them doing it, and I dont' see where it's coming from...

 

[WNTIRadio]

Here's the biggest problem with "HD" radio: There is not much noticeable improvement!!

Say what you want about digital TV reaching the fringe, but the bottom line is that 1080i, 720p and 1080p blow the doors off of old analog 480i TV. Try watching a football game on SDTV again. There is an enormous difference in picture quality. People wanted it. TV manufacturers made TVs to show it off. People bought the TVs.

Okay, so on to "HD" radio. Let's see... there's an additional 5k of audio information from 15-20k, that most people can't hear. But wait, it's compressed to s***, so that doesn't matter anyway since most of the top end winds up being some form of SBR. Better separation? I guess, but who can hear that in their car. Better with multipath, yes. Better with weak signal, no.

So what is the incentive to buy "HD" radio? "Extra stations"? Nah, most of them are computers locked in a closet spitting out the same 400 tunes with nobody watching them. They can go off for days and nobody notices. Better sound? No, because with the new crop of processors analog FM sounds great. The 75us problem has been conquered, as has clipping distortion when used at a sane level.

Again, what's the incentive? What are the pluses to the consumer to go out and rip the radio out of his dashboard? None that I can see. Mr. (or Mrs.) Consumer is going to rip their radio out for USB connections and iPod interfaces. But most newer cars have those things included now, with a very good sound system installed. And that sound system is usually integrated with the other controls, or a NAV system. Sure not going to screw that up for "HD" radio.

 

[SonoSational18]

"Here's the biggest problem with "HD" radio: There is not much noticeable improvement!!"

That is a lot of the problem... at least for the HD-1 channels. Same reason that FM was a huge yawner until stereo (it was slightly better fidelity with a receivers that constantly wandered off-frequency)... that quad and AM stereo failed. The sound improvement is negligible. You make a good point about the additional stations... but that's where the growth will come IF owners make the investment in product. I do think, even with the noticible improvement, that digital HD TV would not have grown so fast had the government not mandated a switch to that format by a certain date.

 

[WNTIRadio]

Put some kids that are into radio (I mean in their mid 20's) on the air for cheap on these HD-2's and let them experiment. Hell, that's how we got progressive formats on FM in the 60's and 70's. That's also what started to attract people to FM, the programming. Have the generation program for the 18-25 generation, where the stakes are low and the potential returns could be decent. What do they have to lose? It isn't like any of those HD-2's are cash cows anyway.

 

[Jeffrey]

I'm an advocate for HD radio and I realize I'm in the minority. I'm always surprised by the amount of people who pay for satellite radio when you have free HD radio.

Because it's about the content. Most HD Radio stations run poorly-executed automation, have zero identity or personality, and sound boring and/or amateurish. Who wants to listen to that, especially with all the signal problems thrown in? In New York the CBS HD2's broadcast in mono, and WWFS-HD2 was off the air altogether last time I checked (an all-too-frequent occurrence with HD Radio in general). SiriusXM invests much more into their programming, has some top talent, play-by-play sports, etc. Sure it's overpriced, but there's still no real comparison.

I agree with with the poor execution of HD radio. It is not comparable to satellite however it's free and if one is simply into a particular format it is a great alternative and an additional option. In theory it could be fantastic. I will still listen to it rather than paying for satellite radio any day. The HD stations I listen to suit my needs just fine.

 

[flashback]

Say what you want about digital TV reaching the fringe, but the bottom line is that 1080i, 720p and 1080p blow the doors off of old analog 480i TV. Try watching a football game on SDTV again. There is an enormous difference in picture quality. People wanted it. TV manufacturers made TVs to show it off. People bought the TVs.

the best picture quality on a tv set doesn`t mean much when with OTA reception to those who struggle to get a consistant signal.

 

[Ai4i]

Harder to get FM than AM out in the hinterland.
Harder to get stereo than mono.
Harder to get coloUr than B&W.
Harder to get a digital signal with an infinite s/n ratio than an anal og one subject to anomalies.
Such is life.

 

[MickeyD]

A study by Mark Kassot & Co. that is being mentioned in many of the trades indicates that while a large portion of people have heard of HD radio, relatively few really understand what it offers. For example, only 8% of the respondents were aware of one of its most important features, the extra channels that it makes available. Of course HD Radio has been heavily promoted on many radio stations.
The study criticizes the website hdradio.com for offering too much confusing information, rather than clearly explaining the basics. But it indicates that HD Radio was perhaps a good choice of name for the technology, as many people do equate it with the clearer reception offered by the far better understood HD television.

HD Radio Study Summary: http://kassof.com/2012/knowledge-of-hd-radio-is-low/

This is surprising? Most people are unaware that you can get free TV over-the-air! Ask someone that is under 45 yuears old.

 

[Bongwater]

Digital tech, for all it's wonders and uses fails MISERABLY when transmitted over terrestrial airwaves. Every time your DTV or HD Radio signal goes on the fritz because of some skyscraper they're building. Or your wi-fi / cell phone breaks up. It's gonna take some serious science and research into getting a grip on digital's weaknesses over the airwaves. Because there are MANY.