terrestrial radio going all hd

[kevinsealy]

When it comes to the technical aspects of radio, I am basically illiterate, but would it be beneficial to radio if all radio receivers were HD.?

I have an HD Radio and even the AM stations that broadcast in HD come in with a superior sound quality. The FM stations that broadcast in HD noticeably sound better too.

There are some AM stations that broadcast on their FM sister stations in HD like WFAN on WXRK HD-3, WCBS 880 on WCBS-FM HD-3 and WINS on WWFS HD-3.

But some radio listeners claim that the broadcast signal of HD doesn't travel very far.




Thanks,
Kevin L. Sealy

 

[Walter Graff]

HD radio was a nice idea that came out in 1999 first in NYC and died due to lack of marketing, proper infrastructure, and hence public interest. Stations couldn't program one station successfully, let alone multiple ones. And the millions needed for it, just don't fit with radios monetary infrastructure. So the few stations that do use the digital side usually play automated stations, and/or simulcasts of other stations. Recently the NAB paid some members of Congress to attempt to get bills passed that required manufacturers to make HD radios for cars in response to satellite getting the nod for merger, but that failed to come to light. Nice idea, just a bit too late and not enough money to properly program.

Read more here:

http://www.audiographics.com/agd/102607-1.htm

 

[TonySantiago]

I think only Emmis did this with WQHT-HD3, but with the failure of HD in regards to corporate radio not having enough money to properly program stations, I'm surprised that more corporations didn't "lease" their HD signals if they were having a rough go at it.

Now it's pointless due to the bad economy, add to the fact that only a fraction of people out there (outside of radio geeks like me) actually have an HD radio unit, which is most likely a stand alone radio and NOT anything in car stereos. Though, it could have been something. The variety would have been there.

 

[Walter Graff]

Kind of sad, HD could have been good. But radio changed. HD came out to hedge the bet against sat radio but no one really put any effort into it as no one saw the real threat. Now its too late and no one has the money let alone staff nowadays. Radio stations are being programmed 10 or more by one guy these days with everyone else being let go. ANd as you say about 100 people
must have HD radios. So even if there was such a thing, no one could hear it.

 

[andreajesus]

aside from Kevin L. Sealy (LOVE YA, Kevin!! ) and maybe a handful of others, i'm not even sure that HD radio would be able to make much of an inroad in NYC - besides which, a LOT of people, including myself, i mean, we got like digital cable, we got like a regular radio, we got like satellite radio, and then it's gotta be like another $150 for an HD radio? OY VEIS MEIR!!!

Andrea in NYC

 

[Ozman]

I get like 3 country stations STILL NO ACTIVE ROCK...
92.3 HD 2 and WNEW's are way too indie/soft based rock.
Q's HD-2 is pretty good.
-OZ

 

[andreajesus]

well....with all the talk about 92.3 these days, maybe...just maybe... :

 

[kevinsealy]

Re: Terrestrial Radio Going All HD

The reason why I raise this question is because starting February 17, 2009 all NYC broadcast TV have to switch to digital which requires an HD box.




Thanks,
Kevin L. Sealy

 

[softmachine]

Re: Terrestrial Radio Going All HD

The reason why I raise this question is because starting February 17, 2009 all NYC broadcast TV have to switch to digital which requires an HD box.




Thanks,
Kevin L. Sealy

It requires a DTV-capable TV or a DTV converter box for SD sets, cable or satellite. LPTV will still be analog for the time being.

A complete analog switchoff for radio may have made sense, that or a discrete DR service on TR. Current Analog providers came up with IBOC to retain their ground in audience-no new real estate.

 

[adma]

Now it's pointless due to the bad economy, add to the fact that only a fraction of people out there (outside of radio geeks like me) actually have an HD radio unit, which is most likely a stand alone radio and NOT anything in car stereos.

Let alone anything in cellphones, MP3 players, etc. So, we're talking about beyond pointless...

 

[Walter Graff]

Re: Terrestrial Radio Going All HD

The reason why I raise this question is because starting February 17, 2009 all NYC broadcast TV have to switch to digital which requires an HD box.




Thanks,
Kevin L. Sealy

Kevin,

A bit of confusion here. I'll clarify. First off the term HD radio and HD TV have absolutely nothing to do with each other in terms of a future date. HD is a catch phrase that everyone uses these days from TVs to throwaway still cameras now called HD film (Same film, new name) to an attempt at multiple digital radio sub channels a few years ago. It never caught on. HD radio is digital radio signals that create multiple subchannels similar to what over the air digital TV does. HDTV and digital are NOT the same thing. In February all full power TV stations are required to give up their analog frequencies and use new digital frequencies for broadcast. If you have satellite TV or Cable TV this change in February will ABSOLUTELY HAVE NO EFFECT ON YOU. If you receive TV signals via an antenna with an analog TV you will no longer receive signals after February. But that does not mean you have to throw your old TV away. You can purchase a set top box which receives the digital signal and converts it to the old analog frequencies on your set so you can still watch. But here is an important thing to know, this box is a digital signal converter. It is not an HD box. digital signals do not have to be HD signals. There are 18 allowable formats that TV stations can transmit including the same old 4x3 format signal you now get on your TV. The set top box is a digital converter but it does not guarantee HD signals. That is up to the station to transmit it's signal in a fashion it desires.