Monday, March 19, 2007
Thursday, March 15, 2007
HD RADIO-OFFENSIVE!
"HD Radio promises clarity and diversity. What it delivers is a whole different story."
"But after an investigation of HD Radio units, the stations playing HD, and the company that owns the technology; and some interviews with the wonks in DC, it looks like HD Radio is a high-level corporate scam, a huge carny shill."
"Welcome to New Radio, boys and girls. It stinks just like Old Radio, except the smell comes in clearer and there's more of it. Stay tuned."
CLICK ON THE TITLE ABOVE FOR THE REST OF THE STORY!
"But after an investigation of HD Radio units, the stations playing HD, and the company that owns the technology; and some interviews with the wonks in DC, it looks like HD Radio is a high-level corporate scam, a huge carny shill."
"Welcome to New Radio, boys and girls. It stinks just like Old Radio, except the smell comes in clearer and there's more of it. Stay tuned."
CLICK ON THE TITLE ABOVE FOR THE REST OF THE STORY!
Labels: HD Radio
Friday, January 05, 2007
HD DIGITAL RADIO ANTENNA-DUEL USE!
Monday, January 01, 2007
HD RADIO FAILS TEST
According to reliable sources, a test, reported to Radio Shack, of their
Accurian Tabletop HD radio, failed to pick up a single HD Radio station reliably, anywhere indoors. HD reception totally failed in spite of using the extra supplied antennas, and with 17 HD radio stations nearby. Most stations broadcasting towers were so close as to be plainly visible from outside the test location. A second Accurian HD radio was tried, with similar results.
The normal (non-HD) AM and FM signals from all 17 stations were picked up crystal clear indoors, even without the extra antennas.
The building was a typical single story cinder block structure.
Accurian Tabletop HD radio, failed to pick up a single HD Radio station reliably, anywhere indoors. HD reception totally failed in spite of using the extra supplied antennas, and with 17 HD radio stations nearby. Most stations broadcasting towers were so close as to be plainly visible from outside the test location. A second Accurian HD radio was tried, with similar results.
The normal (non-HD) AM and FM signals from all 17 stations were picked up crystal clear indoors, even without the extra antennas.
The building was a typical single story cinder block structure.
2010-INTERNET BEATS BROADCAST RADIO!
According to:
http://www.bridgeratings.com/press_071906-digitalprojectionsupdwradio.htm
All forms of Internet Radio's total cume, incuding cell streaming from the internet, and podcasting by 2010 will equal:
Internet Radio 187.33 million
Wireless Internet 159.23 million
Mobile Phone Streaming (from internet) 11.81 million
Podcasting 3.95 million
TOTAL INTERNET CUME in 2010 = 362.32 million
While the terrestrial broadcast radio total cume is projected to be only: 278.59 million.
Internet cume beating terrestrial cume by 83.73 million by 2010.
That is only about 3 years from now!
HD Radio will only be at a miserable 8.84 million cume. Not enough to sustain thousands of HD stations. Evidence that HD Radio is just another dead end system, similar to several others that have gone before, and disappeared.
http://www.bridgeratings.com/press_071906-digitalprojectionsupdwradio.htm
All forms of Internet Radio's total cume, incuding cell streaming from the internet, and podcasting by 2010 will equal:
Internet Radio 187.33 million
Wireless Internet 159.23 million
Mobile Phone Streaming (from internet) 11.81 million
Podcasting 3.95 million
TOTAL INTERNET CUME in 2010 = 362.32 million
While the terrestrial broadcast radio total cume is projected to be only: 278.59 million.
Internet cume beating terrestrial cume by 83.73 million by 2010.
That is only about 3 years from now!
HD Radio will only be at a miserable 8.84 million cume. Not enough to sustain thousands of HD stations. Evidence that HD Radio is just another dead end system, similar to several others that have gone before, and disappeared.
Saturday, November 25, 2006
HD Radio-BUZZ OFF!
"The problem is this: unless you have a rock-solid, city-grade, right-near-the-tower signal, the HD either drops in and out or isn't there at all."
"Rock-solid, city-grade signal strength apparently isn't enough to hold the HD signal."
"what good is free if you can't get anything with it, or it drops in and out all the time?"
"They're selling the idea of the "HD2" and "HD3" subchannels for additional programming, but if you can't be assured of getting them without regular annoying dropouts, they're useless."
"Sell this to regular consumers who aren't in the business and aren't going to resort to extraordinary measures to pull in a signal and you're going to anger a lot of people- assuming, that is, that a lot of people will buy this thing, which isn't the case."
LEFT CLICK ON TITLE (ABOVE) FOR FULL STORY.
"Rock-solid, city-grade signal strength apparently isn't enough to hold the HD signal."
"what good is free if you can't get anything with it, or it drops in and out all the time?"
"They're selling the idea of the "HD2" and "HD3" subchannels for additional programming, but if you can't be assured of getting them without regular annoying dropouts, they're useless."
"Sell this to regular consumers who aren't in the business and aren't going to resort to extraordinary measures to pull in a signal and you're going to anger a lot of people- assuming, that is, that a lot of people will buy this thing, which isn't the case."
LEFT CLICK ON TITLE (ABOVE) FOR FULL STORY.
Saturday, November 11, 2006
HD RADIO-BILLION DOLLAR BOONDOGGLE?
FALSE CLAIMS AND INCOMPATIBLE RADIO JAMMING PLAGUE HD RADIO - PUT DIGITAL FUTURE OF DEFECTIVE HD RADIO SYSTEM IN DOUBT!
An engineering technical study presented by broadcast engineering expert Doug Vernier to the National Association of Broadcasters convention, Radio Engineering Session, Dallas, Texas, and Broadcasters Clinic, Madison, Wisconsin demonstrated massive radio interference created by the defective HD radio system.
Further engineering studies of HD radio are anticipated.
For the full engineering presentation, left click on the headline at top. Adobe Acrobat Reader, necessary, broadband internet preferred for faster download.
FALSE CLAIMS, COMPLAINTS, POOR PERFORMANCE, PROBLEMS, AND RADIO INTERFERENCE DOCUMENTED IN OTHER ARTICLES POSTED ON THIS BLOG.
An engineering technical study presented by broadcast engineering expert Doug Vernier to the National Association of Broadcasters convention, Radio Engineering Session, Dallas, Texas, and Broadcasters Clinic, Madison, Wisconsin demonstrated massive radio interference created by the defective HD radio system.
Further engineering studies of HD radio are anticipated.
For the full engineering presentation, left click on the headline at top. Adobe Acrobat Reader, necessary, broadband internet preferred for faster download.
FALSE CLAIMS, COMPLAINTS, POOR PERFORMANCE, PROBLEMS, AND RADIO INTERFERENCE DOCUMENTED IN OTHER ARTICLES POSTED ON THIS BLOG.
Sunday, November 05, 2006
HD Radio "It doesn't work"
"Guess what I didn’t see in AudioAdvisor's '07 catalog? You guessed it! So I called and asked one of their “consultants” about HD-Radio. He quickly replied, "You can special-order it on the net for $300, but nobody really wants them—besides, it doesn’t work... Can we sell you an XM home “reference” tuner?"
Link to full story:
http://www.radio-info.com/smf/index.php/topic,53173.msg370265.html#msg370265
Link to full story:
http://www.radio-info.com/smf/index.php/topic,53173.msg370265.html#msg370265
Tuesday, October 31, 2006
HD Radio-Truth from someone who bought the baloney!
HERE IS THE LATEST BUZZ ON HD RADIO, FROM ONE WHO BOUGHT ALL THE HYPE.
"The coverage seems to be only slightly more than HALF the coverage of the analog signal. "
"the difference between the digital and analog-stereo signal isn't that great. "
"as soon as I start moving, most stations' HD2 and HD3 signals drop off, and the HD1 signal reverts back to analog."
"As for AM-IBOC, their coverage seems to be even worse than FM. "
"In order to broadcast in HD, they had to scale back their analog signal to 5 or 6 KHz, and now there is no high end on any of the AM's running HD. Even the formerly great sounding WIBC now sounds muddy on the analog signal. In addition, the very things that cause interference on analog AM radios now disrupt the IBOC signal, causing the radio to blend back to analog, so where's the advantage?"
"the audio quality of all 4 AM-HD's is horrible."
"doesn't sound as good as streaming audio with a decent Internet connection."
"when WLW has the IBOC bandsaw turned on, it kills WGN"
CLICK ON THE TITLE (ABOVE) FOR THE FULL REVUE.
"The coverage seems to be only slightly more than HALF the coverage of the analog signal. "
"the difference between the digital and analog-stereo signal isn't that great. "
"as soon as I start moving, most stations' HD2 and HD3 signals drop off, and the HD1 signal reverts back to analog."
"As for AM-IBOC, their coverage seems to be even worse than FM. "
"In order to broadcast in HD, they had to scale back their analog signal to 5 or 6 KHz, and now there is no high end on any of the AM's running HD. Even the formerly great sounding WIBC now sounds muddy on the analog signal. In addition, the very things that cause interference on analog AM radios now disrupt the IBOC signal, causing the radio to blend back to analog, so where's the advantage?"
"the audio quality of all 4 AM-HD's is horrible."
"doesn't sound as good as streaming audio with a decent Internet connection."
"when WLW has the IBOC bandsaw turned on, it kills WGN"
CLICK ON THE TITLE (ABOVE) FOR THE FULL REVUE.
RATINGS DECLINE AS HD RADIO BUZZ SPREADS
STATIONS BROADCAST HD RADIO BUZZ & LOOSE RATINGS!
"WPEN did pretty lousy, garnering a paltry one-half share of male listeners ages 25 to 54. But WIP had its worst summer in years. The summer ratings were not kind to sports radio.
Michael Klein 10/19/06"
Ratings have been dropping since the sations began broadcasting loud HD Radio buzz on adjacent channels, cut fidelity in half, and added noise and hum to audio.
"Surprise! Surprise!" -Gomer Pyle USMC
Click on title (above) for source.
Check Arbitron link for Philadelphia, PA and your city to see if the addition High Destruction radio interference is eating into your local HD Radio station's ratings:
http://www1.arbitron.com/tlr/public/report.do;jsessionid=nSyAu3nBiLP+D6RzBrRpwg**.ppmappp
"WPEN did pretty lousy, garnering a paltry one-half share of male listeners ages 25 to 54. But WIP had its worst summer in years. The summer ratings were not kind to sports radio.
Michael Klein 10/19/06"
Ratings have been dropping since the sations began broadcasting loud HD Radio buzz on adjacent channels, cut fidelity in half, and added noise and hum to audio.
"Surprise! Surprise!" -Gomer Pyle USMC
Click on title (above) for source.
Check Arbitron link for Philadelphia, PA and your city to see if the addition High Destruction radio interference is eating into your local HD Radio station's ratings:
http://www1.arbitron.com/tlr/public/report.do;jsessionid=nSyAu3nBiLP+D6RzBrRpwg**.ppmappp
Sunday, October 29, 2006
HD Introduces "Pride Radio"
CLEAR CHANNEL INTRODUCES "PRIDE RADIO" HD FM STATION.
Finally out in the open, Clear Channel Communications announced "Pride Radio" on HD FM. The corporation is expected to change it's name to reflect it's new identity.
Click on title (above) to go to website and listen.
Here is the link to the press release:
http://www.clearchannel.com/Radio/PressRelease.aspx?PressReleaseID=1674&KeyWord=pride+radio
Finally out in the open, Clear Channel Communications announced "Pride Radio" on HD FM. The corporation is expected to change it's name to reflect it's new identity.
Click on title (above) to go to website and listen.
Here is the link to the press release:
http://www.clearchannel.com/Radio/PressRelease.aspx?PressReleaseID=1674&KeyWord=pride+radio
Thursday, October 26, 2006
HD Radio-R.I.P.
If you build it will they come?
During the NAB, iBiquity head Bob Struble reportedly indicated that there are "less than 100,000 HD radio chipsets sold" to date and, as has been much better publicized, 1,000 or so HD stations across the country.
Now let's make some assumptions.
First let's assume there's one chipset per radio.
Since 100,000 is a suspiciously round number, let's assume it's a round-up from 90,000 (likely a bit high).
Now let's assume 10,000 of these chipsets are in radios in the hands of broadcast industry professionals (perhaps a bit high).
Now let's assume 10,000 of these chipsets are in the manufacturing and distribution pipeline - not yet in radio form (perhaps a bit low).
Now let's assume 10,000 of these chipsets are in radios but locked in inventories.
That leaves a very, very rough estimate of 60,000 HD radios in the hands of consumers.
Or - 60 radios for every HD station on the air.
There is easily - easily - ten times that much audience listening to these "stations" on the web.
LEFT CLICK ON HEADLINE (ABOVE) FOR THE REST OF THE STORY.
During the NAB, iBiquity head Bob Struble reportedly indicated that there are "less than 100,000 HD radio chipsets sold" to date and, as has been much better publicized, 1,000 or so HD stations across the country.
Now let's make some assumptions.
First let's assume there's one chipset per radio.
Since 100,000 is a suspiciously round number, let's assume it's a round-up from 90,000 (likely a bit high).
Now let's assume 10,000 of these chipsets are in radios in the hands of broadcast industry professionals (perhaps a bit high).
Now let's assume 10,000 of these chipsets are in the manufacturing and distribution pipeline - not yet in radio form (perhaps a bit low).
Now let's assume 10,000 of these chipsets are in radios but locked in inventories.
That leaves a very, very rough estimate of 60,000 HD radios in the hands of consumers.
Or - 60 radios for every HD station on the air.
There is easily - easily - ten times that much audience listening to these "stations" on the web.
LEFT CLICK ON HEADLINE (ABOVE) FOR THE REST OF THE STORY.
Thursday, October 12, 2006
HD RADIO-THE INTERFERENCE FAR OUTWEIGHS THE LISTENER BENEFITS.
In an ideal world - HD Radio would have been birthed by engineers - inspired by Radio Programmers complaints that there wasn’t enough radio signals on which to bring all their great new programming ideas to life.
Instead- it was the opposite. HD was born as a technical achievement that attempts to answer questions no one was even asking.
Click on the headline (above) for the link to the rest of the article.
Instead- it was the opposite. HD was born as a technical achievement that attempts to answer questions no one was even asking.
Click on the headline (above) for the link to the rest of the article.
Sunday, October 08, 2006
HD RADIO-BUZZ INCREASES, AS LISTENERSHIP DECLINES
"Public radio trying to improve reception"
CLICK ON TITLE (ABOVE) FOR FULL STORY.
CLICK ON TITLE (ABOVE) FOR FULL STORY.
Wednesday, October 04, 2006
HD radio = "Junk technology"
"Consider the letter to Radio World from Robert Conrad (Reader's Forum, July 19), the president of Cleveland's classical WCLV(FM) and Seaway Productions, who complained that IBOC audio quality is not what was promised, and that signal coverage is terrible. I admire his courage. Most people in his position would be embarrassed to say that after having put so much of their money - and, in some cases, their prestige - behind this junk technology.
As Mr. Conrad said, broadcasters' efforts to promote IBOC "will only disappoint, and perhaps antagonize, a significant segment of the audience who find that the system doesn't deliver."
Let's hope the industry as a whole will recognize that IBOC has been a mistake, and that it does so soon enough that it will be only the larger broadcasters - and, I'm afraid, all too many financially strapped public broadcasters - who will have invested prematurely, and unwisely, in this ill-conceived technology. "
Click on the title above to link to the rest of the story.
"This dirty little secret"
"As a result, the lack of handheld HD Radio receivers - at least for the next few years - will keep the fledgling technology from becoming a player in the increasingly important portable audio industry. Given the strength and projected growth of that sector, this absence could have significant impact on HD Radio's success, as well as to the radio industry's overall relevance to future audiences."
Here is the link:
http://www.rwonline.com/pages/s.0054/t.359.html
As Mr. Conrad said, broadcasters' efforts to promote IBOC "will only disappoint, and perhaps antagonize, a significant segment of the audience who find that the system doesn't deliver."
Let's hope the industry as a whole will recognize that IBOC has been a mistake, and that it does so soon enough that it will be only the larger broadcasters - and, I'm afraid, all too many financially strapped public broadcasters - who will have invested prematurely, and unwisely, in this ill-conceived technology. "
Click on the title above to link to the rest of the story.
"This dirty little secret"
"As a result, the lack of handheld HD Radio receivers - at least for the next few years - will keep the fledgling technology from becoming a player in the increasingly important portable audio industry. Given the strength and projected growth of that sector, this absence could have significant impact on HD Radio's success, as well as to the radio industry's overall relevance to future audiences."
Here is the link:
http://www.rwonline.com/pages/s.0054/t.359.html
Saturday, September 30, 2006
HD RADIO-Bonanza for lobbyists.
In an on-going stepped-up effort to influence Capitol Hill, Rehr said the NAB “will use all of its tools to help educate legislators, our regulators and the public on how over-the-air radio is unique in offering compelling local programming. No competitor has this unique value proposition.”
Rehr also stressed the importance of the industry as a whole promoting HD Radio and encouraging the FCC to adopt HD rules and standards.
“Listeners want local content and connection,” Rehr figured.
The broadcast conglomerates have done virtually everything they can to elliminate as much local content and origination as possible, including laying off thousands of local employees, and networking, duplicating, and automating many of their stations.
CLICK ON THE TITLE (ABOVE) FOR THE REST OF THE STORY.
Rehr also stressed the importance of the industry as a whole promoting HD Radio and encouraging the FCC to adopt HD rules and standards.
“Listeners want local content and connection,” Rehr figured.
The broadcast conglomerates have done virtually everything they can to elliminate as much local content and origination as possible, including laying off thousands of local employees, and networking, duplicating, and automating many of their stations.
CLICK ON THE TITLE (ABOVE) FOR THE REST OF THE STORY.
Friday, September 15, 2006
FCC=FEDERAL CONCEALMENT COMMISSION
DECEPTION, MISDIRECTION, OBFUSCATION, CORRUPTION, ARE AGENCY AND ADMINISTRATION POLICIES.
FCC JUST ONE EXAMPLE.
"WASHINGTON - The Federal Communications Commission ordered its staff to destroy all copies of a draft study that suggested greater concentration of media ownership would hurt local TV news coverage, a former lawyer at the agency says.
The report, written in 2004, came to light during the Senate confirmation hearing for FCC Chairman Kevin Martin.
Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif. received a copy of the report "indirectly from someone within the FCC who believed the information should be made public," according to Boxer spokeswoman Natalie Ravitz."
"'Every last piece' destroyedAdam Candeub, now a law professor at Michigan State University, said senior managers at the agency ordered that "every last piece" of the report be destroyed. "The whole project was just stopped - end of discussion," he said. Candeub was a lawyer in the FCC's Media Bureau at the time the report was written and communicated frequently with its authors, he said.
In a letter sent to Martin Wednesday, Boxer said she was "dismayed that this report, which was done at taxpayer expense more than two years ago, and which concluded that localism is beneficial to the public, was shoved in a drawer."
Martin said he was not aware of the existence of the report, nor was his staff. His office indicated it had not received Boxer's letter as of midafternoon Thursday.
Local ownership benefitsIn the letter, Boxer asked whether any other commissioners "past or present" knew of the report's existence and why it was never made public. She also asked whether it was "shelved because the outcome was not to the liking of some of the commissioners and/or any outside powerful interests?"
The report, written by two economists in the FCC's Media Bureau, analyzed a database of 4,078 individual news stories broadcast in 1998. The broadcasts were obtained from Danilo Yanich, a professor and researcher at the University of Delaware, and were originally gathered by the Pew Foundation's Project for Excellence in Journalism.
The analysis showed local ownership of television stations adds almost five and one-half minutes of total news to broadcasts and more than three minutes of "on-location" news. The conclusion is at odds with FCC arguments made when it voted in 2003 to increase the number of television stations a company could own in a single market. It was part of a broader decision liberalizing ownership rules.
Community responsivenessAt that time, the agency pointed to evidence that "commonly owned television stations are more likely to carry local news than other stations."
When considering whether to loosen rules on media ownership, the agency is required to examine the impact on localism, competition and diversity. The FCC generally defines localism as the level of responsiveness of a station to the needs of its community."
Click on title (above) for link to full article.
Also:
http://www.freepress.net/news/17682
http://www.freepress.net/payola/
This is a direct link to the shredded document on media ownership:
http://svartifoss2.fcc.gov/prod/ecfs/retrieve.cgi?native_or_pdf=pdf&id_document=6518462392
FCC reply letter:
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-267475A1.pdf
FCC JUST ONE EXAMPLE.
"WASHINGTON - The Federal Communications Commission ordered its staff to destroy all copies of a draft study that suggested greater concentration of media ownership would hurt local TV news coverage, a former lawyer at the agency says.
The report, written in 2004, came to light during the Senate confirmation hearing for FCC Chairman Kevin Martin.
Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif. received a copy of the report "indirectly from someone within the FCC who believed the information should be made public," according to Boxer spokeswoman Natalie Ravitz."
"'Every last piece' destroyedAdam Candeub, now a law professor at Michigan State University, said senior managers at the agency ordered that "every last piece" of the report be destroyed. "The whole project was just stopped - end of discussion," he said. Candeub was a lawyer in the FCC's Media Bureau at the time the report was written and communicated frequently with its authors, he said.
In a letter sent to Martin Wednesday, Boxer said she was "dismayed that this report, which was done at taxpayer expense more than two years ago, and which concluded that localism is beneficial to the public, was shoved in a drawer."
Martin said he was not aware of the existence of the report, nor was his staff. His office indicated it had not received Boxer's letter as of midafternoon Thursday.
Local ownership benefitsIn the letter, Boxer asked whether any other commissioners "past or present" knew of the report's existence and why it was never made public. She also asked whether it was "shelved because the outcome was not to the liking of some of the commissioners and/or any outside powerful interests?"
The report, written by two economists in the FCC's Media Bureau, analyzed a database of 4,078 individual news stories broadcast in 1998. The broadcasts were obtained from Danilo Yanich, a professor and researcher at the University of Delaware, and were originally gathered by the Pew Foundation's Project for Excellence in Journalism.
The analysis showed local ownership of television stations adds almost five and one-half minutes of total news to broadcasts and more than three minutes of "on-location" news. The conclusion is at odds with FCC arguments made when it voted in 2003 to increase the number of television stations a company could own in a single market. It was part of a broader decision liberalizing ownership rules.
Community responsivenessAt that time, the agency pointed to evidence that "commonly owned television stations are more likely to carry local news than other stations."
When considering whether to loosen rules on media ownership, the agency is required to examine the impact on localism, competition and diversity. The FCC generally defines localism as the level of responsiveness of a station to the needs of its community."
Click on title (above) for link to full article.
Also:
http://www.freepress.net/news/17682
http://www.freepress.net/payola/
This is a direct link to the shredded document on media ownership:
http://svartifoss2.fcc.gov/prod/ecfs/retrieve.cgi?native_or_pdf=pdf&id_document=6518462392
Thanks for the tip. The public should be greatful for disclosure of this deception."Senator Barbara Boxer has posted the text of the FCC's shredded study in FCC
Docket 06-121 on the FCC Electronic Comment Filing System (ECFS). http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/ecfs/ecfs_alt.html>>
This 24-page document was posted on September 12th. Listed below is a
citation of her filing.
I have requested an extension of time for public
comment on this apparently suppressed study of media ownership
rules.
Nickolaus E. Leggett"
FCC reply letter:
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-267475A1.pdf
Thursday, September 14, 2006
RADIO LISTENING-DECLINING TREND
ARBITRON SHOWS RADIO LISTENING DECLINING.
COMPETITION FROM NEW MEDIA, PERHAPS?
CLICK ON HEADLINE (ABOVE) FOR LINK TO ARBITRON REPORT.
COMPETITION FROM NEW MEDIA, PERHAPS?
CLICK ON HEADLINE (ABOVE) FOR LINK TO ARBITRON REPORT.
"RADIO CONSOLIDATION~DOING IRREPERABLE HARM"
"Consolidation of media ownership is doing irreparable harm to local and national news coverage, and thus to the key fabric of democracy in our country," said John Connolly, President of the American Federal Of Television & Radio Artists at an FCC Town Hall Meeting in Los Angeles conducted by FCC Commissioners Jonathan Adelstein and Michael Copps yesterday.
"By allowing the reduction of outlets for diverse opinions via the concentration of power in fewer and fewer corporate hands, the Federal Communications Commission condemns Americans to a country where the public interest suffers, democracy suffers, and working people suffer," said Connolly. "AFTRA members oppose the continued de-regulation of the media and entertainment industries--and the resulting continued concentration of ownership in fewer hands. We urge the commission to protect and enhance the fundamental right and public interest of the American people as true owners of the airwaves."
"By allowing the reduction of outlets for diverse opinions via the concentration of power in fewer and fewer corporate hands, the Federal Communications Commission condemns Americans to a country where the public interest suffers, democracy suffers, and working people suffer," said Connolly. "AFTRA members oppose the continued de-regulation of the media and entertainment industries--and the resulting continued concentration of ownership in fewer hands. We urge the commission to protect and enhance the fundamental right and public interest of the American people as true owners of the airwaves."
Thursday, September 07, 2006
HD Radio: too little, too late-DOA
"Face it, folks...when you add it up, HD Radio as a platform will never be competitive with satellite or Internet radio on a value for value basis for the end user."
http://heartsofspace.typepad.com/spatialrelations/
"Mark,
Your observations about the strange disconnect between industry spin and the realities HD radio is facing are all correct, but you politely stop short of the obvious conclusion: HD is DOA.
The only reason it has gotten this far is that such an amazing amount of time and money has been invested in it by iBiquity, with support from radio industry stakeholders and receiver manufacturers.
Many radio folk were skeptical from the beginning. Promoting HD as a quality upgrade (source of the HD moniker) was obviously bull — the typical Internet music stream is already higher quality than HD and can be upgraded easily as deliverable bandwidth gets cheaper. HD reminds me of DCC (Digital Compact Cassette), another attempt by a mature industry to administer life support to a sunset format. That didn't work either, and today almost no one even remembers it.
Promoting the increase in channels on HD sounded good until the usage reports came in and it became clear that with an IBOC system there really wasn't enough additional bandwidth on AM and FM to do the job properly. The U.S. really needed microwave digital radio spectrum like they got in Europe, so new radios could simply add a band. And nobody really figured out where the money would come from to staff and operate those new channels at an effective level, even if they actually worked technically.
And then there was the little matter of the hardware upgrade...it might have had a shot if the Internet wasn't evolving several orders of magnitude faster, the FCC approval happened three times faster, the manufacturers were more agile, and the public had a clear reason to do it. But of course none of these conditions were met and today we still have the ~$500 standalone HD radio and the ~$250 upgrade fee for a new car radio."
http://heartsofspace.typepad.com/spatialrelations/2006/07/index.html
http://www.radio-info.com/smf/index.php/topic,46784.0.html
http://heartsofspace.typepad.com/spatialrelations/
"Mark,
Your observations about the strange disconnect between industry spin and the realities HD radio is facing are all correct, but you politely stop short of the obvious conclusion: HD is DOA.
The only reason it has gotten this far is that such an amazing amount of time and money has been invested in it by iBiquity, with support from radio industry stakeholders and receiver manufacturers.
Many radio folk were skeptical from the beginning. Promoting HD as a quality upgrade (source of the HD moniker) was obviously bull — the typical Internet music stream is already higher quality than HD and can be upgraded easily as deliverable bandwidth gets cheaper. HD reminds me of DCC (Digital Compact Cassette), another attempt by a mature industry to administer life support to a sunset format. That didn't work either, and today almost no one even remembers it.
Promoting the increase in channels on HD sounded good until the usage reports came in and it became clear that with an IBOC system there really wasn't enough additional bandwidth on AM and FM to do the job properly. The U.S. really needed microwave digital radio spectrum like they got in Europe, so new radios could simply add a band. And nobody really figured out where the money would come from to staff and operate those new channels at an effective level, even if they actually worked technically.
And then there was the little matter of the hardware upgrade...it might have had a shot if the Internet wasn't evolving several orders of magnitude faster, the FCC approval happened three times faster, the manufacturers were more agile, and the public had a clear reason to do it. But of course none of these conditions were met and today we still have the ~$500 standalone HD radio and the ~$250 upgrade fee for a new car radio."
http://heartsofspace.typepad.com/spatialrelations/2006/07/index.html
http://www.radio-info.com/smf/index.php/topic,46784.0.html
Sunday, August 20, 2006
HD Radio-IS JAMMING YOUR AM/FM RADIO
HD RADIO CAUSES NOISE, BUZZ, HISS, HASH AND JAMMING OF OTHER STATIONS ON BOTH AM AND FM ANALOG RADIOS.
HD Radio uses more then twice the dial space as analog, and adds digital noise and interference to each side of an HD stations signal.
Here is the link to the graphic proof:
http://www.elecdesign.com/Files/29/12194/Figure_02.gif
HD Radio uses more then twice the dial space as analog, and adds digital noise and interference to each side of an HD stations signal.
Here is the link to the graphic proof:
http://www.elecdesign.com/Files/29/12194/Figure_02.gif
Thursday, August 17, 2006
HD Radio is DOA -HERE IS WHAT'S HOT! Super Sound of the Future.
HD Radio-Too little, to late, and too many broken promises.
http://www.podcastingnews.com/archives/2006/07/public_radio_gu.html
http://www.synthtopia.com/news/06_08/Stephen_Hill_Digital_Radi.html
Link to hundreds of new stations, true CD quality sound, totally free (not even an expensive new radio is required), 5.1 digital surround sound, everything that HD Radio promises, but does not deliver.
Hear the sound of the future:
http://www.tuner2.com/
If you already have the latest version of winmp (www.winamp.com) or Windows Media AAC+ plugin, here are more AAC+ and high bitrate stations for FREE Super HD:
http://www.shoutcast.com/directory/?s=AAC%2B
http://www.podcastingnews.com/archives/2006/07/public_radio_gu.html
http://www.synthtopia.com/news/06_08/Stephen_Hill_Digital_Radi.html
Link to hundreds of new stations, true CD quality sound, totally free (not even an expensive new radio is required), 5.1 digital surround sound, everything that HD Radio promises, but does not deliver.
Hear the sound of the future:
http://www.tuner2.com/
If you already have the latest version of winmp (www.winamp.com) or Windows Media AAC+ plugin, here are more AAC+ and high bitrate stations for FREE Super HD:
http://www.shoutcast.com/directory/?s=AAC%2B
FREE HD TUNER AND STATIONS!
DOWNLOAD THE LATEST VERSION OF WINAMP OR WINDOWS MEDIA PLAYER 10 PLUG-IN TO GET HUNDREDS OF NEW HD STATIONS INCLUDING 5.1 SURROUND SOUND!
Here is the link:
http://www.tuner2.com/
Uses AAC Plus codec by Coding Technologies. The same codec as HD Radio, but, in many cases, at a much higher quality and bitrate.
Here is the link:
http://www.tuner2.com/
Uses AAC Plus codec by Coding Technologies. The same codec as HD Radio, but, in many cases, at a much higher quality and bitrate.
Sunday, August 13, 2006
HD Radio-TECHNICAL INFO. FOR ENGINEERS
HERE ARE LINKS FOR RADIO ENGINEERS AND OTHER TECHNICALLY MINDED INDIVIDUALS ABOUT AM RADIO HD - IBOC, AND RELATED INFORMATION.
http://topazdesigns.com/iboc/AM-IBOC-Parameters.html
HD RADIO IBOC AM STATIONS INCLUDING THOSE THAT TRIED HD RADIO AND ARE NOW or have been HD SILENT:
http://topazdesigns.com/iboc/station-list.html
AM CHANNEL LOOKUP PAGE INCLUDING HD STATIONS (IN RED):
http://topazdesigns.com/ambc/
http://topazdesigns.com/iboc/AM-IBOC-Parameters.html
HD RADIO IBOC AM STATIONS INCLUDING THOSE THAT TRIED HD RADIO AND ARE NOW or have been HD SILENT:
http://topazdesigns.com/iboc/station-list.html
AM CHANNEL LOOKUP PAGE INCLUDING HD STATIONS (IN RED):
http://topazdesigns.com/ambc/
Thursday, August 10, 2006
HD Radio-GET IT FREE OVER THE INTERNET!
MOST HD RADIO STATIONS ARE AVAILABLE STREAMING OVER THE INTERNET!
No need for an HD Radio as the station's websites usually give webstreams of their HD content. You can also listen for free to most XM stations and hundreds of others stations on AOL Radio, which is now FREE!
http://music.aol.com/radioguide/bb.adp
"NPR radio store www.npr.com sells so many of the Acoustic Energy wireless WI-FI Internet radios in their online store that they can hardly keep them in stock. In spite of all the promotion and hype about HD Radio, the NPR store does not seem to carry HD Radios. Internet radio seems likely to be the clear winner."
http://shop.npr.org/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/TopCategoriesDisplay?storeId=10051&catalogId=10051
No need for an HD Radio as the station's websites usually give webstreams of their HD content. You can also listen for free to most XM stations and hundreds of others stations on AOL Radio, which is now FREE!
http://music.aol.com/radioguide/bb.adp
"NPR radio store www.npr.com sells so many of the Acoustic Energy wireless WI-FI Internet radios in their online store that they can hardly keep them in stock. In spite of all the promotion and hype about HD Radio, the NPR store does not seem to carry HD Radios. Internet radio seems likely to be the clear winner."
http://shop.npr.org/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/TopCategoriesDisplay?storeId=10051&catalogId=10051
HD Radio-More comments
"In a side-by-side comparison, I gotta be honest with you: I can't tell the difference between the digital and the analog."
"I'm not surprised. The audio quality difference between HD FM and analog FM isn't very noticeable."
"I've thought about what I actually heard myself and what I was told by someone else and have come to the following conclusion: When one gets far enough from the transmitting tower where the analog signal is noisy and the digital signal would be a definite plus, the digital signal isn't even there."
"I can tell you right now that the digital signal doesn't travel anywhere near as far as the analogue. Detroit stations right now are having a terrible time trying to push their digital sub-channels because even the inner suburbs are having problems receiving them."
"Since your post, I've heard similar stories from techs in other markets."
"That would be my experience. If the HD signal is strong enough to decode, the analog signal is strong enough to be noise-free. That goes for AM too, even more so than for FM."
HD Radio is DOA (Dead On Arrival)
Link to full posts:
http://www.radio-info.com/smf/index.php/topic,40512.0.html
"I'm not surprised. The audio quality difference between HD FM and analog FM isn't very noticeable."
"I've thought about what I actually heard myself and what I was told by someone else and have come to the following conclusion: When one gets far enough from the transmitting tower where the analog signal is noisy and the digital signal would be a definite plus, the digital signal isn't even there."
"I can tell you right now that the digital signal doesn't travel anywhere near as far as the analogue. Detroit stations right now are having a terrible time trying to push their digital sub-channels because even the inner suburbs are having problems receiving them."
"Since your post, I've heard similar stories from techs in other markets."
"That would be my experience. If the HD signal is strong enough to decode, the analog signal is strong enough to be noise-free. That goes for AM too, even more so than for FM."
HD Radio is DOA (Dead On Arrival)
Link to full posts:
http://www.radio-info.com/smf/index.php/topic,40512.0.html
Saturday, August 05, 2006
HD Radio-COMMENTS
HD Radio is DOA (Dead On Arrival)
Posted by: George June 16, 2006 at 08:17 AM
HD is DOA. I'm a bit of a radio geek and early adopter, and buying an HD radio doesn't interest me in the least.
Looks to me like the friut is dead on the vine based on the lack of progress with product rollout and "content".
Posted by: tim wallick June 16, 2006 at 01:51 PM
I think it is fair to say that the audiophile community, those people who take their FM seriously, is dead set AGAINST HDRadio.
Not only do most people never intend to buy a radio, unless as a plaything for early adopters and collectors, but are aghast at the FCC for even allowing IBOC to thrash up the FM bandwidth.
Plus, people with enough technical savvy to read the specs are insulted by the false claims of "CD sound quality" or even "near-CD sound quality." These are transparent marketing hype, beyond mean puffery.
Sorry, but HDRadio has sworn enemies. This goes beyond just business but has political reprecussions for FCC and for Congress. This has the whiff of political scandal - and I'm a rock-ribbed Republican! The Corporation for Public Broadcasting is especially vulnerable.
My advice for any businessman is to avoid any association with HDRadio.
There are a couple of other benefits for HDRadio: it effective blocks listeners from tuning in suburban stations on adjacent frequencies (an HD station on 92.9 can occupy 92.7 and 93.1 with its digital hash), and it basically locks out LPFMs, programmed translators, and other threats to the FM spectrum.
Posted by: MattS June 18, 2006 at 05:49 AM
Here is the rest of the story:
http://www.hear2.com/2006/06/hd_radio_fun_wi.html
At times, tuning in digital radio reminded me of trying to lock in digital TV broadcasts. The signals were weaker than their analog counterparts, as mandated by Federal Communications Commission regulations, and could drop out, then resume for no apparent reason. The HD signals of classical WGMS (104.1 FM) and smooth-jazz WJZW (105.9 FM) never got past that shakiness -- and The Post's WTWP (107.7 FM) was complete static the whole time.
HD radio on AM delivers a much bigger improvement in sound -- but only if you can get the signal, something the Recepter had serious trouble doing. Whether I used its internal AM antenna or the external one included in the box, it pulled in only one HD AM signal, "SportsTalk" WTEM (980 AM). It detected an HD signal on two others, WKDL (730 AM) and WTWP (1500 AM), but never tuned it in; all-talk WTNT (570 AM) never even showed one.
Here is the link:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/04/29/AR2006042900245.html
Posted by: George June 16, 2006 at 08:17 AM
HD is DOA. I'm a bit of a radio geek and early adopter, and buying an HD radio doesn't interest me in the least.
Looks to me like the friut is dead on the vine based on the lack of progress with product rollout and "content".
Posted by: tim wallick June 16, 2006 at 01:51 PM
I think it is fair to say that the audiophile community, those people who take their FM seriously, is dead set AGAINST HDRadio.
Not only do most people never intend to buy a radio, unless as a plaything for early adopters and collectors, but are aghast at the FCC for even allowing IBOC to thrash up the FM bandwidth.
Plus, people with enough technical savvy to read the specs are insulted by the false claims of "CD sound quality" or even "near-CD sound quality." These are transparent marketing hype, beyond mean puffery.
Sorry, but HDRadio has sworn enemies. This goes beyond just business but has political reprecussions for FCC and for Congress. This has the whiff of political scandal - and I'm a rock-ribbed Republican! The Corporation for Public Broadcasting is especially vulnerable.
My advice for any businessman is to avoid any association with HDRadio.
There are a couple of other benefits for HDRadio: it effective blocks listeners from tuning in suburban stations on adjacent frequencies (an HD station on 92.9 can occupy 92.7 and 93.1 with its digital hash), and it basically locks out LPFMs, programmed translators, and other threats to the FM spectrum.
Posted by: MattS June 18, 2006 at 05:49 AM
Here is the rest of the story:
http://www.hear2.com/2006/06/hd_radio_fun_wi.html
At times, tuning in digital radio reminded me of trying to lock in digital TV broadcasts. The signals were weaker than their analog counterparts, as mandated by Federal Communications Commission regulations, and could drop out, then resume for no apparent reason. The HD signals of classical WGMS (104.1 FM) and smooth-jazz WJZW (105.9 FM) never got past that shakiness -- and The Post's WTWP (107.7 FM) was complete static the whole time.
HD radio on AM delivers a much bigger improvement in sound -- but only if you can get the signal, something the Recepter had serious trouble doing. Whether I used its internal AM antenna or the external one included in the box, it pulled in only one HD AM signal, "SportsTalk" WTEM (980 AM). It detected an HD signal on two others, WKDL (730 AM) and WTWP (1500 AM), but never tuned it in; all-talk WTNT (570 AM) never even showed one.
Here is the link:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/04/29/AR2006042900245.html
HD Radio-DEFECTIVE TECHNOLOGY-WHAT USERS SAY
don't fall for the hype
Written by mrcomment, Las Vegas on July 14, 2005
Disappointing & pricey.Digital range is less than analog.Digital AM has horrible artifacts.Digital FM wipes out rimshot stations.Digital FM makes multipath worse.Gen#1 receivers don't work with multicast audio.Current receiver won't pick up future surround sound.
HD Radio HypeWritten by Toby Williams, Santa Clara, CA on June 16, 2005
I was terribly disappointed with the Kenwood HD tuner. It's probably an okay product, but HD radio itself is not.Several San Francisco area stations are sending HD radio. Unfortunately I get a lot of digital breakup when I listen to HD radio while driving around. The analog signals are all fine. The audio quality doesn't seem to be any better than the analog. It seems very compressed and doesn't sound like a CD at all. It might sound a little better than my XM radio, but not much. Don't waste your money on HD radio. I thought I was going to get more program choices, but that's not the case. I get the same old stuff, and it doesn't really sound enough better to justify the expense. I'm not sure what I was thinking when I put my money down for this tuner. I'll stick with XM.Toby Williams
Written by Timothy, Newport, Mi on July 15, 2006
tuner gets terrible reception, hd fades in and out at only 28 miles from detroit, had to reset the balance every time i started my truck, very disappointed with this unit, sent it back for another brand.
Junk compared to original recepter radio
by Jerry747 - May 2, 2006
Pros:
Second speaker, hd capable
Cons:
Nonexistant fm tuner sensitivity, ridiculous power brick.
The disappointments are weak treble, poor sensitivity in AM and FM (the inexpensive Sony "shelf system" that it replaced has much better FM sensitivity), and the inability to force to analog mode. The latter is not much of a problem here as even in this large metro area (Baltimore-Washington), there are only a few HD stations in range; I can't receive Washington stations, about 40 miles away.
Had a chance to use this radio for awhile. Im not really sure about the glowing reviews I keep reading for it here. Im more with the guy who said its just as worse as a regular radio cause I cant get no reception in my office either. "HD" indeed.
There should be the ability to keep the station in analog mode, in the event the digital signal is marginal. Otherwise, the radio blends in and out of digital mode, and if the station is not utilizing the 8.4 second delay in their analog signal, the audio jumps back and forth like a skipping CD player.
It takes about 5 seconds after you tune-in to a station for the radio to acquire the digital signal (it instantly acquires the analog signal). There is no analog version for the additional digital channels, so you hear about 5 seconds of nothing before the radio tunes-in to one of these channels.
So it sounds like good FM not CD quality audio.
The reception is lousy though. I can't pick up any HD Radio stations in my office and it is worse than my analog radio for regular stations. Also seems to get stuck when I press too many buttons. Save your money and buy several year's worth of XM or Sirius.
hd limitations
Written by teery, kokomo, in on February 9, 2006
i live about 50 miles from several HD transmitters. i purchased the HD tuner for am reception. my experiance was disappointing and ive returned my tuner and radio. i travel over a wide area of central indiana and the HD signal was intermittant even though the signal was strong. 50,000 watt wibc signal is clear during daylight hours, however the HD signal would come and go and as a result there was a 2 second delay which drives you crazy. the signal kept shifting from HD to analog. also wnde signal is broadcast in HD but you have to be with 25 miles of the transmitter for it to work effectively even though the analog signal is clear for 50 miles. this defeats the purpose of the HD radio as i was trying to eleminate drift and interference. the bottom line is that the HD signal strength is much weaker than the analog signal. so, the HD tuner is only functioal for a limited range. also, when you attach the tuner you can no longer dial up weaker distant stations manualy. if you live near a major metropolitan area the HD radio is great. if you travel 25-50 away from the transmitter you really dont have HD capability anymore.
By: James P., Somich 05/26/06Overall rating: The Receptor HD is a good example of an "early adopter" product. It is a good idea, not quite ready for prime time. The sensitivity in the HD mode leaves a lot to be desired. I had to use a rooftop antenna to pickup local HD stations. The price is way too high for what it is, but that is to be expected with a brand new product like this. The sound tends to be on the bassy side (which some people may like). This is certainly not high fidelity and it is certainly not CD quality. The miniscule data rates for HD radio permit only an "acceptable" sound quality. This is a good start, but HD radio has a long way to go before it will be accepted by the masses.
Here is the link:
www.radioshack.com
Ease of useValueReliabilityPerformance
Written by mrcomment, Las Vegas on July 14, 2005
Disappointing & pricey.Digital range is less than analog.Digital AM has horrible artifacts.Digital FM wipes out rimshot stations.Digital FM makes multipath worse.Gen#1 receivers don't work with multicast audio.Current receiver won't pick up future surround sound.
HD Radio HypeWritten by Toby Williams, Santa Clara, CA on June 16, 2005
I was terribly disappointed with the Kenwood HD tuner. It's probably an okay product, but HD radio itself is not.Several San Francisco area stations are sending HD radio. Unfortunately I get a lot of digital breakup when I listen to HD radio while driving around. The analog signals are all fine. The audio quality doesn't seem to be any better than the analog. It seems very compressed and doesn't sound like a CD at all. It might sound a little better than my XM radio, but not much. Don't waste your money on HD radio. I thought I was going to get more program choices, but that's not the case. I get the same old stuff, and it doesn't really sound enough better to justify the expense. I'm not sure what I was thinking when I put my money down for this tuner. I'll stick with XM.Toby Williams
Written by Timothy, Newport, Mi on July 15, 2006
tuner gets terrible reception, hd fades in and out at only 28 miles from detroit, had to reset the balance every time i started my truck, very disappointed with this unit, sent it back for another brand.
Junk compared to original recepter radio
by Jerry747 - May 2, 2006
Pros:
Second speaker, hd capable
Cons:
Nonexistant fm tuner sensitivity, ridiculous power brick.
The disappointments are weak treble, poor sensitivity in AM and FM (the inexpensive Sony "shelf system" that it replaced has much better FM sensitivity), and the inability to force to analog mode. The latter is not much of a problem here as even in this large metro area (Baltimore-Washington), there are only a few HD stations in range; I can't receive Washington stations, about 40 miles away.
Had a chance to use this radio for awhile. Im not really sure about the glowing reviews I keep reading for it here. Im more with the guy who said its just as worse as a regular radio cause I cant get no reception in my office either. "HD" indeed.
There should be the ability to keep the station in analog mode, in the event the digital signal is marginal. Otherwise, the radio blends in and out of digital mode, and if the station is not utilizing the 8.4 second delay in their analog signal, the audio jumps back and forth like a skipping CD player.
It takes about 5 seconds after you tune-in to a station for the radio to acquire the digital signal (it instantly acquires the analog signal). There is no analog version for the additional digital channels, so you hear about 5 seconds of nothing before the radio tunes-in to one of these channels.
So it sounds like good FM not CD quality audio.
The reception is lousy though. I can't pick up any HD Radio stations in my office and it is worse than my analog radio for regular stations. Also seems to get stuck when I press too many buttons. Save your money and buy several year's worth of XM or Sirius.
hd limitations
Written by teery, kokomo, in on February 9, 2006
i live about 50 miles from several HD transmitters. i purchased the HD tuner for am reception. my experiance was disappointing and ive returned my tuner and radio. i travel over a wide area of central indiana and the HD signal was intermittant even though the signal was strong. 50,000 watt wibc signal is clear during daylight hours, however the HD signal would come and go and as a result there was a 2 second delay which drives you crazy. the signal kept shifting from HD to analog. also wnde signal is broadcast in HD but you have to be with 25 miles of the transmitter for it to work effectively even though the analog signal is clear for 50 miles. this defeats the purpose of the HD radio as i was trying to eleminate drift and interference. the bottom line is that the HD signal strength is much weaker than the analog signal. so, the HD tuner is only functioal for a limited range. also, when you attach the tuner you can no longer dial up weaker distant stations manualy. if you live near a major metropolitan area the HD radio is great. if you travel 25-50 away from the transmitter you really dont have HD capability anymore.
By: James P., Somich 05/26/06Overall rating: The Receptor HD is a good example of an "early adopter" product. It is a good idea, not quite ready for prime time. The sensitivity in the HD mode leaves a lot to be desired. I had to use a rooftop antenna to pickup local HD stations. The price is way too high for what it is, but that is to be expected with a brand new product like this. The sound tends to be on the bassy side (which some people may like). This is certainly not high fidelity and it is certainly not CD quality. The miniscule data rates for HD radio permit only an "acceptable" sound quality. This is a good start, but HD radio has a long way to go before it will be accepted by the masses.
Here is the link:
www.radioshack.com
Ease of useValueReliabilityPerformance
Monday, July 31, 2006
Wireless World Wide Web Wins the Radio battle! JUST SAY NO-TO HD RADIO!
World Wide Web Wireless Radio projected to win the Radio Wars!
Forcast by 2010-
Less than 8 million podcast listeners- Just under 9 million HD radio listeners- About 36 million satellte radio listeners- About 21 million folks who listen to their "radio" on their mobile phones- Almost 190 million Internet radio listeners (!!)
And here is their editorial clincher:
According to this updated data, the entire spectrum of digital audio alternatives, and especially Internet radio and its wireless distribution continue to represent the biggest challenge to traditional radio.
And they add:
Internet radio could greatly benefit from pervasive Wi-Max or Wide Area Wireless Access which will bring Internet Radio to portable devices, including car radios by 2008.
Here is the link and graphs for the rest of the story:
http://www.hear2.com/2006/05/radios_biggest_.html
Here is another link to a related supporting interview/viewpoint:
http://www.hear2.com/2005/10/why_would_anyon.html
Forcast by 2010-
Less than 8 million podcast listeners- Just under 9 million HD radio listeners- About 36 million satellte radio listeners- About 21 million folks who listen to their "radio" on their mobile phones- Almost 190 million Internet radio listeners (!!)
And here is their editorial clincher:
According to this updated data, the entire spectrum of digital audio alternatives, and especially Internet radio and its wireless distribution continue to represent the biggest challenge to traditional radio.
And they add:
Internet radio could greatly benefit from pervasive Wi-Max or Wide Area Wireless Access which will bring Internet Radio to portable devices, including car radios by 2008.
Here is the link and graphs for the rest of the story:
http://www.hear2.com/2006/05/radios_biggest_.html
Here is another link to a related supporting interview/viewpoint:
http://www.hear2.com/2005/10/why_would_anyon.html
Friday, July 28, 2006
HD RADIO-A FLAMING BURNOUT!
"HD RADIO IS A DOG!"
"Here's the word from KMXE's chief engineer as he told me personally. Some HD equipment had fried awhile back - not very different from your KTNQ's HD equipment that also fried. After a forced return to analog while they awaited a new unit, the new owners (also the owners of the Los Angeles Angels) agreed with their CE's advice and have decided to keep KMXE analog-only for the forseeable future. They have increased the audio bandwidth well beyond HD's 5khz. They are very pleased with the results since they dumped HD. The decision had NOTHING to do with HD suitability. Their CE says HD is a big disappointment and also causes way too much adjacent channel noise. He says HD Radio is not even close to what had always been promised! ---------------------------A technology has to be pretty awful for a station to first spend the kind of money they must do to go HD, then to feel happy about dropping it! Every "off-the-record" conversation I've had with radio engineers in Los Angeles, the verdict is unanimous so far. HD Radio is a dog!"
Here is the source posted by "vsa" near bottom of the page:
http://www.radio-info.com/smf/index.php/topic,40571.140.html
"Here's the word from KMXE's chief engineer as he told me personally. Some HD equipment had fried awhile back - not very different from your KTNQ's HD equipment that also fried. After a forced return to analog while they awaited a new unit, the new owners (also the owners of the Los Angeles Angels) agreed with their CE's advice and have decided to keep KMXE analog-only for the forseeable future. They have increased the audio bandwidth well beyond HD's 5khz. They are very pleased with the results since they dumped HD. The decision had NOTHING to do with HD suitability. Their CE says HD is a big disappointment and also causes way too much adjacent channel noise. He says HD Radio is not even close to what had always been promised! ---------------------------A technology has to be pretty awful for a station to first spend the kind of money they must do to go HD, then to feel happy about dropping it! Every "off-the-record" conversation I've had with radio engineers in Los Angeles, the verdict is unanimous so far. HD Radio is a dog!"
Here is the source posted by "vsa" near bottom of the page:
http://www.radio-info.com/smf/index.php/topic,40571.140.html
Thursday, July 20, 2006
HD Radio Pig-FCC APPROVAL GETTING DOUBTFUL?
FCC DELAYS HD RADIO FINAL APPROVAL!
The HD Radio cartel seems to be facing some resistance (or at least delay). Recently they submitted a revision to the FCC to change measurement standards from peak to average, resulting in an increased interference level of 13 db or 20 times power for FM.
See De Minimus lawyer joke. Link:
http://www.wrathofkahn.org/
Now the FCC has decided to delay any action on HD Radio.
"FCC Back Flips on IBOC Rulemaking The FCC unexpectedly struck a number of items relating to digital radio broadcasting from its July 13 agenda just hours before convening last week."
http://beradio.com/digital_radio_update/Digital_radio_update_071906/#iboc
DO WE DETECT CRACKS AND CRUMBLING IN THE WALLS OF JERICHO?
WE'LL JUST KEEP TRUMPETING AND CIRCLING.
Meanwhile, back at the cartel, they claim a "burgeoning" HD Radio market. My count is fewer than six models (here or perhaps coming) of HD Radio out of about about 10,000 AM/FM analog models available to the public. Perhaps they mean "bungling".
(See same link above).
"Tivoli, Polk, Radiosophy Tabletops Due Soon Tivoli Audio will join the burgeoning HD Radio tabletop receiver market with its Model HD receiver, due to ship late this fall. The company says the Model HD incorporates the latest generation HD Radio chipset, and builds on the legacy of its popular Kloss Model One.
Meanwhile, Polk Audio and Radiosophy continue to promise shipment of their respective HD Radio tabletop receivers in the immediate future. Radiosophy now says it may ship its first product in about four weeks."
HD RADIO-WHERE PIGS FLY! ARE YOU DEAF YET?
The HD Radio cartel seems to be facing some resistance (or at least delay). Recently they submitted a revision to the FCC to change measurement standards from peak to average, resulting in an increased interference level of 13 db or 20 times power for FM.
See De Minimus lawyer joke. Link:
http://www.wrathofkahn.org/
Now the FCC has decided to delay any action on HD Radio.
"FCC Back Flips on IBOC Rulemaking The FCC unexpectedly struck a number of items relating to digital radio broadcasting from its July 13 agenda just hours before convening last week."
DO WE DETECT CRACKS AND CRUMBLING IN THE WALLS OF JERICHO?
WE'LL JUST KEEP TRUMPETING AND CIRCLING.
Meanwhile, back at the cartel, they claim a "burgeoning" HD Radio market. My count is fewer than six models (here or perhaps coming) of HD Radio out of about about 10,000 AM/FM analog models available to the public. Perhaps they mean "bungling".
(See same link above).
"Tivoli, Polk, Radiosophy Tabletops Due Soon Tivoli Audio will join the burgeoning HD Radio tabletop receiver market with its Model HD receiver, due to ship late this fall. The company says the Model HD incorporates the latest generation HD Radio chipset, and builds on the legacy of its popular Kloss Model One.
Meanwhile, Polk Audio and Radiosophy continue to promise shipment of their respective HD Radio tabletop receivers in the immediate future. Radiosophy now says it may ship its first product in about four weeks."
HD RADIO-WHERE PIGS FLY! ARE YOU DEAF YET?
Friday, June 23, 2006
HD Radio-SEND IT BACK!-WASHINGTON POST REVIEWER.
"Last week, I packed up the Boston Acoustics Recepter Radio HD, the subject of my review in late April, and shipped it back to the company. "
"Digital FM just doesn't sound that much better than analog. Digital AM does, but it's too hard to find and is still limited to daylight hours. "
HERE IS THE REST OF THE STORY:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/email/2005/03/30/EM2005033001399.html
"Digital FM just doesn't sound that much better than analog. Digital AM does, but it's too hard to find and is still limited to daylight hours. "
HERE IS THE REST OF THE STORY:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/email/2005/03/30/EM2005033001399.html
Saturday, June 10, 2006
HD RADIO-OWNER DISSATISFACTION
"Positive response is not as high as one might expect based on the marketing of HD radio. "
100% of the consumers in the study have been using their HD receiver(s) for six months or less.
Reception was the largest factor leading to dissatisfaction among this group with "on-air quality not as advertised" coming in second. Further explanation of these responses showed that reception was perceived as "receiving the station's signal poorly at times" and "on-air quality" was described as the "technical clarity of the programming".
"Low quality programming" is related to "manner in which the programming offerings are presented" and "Lack of Program Variety" refers to the number of different types of programs offered.
Overall, ~positive response is not as high as one might expect based on the marketing of HD radio.
HERE IS THE LINK TO THE REST OF THE STORY:
http://www.bridgeratings.com/press_5.22.06.HDSatisf.htm
100% of the consumers in the study have been using their HD receiver(s) for six months or less.
Reception was the largest factor leading to dissatisfaction among this group with "on-air quality not as advertised" coming in second. Further explanation of these responses showed that reception was perceived as "receiving the station's signal poorly at times" and "on-air quality" was described as the "technical clarity of the programming".
"Low quality programming" is related to "manner in which the programming offerings are presented" and "Lack of Program Variety" refers to the number of different types of programs offered.
Overall, ~positive response is not as high as one might expect based on the marketing of HD radio.
HERE IS THE LINK TO THE REST OF THE STORY:
http://www.bridgeratings.com/press_5.22.06.HDSatisf.htm
Sunday, May 28, 2006
"RADIO'S LATEST EFFORT TO BAMBOOZLE WALL STREET"
The industry's latest futile folly is High Definition Radio.
HD-2 signals have an average 20-mile radius from a station's transmitter.
Even when you're locked onto a full-strength HD-2 signal, it may fade out. An external FM antenna and a coaxial converter to the HD radio may help.
HERE IS THE LINK TO THE REST OF THE STORY:
http://www.freetimes.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=3247&POSTNUKESID=fcd7cafad554d9ce283dc8072af4f014
HD-2 signals have an average 20-mile radius from a station's transmitter.
Even when you're locked onto a full-strength HD-2 signal, it may fade out. An external FM antenna and a coaxial converter to the HD radio may help.
HERE IS THE LINK TO THE REST OF THE STORY:
http://www.freetimes.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=3247&POSTNUKESID=fcd7cafad554d9ce283dc8072af4f014
"RADIO'S LATEST EFFORT TO BAMBOOZLE WALL STREET"
The industry's latest futile folly is High Definition Radio.
HD-2 signals have an average 20-mile radius from a station's transmitter.
Even when you're locked onto a full-strength HD-2 signal, it may fade out. An external FM antenna and a coaxial converter to the HD radio may help.
HERE IS THE LINK TO THE REST OF THE STORY:
http://www.freetimes.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=3247&POSTNUKESID=fcd7cafad554d9ce283dc8072af4f014
HD-2 signals have an average 20-mile radius from a station's transmitter.
Even when you're locked onto a full-strength HD-2 signal, it may fade out. An external FM antenna and a coaxial converter to the HD radio may help.
HERE IS THE LINK TO THE REST OF THE STORY:
http://www.freetimes.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=3247&POSTNUKESID=fcd7cafad554d9ce283dc8072af4f014
Thursday, May 18, 2006
HD Radio-RIAA Lawsuits coming?
LOS ANGELES, May 16 (Reuters) - The recording industry on Tuesday sued XM Satellite Radio Holdings Inc. , alleging its Inno device that can store music infringes on copyrights and transforms a passive radio experience into the equivalent of a digital download service like iTunes.
A spokesman for the Recording Industry Association of America, comprising major labels such as Vivendi Universal's Universal Music Group, Warner Music Group Corp. , EMI Group Plc and Sony BMG, said the suit was filed on Tuesday in New York federal court.
The suit accuses XM Satellite of "massive wholesale infringement," and seeks $150,000 in damages for every song copied by XM customers using the devices, which went on sale earlier this month. XM, with more than 6.5 million subscribers, said it plays 160,000 different songs every month.
HERE IS THE REST OF THE STORY:
http://yahoo.reuters.com/misc/PrinterFriendlyPopup.aspx?type=all&storyID=urn:newsml:reuters.com:20060517:MTFH51678_2006-05-17_00-10-03_N16129937&special=true
A spokesman for the Recording Industry Association of America, comprising major labels such as Vivendi Universal's Universal Music Group
The suit accuses XM Satellite of "massive wholesale infringement," and seeks $150,000 in damages for every song copied by XM customers using the devices, which went on sale earlier this month. XM, with more than 6.5 million subscribers, said it plays 160,000 different songs every month.
HERE IS THE REST OF THE STORY:
http://yahoo.reuters.com/misc/PrinterFriendlyPopup.aspx?type=all&storyID=urn:newsml:reuters.com:20060517:MTFH51678_2006-05-17_00-10-03_N16129937&special=true
Thursday, May 04, 2006
HD RADIO PROMOTION-JUST PUTTING MORE LIPSTICK ON THE PIG
Advertising expert David Ogilvy once asked, "Can advertising foist an inferior product on the consumer?"
"Bitter experience has taught me that it cannot."
On those rare occasions when I have advertised products which consumer tests have found inferior to other products in the same field, the results have been disastrous.
"William Bernbach echoed Ogilvy's statement. "Advertising doesn't create a product advantage. It can only convey it.
"But it was Professor Charles Sandage who turned Ogilvy's complaint into a manifesto: "Advertising is criticized on the ground that it can manipulate consumers to follow the will of the advertiser. The weight of evidence denies this ability. Instead, evidence supports the position that advertising, to be successful, must understand or anticipate basic human needs and wants, and interpret available goods and services in terms of their want-satisfying abilities. This is the very opposite of manipulation."
Here is the link to the rest of the story:
http://www.wizardacademy.com/showmemo.asp?id=249
"Bitter experience has taught me that it cannot."
On those rare occasions when I have advertised products which consumer tests have found inferior to other products in the same field, the results have been disastrous.
"William Bernbach echoed Ogilvy's statement. "Advertising doesn't create a product advantage. It can only convey it.
"But it was Professor Charles Sandage who turned Ogilvy's complaint into a manifesto: "Advertising is criticized on the ground that it can manipulate consumers to follow the will of the advertiser. The weight of evidence denies this ability. Instead, evidence supports the position that advertising, to be successful, must understand or anticipate basic human needs and wants, and interpret available goods and services in terms of their want-satisfying abilities. This is the very opposite of manipulation."
Here is the link to the rest of the story:
http://www.wizardacademy.com/showmemo.asp?id=249
Tuesday, May 02, 2006
HD Radio to Crash and Burn?
Monday, May 01, 2006
HD RADIO-NICE, WHEN YOU CAN GET IT, BUT YOU OFTEN CAN'T, EVEN IF YOU TRY.
"The Recepter (HD Radio) was able to tune in 11 of the 14 FM HD (local) stations without much trouble at a house in Arlington, (suburb, just outside of Washington, DC) although in some cases I had to swap antennas. Boston first shipped this radio with a relatively short wire antenna that plugs into the back, then recently added a seven-foot-long wire that can be used as a backup. The company says buyers of earlier models can get the new antenna for free."
(Back to the bad old days of big external radio antennas, that still don't help much).
"At times, tuning in digital radio reminded me of trying to lock in digital TV broadcasts. The signals were weaker than their analog counterparts, as mandated by Federal Communications Commission regulations, and could drop out, then resume for no apparent reason. The HD signals of classical WGMS (104.1 FM) and smooth-jazz WJZW (105.9 FM) never got past that shakiness -- and The Post's WTWP (107.7 FM) was complete static the whole time."
"HD radio on AM delivers a much bigger improvement in sound -- but only if you can get the signal, something the Recepter had serious trouble doing. Whether I used its internal AM antenna or the external one included in the box, it pulled in only one HD AM signal, "SportsTalk" WTEM (980 AM). It detected an HD signal on two others, WKDL (730 AM) and WTWP (1500 AM), but never tuned it in; all-talk WTNT (570 AM) never even showed one."
"As much as I'd like to hear Georgetown basketball games in this clarity next year, however, I probably won't; FCC regulations prohibit AM HD broadcasts after dark, lest they interfere with the reception of distant AM signals."
AND NOW FOR THE REST OF THE STORY:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/04/29/AR2006042900245.html?referrer=email&referrer=email
(Back to the bad old days of big external radio antennas, that still don't help much).
"At times, tuning in digital radio reminded me of trying to lock in digital TV broadcasts. The signals were weaker than their analog counterparts, as mandated by Federal Communications Commission regulations, and could drop out, then resume for no apparent reason. The HD signals of classical WGMS (104.1 FM) and smooth-jazz WJZW (105.9 FM) never got past that shakiness -- and The Post's WTWP (107.7 FM) was complete static the whole time."
"HD radio on AM delivers a much bigger improvement in sound -- but only if you can get the signal, something the Recepter had serious trouble doing. Whether I used its internal AM antenna or the external one included in the box, it pulled in only one HD AM signal, "SportsTalk" WTEM (980 AM). It detected an HD signal on two others, WKDL (730 AM) and WTWP (1500 AM), but never tuned it in; all-talk WTNT (570 AM) never even showed one."
"As much as I'd like to hear Georgetown basketball games in this clarity next year, however, I probably won't; FCC regulations prohibit AM HD broadcasts after dark, lest they interfere with the reception of distant AM signals."
AND NOW FOR THE REST OF THE STORY:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/04/29/AR2006042900245.html?referrer=email&referrer=email
Monday, April 24, 2006
Digital HD Radio-More interference and aggrivation then value.
Building penetration tended to be poor, especially at distances greater than 20 miles from the radio station’s antenna.
My initial burst of enthusiasm had quickly tempered to confusion. Could I be doing something wrong? How could I not pick up these stations? After all, I live about 16 miles as the crow flies from the Empire State Building .
Technical Difficulties
I went to the Ibiquity Web site to find that there were at least 13 stations broadcasting in HD in New York . One by one I tried to tune them in, and one by one I was met with frustration. Constant fiddling with the antenna yielded part-time successes. I managed to get Z100’s second channel for about three seconds, then three seconds of dead air, then on, then off. This gave new meaning to the term picket-fencing. Digital is unforgiving. It’s either on or it’s off.
I took the radio upstairs to the bedroom. This time I had some success. WPLJ, WNEW, WAXQ, and several others sounded beautiful in HD. But mind you, every time I changed the channel, I’d need to go fiddle and reposition the antenna. Sometimes, as the digital signal faded in and out, a phasing sound would occur. On the AM side, continuous play with the antenna yielded a promising digital WNYC AM, but WOR’s digital signal amounted to a great big hum.
The hotly advertised second channels were still mostly nowhere to be found. Intermittent signals were achieved for WNYC, WAXQ, and WLTW. Twice the radio froze up altogether and I had to unplug it to “reboot” it. After considerable tinkering, I was finally able to listen to Z100’s new music channel at length. And the 32 kbps stream had plenty of kick and dynamic range.
But clearly, something was wrong. This whole thing was just not working as advertised.
Terrestrial radio might be hyping a technology that isn’t quite ready for prime time. If broadcasters are attempting an apples-to-apples comparison with satellite radio, right now they’ll lose.
HERE IS THE LINK TO THE FULL STORY:
http://www.fmqb.com//article.asp?id=184531
My initial burst of enthusiasm had quickly tempered to confusion. Could I be doing something wrong? How could I not pick up these stations? After all, I live about 16 miles as the crow flies from the Empire State Building .
Technical Difficulties
I went to the Ibiquity Web site to find that there were at least 13 stations broadcasting in HD in New York . One by one I tried to tune them in, and one by one I was met with frustration. Constant fiddling with the antenna yielded part-time successes. I managed to get Z100’s second channel for about three seconds, then three seconds of dead air, then on, then off. This gave new meaning to the term picket-fencing. Digital is unforgiving. It’s either on or it’s off.
I took the radio upstairs to the bedroom. This time I had some success. WPLJ, WNEW, WAXQ, and several others sounded beautiful in HD. But mind you, every time I changed the channel, I’d need to go fiddle and reposition the antenna. Sometimes, as the digital signal faded in and out, a phasing sound would occur. On the AM side, continuous play with the antenna yielded a promising digital WNYC AM, but WOR’s digital signal amounted to a great big hum.
The hotly advertised second channels were still mostly nowhere to be found. Intermittent signals were achieved for WNYC, WAXQ, and WLTW. Twice the radio froze up altogether and I had to unplug it to “reboot” it. After considerable tinkering, I was finally able to listen to Z100’s new music channel at length. And the 32 kbps stream had plenty of kick and dynamic range.
But clearly, something was wrong. This whole thing was just not working as advertised.
Terrestrial radio might be hyping a technology that isn’t quite ready for prime time. If broadcasters are attempting an apples-to-apples comparison with satellite radio, right now they’ll lose.
HERE IS THE LINK TO THE FULL STORY:
http://www.fmqb.com//article.asp?id=184531
Saturday, April 22, 2006
Broadcasters PAY FOR PLAY "PAYOLA"-FEDERAL INVESTIGATION CONTINUES.
FCC Launches Payola Probes of 4 Radio Giants
Documents are sought from Clear Channel, CBS, Entercom and Citadel, sources say. The agency's step comes after settlement talks stall.
Other FCC insiders said this new stage of investigation could put broadcasters more at risk of previously undiscovered evidence of wrongdoing being found. The investigation could give the FCC access to millions of previously unexamined documents. It could also expand to include stations and radio executives across the nation.
HERE IS THE LINK:
http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-fcc20apr20,0,4714012,print.story?coll=la-home-headlines
Documents are sought from Clear Channel, CBS, Entercom and Citadel, sources say. The agency's step comes after settlement talks stall.
Other FCC insiders said this new stage of investigation could put broadcasters more at risk of previously undiscovered evidence of wrongdoing being found. The investigation could give the FCC access to millions of previously unexamined documents. It could also expand to include stations and radio executives across the nation.
HERE IS THE LINK:
http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-fcc20apr20,0,4714012,print.story?coll=la-home-headlines
HD Radio-Commentary: Has Anyone Thought This Through?
Economic and Political Considerations Can Trump Technical Ones at the FCC.
But while AM IBOC's appropriation of five channels is outrageous, FM IBOC's use of half of each adjoining, or "first-adjacent," channel is hardly innocuous.
Since Philadelphia lost its full-time classical station, I'd like to be able to hear WQXR (96.3) from New York. Until recently, that might have been possible.
But what good would the best possible tuner and antenna be when Beasley's CHR Rhythmic WRDW(FM) 96.5 in Philadelphia is running IBOC, with its lower side channel effectively jamming the upper half of WQXR(FM)'s weak 96.3 analog signal from New York?
And that's not the only problem with "HD FM." When two second-adjacent stations both use IBOC, each taking up half of the channel between them, they become in effect first-adjacents, at least with respect to their digital signals.
Want concrete examples?
WSTW(FM) 93.7 in Wilmington, Del., is a second-adjacent to both WMMR(FM) 93.3 and WYSP(FM) 94.1 in Philadelphia, both of which are running IBOC. IBOC signals from WSTW wreak havoc on those two Philadelphia stations' IBOC signals south of the city. And what about WPST(FM) 94.5 in Trenton, N.J.? That one would interfere with WYSP's IBOC north of Philadelphia, too. There are dozens of such situations around the country.
If nobody's noticed the problem yet, that's only because IBOC receivers automatically default to analog whenever the digital signal is too weak for adequate reception, provided there is an analog signal. Of course, once the stations pull the plug on analog to add more digital program streams - or switch their analog service to mono to extend their useable coverage area, as per Walt's suggestion - the problem will become immediately obvious.
HERE IS THE LINK TO JACK HANNOLD'S EXELLENT ARTICLE:
http://www.rwonline.com/reference-room/iboc/2006.04.20-06_rwrf_april_20_part_3.shtml
But while AM IBOC's appropriation of five channels is outrageous, FM IBOC's use of half of each adjoining, or "first-adjacent," channel is hardly innocuous.
Since Philadelphia lost its full-time classical station, I'd like to be able to hear WQXR (96.3) from New York. Until recently, that might have been possible.
But what good would the best possible tuner and antenna be when Beasley's CHR Rhythmic WRDW(FM) 96.5 in Philadelphia is running IBOC, with its lower side channel effectively jamming the upper half of WQXR(FM)'s weak 96.3 analog signal from New York?
And that's not the only problem with "HD FM." When two second-adjacent stations both use IBOC, each taking up half of the channel between them, they become in effect first-adjacents, at least with respect to their digital signals.
Want concrete examples?
WSTW(FM) 93.7 in Wilmington, Del., is a second-adjacent to both WMMR(FM) 93.3 and WYSP(FM) 94.1 in Philadelphia, both of which are running IBOC. IBOC signals from WSTW wreak havoc on those two Philadelphia stations' IBOC signals south of the city. And what about WPST(FM) 94.5 in Trenton, N.J.? That one would interfere with WYSP's IBOC north of Philadelphia, too. There are dozens of such situations around the country.
If nobody's noticed the problem yet, that's only because IBOC receivers automatically default to analog whenever the digital signal is too weak for adequate reception, provided there is an analog signal. Of course, once the stations pull the plug on analog to add more digital program streams - or switch their analog service to mono to extend their useable coverage area, as per Walt's suggestion - the problem will become immediately obvious.
HERE IS THE LINK TO JACK HANNOLD'S EXELLENT ARTICLE:
http://www.rwonline.com/reference-room/iboc/2006.04.20-06_rwrf_april_20_part_3.shtml
Wednesday, April 19, 2006
HD Radio=SMELL-O-RADIO THAT WILL MAKE YOU DEAF!
Here is the link that will download the new ad campaign by the HD Radio Cartel. IT STINKS!
Who needs a radio to hear this and become deaf?
http://www.areyoudefyet.com/agree/getfile.php?file=../spots/MP3s/07-CSG-HD-Fart.mp3
Who needs a radio to hear this and become deaf?
http://www.areyoudefyet.com/agree/getfile.php?file=../spots/MP3s/07-CSG-HD-Fart.mp3
Monday, April 17, 2006
HD Radio Survey-76% say HD Radio is worth NOTHING!
HD Radio-BUZZING DIGITAL DEATH WAIL
HD Radio promises much, but delivers little. Mostly, much more radio interference to both AM and FM listening.
The coverage area is about half of analog radio and it jams more stations then the few new digital streams it creates. HD Radio, iBiquity, IBOC, is the most over-hyped "pet rock" of the new millennium. A total consumer rip off.
iBUZZ is a flawed system that should not be given FCC final approval.
If broadcasters really had all this wonderful new music and information they claim is coming to HD Radio, why wouldn't they just put it on their analog channels where there are actually listeners?
Instead they play the same few dozen tunes "suggested" by large record companies, over and over. Why would HD Radio make a difference?
HD Radio fidelity is about the same as a webstream, artifacts and all.
AM and FM broadcast radio is dieing from the new competition of other media, as well as lack of entertainment value and useful information. The slow death wail of radio broadcasting is iBUZZ.
-WORLDSUPERCASTER
The coverage area is about half of analog radio and it jams more stations then the few new digital streams it creates. HD Radio, iBiquity, IBOC, is the most over-hyped "pet rock" of the new millennium. A total consumer rip off.
iBUZZ is a flawed system that should not be given FCC final approval.
If broadcasters really had all this wonderful new music and information they claim is coming to HD Radio, why wouldn't they just put it on their analog channels where there are actually listeners?
Instead they play the same few dozen tunes "suggested" by large record companies, over and over. Why would HD Radio make a difference?
HD Radio fidelity is about the same as a webstream, artifacts and all.
AM and FM broadcast radio is dieing from the new competition of other media, as well as lack of entertainment value and useful information. The slow death wail of radio broadcasting is iBUZZ.
-WORLDSUPERCASTER
Sunday, April 16, 2006
HD RADIO INTERFERENCE MUCH WORSE-CLEAR CHANNEL SENIOR ENGINEER
Clear Channel senior engineer admits AM HD Radio IBOC interference is much worse then previously calculated.
(FM HD Radio interference is also much worse then measured on a spectrum analyer for the same reasons).
Not -27.8 db for AM but effectively -13.2 db. (Which is the hiss we are all hearing on our radios).
He shows why the spectrum analyzer method is misleading as to the actual effects interference, and calculates the difference, and states Barry McLarnon's calculations of much greater interference are correct. Mr. McLarnon published a series of technical articles published in "Radio Guide" and submitted engineering proofs to the FCC as a reply to HD Radio Docket MM 99-325.
I think this confession by Clear Channel's Senior Vice President of Engineering effectively guts the "all knowledgeable" HD Radio advocates who have been claiming as "fact" IBOC HD Radio causes minimal or no interference.
Of course we knew this all along, just by hearing the hiss on our radios. Never underestimate the human ear as the final test instrument for what humans actually hear.
Spectrum analyzers hear differently with eyballs then humans with ears! Those are the real life "facts."
If radio sounds bad to the ear, no one will listen, regardless of what you see on a spectrum analyzer.
HERE IS THE LINK TO THE FULL REPORT:
http://www.am-dx.com/iboc_power.htm
(FM HD Radio interference is also much worse then measured on a spectrum analyer for the same reasons).
Not -27.8 db for AM but effectively -13.2 db. (Which is the hiss we are all hearing on our radios).
He shows why the spectrum analyzer method is misleading as to the actual effects interference, and calculates the difference, and states Barry McLarnon's calculations of much greater interference are correct. Mr. McLarnon published a series of technical articles published in "Radio Guide" and submitted engineering proofs to the FCC as a reply to HD Radio Docket MM 99-325.
I think this confession by Clear Channel's Senior Vice President of Engineering effectively guts the "all knowledgeable" HD Radio advocates who have been claiming as "fact" IBOC HD Radio causes minimal or no interference.
Of course we knew this all along, just by hearing the hiss on our radios. Never underestimate the human ear as the final test instrument for what humans actually hear.
Spectrum analyzers hear differently with eyballs then humans with ears! Those are the real life "facts."
If radio sounds bad to the ear, no one will listen, regardless of what you see on a spectrum analyzer.
HERE IS THE LINK TO THE FULL REPORT:
http://www.am-dx.com/iboc_power.htm
Wednesday, April 12, 2006
HD RADIO CAUSES INTERFERENCE ON AM AND FM BANDS
MULTIPATH INTERACTION AND CANCELLATION BETWEEN HD DIGITAL AND ANALOG FM SIGNALS DESTROYING FM COVERAGE!
The multipath signal cancellation between digital and analog FM signals not only jams adjacent channel staions but causes additional multipath signal loss to the digital host stations analog signal, and produces digital noise in the analog stereo signal.
In particular, it causes neighboring FM stations to disappear if they are lower-powered or further away (a common experience when listening in the car). For example, when 107.7 in San Francisco turned on IBOC, it made 107.5 from Santa Cruz (the famous KPIG) disappear from the south bay.
In my experience, it also degrades the analog FM signal (of the IBOC broadcaster) with additional multipath.
Here is the link:
http://hardware.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=06/03/02/187238
HD RADIO-IBOC-Ibiquity should NOT get final FCC approval!
HD RADIO IS A DEFECTIVE, DESTRUCTIVE TECHNOLOGY.
There is no need to approve a defective digital AM or FM system.
Here is a link to a truly compatible FM digital system that dosn't cause jamming and is fully approved RIGHT NOW!
http://www.dreinc.com/
The multipath signal cancellation between digital and analog FM signals not only jams adjacent channel staions but causes additional multipath signal loss to the digital host stations analog signal, and produces digital noise in the analog stereo signal.
In particular, it causes neighboring FM stations to disappear if they are lower-powered or further away (a common experience when listening in the car). For example, when 107.7 in San Francisco turned on IBOC, it made 107.5 from Santa Cruz (the famous KPIG) disappear from the south bay.
In my experience, it also degrades the analog FM signal (of the IBOC broadcaster) with additional multipath.
Here is the link:
http://hardware.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=06/03/02/187238
HD RADIO-IBOC-Ibiquity should NOT get final FCC approval!
HD RADIO IS A DEFECTIVE, DESTRUCTIVE TECHNOLOGY.
There is no need to approve a defective digital AM or FM system.
Here is a link to a truly compatible FM digital system that dosn't cause jamming and is fully approved RIGHT NOW!
http://www.dreinc.com/
Saturday, April 01, 2006
RADIO STATION OWNERS NEGOTIATE PAYOLA SETTLEMENT!
PAYOLA MAY RUIN PLANS FOR FCC FINAL APPROVAL AND PROGRAMMING OF HD RADIO FOR SOME LARGE BROADCASTERS. NO PAY FOR PLAY ALLOWED.
The nation's biggest radio broadcasters are in discussions with the Federal Communications Commission to resolve accusations that station programmers accepted improper payments from record companies in exchange for playing specific songs, officials involved in the talks said last night.
But the talks have stalled on questions about how much money the companies — Clear Channel Communications, CBS Radio, Entercom Communications and the Citadel Broadcasting Corporation — might have to pay to settle the case, said these officials, who insisted on anonymity because the talks are at a delicate stage.
Clear Channel, which operates about 1,200 stations and is the industry's biggest player, has been pressing for the agency to agree to a range that would place its financial penalty at $1.5 million to $3 million, according to a person involved in the talks. F.C.C. officials had balked at its earlier offers of $500,000 and $1 million, the officials said.
If the two sides do not come to an accord, the agency is expected to start a broad investigation into the payments and request internal documents and e-mail messages from the radio chains.
The companies are trying to avoid the expense — and potential embarrassment — that could arise from an investigation.
The potential stalemate in the settlement talks comes as the F.C.C. has been criticized by the New York attorney general, Eliot Spitzer, for failing to police the radio stations. Mr. Spitzer's office has been conducting an extensive investigation of improper payments — known as payola — in the music industry, and has publicly released reams of internal documents from both record and radio companies illustrating the payments made in exchange for airplay.
Kevin J. Martin, the head of the commission, has said its enforcement bureau would thoroughly investigate accusations of payola.
Links to stories:
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/04/01/business/media/01payola.html?_r=2&oref=slogin&pagewanted=print
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/03/31/AR2006033101622_pf.html
http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/la-fi-payforplay1apr01,0,5789491,print.story?coll=la-home-entertainment
The nation's biggest radio broadcasters are in discussions with the Federal Communications Commission to resolve accusations that station programmers accepted improper payments from record companies in exchange for playing specific songs, officials involved in the talks said last night.
But the talks have stalled on questions about how much money the companies — Clear Channel Communications, CBS Radio, Entercom Communications and the Citadel Broadcasting Corporation — might have to pay to settle the case, said these officials, who insisted on anonymity because the talks are at a delicate stage.
Clear Channel, which operates about 1,200 stations and is the industry's biggest player, has been pressing for the agency to agree to a range that would place its financial penalty at $1.5 million to $3 million, according to a person involved in the talks. F.C.C. officials had balked at its earlier offers of $500,000 and $1 million, the officials said.
If the two sides do not come to an accord, the agency is expected to start a broad investigation into the payments and request internal documents and e-mail messages from the radio chains.
The companies are trying to avoid the expense — and potential embarrassment — that could arise from an investigation.
The potential stalemate in the settlement talks comes as the F.C.C. has been criticized by the New York attorney general, Eliot Spitzer, for failing to police the radio stations. Mr. Spitzer's office has been conducting an extensive investigation of improper payments — known as payola — in the music industry, and has publicly released reams of internal documents from both record and radio companies illustrating the payments made in exchange for airplay.
Kevin J. Martin, the head of the commission, has said its enforcement bureau would thoroughly investigate accusations of payola.
Links to stories:
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/04/01/business/media/01payola.html?_r=2&oref=slogin&pagewanted=print
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/03/31/AR2006033101622_pf.html
http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/la-fi-payforplay1apr01,0,5789491,print.story?coll=la-home-entertainment
Friday, March 31, 2006
HD RADIO-NOT READY FOR PRIME TIME!
EXISTING HD RADIOS MAY SOON BE OBSOLETE!
One of the RIAA's proposals for safeguarding content on HD Radio is encryption at the source, which means that the digital segment of radio transmissions would be scrambled and unable to be heard without special equipment. As you might imagine, the National Association of Broadcasters is not thrilled about the idea. Many of their members have already installed expensive equipment in preparation for the switch to digital broadcasting, and the first HD Radio sets are already on the market. Forcing broadcasters to encrypt their transmission at the source would render all of this equipment obsolete.
Here is the link:
http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20060117-5992.html
One of the RIAA's proposals for safeguarding content on HD Radio is encryption at the source, which means that the digital segment of radio transmissions would be scrambled and unable to be heard without special equipment. As you might imagine, the National Association of Broadcasters is not thrilled about the idea. Many of their members have already installed expensive equipment in preparation for the switch to digital broadcasting, and the first HD Radio sets are already on the market. Forcing broadcasters to encrypt their transmission at the source would render all of this equipment obsolete.
Here is the link:
http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20060117-5992.html
HD Radio-CONSUMER REPORTS PRELIMINARY EVALUATION.
Expect some service interruptions.
We had little trouble tuning in many New York-area HD Radio stations. With some, however, we could receive the analog signal but not the digital one. When the digital signal for the main (HD1) service wasn’t strong enough, the radio efficiently switched to the analog broadcast. Listening wasn’t interrupted, but of course the sound quality reverted back to that of analog radio. When the digital signals faltered for an HD2 subchannel, however, programming simply stopped, resulting in an on/off pattern of interruptions.
Here is the link:
http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/electronics-computers/hd-radio-amfm-goes-digital-306.htm
We had little trouble tuning in many New York-area HD Radio stations. With some, however, we could receive the analog signal but not the digital one. When the digital signal for the main (HD1) service wasn’t strong enough, the radio efficiently switched to the analog broadcast. Listening wasn’t interrupted, but of course the sound quality reverted back to that of analog radio. When the digital signals faltered for an HD2 subchannel, however, programming simply stopped, resulting in an on/off pattern of interruptions.
Here is the link:
http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/electronics-computers/hd-radio-amfm-goes-digital-306.htm
Monday, March 27, 2006
HD RADIO-DEAF AND DUMB!
WHERE HD RADIO IS CONCERNED, EVEN BROADCASTERS SEEM DEAF AND DUMB!
PICKS UP ONLY 2 HD STATIONS?-"NO PROBLEM"
Bought the Receptor HD - only thing thats pissing me off is the radio really is deaf without a good antenna (and then still it only goes HD on a few stations - WMGK and WAWZ are the ONLY ones I can get in HD - WSNI and WJJZ just flash "HD)" and never go in to HD mode. WOR (AM-HD) I couldn't get either.
But I will say that it does sound fantastic on WMGK and WAWZ - much better than XM. And even in analog mode, the system does sound pretty good. But if I can't get HD stations without using a J-pole antenna, I think that this radio will be a flop...
http://www.radio-info.com/mods/board?Board=hd&Post=689125&page=
''there's a hiss, a hiss that did not exist in the past.''
A growing number of radio listeners are encountering similar interference -- hisses, whistles or static -- on their favorite AM stations. The problem for WTRI began about a year ago, when Bonneville International Corp.'s WTOP, the AM station at 1500, began using a digital signal that interfered with WTRI's analog signal in some broadcast areas.
Here is the link:
http://online.wsj.com/public/article/SB114125971438087021.html?mod=todays_free_feature
PICKS UP ONLY 2 HD STATIONS?-"NO PROBLEM"
Bought the Receptor HD - only thing thats pissing me off is the radio really is deaf without a good antenna (and then still it only goes HD on a few stations - WMGK and WAWZ are the ONLY ones I can get in HD - WSNI and WJJZ just flash "HD)" and never go in to HD mode. WOR (AM-HD) I couldn't get either.
But I will say that it does sound fantastic on WMGK and WAWZ - much better than XM. And even in analog mode, the system does sound pretty good. But if I can't get HD stations without using a J-pole antenna, I think that this radio will be a flop...
http://www.radio-info.com/mods/board?Board=hd&Post=689125&page=
''there's a hiss, a hiss that did not exist in the past.''
A growing number of radio listeners are encountering similar interference -- hisses, whistles or static -- on their favorite AM stations. The problem for WTRI began about a year ago, when Bonneville International Corp.'s WTOP, the AM station at 1500, began using a digital signal that interfered with WTRI's analog signal in some broadcast areas.
Here is the link:
http://online.wsj.com/public/article/SB114125971438087021.html?mod=todays_free_feature
NEW ORLEANS-REBUILD CITIES BELOW SEA LEVEL?
Rebuilding Gulf Coast cities that are below sea level, may be a wasteful, hopeless, endeavor.
By one recent measure, several Greenland ice sheets have doubled their rate of slide, and just last week the journal Science published a study suggesting that by the end of the century, the world could be locked in to an eventual rise in sea levels of as much as 20 ft. Nature, it seems, has finally got a bellyful of us.
Here is "the rest of the story":
http://reference.aol.com/globalwarming/timemagazine?id=20060327120109990001
By one recent measure, several Greenland ice sheets have doubled their rate of slide, and just last week the journal Science published a study suggesting that by the end of the century, the world could be locked in to an eventual rise in sea levels of as much as 20 ft. Nature, it seems, has finally got a bellyful of us.
Here is "the rest of the story":
http://reference.aol.com/globalwarming/timemagazine?id=20060327120109990001
Saturday, March 25, 2006
IBUZZ-THE TRUTH ABOUT HD RADIO-UNMASKED!
IBUZZ HD RADIO-DEFECTIVE TECHNOLOGY!
The most elegant encoding algorithm in the world cannot produce "near-CD quality" sound with such limited bandwidth (considering uncompressed CD audio has a bitrate in excess of 1,400 kbps, HD Radio signals convey less than 10% of the original program audio data).
An HD Radio signal is essentially a hybrid analog/digital signal. Its configuration keeps the analog portion of the signal nearest the center frequency and puts the digital data on "sidebands," which are broadcast at 1/100th the power of the analog signal. Thus listeners should expect the coverage area of multicast channels (especially new secondary channels) to be somewhat limited.
Digital Multicasting Rollout Begins [link to this story]
HD RADIO DEFECTS UNMASKED & GRAPHICALLY EXPLAINED:
http://www.diymedia.net/stuff/fmibochybrid.htm
The most elegant encoding algorithm in the world cannot produce "near-CD quality" sound with such limited bandwidth (considering uncompressed CD audio has a bitrate in excess of 1,400 kbps, HD Radio signals convey less than 10% of the original program audio data).
An HD Radio signal is essentially a hybrid analog/digital signal. Its configuration keeps the analog portion of the signal nearest the center frequency and puts the digital data on "sidebands," which are broadcast at 1/100th the power of the analog signal. Thus listeners should expect the coverage area of multicast channels (especially new secondary channels) to be somewhat limited.
Digital Multicasting Rollout Begins [link to this story]
HD RADIO DEFECTS UNMASKED & GRAPHICALLY EXPLAINED:
http://www.diymedia.net/stuff/fmibochybrid.htm
PAYOLA-WILL FCC NAB BROADCASTERS IN PAY-FOR-PLAY SCHEME?
The concentration of radio ownership has ushered in a new age of payola.
Huge recording labels pay off radio conglomerates to play their most bankable performers. Commercial "talent" is pushed to the top of playlists nationwide, shoving local artists off the airwaves. When labels pay big radio to play their most mainstream acts, independent music suffers and radio choice turns into a mind-numbing race to the bottom.
The FCC and New York Attorney General’s office are now investigating reported payola deals at large recording labels. Attorney General Eliot Spitzer has also subpoenaed the records of nine of the nation's biggest radio station chains and filed a suit against one -- Entercom.
An ‘Arsenal of Smoking Guns’
Sony BMG and Warner Music Group have already agreed to pay more than $15 million for payola abuses after Attorney General Spitzer found they had funneled millions in money and prizes to radio broadcasters. FCC commissioner Jonathan Adelstein told reporters that Spitzer gave the agency “an arsenal of smoking guns” to ramp up enforcement against payola broadcasters. Several days later, FCC Chairman Kevin Martin pledged to do just that.
2005 investigations by the New York Attorney General office have implicated nearly 190 stations in illicit deals with recording giants Sony BMG and Warner Music Group. Most of the stations involved were owned by the biggest corporate radio conglomerates.
Investigations are still underway involving deals between Big Radio and other major labels. Click on the PAYOLA MAP (LINK BELOW) to find a station that is being investigated near you. Call the switchboard and tell the station manager that you are concerned about possible payola violations and will be monitoring their broadcasts to ensure that they follow the law and fulfill their obligation to serve the public.
WILL HD RADIO JUST BE MORE PAY-FOR-PLAY OUTLETS?
The Future of Music Coalition (FMC) has announced its support for the recently revealed FCC investigations into payola allegations via a letter to the Commission. The FMC urges that the investigations be completed before any further rulemakings would be put into place that could allow further radio deregulation, or the granting of additional resources to commercial radio broadcasters during the transition to HD radio. "The payola laws are clear," said FMC executive director Jenny Toomey. "Stations that engage in this practice are putting their licenses at risk. What is unclear for musicians and citizens, however, is whether the laws will be enforced. We hope that the FCC will take the evidence gathered in numerous proceedings and by New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer to fully investigate these practices and hold bad actors accountable." Furthermore, the FMC also stressed to the FCC that payola cannot be examined outside the context of the drastic consolidation in the radio industry under the 1996 Telecommunications Act. "We're at a critical point in the regulatory landscape," said FMC policy director Michael Bracy. "Congress is working on a revision to the 1996 Telecommunications Act. The FCC is about to re-start media ownership proceedings. Terrestrial radio stations just launched dozens HD radio stations in key markets. We need to make sure that the public airwaves are managed in a way that benefits musicians and citizens." If the allegations of radio payola were found to be true, the FMC advocates that the Commission should pledge to hold those responsible in the radio industry accountable and to take steps to protect and expand non-commercial radio, including low power FM. Furthermore, the FMC said that the Commission should not make any rule changes that could help aid in further consolidation in parallel media markets, including lifting the ban on broadcast-newspaper cross-ownership.
HERE IS THE REST OF THE STORY:
http://www.freepress.net/payola/
http://www.fmqb.com/Article.asp?id=175882
PAYOLA MAP:
http://www.freepress.net/payola/map.php
FCC PAYOLA REGULATIONS:
http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/consumerfacts/PayolaRules.html
Huge recording labels pay off radio conglomerates to play their most bankable performers. Commercial "talent" is pushed to the top of playlists nationwide, shoving local artists off the airwaves. When labels pay big radio to play their most mainstream acts, independent music suffers and radio choice turns into a mind-numbing race to the bottom.
The FCC and New York Attorney General’s office are now investigating reported payola deals at large recording labels. Attorney General Eliot Spitzer has also subpoenaed the records of nine of the nation's biggest radio station chains and filed a suit against one -- Entercom.
An ‘Arsenal of Smoking Guns’
Sony BMG and Warner Music Group have already agreed to pay more than $15 million for payola abuses after Attorney General Spitzer found they had funneled millions in money and prizes to radio broadcasters. FCC commissioner Jonathan Adelstein told reporters that Spitzer gave the agency “an arsenal of smoking guns” to ramp up enforcement against payola broadcasters. Several days later, FCC Chairman Kevin Martin pledged to do just that.
2005 investigations by the New York Attorney General office have implicated nearly 190 stations in illicit deals with recording giants Sony BMG and Warner Music Group. Most of the stations involved were owned by the biggest corporate radio conglomerates.
Investigations are still underway involving deals between Big Radio and other major labels. Click on the PAYOLA MAP (LINK BELOW) to find a station that is being investigated near you. Call the switchboard and tell the station manager that you are concerned about possible payola violations and will be monitoring their broadcasts to ensure that they follow the law and fulfill their obligation to serve the public.
WILL HD RADIO JUST BE MORE PAY-FOR-PLAY OUTLETS?
The Future of Music Coalition (FMC) has announced its support for the recently revealed FCC investigations into payola allegations via a letter to the Commission. The FMC urges that the investigations be completed before any further rulemakings would be put into place that could allow further radio deregulation, or the granting of additional resources to commercial radio broadcasters during the transition to HD radio. "The payola laws are clear," said FMC executive director Jenny Toomey. "Stations that engage in this practice are putting their licenses at risk. What is unclear for musicians and citizens, however, is whether the laws will be enforced. We hope that the FCC will take the evidence gathered in numerous proceedings and by New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer to fully investigate these practices and hold bad actors accountable." Furthermore, the FMC also stressed to the FCC that payola cannot be examined outside the context of the drastic consolidation in the radio industry under the 1996 Telecommunications Act. "We're at a critical point in the regulatory landscape," said FMC policy director Michael Bracy. "Congress is working on a revision to the 1996 Telecommunications Act. The FCC is about to re-start media ownership proceedings. Terrestrial radio stations just launched dozens HD radio stations in key markets. We need to make sure that the public airwaves are managed in a way that benefits musicians and citizens." If the allegations of radio payola were found to be true, the FMC advocates that the Commission should pledge to hold those responsible in the radio industry accountable and to take steps to protect and expand non-commercial radio, including low power FM. Furthermore, the FMC said that the Commission should not make any rule changes that could help aid in further consolidation in parallel media markets, including lifting the ban on broadcast-newspaper cross-ownership.
HERE IS THE REST OF THE STORY:
http://www.freepress.net/payola/
http://www.fmqb.com/Article.asp?id=175882
PAYOLA MAP:
http://www.freepress.net/payola/map.php
FCC PAYOLA REGULATIONS:
http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/consumerfacts/PayolaRules.html
HD Radio-BROADCAST BULLIES LOBBY FOR DEFECTIVE TECHNOLOGY.
"They got broadcasters across the country to hammer like hell on the Congress and the FCC," says the ex-NABer.
Far more power, however, comes from the fact that the NAB represents owners of just about every large and small broadcast outlet in the country--and you can't get elected if you can't get on the air.
This reality, he says, is why NAB is "one of the most powerful lobbying groups in Washington--and one of the most arrogant."
The fight is a classic case of what economists call "regulatory capture" — when an industry that's regulated by a government agency attempts to use that very agency and those regulations to keep upstarts and competitors at bay. And it's almost always to the detriment of consumers.
"To be blunt, the NAB has power that is not commensurate with the persuasiveness of its arguments." The power comes in part from connections.
If you can't compete, get a bill to outlaw the competition. The NAB may yet win this battle.
Here are the links to "the rest of the story":
http://www.forbes.com/archive/forbes/2004/0906/134.html
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,124610,00.html
Far more power, however, comes from the fact that the NAB represents owners of just about every large and small broadcast outlet in the country--and you can't get elected if you can't get on the air.
This reality, he says, is why NAB is "one of the most powerful lobbying groups in Washington--and one of the most arrogant."
The fight is a classic case of what economists call "regulatory capture" — when an industry that's regulated by a government agency attempts to use that very agency and those regulations to keep upstarts and competitors at bay. And it's almost always to the detriment of consumers.
"To be blunt, the NAB has power that is not commensurate with the persuasiveness of its arguments." The power comes in part from connections.
If you can't compete, get a bill to outlaw the competition. The NAB may yet win this battle.
Here are the links to "the rest of the story":
http://www.forbes.com/archive/forbes/2004/0906/134.html
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,124610,00.html
Sunday, March 12, 2006
HD Radio=21st Century Yugo (World's worst auto)?
QUOTES:
Well....... I received my HD Receiver yesterday, :) hooked it up ;) and......... nothing, zilch, nada. :eek: Couldn't even pick up one HD station. :mad: I live about 45 miles south of Indy. I drove North toward Indy and I had to go 15 miles North before I could lock into one. So, thanks to Crutchfields generous return policy, they are taking it back.
The HD signals in Indy must be at a lot lower power than the Analog Signals.
I noticed what people had been talking about concerning the switch in and out between Digital and Analog. It is annoying at best when your on the fringe. Pretty big lag between the two. It's not seamless by any means.
IBOC radio will go the way of AM stereo. I can almost guarentee it. It's too expensive for consumers (a la DTV), and mostly prohibitively (is that a word?) expensive for smaller broadcasters to put on the air. Considering Ibiquity wants royalty fees for broadcasting the technology (upwards of $30-50k/yr), there's very little bennefit there to even think about it. (there are about 3 dozen stations nationwide who had IBOC up and running, and turned it off because it didn't pay for itself).
Of course, you can't sell what people can't hear.
The problem with radio is, they seem to always have to recoup R&D costs.... forever. I'm sure there will be a cyberhome equivalent reciever in time, but hell, even the big names are having trouble getting their product to retailers. Harmon Kardon had a nice reciever at NAB a few years ago with HD radio built in, street date of sometime last june... Price was high (about $900 for a mid-grade box), but still not out of the question. HK never made that box, and pretty much has disavowed all knowlege of it even existing. (But i played with it on the show floor in vegas).
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=645944
Well....... I received my HD Receiver yesterday, :) hooked it up ;) and......... nothing, zilch, nada. :eek: Couldn't even pick up one HD station. :mad: I live about 45 miles south of Indy. I drove North toward Indy and I had to go 15 miles North before I could lock into one. So, thanks to Crutchfields generous return policy, they are taking it back.
The HD signals in Indy must be at a lot lower power than the Analog Signals.
I noticed what people had been talking about concerning the switch in and out between Digital and Analog. It is annoying at best when your on the fringe. Pretty big lag between the two. It's not seamless by any means.
IBOC radio will go the way of AM stereo. I can almost guarentee it. It's too expensive for consumers (a la DTV), and mostly prohibitively (is that a word?) expensive for smaller broadcasters to put on the air. Considering Ibiquity wants royalty fees for broadcasting the technology (upwards of $30-50k/yr), there's very little bennefit there to even think about it. (there are about 3 dozen stations nationwide who had IBOC up and running, and turned it off because it didn't pay for itself).
Of course, you can't sell what people can't hear.
The problem with radio is, they seem to always have to recoup R&D costs.... forever. I'm sure there will be a cyberhome equivalent reciever in time, but hell, even the big names are having trouble getting their product to retailers. Harmon Kardon had a nice reciever at NAB a few years ago with HD radio built in, street date of sometime last june... Price was high (about $900 for a mid-grade box), but still not out of the question. HK never made that box, and pretty much has disavowed all knowlege of it even existing. (But i played with it on the show floor in vegas).
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=645944
HD Radio-MYTHS AND FACTS
FACTS AND MYTHS ABOUT IBOC-DAB
The broadcast industry continues to spread lies about the alleged “advantages” that the system being pushed by the Federal Communications Commission, the National Association of Broadcasters and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, IBOC-DAB (In-Band, On-Channel Digital Audio Broadcasting) has over analog radio. Here are the REAL FACTS concerning IBOC-DAB.
MYTH: “IBOC is compatible with our current receivers”
FACT: IBOC-DAB is NOT COMPATIBLE with our current receivers. If you have a station broadcasting in a “hybrid” format (IBOC and analog), the sidebands from IBOC signals waste valuable spectrum space (as we’ll go into detail on later). Remove the superior analog signal, then all you’ll hear is “hash”. It’s the same thing with the European system, Digital Radio Mondiale (DRM). Our current receivers do not have the circuitry to decode the inferior-quality IBOC signals. In other words, if there is a forced conversion to IBOC, then American consumers will have to shell out hundreds (if not thousands) of dollars that they DO NOT HAVE to buy new, inferior receivers. The alternatives are:
1) Require the inclusion of DSP (Digital Signal Processing) circuitry in new analog receivers.
2) Finding a separate band above 1 GHz (1000 MHz) for digital audio broadcasting.
3) Forcing the FCC, NAB and CPB to accept more competition.
MYTH: “IBOC is spectrally efficient”
FACT: IBOC is SPECTRALLY INEFFICIENT. IBOC-DAB, as indicated before, wastes valuable spectrum space. IBOC-DAB, depending on how far you are from a particular station, can waste as much as 100 kHz of valuable spectrum space on the AM dial. As much as 800 kHz of valuable spectrum space is wasted on the FM dial. Take the only St. Louis area AM radio station currently testing this inferior system at this time, KFUO (850 kHz) Clayton, MO. How does KFUO stack up (analog vs. IBOC)? The Results can be found at this link. KMOX is also threatening to go IBOC. How will the potential threat be measured? Five FM stations in St. Louis are also testing IBOC. How do they stack up? The results for the FM dial can be found at this link. Analog broadcasting is more spectrally efficient; only taking up 20 kHz of space on the AM band, and 200 kHz of space on the FM band. Analog radio conserves spectrum space.
MYTH: “IBOC is the only method capable of CD-quality sound”
FACT: C-QUAM AM Stereo and FM Stereo are ALREADY CAPABLE of CD-quality sound. The separation on FM Stereo already rivals those of CDs, while the best-engineered C-QUAM AM Stereo stations also feature sound quality that rivals CDs. IBOC-DAB sounds like an Internet radio station heard via dial-up modem. Analog radio (especially the current FM Stereo and the proven C-QUAM AM Stereo systems) has SUPERIOR AUDIO QUALITY over IBOC-DAB. There is no need for IBOC-DAB.
MYTH: “There is a market for IBOC receivers”
FACT: There is NO MARKET for IBOC-DAB receivers. No audiophile, in his or her right mind, would invest a minimum of U$900 in an inferior IBOC receiver, when top-of-the-line analog receivers are less expensive. IBOC threatens to price many consumers out of the radio marketplace. Unlike DVDs and CDs, the price of IBOC receivers will never come down. We’re seeing this with HDTV: the prices aren’t coming down (the cheapest HDTV set right now is U$700). American consumers, as stated earlier, cannot afford to replace their current receivers. There are already 25 million C-QUAM AM Stereo receivers in the marketplace; there’s room for more. Besides, C-QUAM is less expensive than IBOC, not only for receivers, but also for audio transmission.
MYTH: “The L-Band is not for broadcasting in the U.S.”
FACT: The L-Band (1452-1492 MHz) is ASSIGNED WORLDWIDE to digital audio broadcasting. The current occupants of the L-Band in the United States, the Department of Defense, is in violation of international regulations by using this band for non-broadcast purposes. This is the most appropriate place for digital audio broadcasting in the United States. The FCC can (and MUST) find higher frequencies for the DoD to use.
MYTH: “IBOC will increase a station’s signal coverage area”
FACT: IBOC will SIGNIFICANTLY DECREASE a station’s signal coverage area. Take a look at the FM dial in the St. Louis market. Three stations with decent coverage into the St. Louis area, WIBI (91.1 FM) Carlinville, IL, KTJJ (98.5 FM) Farmington, MO and WSMI-FM (106.1) Litchfield, IL, would suffer severely reduced coverage; in other words, these stations would have their coverage areas reduced by as much as 95%. KTJJ, with 100 kW of power, currently covers a 90-mile radius around the transmitter site near Doe Run, MO. With IBOC, the signal won’t be able to reach Park Hills. WIBI and WSMI-FM, with 50 kW of power, covers a 72-mile radius around their transmitter sites. With IBOC, their signals won’t reach nearby towns. Even the 50 kW AM stations will lose most of their coverage; from 750 miles at night to a round-the-clock radius of only 25 miles. In other words, KMOX wouldn’t be able to reach the western suburbs if they converted to IBOC; something they can do easily now in analog mode. A 1 kW Class D local channel station, such as WESL in East St. Louis, IL, which currently covers a 15-mile radius in analog mode, will cover less than a mile in IBOC mode.
MYTH: “IBOC will make radio better”
FACT: IBOC will make radio MUCH WORSE. Not only will the sound quality of many radio stations degrade, along with signal coverage, but the balance of views and independent voices will be negatively affected. Independently-owned radio stations, many of which currently provide a viable alternative to the uninspired programming on corporate radio, will disappear if IBOC is forcibly implemented. Christian radio is also being threatened by IBOC; many Christian radio stations, which are ministry outreaches rather than businesses, will also go off the air. Most seriously affected will be college radio; these stations provide the only alternatives for young audiences to boring programming on corporate-controlled radio. College radio also provides the only on-air training grounds for future personalities. Many college radio stations won’t be able to afford the IBOC transmitters or exciters that they would be forced to purchase if they are to remain on the air. A good number of them are low-powered (less than 1 kW of effective radiated power); they would not be able to cover areas off campus if they are forced to switch to IBOC.
WHAT’S THE REAL PROBLEM WITH RADIO? The problem with radio is not the technology: IT’S THE PROGRAMMING. Many music formats are intangible (such as Classic Hits, Rhythmic Oldies and Active Rock); the jocks that present the format are not very knowledgeable about the music they play. These same jocks are not knowledgeable about the towns they’re serving. Voicetracking has been the biggest deception to hit radio; this does not deliver listeners. Most of the voicetracked shifts are produced outside the market by jocks who know nothing about the market’s they are supposedly “serving”. In addition, commercial talk radio has veered too far to the extreme right. Air America provides the only liberal talk programming, while NPR’s talk shows are the only centrist talk programs left on radio anywhere. There isn’t enough local-oriented talk on the radio; especially a talk format focused on suburban issues (which so-called “mainstream” talk radio neglects).
XM and Sirius Satellite Radio is the only major competition that has come along since the insipid Telecom Act went into effect, although both channels offer the same old programming. Shortwave broadcasting should be pushed as an alternative to AM and FM radio. The FCC should require that all receivers that receive AM and FM radio that are priced at more than $25 include circuitry for decoding C-QUAM AM Stereo, DSP circuitry, and at least four shortwave broadcast bands (with three bands required: 19, 31 and 49 meters, or 15, 9 and 6 MHz).
Radio is also desperately in need of hiring reforms: the most important reform needed is the abandonment of patronage and cronyism. This policy, also known as “it’s not WHAT you know, it’s WHO you know” has allowed unqualified broadcasters to slip through the cracks. There should also be a limit to the amount of on-air talent a station can bring in from outside the market (especially in Midwestern markets), and through a permanent ban on voicetracking (especially in our nation’s top 100 markets) on FM and more profitable AM stations, the industry will be able to open up the broadcast job market, which is desperately needed to save the medium.
The biggest reform needed is the restoration of ownership limits, which promotes free speech. More owners mean more ideas, more opinions and more variety in programming. It is in the best interests of broadcasting to deconsolidate, not further consolidate.
The FCC, NAB and CPB should be focused more on reforming the business than killing it with this insipid IBOC-DAB plan. Those that support IBOC-DAB should seriously consider LEAVING THE RADIO BUSINESS. They are not real broadcasters. Only those who support improving analog radio are the real broadcasters.
From:
http://www.qsl.net/n0uih/IBOCMythsandFacts/
The broadcast industry continues to spread lies about the alleged “advantages” that the system being pushed by the Federal Communications Commission, the National Association of Broadcasters and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, IBOC-DAB (In-Band, On-Channel Digital Audio Broadcasting) has over analog radio. Here are the REAL FACTS concerning IBOC-DAB.
MYTH: “IBOC is compatible with our current receivers”
FACT: IBOC-DAB is NOT COMPATIBLE with our current receivers. If you have a station broadcasting in a “hybrid” format (IBOC and analog), the sidebands from IBOC signals waste valuable spectrum space (as we’ll go into detail on later). Remove the superior analog signal, then all you’ll hear is “hash”. It’s the same thing with the European system, Digital Radio Mondiale (DRM). Our current receivers do not have the circuitry to decode the inferior-quality IBOC signals. In other words, if there is a forced conversion to IBOC, then American consumers will have to shell out hundreds (if not thousands) of dollars that they DO NOT HAVE to buy new, inferior receivers. The alternatives are:
1) Require the inclusion of DSP (Digital Signal Processing) circuitry in new analog receivers.
2) Finding a separate band above 1 GHz (1000 MHz) for digital audio broadcasting.
3) Forcing the FCC, NAB and CPB to accept more competition.
MYTH: “IBOC is spectrally efficient”
FACT: IBOC is SPECTRALLY INEFFICIENT. IBOC-DAB, as indicated before, wastes valuable spectrum space. IBOC-DAB, depending on how far you are from a particular station, can waste as much as 100 kHz of valuable spectrum space on the AM dial. As much as 800 kHz of valuable spectrum space is wasted on the FM dial. Take the only St. Louis area AM radio station currently testing this inferior system at this time, KFUO (850 kHz) Clayton, MO. How does KFUO stack up (analog vs. IBOC)? The Results can be found at this link. KMOX is also threatening to go IBOC. How will the potential threat be measured? Five FM stations in St. Louis are also testing IBOC. How do they stack up? The results for the FM dial can be found at this link. Analog broadcasting is more spectrally efficient; only taking up 20 kHz of space on the AM band, and 200 kHz of space on the FM band. Analog radio conserves spectrum space.
MYTH: “IBOC is the only method capable of CD-quality sound”
FACT: C-QUAM AM Stereo and FM Stereo are ALREADY CAPABLE of CD-quality sound. The separation on FM Stereo already rivals those of CDs, while the best-engineered C-QUAM AM Stereo stations also feature sound quality that rivals CDs. IBOC-DAB sounds like an Internet radio station heard via dial-up modem. Analog radio (especially the current FM Stereo and the proven C-QUAM AM Stereo systems) has SUPERIOR AUDIO QUALITY over IBOC-DAB. There is no need for IBOC-DAB.
MYTH: “There is a market for IBOC receivers”
FACT: There is NO MARKET for IBOC-DAB receivers. No audiophile, in his or her right mind, would invest a minimum of U$900 in an inferior IBOC receiver, when top-of-the-line analog receivers are less expensive. IBOC threatens to price many consumers out of the radio marketplace. Unlike DVDs and CDs, the price of IBOC receivers will never come down. We’re seeing this with HDTV: the prices aren’t coming down (the cheapest HDTV set right now is U$700). American consumers, as stated earlier, cannot afford to replace their current receivers. There are already 25 million C-QUAM AM Stereo receivers in the marketplace; there’s room for more. Besides, C-QUAM is less expensive than IBOC, not only for receivers, but also for audio transmission.
MYTH: “The L-Band is not for broadcasting in the U.S.”
FACT: The L-Band (1452-1492 MHz) is ASSIGNED WORLDWIDE to digital audio broadcasting. The current occupants of the L-Band in the United States, the Department of Defense, is in violation of international regulations by using this band for non-broadcast purposes. This is the most appropriate place for digital audio broadcasting in the United States. The FCC can (and MUST) find higher frequencies for the DoD to use.
MYTH: “IBOC will increase a station’s signal coverage area”
FACT: IBOC will SIGNIFICANTLY DECREASE a station’s signal coverage area. Take a look at the FM dial in the St. Louis market. Three stations with decent coverage into the St. Louis area, WIBI (91.1 FM) Carlinville, IL, KTJJ (98.5 FM) Farmington, MO and WSMI-FM (106.1) Litchfield, IL, would suffer severely reduced coverage; in other words, these stations would have their coverage areas reduced by as much as 95%. KTJJ, with 100 kW of power, currently covers a 90-mile radius around the transmitter site near Doe Run, MO. With IBOC, the signal won’t be able to reach Park Hills. WIBI and WSMI-FM, with 50 kW of power, covers a 72-mile radius around their transmitter sites. With IBOC, their signals won’t reach nearby towns. Even the 50 kW AM stations will lose most of their coverage; from 750 miles at night to a round-the-clock radius of only 25 miles. In other words, KMOX wouldn’t be able to reach the western suburbs if they converted to IBOC; something they can do easily now in analog mode. A 1 kW Class D local channel station, such as WESL in East St. Louis, IL, which currently covers a 15-mile radius in analog mode, will cover less than a mile in IBOC mode.
MYTH: “IBOC will make radio better”
FACT: IBOC will make radio MUCH WORSE. Not only will the sound quality of many radio stations degrade, along with signal coverage, but the balance of views and independent voices will be negatively affected. Independently-owned radio stations, many of which currently provide a viable alternative to the uninspired programming on corporate radio, will disappear if IBOC is forcibly implemented. Christian radio is also being threatened by IBOC; many Christian radio stations, which are ministry outreaches rather than businesses, will also go off the air. Most seriously affected will be college radio; these stations provide the only alternatives for young audiences to boring programming on corporate-controlled radio. College radio also provides the only on-air training grounds for future personalities. Many college radio stations won’t be able to afford the IBOC transmitters or exciters that they would be forced to purchase if they are to remain on the air. A good number of them are low-powered (less than 1 kW of effective radiated power); they would not be able to cover areas off campus if they are forced to switch to IBOC.
WHAT’S THE REAL PROBLEM WITH RADIO? The problem with radio is not the technology: IT’S THE PROGRAMMING. Many music formats are intangible (such as Classic Hits, Rhythmic Oldies and Active Rock); the jocks that present the format are not very knowledgeable about the music they play. These same jocks are not knowledgeable about the towns they’re serving. Voicetracking has been the biggest deception to hit radio; this does not deliver listeners. Most of the voicetracked shifts are produced outside the market by jocks who know nothing about the market’s they are supposedly “serving”. In addition, commercial talk radio has veered too far to the extreme right. Air America provides the only liberal talk programming, while NPR’s talk shows are the only centrist talk programs left on radio anywhere. There isn’t enough local-oriented talk on the radio; especially a talk format focused on suburban issues (which so-called “mainstream” talk radio neglects).
XM and Sirius Satellite Radio is the only major competition that has come along since the insipid Telecom Act went into effect, although both channels offer the same old programming. Shortwave broadcasting should be pushed as an alternative to AM and FM radio. The FCC should require that all receivers that receive AM and FM radio that are priced at more than $25 include circuitry for decoding C-QUAM AM Stereo, DSP circuitry, and at least four shortwave broadcast bands (with three bands required: 19, 31 and 49 meters, or 15, 9 and 6 MHz).
Radio is also desperately in need of hiring reforms: the most important reform needed is the abandonment of patronage and cronyism. This policy, also known as “it’s not WHAT you know, it’s WHO you know” has allowed unqualified broadcasters to slip through the cracks. There should also be a limit to the amount of on-air talent a station can bring in from outside the market (especially in Midwestern markets), and through a permanent ban on voicetracking (especially in our nation’s top 100 markets) on FM and more profitable AM stations, the industry will be able to open up the broadcast job market, which is desperately needed to save the medium.
The biggest reform needed is the restoration of ownership limits, which promotes free speech. More owners mean more ideas, more opinions and more variety in programming. It is in the best interests of broadcasting to deconsolidate, not further consolidate.
The FCC, NAB and CPB should be focused more on reforming the business than killing it with this insipid IBOC-DAB plan. Those that support IBOC-DAB should seriously consider LEAVING THE RADIO BUSINESS. They are not real broadcasters. Only those who support improving analog radio are the real broadcasters.
From:
http://www.qsl.net/n0uih/IBOCMythsandFacts/
Saturday, March 11, 2006
RADIO GIANT ENTERCOM NAMED IN PAYOLA LAWSUIT
Entercom Alleged to have Traded Air Time for Payoffs by NY state attorney general.
An Entercom executive responded:
"These are not optional. They come from corporate and generate millions of dollars for Entercom."
Payola is the practice by which record labels and some independent promoters offer money and other gifts in exchange for broadcast air time for particular songs or artists. The purpose of the payments is to increase air time for chosen songs and artists and manipulate the popular music industry charts.
Link to full story:
http://www.oag.state.ny.us/press/2006/mar/mar08a_06.html
Eliot Spitzer only has jurisdiction over New York State, so yes the lawsuit only relates to New York State. However, I direct your attention to page 7 of the 28 page lawsuit. "22. Federal Law also prohibits the undisclosed sale of airplay." And then: "According to the Federal Communications Commission, "payola" statutes are intended "clearly to prevent deception on the part of the public growing out of concealment of the fact that the broadcast of particular program material was induced by consideration received by the licensee."It's impossible for me to read the evidentiary emails without agreeing with Spitzer's conclusion that CD Preview and CD Challenge were thinly veiled, if veiled at all, attempts to circumvent the law. They were clearl attempting to manipulate charts and public opinion. Legal? Perhaps. Perhaps not. Ethical? Absolutely not.
There is ample documentation backing up Universal's claim that Entercom executives knew exactly what was going on the whole time and their feigned shock at what was going on is outrageous. Do read the lawsuit and evidence. It's fascinating.
Quoted from this webpost:
http://www.radio-info.com/mods/board?Post=675601&Board=usa
An Entercom executive responded:
"These are not optional. They come from corporate and generate millions of dollars for Entercom."
Payola is the practice by which record labels and some independent promoters offer money and other gifts in exchange for broadcast air time for particular songs or artists. The purpose of the payments is to increase air time for chosen songs and artists and manipulate the popular music industry charts.
Link to full story:
http://www.oag.state.ny.us/press/2006/mar/mar08a_06.html
Eliot Spitzer only has jurisdiction over New York State, so yes the lawsuit only relates to New York State. However, I direct your attention to page 7 of the 28 page lawsuit. "22. Federal Law also prohibits the undisclosed sale of airplay." And then: "According to the Federal Communications Commission, "payola" statutes are intended "clearly to prevent deception on the part of the public growing out of concealment of the fact that the broadcast of particular program material was induced by consideration received by the licensee."It's impossible for me to read the evidentiary emails without agreeing with Spitzer's conclusion that CD Preview and CD Challenge were thinly veiled, if veiled at all, attempts to circumvent the law. They were clearl attempting to manipulate charts and public opinion. Legal? Perhaps. Perhaps not. Ethical? Absolutely not.
There is ample documentation backing up Universal's claim that Entercom executives knew exactly what was going on the whole time and their feigned shock at what was going on is outrageous. Do read the lawsuit and evidence. It's fascinating.
Quoted from this webpost:
http://www.radio-info.com/mods/board?Post=675601&Board=usa
PAYOLA-FCC REPLY
Thank you for your recent correspondence regarding possible violations of the payola rules by certain broadcasters.
The FCC has longstanding rules prohibiting payola. These rules serve the important purpose of ensuring that the listening public knows when someone is seeking to influence them.We appreciate your views. We are very concerned about the activities that led the New York Attorney General to investigate a number of music companies
and broadcasters, and has resulted in settlement agreements with two music companies to date. The Enforcement Bureau is reviewing these settlement agreements and investigating any incidents in which the agreements disclose evidence of payola rule violations.
Sincerely,
The Federal Communications Commission
The FCC has longstanding rules prohibiting payola. These rules serve the important purpose of ensuring that the listening public knows when someone is seeking to influence them.We appreciate your views. We are very concerned about the activities that led the New York Attorney General to investigate a number of music companies
and broadcasters, and has resulted in settlement agreements with two music companies to date. The Enforcement Bureau is reviewing these settlement agreements and investigating any incidents in which the agreements disclose evidence of payola rule violations.
Sincerely,
The Federal Communications Commission
Friday, March 10, 2006
Major broadcaster Entercom accused of payola.
NY Attorney General Sues Major Radio Chain
Spitzer said listeners and artists are hurt by payola.
"The decisions are being made as to what to put on the airwaves based on bribes to be paid and extracted, rather than on judgments based on artistic merit," he said.
Spitzer said Entercom e-mails he obtained include one from an unidentified executive that stated: "These are not optional. They come from corporate and generate millions of dollars for Entercom."
The lawsuit claims it has evidence in documents and e-mails that executives discussed strategies for supplementing radio station budgets with payola cash from record companies and the independent promoters that act as middle men in the industry.
Here is the link:
http://money.aol.com/news/articles?id=n20060308125409990015
Entercom is a prominent supporter of the HD Radio consortium, and if "pay for play" is their rule, it likely will determine what is on the HD Radio channels.
Spitzer said listeners and artists are hurt by payola.
"The decisions are being made as to what to put on the airwaves based on bribes to be paid and extracted, rather than on judgments based on artistic merit," he said.
Spitzer said Entercom e-mails he obtained include one from an unidentified executive that stated: "These are not optional. They come from corporate and generate millions of dollars for Entercom."
The lawsuit claims it has evidence in documents and e-mails that executives discussed strategies for supplementing radio station budgets with payola cash from record companies and the independent promoters that act as middle men in the industry.
Here is the link:
http://money.aol.com/news/articles?id=n20060308125409990015
Entercom is a prominent supporter of the HD Radio consortium, and if "pay for play" is their rule, it likely will determine what is on the HD Radio channels.
Thursday, March 09, 2006
HD Radio-Touchy subject for supporters.
Perhaps some are oversensitive to legitimate criticism of HD radio. A bit touchy.
My opinion, is that the HD radio is built on a whole series of false premises. There are rational solid reasons for this belief, and it seems to be shared by experiences and opinions of many, as shown by the responses on this discussion board,
http://www.radio-info.com/mods/posts?Board=hd
in engineering publications, and responses to the FCC inquiry about HD Radio, MM Docket No. 99-325.
The facts are, that the FCC AM and FM signal protection specifications were based on experiment and calculation of 2 or more analog signals, not mixed digital and analog signals. To use the same signal standards for mixed analog and additional digital signals on adjacent channels is inacurate. To use the NRSC-5 mask for adjacent channel digital signals without proof that it the digital signals have the same intensity and interference potential as analog signals, is an incomplete, flawed, misrepresentation. As has been stated here, many times, by proponents as well as critics of HD Radio, the digital signal is 100 (or more?) times more powerful and pernicious then an analog signal of the same effective radiated power. That being the case, the digital signal creates more destructive interference. An occasional analog modulation spill over to an adjacent channels at approximately -40 dB, is not the same as a deliberate, continuous, high duty cycle digital signal on the same adjacent channels.
Using analog signal standards for mixed digital and analog signal propagation, may be inaccurate, incomplete, and inappropriate for the current station allocation system. New mixed signal interference studies should be made, including more listening tests on more types of radios, and with more typical listeners.
Secondary coverage is very usefull in the suburbs, when traveling between cities, and in emergencies. It should not be allowed to be reduced or destroyed by HD Radio.
HD Radio's harm to the many far outweighs the benefits and profits of the few.
There should be no rush to adapt a possibly defective and destructive standard, since, in the case of FM, there is a more rational and interference free alternative. Here is one: www.dreinc.com.
Perhaps an alternative AM system under development that would allow night time service and does not need special authorization, should also be examined and evaluated.
There should be no rush to adopt a standard, or endorse and approve an exclusive, expensive, proprietary system, until all alternatives are carefully and fully evaluated. If the wrong system is adopted as the only system for digital broadcasting, we are likely to be stuck with the flawed system's defects for a long time to come. It may totally fail, based on it's inherent flaws.
Haste makes waste.
The frequent claims that only HD Radio proponents have an exclusive patent on the 'truth" and "facts", while all others are ignorant of the "facts" are religious revelations I which choose not to subcribe.
My opinion, is that the HD radio is built on a whole series of false premises. There are rational solid reasons for this belief, and it seems to be shared by experiences and opinions of many, as shown by the responses on this discussion board,
http://www.radio-info.com/mods/posts?Board=hd
in engineering publications, and responses to the FCC inquiry about HD Radio, MM Docket No. 99-325.
The facts are, that the FCC AM and FM signal protection specifications were based on experiment and calculation of 2 or more analog signals, not mixed digital and analog signals. To use the same signal standards for mixed analog and additional digital signals on adjacent channels is inacurate. To use the NRSC-5 mask for adjacent channel digital signals without proof that it the digital signals have the same intensity and interference potential as analog signals, is an incomplete, flawed, misrepresentation. As has been stated here, many times, by proponents as well as critics of HD Radio, the digital signal is 100 (or more?) times more powerful and pernicious then an analog signal of the same effective radiated power. That being the case, the digital signal creates more destructive interference. An occasional analog modulation spill over to an adjacent channels at approximately -40 dB, is not the same as a deliberate, continuous, high duty cycle digital signal on the same adjacent channels.
Using analog signal standards for mixed digital and analog signal propagation, may be inaccurate, incomplete, and inappropriate for the current station allocation system. New mixed signal interference studies should be made, including more listening tests on more types of radios, and with more typical listeners.
Secondary coverage is very usefull in the suburbs, when traveling between cities, and in emergencies. It should not be allowed to be reduced or destroyed by HD Radio.
HD Radio's harm to the many far outweighs the benefits and profits of the few.
There should be no rush to adapt a possibly defective and destructive standard, since, in the case of FM, there is a more rational and interference free alternative. Here is one: www.dreinc.com.
Perhaps an alternative AM system under development that would allow night time service and does not need special authorization, should also be examined and evaluated.
There should be no rush to adopt a standard, or endorse and approve an exclusive, expensive, proprietary system, until all alternatives are carefully and fully evaluated. If the wrong system is adopted as the only system for digital broadcasting, we are likely to be stuck with the flawed system's defects for a long time to come. It may totally fail, based on it's inherent flaws.
Haste makes waste.
The frequent claims that only HD Radio proponents have an exclusive patent on the 'truth" and "facts", while all others are ignorant of the "facts" are religious revelations I which choose not to subcribe.
Tuesday, March 07, 2006
HD Radio-"CD QUALITY" SHOWN TO BE FALSE!
HD RADIO CLAIMS OF "CD QUALITY" SHOWN TO BE FALSE!
Shown below are the results of the European Broadcasting Union tests of the codec licensed by www.ibiquity.com for HD Radio broadcasts. It is known as HD AAC or AAC PLUS.
While it is argueably the most efficient, and advanced digital codec available, it is not lossless, flawless or distortion and artifact free.
A more accurate claim might be that HD Radio offers "near CD quality" at best.
From: http://www.codingtechnologies.com/products/aacPlus.htm
For proof of iBiquity HD Radio licensing info: http://www.codingtechnologies.com/partners/index.htm
Shown below are the results of the European Broadcasting Union tests of the codec licensed by www.ibiquity.com for HD Radio broadcasts. It is known as HD AAC or AAC PLUS.
While it is argueably the most efficient, and advanced digital codec available, it is not lossless, flawless or distortion and artifact free.
A more accurate claim might be that HD Radio offers "near CD quality" at best.
From: http://www.codingtechnologies.com/products/aacPlus.htm
For proof of iBiquity HD Radio licensing info: http://www.codingtechnologies.com/partners/index.htm
Monday, March 06, 2006
HD Radio-AM Jamming adjacent channel interference.
The grey and dark areas jam and trespass on adjacent stations.
Because of the square wave high duty cycle power of the digital waveforms they create 10 to 100 times more interference and jamming then similar analog signals on the same frequency.
Note the continuous digital hiss and destructive noise created by AM HD radio, that is impressed upon, and can be heard with the analog transmitting station's audio.
"FCC Audio Division Chief Peter Doyle is quoted by the (Wall Street)Journal as explaining that broadcasters chose to go digital with Ibiquity's technology because it doesn't require new spectrum and that the advantages more than outweigh the shortcomings. Adding digital service is one way to combat the problem, although some small stations can't afford the cost."
The statement that "the advantages more then outweigh the shortcomings" is pure hype, metaphysics and predictive speculation.
The main reason the FCC was established, and it's continuing charge by congress, is to reduce and control interference, not to encourage interference.
All charts are from documents submitted to the FCC for the public record (public domain) by the manufacturers, applicants, and proponents of the HD Radio iBiquty "IBOC" system.
Because of the square wave high duty cycle power of the digital waveforms they create 10 to 100 times more interference and jamming then similar analog signals on the same frequency.
Note the continuous digital hiss and destructive noise created by AM HD radio, that is impressed upon, and can be heard with the analog transmitting station's audio.
"FCC Audio Division Chief Peter Doyle is quoted by the (Wall Street)Journal as explaining that broadcasters chose to go digital with Ibiquity's technology because it doesn't require new spectrum and that the advantages more than outweigh the shortcomings. Adding digital service is one way to combat the problem, although some small stations can't afford the cost."
The statement that "the advantages more then outweigh the shortcomings" is pure hype, metaphysics and predictive speculation.
The main reason the FCC was established, and it's continuing charge by congress, is to reduce and control interference, not to encourage interference.
All charts are from documents submitted to the FCC for the public record (public domain) by the manufacturers, applicants, and proponents of the HD Radio iBiquty "IBOC" system.
HD Radio FM interference graph
For those with eyes to see, and the wisdom to understand.
BY POPULAR REQUEST!
The BLUE line is the digital interference created by the HD Radio broadcasting station interfering with the FM stereo subcarrier and surrounding FM stations.
GREEN is the reduced stereo signal to noise ratio.
RED -the two verticle lines at the top are the FCC 200kHz maximum limit for an FM station.
Beyond those two verticle RED lines at the top (to the right and left) is all the digital noise and interference created on neighboring channels by the digital signal.
BY POPULAR REQUEST!
The BLUE line is the digital interference created by the HD Radio broadcasting station interfering with the FM stereo subcarrier and surrounding FM stations.
GREEN is the reduced stereo signal to noise ratio.
RED -the two verticle lines at the top are the FCC 200kHz maximum limit for an FM station.
Beyond those two verticle RED lines at the top (to the right and left) is all the digital noise and interference created on neighboring channels by the digital signal.
All charts are from documents submitted to the FCC for the public record (public domain) by the manufacturers, applicants, and proponents of the HD Radio iBiquty "IBOC" system.
Friday, March 03, 2006
HD RADIOS-OBSOLETE ALREADY?
THIS COULD OBSOLETE ALL HD RADIOS PLANNED OR ALREADY BUILT!
"Digital radio receivers without government-approved copy-prevention technology likely would become illegal to sell in the future, according to new federal legislation announced Thursday."
Here is the link:
http://news.com.com/Congress+raises+broadcast+flag+for+audio/2100-1028_3-6045225.html?tag=nefd.top
"Digital radio receivers without government-approved copy-prevention technology likely would become illegal to sell in the future, according to new federal legislation announced Thursday."
Here is the link:
http://news.com.com/Congress+raises+broadcast+flag+for+audio/2100-1028_3-6045225.html?tag=nefd.top
Wednesday, March 01, 2006
HD Radio-MORE FALSE ADVERTISING?
"The truth is that most, if not all, digital FM broadcasts will utilize bitrates of around 48kbps - fine for casual in-car listening, but hardly high-fidelity in the true sense of the phrase."
"The 'HD' label implies that — as with HDTV — there is a significant increase in quality, as compared to analog. This is simply not the case."
"'HD Radio' is actually a misnomer. The digital signal may be quieter, in terms of background noise and interference, than an analog FM signal — particularly under marginal reception conditions — but it is NOT higher fidelity. It contains built-in distortion and encoding artifacts that are not present in a good analog FM signal, especially at the lower bitrates (48kbps or even less) that will be used by almost all digital FM broadcasts in order to accomodate 'multicasting' (multiple channels per station) — which is very much part of the game plan for all of the big FM chains."
Here is the link to the story (see bottom of page):
http://www.kurthanson.com/archive/news/011806/index.asp
"The 'HD' label implies that — as with HDTV — there is a significant increase in quality, as compared to analog. This is simply not the case."
"'HD Radio' is actually a misnomer. The digital signal may be quieter, in terms of background noise and interference, than an analog FM signal — particularly under marginal reception conditions — but it is NOT higher fidelity. It contains built-in distortion and encoding artifacts that are not present in a good analog FM signal, especially at the lower bitrates (48kbps or even less) that will be used by almost all digital FM broadcasts in order to accomodate 'multicasting' (multiple channels per station) — which is very much part of the game plan for all of the big FM chains."
Here is the link to the story (see bottom of page):
http://www.kurthanson.com/archive/news/011806/index.asp
Tuesday, February 28, 2006
HD Radio-More is less!-Digital destruction.
Dear Mr. Klein,
Digital HD Radio uses the adjacent channels for all digital signals thus jamming 2 or more channels for each FM station transmitting HD. As more Philly stations start transmitting digital HD Radio the interference to popular nearby Trenton and Wilmington stations will increase drastically, particularly in the Roxborough area, where most Philly FM stations are located, and the HD digital signal is greatest.
On AM, the situation is even worse. The adjacent channel digital noise transmitted from WDAS 1480 AM creates hissing, jamming, noise on the primary 1 millivolt per meter signal of nearby suburban WBCB 1490 AM Levittown here in Northeast Philadelphia. This noise is so pernicious that the FCC has not allowed AM HD Digital Radio to be transmitted past sunset or before local sunrise. In order to transmit AM HD Radio on the adjacent channels where it resides, the host station of the parasite digital signal must cut it's analog AM frequency response in half from 10,000 hertz to 5,000 hertz resulting in a much muddier sound.
Here is a link to a public site that describes the digital damage being done to the AM and FM broadcasting bands by HD Radio:
http://worldsupercaster.blogspot.com
Please check with other sources beside the dealer's car salesman before you advocate everyone should run out and buy a Yugo. There are two sides to this story. Remember, in science and particularly physics you don't get something for nothing. There are no free rides.
Internet streaming can be better quality then HD Radio depending on the streaming bitrate.
HD Radio is not CD quality and, is often not as good as the analog stereo FM signal it is supposed to replace. This is even more true of the HD2 signal as it is broadcast at an even lower bitrate.
FM HD Radio degrades the main station's analog stereo FM signal it surrounds, resulting in noisier, lower quality audio for the existing analog listeners.
HD Radio on both AM and FM has a shorter range then the analog signal of the host station, resulting in HD reception problems for suburban commuters and when traveling between cities.
Please take a tip from veteran broadcaster and journalist Paul Harvey, and report the "rest of the story".
HD Digital Radio offers little to consumers and listeners, except more interference, and fewer stations.
HD Radio only has "interim approval" and NOT final approval from the FCC and any HD Radio bought now might be obsolete if the FCC or RIAA insists the standards be changed. Today's expensive HD Radio might be tomorrow's doorstop, or pet rock.
Comments responding to this article:
http://www.philly.com/mld/philly/entertainment/13951844.htm
Digital HD Radio uses the adjacent channels for all digital signals thus jamming 2 or more channels for each FM station transmitting HD. As more Philly stations start transmitting digital HD Radio the interference to popular nearby Trenton and Wilmington stations will increase drastically, particularly in the Roxborough area, where most Philly FM stations are located, and the HD digital signal is greatest.
On AM, the situation is even worse. The adjacent channel digital noise transmitted from WDAS 1480 AM creates hissing, jamming, noise on the primary 1 millivolt per meter signal of nearby suburban WBCB 1490 AM Levittown here in Northeast Philadelphia. This noise is so pernicious that the FCC has not allowed AM HD Digital Radio to be transmitted past sunset or before local sunrise. In order to transmit AM HD Radio on the adjacent channels where it resides, the host station of the parasite digital signal must cut it's analog AM frequency response in half from 10,000 hertz to 5,000 hertz resulting in a much muddier sound.
Here is a link to a public site that describes the digital damage being done to the AM and FM broadcasting bands by HD Radio:
http://worldsupercaster.blogspot.com
Please check with other sources beside the dealer's car salesman before you advocate everyone should run out and buy a Yugo. There are two sides to this story. Remember, in science and particularly physics you don't get something for nothing. There are no free rides.
Internet streaming can be better quality then HD Radio depending on the streaming bitrate.
HD Radio is not CD quality and, is often not as good as the analog stereo FM signal it is supposed to replace. This is even more true of the HD2 signal as it is broadcast at an even lower bitrate.
FM HD Radio degrades the main station's analog stereo FM signal it surrounds, resulting in noisier, lower quality audio for the existing analog listeners.
HD Radio on both AM and FM has a shorter range then the analog signal of the host station, resulting in HD reception problems for suburban commuters and when traveling between cities.
Please take a tip from veteran broadcaster and journalist Paul Harvey, and report the "rest of the story".
HD Digital Radio offers little to consumers and listeners, except more interference, and fewer stations.
HD Radio only has "interim approval" and NOT final approval from the FCC and any HD Radio bought now might be obsolete if the FCC or RIAA insists the standards be changed. Today's expensive HD Radio might be tomorrow's doorstop, or pet rock.
Comments responding to this article:
http://www.philly.com/mld/philly/entertainment/13951844.htm
Saturday, February 25, 2006
HD Radio-DIGITAL NOISE AND INTERFERENCE
BY POPULAR REQUEST!
The BLUE line is the digital interference created by the HD
Radio broadcasting station interfering with the FM stereo subcarrier and surrounding FM stations.
GREEN is the reduced stereo signal to noise ratio.
RED -the two verticle lines at the top are the FCC 200kHz maximum limit for an FM station. Beyond those two verticle RED lines at the top is all the digital noise and interference created on neighboring channels by the digital signal.
PROPONENTS OF THE HD DIGITAL RADIO SYSTEM (MOSTLY THOSE WHO ARE PROFITING) WILL TELL YOU THIS NOISE AND INTERFERENCE DOSN'T MATTER.
Radio Industry Showing Signs Of Doubt About HD Radio
RADIO GROUP HEADS HAVE DOUBT ABOUT HD RADIO
"I'm probably not as excited about HD radio as others have been," said Judy Ellis, chief operating officer for Citadel Broadcasting. "I fear that HD is more for Wall Street than for consumers."
"Joel Hollander, chairman and CEO of CBS Radio, said HD radio faced an uphill battle. He indicated that he and others had discussions with electronics makers and automobile companies in Detroit about moving forward on HD receivers but could not see any significant progress happening for at least three to seven years."
Here is the link:
http://www.audiographics.com/agd/022006-1.htm
"I'm probably not as excited about HD radio as others have been," said Judy Ellis, chief operating officer for Citadel Broadcasting. "I fear that HD is more for Wall Street than for consumers."
"Joel Hollander, chairman and CEO of CBS Radio, said HD radio faced an uphill battle. He indicated that he and others had discussions with electronics makers and automobile companies in Detroit about moving forward on HD receivers but could not see any significant progress happening for at least three to seven years."
Here is the link:
http://www.audiographics.com/agd/022006-1.htm
Wednesday, February 22, 2006
HD RADIO-INTRINSICALLY AND FATALLY FLAWED!
"DISHONESTY IS THE PROBLEM" - Hype on, integrity off.
A lesson on how to sell Star Trek Transporters to the gullable!
Flawless reception of HD digital signals when they are weak and substancially drop below the ambient noise floor is unlikely at best (even with the most advanced laboratory equipment) and impossible at worst. Claims that somehow digital signals cirumvent the laws of physics are fraudulent. Telepathic digital radio is a myth. Like transporters, they don't exist.
"In one case, analog is pumping out 11Kw. IBUZ is at 110 watts. That leads to digital mode switching. In the Boston, Worcester, Hartford, Springfield and Albany markets digital is so wimpy it's lucky to make it to the city limits."
"I have a few problems with IBUZ. For AM, it's a death sentence, I believe, from what I already hear. When you crap all over your neighbor's signal it ceases to qualify as good engineering practice. Is there any engineer here with any sense of pride in what they do who would dispute that contention? Instead of admitting there are serious problems over and above old transmitter sites they set up a web site touting how wonderful this new debacle is. I have to give iBorg credit for assimilating such a large number of formerly independent thinking engineers."
"On FM I hear artifacts. I don't hear the adjacent channel interference, probably because I'm no longer in an incredibly congested market (New York City). The CD Quality issue is the most deceptive of all. By CD Quality I mean the ability to make full use of the Red Book standard. If you choose to use the audio purity of CDs to record smashed crud you still have the capability of doing it right. In the case of IBUZ, it's low bit rate codecs can't possibly match the potential quality of a CD. You couldn't do CD Quality right if you really, really tried. Even iBorg has racheted it down to CD-like quality. The HD Dominion uses the term everywhere."
Link to full comments:
http://www.radio-info.com/mods/board?Post=662894&Board=hd
A lesson on how to sell Star Trek Transporters to the gullable!
Flawless reception of HD digital signals when they are weak and substancially drop below the ambient noise floor is unlikely at best (even with the most advanced laboratory equipment) and impossible at worst. Claims that somehow digital signals cirumvent the laws of physics are fraudulent. Telepathic digital radio is a myth. Like transporters, they don't exist.
"In one case, analog is pumping out 11Kw. IBUZ is at 110 watts. That leads to digital mode switching. In the Boston, Worcester, Hartford, Springfield and Albany markets digital is so wimpy it's lucky to make it to the city limits."
"I have a few problems with IBUZ. For AM, it's a death sentence, I believe, from what I already hear. When you crap all over your neighbor's signal it ceases to qualify as good engineering practice. Is there any engineer here with any sense of pride in what they do who would dispute that contention? Instead of admitting there are serious problems over and above old transmitter sites they set up a web site touting how wonderful this new debacle is. I have to give iBorg credit for assimilating such a large number of formerly independent thinking engineers."
"On FM I hear artifacts. I don't hear the adjacent channel interference, probably because I'm no longer in an incredibly congested market (New York City). The CD Quality issue is the most deceptive of all. By CD Quality I mean the ability to make full use of the Red Book standard. If you choose to use the audio purity of CDs to record smashed crud you still have the capability of doing it right. In the case of IBUZ, it's low bit rate codecs can't possibly match the potential quality of a CD. You couldn't do CD Quality right if you really, really tried. Even iBorg has racheted it down to CD-like quality. The HD Dominion uses the term everywhere."
Link to full comments:
http://www.radio-info.com/mods/board?Post=662894&Board=hd
Tuesday, February 21, 2006
HD RADIO-POOR (LOCAL ONLY) COVERAGE!
COVERAGE PROBLEMS WITH HD RADIO-
LOCAL ONLY IN MOST AREAS.
Typical HD Radio digital signal only covers 10 to 20 miles, where the analog signal may cover 40 to 60 miles! "Your mileage may vary" depending on local terrain and noise conditions.
"I've built a couple of HD stations in the past year. And the real world of reception and coverage is different than any claims by Ibquity you might have read. First of all, FM coverage by HD is generally good within the 70 dbu (3.16 mv/m) contour of FM, and fairly robust inside the 5 mv contour of AM stations. Outside of those general coverage contours, it falls apart pretty quickly.
HD AM in particular is vulnerable to power line noise and driving under bridges and such, as is it's analog counterpart. HD FM seems to suffer the same problems as it's analog counterpart, except there is no multi-path. Dropouts, digital glitches, switching back and forth from analog to digital, yes. But no multi-path.
Whoopie...
I was surprised by the lack of robustness of the HD signal within the primary contours myself."
"The staff was trying to figure out what we spent $120K on. So was I. The second digital audio channels are nice, but suffer the same problems as the main channel HD. They simply don't drive as well as the analog side."
Link to full comments:
http://www.radio-info.com/mods/board?Post=662194&Board=hd
LOCAL ONLY IN MOST AREAS.
Typical HD Radio digital signal only covers 10 to 20 miles, where the analog signal may cover 40 to 60 miles! "Your mileage may vary" depending on local terrain and noise conditions.
"I've built a couple of HD stations in the past year. And the real world of reception and coverage is different than any claims by Ibquity you might have read. First of all, FM coverage by HD is generally good within the 70 dbu (3.16 mv/m) contour of FM, and fairly robust inside the 5 mv contour of AM stations. Outside of those general coverage contours, it falls apart pretty quickly.
HD AM in particular is vulnerable to power line noise and driving under bridges and such, as is it's analog counterpart. HD FM seems to suffer the same problems as it's analog counterpart, except there is no multi-path. Dropouts, digital glitches, switching back and forth from analog to digital, yes. But no multi-path.
Whoopie...
I was surprised by the lack of robustness of the HD signal within the primary contours myself."
"The staff was trying to figure out what we spent $120K on. So was I. The second digital audio channels are nice, but suffer the same problems as the main channel HD. They simply don't drive as well as the analog side."
Link to full comments:
http://www.radio-info.com/mods/board?Post=662194&Board=hd
Thursday, February 16, 2006
FCC URGED TO INVESTIGATE PAYOLA ACTIVITIES OF BROADCAST CARTEL.
Corrupt activities by radio broadcast cartel, exposed.
Recent investigations by the New York State Attorney General's office have revealed widespread violations of laws against radio payola. Nearly 200 stations were implicated. Many are owned by the handful of radio conglomerates that have risen to prominence since the industry was deregulated in 1996.
The investigation alleges that the stations in question accepted cash and prizes to play artists that were hand-picked by major recording labels. The radio stations aired these without disclosing to listeners the shadowy record deals that pushed the performers to the top of playlists. This practice is not only dishonest, it's against the law.
The airwaves belong to the public, and since 1927, the federal government has required broadcasters who use them to serve the public interest. You owe it to the American public to put a stop to this deception. Please launch a full and thorough investigation into all allegations of payola in the commercial radio industry and hold bad actors accountable.
Also, HD Radio AM and FM digital jamming of the public airwaves by the broadcast cartel should stop. Popular community and suburban stations, that provide valuable unduplicated local public service, are being jammed, and independent voices muffled. This seems contrary to the primary mission of the FCC and intent of congress.
Where to send your outrage if you are honest, or collect your cash, if you are not.
Link to PAYOLA stations map: http://www.freepress.net/payola/map.php
Recent investigations by the New York State Attorney General's office have revealed widespread violations of laws against radio payola. Nearly 200 stations were implicated. Many are owned by the handful of radio conglomerates that have risen to prominence since the industry was deregulated in 1996.
The investigation alleges that the stations in question accepted cash and prizes to play artists that were hand-picked by major recording labels. The radio stations aired these without disclosing to listeners the shadowy record deals that pushed the performers to the top of playlists. This practice is not only dishonest, it's against the law.
The airwaves belong to the public, and since 1927, the federal government has required broadcasters who use them to serve the public interest. You owe it to the American public to put a stop to this deception. Please launch a full and thorough investigation into all allegations of payola in the commercial radio industry and hold bad actors accountable.
Also, HD Radio AM and FM digital jamming of the public airwaves by the broadcast cartel should stop. Popular community and suburban stations, that provide valuable unduplicated local public service, are being jammed, and independent voices muffled. This seems contrary to the primary mission of the FCC and intent of congress.
Where to send your outrage if you are honest, or collect your cash, if you are not.
Link to PAYOLA stations map: http://www.freepress.net/payola/map.php
Tuesday, February 14, 2006
Online Radio Audience Triples!-Broadcast Execs Embarrassed!
The first-ever full year of online radio measurements is in, and it shows that the medium's audience nearly tripled during that time.
http://www.billboardradiomonitor.com/radiomonitor/news/business/digital/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1001956950
http://www.billboardradiomonitor.com/radiomonitor/news/business/digital/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1001956950
HD RADIO EXECS COUGHT SMOKING WEED!
"When FM first came on the scene, it was being championed by the guys smoking weed in the back room," WQHT PD John Dimick said. "Those are the kind of people we need to tap now for ideas about making HD work."
http://www.audiographics.com/agd/020606-1.htm
It will take more then weed to get HD Radio to work right and not jam other stations. Will you try crystal meth next, broadcasters?
But all those drugs cost a lot of cash!
But, wait, there is always PAYOLA to fall back on!
Feb. 09, 2006Radio conglomerates target of 'payola' probe ALBANY, N.Y. -- New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer said Wednesday he has subpoenaed nine of the nation's largest radio conglomerates in his "payola" investigation of major artists and songs that he claims got air time because of payoffs by recording companies. "A lot of the major songs have been implicated in this and it showed how pervasive the payola infrastructure had become," Spitzer told The Associated Press. "Major artists, major songs were sent up the charts through improper payments to buy spins on the air that translated into sales." The companies that have received subpoenas control thousands of stations nationwide, including Clear Channel Communications Inc., Infinity, which now operates as CBS Radio, Citadel Broadcasting Corp., Cox Radio Inc., Cumulus Broadcasting Inc., Pamal Broadcasting Ltd., Entercom Communications Corp., Emmis Communications Corp. and ABC Inc., according to court records filed by Spitzer. (AP) FULL STORY
http://us.video.aol.com/video.index.adp?mode=1&pmmsid=1463440&referer=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.singingfish.com
http://www.audiographics.com/agd/020606-1.htm
It will take more then weed to get HD Radio to work right and not jam other stations. Will you try crystal meth next, broadcasters?
But all those drugs cost a lot of cash!
But, wait, there is always PAYOLA to fall back on!
Feb. 09, 2006Radio conglomerates target of 'payola' probe ALBANY, N.Y. -- New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer said Wednesday he has subpoenaed nine of the nation's largest radio conglomerates in his "payola" investigation of major artists and songs that he claims got air time because of payoffs by recording companies. "A lot of the major songs have been implicated in this and it showed how pervasive the payola infrastructure had become," Spitzer told The Associated Press. "Major artists, major songs were sent up the charts through improper payments to buy spins on the air that translated into sales." The companies that have received subpoenas control thousands of stations nationwide, including Clear Channel Communications Inc., Infinity, which now operates as CBS Radio, Citadel Broadcasting Corp., Cox Radio Inc., Cumulus Broadcasting Inc., Pamal Broadcasting Ltd., Entercom Communications Corp., Emmis Communications Corp. and ABC Inc., according to court records filed by Spitzer. (AP) FULL STORY
http://us.video.aol.com/video.index.adp?mode=1&pmmsid=1463440&referer=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.singingfish.com
Monday, February 13, 2006
CELLPHONES READYING FOR DIGITAL PODCASTING AND STREAMING!
MOBILE INTERNET RADIO IS ALREADY HERE!
New model cell phones from Motorola, Verizon, Cingular, Nokia, LG, and others have built in MP3 players, wireless podcasting, MP3 streams and downloads. There is no need for a radio of any kind to be included, or a radio station either. Just listen to the webstream. Wireless Bluetooth Stereo headphones, make it a real Hi-Fi/stereo pleasure to listen, and the quality can vary according to the bitrate of the producer from low bitrate mono (for voice) all the way up to audio CD quality or better. That beats Serius and XM also, as it allows a choice of thousands of stations all over North America and perhaps worldwide with much better fidelity. Apple’s iPod may be adding this feature soon.
HD radio transmits a digital signal at one-onehundreth the power analog stations licensed power (for FM) and about one-onethousandth the power (for AM) on adjacent channels, and digital coverage is the analog stations city grade coverage area. However HD digital radio jams analog stations many miles away because of it’s destructive digital waveform. More harm then good is coming from this seriously defective technology. The reason that so many are so strongly opposed, is because of the broadcast Cartel’s misinformation campaign, the huge amount of jamming, especially of licensed independent voices, suburban commuter reception, and community stations.
FCC objections to HD radio run heavily against the defective technology. Not because those filing objections are against digital transmission, or don't understand the technology, but because they DO understand HD Digital radio and object to this particular defective system.
Here is an FM digital system that works, and dosn't trespass or jam other stations.
www.dreinc.com
As of now, no other digital broadcasting system for AM has been independently tested, however, at least one is under development.
New model cell phones from Motorola, Verizon, Cingular, Nokia, LG, and others have built in MP3 players, wireless podcasting, MP3 streams and downloads. There is no need for a radio of any kind to be included, or a radio station either. Just listen to the webstream. Wireless Bluetooth Stereo headphones, make it a real Hi-Fi/stereo pleasure to listen, and the quality can vary according to the bitrate of the producer from low bitrate mono (for voice) all the way up to audio CD quality or better. That beats Serius and XM also, as it allows a choice of thousands of stations all over North America and perhaps worldwide with much better fidelity. Apple’s iPod may be adding this feature soon.
HD radio transmits a digital signal at one-onehundreth the power analog stations licensed power (for FM) and about one-onethousandth the power (for AM) on adjacent channels, and digital coverage is the analog stations city grade coverage area. However HD digital radio jams analog stations many miles away because of it’s destructive digital waveform. More harm then good is coming from this seriously defective technology. The reason that so many are so strongly opposed, is because of the broadcast Cartel’s misinformation campaign, the huge amount of jamming, especially of licensed independent voices, suburban commuter reception, and community stations.
FCC objections to HD radio run heavily against the defective technology. Not because those filing objections are against digital transmission, or don't understand the technology, but because they DO understand HD Digital radio and object to this particular defective system.
Here is an FM digital system that works, and dosn't trespass or jam other stations.
www.dreinc.com
As of now, no other digital broadcasting system for AM has been independently tested, however, at least one is under development.
HD RADIO JAMMING CREATES PROBLEMS FOR COMMUTERS AND TRAVELERS!
BROADCAST RADIO LOOSES SUBURBAN COVERAGE TO DIGITAL JAMMING!
Take a look at the Arbitron ratings for Trenton, NJ. The ratings for the NYC stations have all suddenly gone down in Trenton since the nearby Philadelphia stations started transmitting FM IBOC, thus leaving the adjacent NYC stations with noisy, staticky, hiss-filled signals. Even on an excellent car radio, in Trenton the NYC signals which are not adjacent to any IBOC signal are in clear stereo, while the NYC which are unfortunately next to IBOC hash can only be received in hissy mono. IBOC will not last long when stations realize that in exchange for gaining a few dozen local listeners to their "HD2" channels, they are losing thousands of fringe-area analog listeners. You can be(t) that at some point the "HD2" channels will be continued as Internet audio streams only, and the IBOC signals will be turned off.
Here is the link:
http://www.radio-info.com/mods/board?Post=655158&Board=hd
Take a look at the Arbitron ratings for Trenton, NJ. The ratings for the NYC stations have all suddenly gone down in Trenton since the nearby Philadelphia stations started transmitting FM IBOC, thus leaving the adjacent NYC stations with noisy, staticky, hiss-filled signals. Even on an excellent car radio, in Trenton the NYC signals which are not adjacent to any IBOC signal are in clear stereo, while the NYC which are unfortunately next to IBOC hash can only be received in hissy mono. IBOC will not last long when stations realize that in exchange for gaining a few dozen local listeners to their "HD2" channels, they are losing thousands of fringe-area analog listeners. You can be(t) that at some point the "HD2" channels will be continued as Internet audio streams only, and the IBOC signals will be turned off.
Here is the link:
http://www.radio-info.com/mods/board?Post=655158&Board=hd
Sunday, February 12, 2006
BROADCASTERS INVOLVED IN CRIMINAL ACTIVITY!
WE ALL KNEW THEY HAVEN'T BEEN BROADCASTING WHAT THE PUBLIC WANTED TO HEAR. NOW WE KNOW WHY!
Hundreds Of Stations Under Investigation By FCC In Payola Investigation.
Adelstein threatens the loss of stations' licenses through this investigation, saying, "I can't believe that radio stations are putting their licenses at risk. It seems to me they thought the FCC was asleep and they shot someone in front of the policeman. The policeman is obligated to act when evidence is so clear." He added, "While it's highly unusual for the FCC to pull licenses on first violation, depending on the severity that is one option that is available to us. These are criminal matters as well."
Commissioner Adelstein revealed that he has been in regular contact with Spitzer lately, and wants the FCC to handle the investigation, as opposed to just Spitzer and the state of New York. "We have a responsibility to get to the bottom of this. It's important that the FCC does its job and not let the states do it for us," he said.
Link to full article:
http://www.fmqb.com/Article.asp?id=173928
Hundreds Of Stations Under Investigation By FCC In Payola Investigation.
Adelstein threatens the loss of stations' licenses through this investigation, saying, "I can't believe that radio stations are putting their licenses at risk. It seems to me they thought the FCC was asleep and they shot someone in front of the policeman. The policeman is obligated to act when evidence is so clear." He added, "While it's highly unusual for the FCC to pull licenses on first violation, depending on the severity that is one option that is available to us. These are criminal matters as well."
Commissioner Adelstein revealed that he has been in regular contact with Spitzer lately, and wants the FCC to handle the investigation, as opposed to just Spitzer and the state of New York. "We have a responsibility to get to the bottom of this. It's important that the FCC does its job and not let the states do it for us," he said.
Link to full article:
http://www.fmqb.com/Article.asp?id=173928
HD Radio-"BLACK HOLE" OF BROADCASTING
THREE YEARS, AND MULTIPLE HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS INVESTED, FOR HISS AND JAMMING OF YOUR AM AND FM BROADCASTS!
Tons of Money goes in, hiss and jammiing come out. This is progress?
Asked via conference call how many such (HD radio) devices have been sold to date, Clear Channel Radio President John Hogan says, "Not very many."
San Antonio Business Journal Jan. 29, 2006
Tons of Money goes in, hiss and jammiing come out. This is progress?
Asked via conference call how many such (HD radio) devices have been sold to date, Clear Channel Radio President John Hogan says, "Not very many."
San Antonio Business Journal Jan. 29, 2006
Tuesday, February 07, 2006
HD digital radio-TYPICAL COMMENTS.
At home, I couldn’t get a digital signal from WOR (710 kHz)
In my New Jersey location, about 25 miles from New York City, I should theoretically be able to pick up as many as 23 FM and four AM stations transmitting HD. But nearly half the FM stations didn’t reach me, and only one AM station did.
Veteran programmer Bill Figenshu of FigMedia1 writes: "In all the research I have seen, no one has ever complained about the quality of a full-power FM signal. Are people signing up for satellite radio or buying iPods because of quality? Very few. It's the content, baby!"
On his blog, Dave Barry, who works in radio in Sonoma County, told about the industry alliance and drew this response: "It sounds like putting lipstick on a pig. Let's see -- making people shell out a lot of money for a receiver that will improve sound quality to that which they already have on their iPods and satellite stations. Lousy content has been mentioned. ... For me, there is the added problem of commercials ... which interrupt the flow of the programming. I understand why, but the problem is still there.
Oink."
Boston Acoustics Recepter Radio HD-Comments
"why would i spend $500 on this p.o.s."
This radio is junk, it doesn't even have a real antenna. This $500 radio has one of those thin wire that act as the antenna, you would also find this type of antenna on $10 fm alarm clocks. This radio is perfect for mental defects with money to burn. For $500 I could get an xm or sirius radio with 3 years of service. This radio should cost no more than $60. Why does cnet.com bother with stupid products like this?
http://reviews-zdnet.com.com/Boston_Acoustics_Recepter_Radio_HD/4864-7866_16-31637870.html?messageSiteID=16&messageID=1689627&tag=uonext&cval=1689627&ctype=msgid
"Obsolete out of the box"
People are not going to spend $500 on betterAM radio sound .
In my New Jersey location, about 25 miles from New York City, I should theoretically be able to pick up as many as 23 FM and four AM stations transmitting HD. But nearly half the FM stations didn’t reach me, and only one AM station did.
Veteran programmer Bill Figenshu of FigMedia1 writes: "In all the research I have seen, no one has ever complained about the quality of a full-power FM signal. Are people signing up for satellite radio or buying iPods because of quality? Very few. It's the content, baby!"
On his blog, Dave Barry, who works in radio in Sonoma County, told about the industry alliance and drew this response: "It sounds like putting lipstick on a pig. Let's see -- making people shell out a lot of money for a receiver that will improve sound quality to that which they already have on their iPods and satellite stations. Lousy content has been mentioned. ... For me, there is the added problem of commercials ... which interrupt the flow of the programming. I understand why, but the problem is still there.
Oink."
Boston Acoustics Recepter Radio HD-Comments
"why would i spend $500 on this p.o.s."
This radio is junk, it doesn't even have a real antenna. This $500 radio has one of those thin wire that act as the antenna, you would also find this type of antenna on $10 fm alarm clocks. This radio is perfect for mental defects with money to burn. For $500 I could get an xm or sirius radio with 3 years of service. This radio should cost no more than $60. Why does cnet.com bother with stupid products like this?
http://reviews-zdnet.com.com/Boston_Acoustics_Recepter_Radio_HD/4864-7866_16-31637870.html?messageSiteID=16&messageID=1689627&tag=uonext&cval=1689627&ctype=msgid
"Obsolete out of the box"
People are not going to spend $500 on betterAM radio sound .
Sunday, February 05, 2006
HD RADIO-EVEN WHEN MISLEAD, ONLY 4% SAY THEY MIGHT BUY IT!
NO DEMAND FOR THE BRAND!
"listeners may hear "HD radio," but what they are understanding is "HD TV." So when 38% say they've heard of HD radio, what they've really heard of is HD TV. There is no question about this, and it raises serious issues about technological nomenclature."
"How likely would you be to pay a one-time charge of $100 to be able to listen to HD radio?"
4% of the sample say they're "Very Likely" to pay the charge for HD Radio.
"you can't find an HD Radio for anywhere near that (LOW) sum."
Link to the full article:
http://www.radiomarketingnexus.com/2006/01/only_4_of_the_u.html
"listeners may hear "HD radio," but what they are understanding is "HD TV." So when 38% say they've heard of HD radio, what they've really heard of is HD TV. There is no question about this, and it raises serious issues about technological nomenclature."
"How likely would you be to pay a one-time charge of $100 to be able to listen to HD radio?"
4% of the sample say they're "Very Likely" to pay the charge for HD Radio.
"you can't find an HD Radio for anywhere near that (LOW) sum."
Link to the full article:
http://www.radiomarketingnexus.com/2006/01/only_4_of_the_u.html
HD digital radio-OPEC OF THE AIRWAVES!
This amounts to the OPEC of HD Radio, and we know how well that works.
The difference with OPEC is that it has to contend with a product - oil - that is in wide demand. In this case, HD Radio is in no demand. Indeed, the biggest problem with the whole notion of HD Radio is that demand is not organic to the market (the way mp3 player demand was). The industry is trying here not to meet a market need but to create one. And that is a long path strewn with the corpses of those who have tread it before. Can it be done? Maybe, but the odds are not in its favor.
Link to the full article:
http://www.radiomarketingnexus.com/2005/12/steep_climb_ahe.html#comment-13652019
The difference with OPEC is that it has to contend with a product - oil - that is in wide demand. In this case, HD Radio is in no demand. Indeed, the biggest problem with the whole notion of HD Radio is that demand is not organic to the market (the way mp3 player demand was). The industry is trying here not to meet a market need but to create one. And that is a long path strewn with the corpses of those who have tread it before. Can it be done? Maybe, but the odds are not in its favor.
Link to the full article:
http://www.radiomarketingnexus.com/2005/12/steep_climb_ahe.html#comment-13652019
HD digital radio-DON'T WASTE YOUR MONEY!
HD digital radio fails quality and reception tests a few miles away from the broadcasting stations, even with an external outside antenna!
I saw the Boston Acoustics radio today at the Radio Systems show in South Jersey.
AM was picking up WPEN very clear, they were obviously running HD with the sidebands, but it would not give us more than the call letters on the display (no HD audio). Obviously, with a very useable AM signal in analog, digital was nowhere to be found. WIP was lost in a sea of noise. We were using a loop antenna outside.
NOTE: WIP 610 AM is 14.2 miles, and WPEN 950 AM is 15.7 miles from Radio Systems in Logan Township, NJ 08085. DIGITAL RECEPTION FROM EITHER 5000 WATT STATION TOTALLY FAILED!
The AM seems to mute when the signal falls below a certain level.
PROBLEM. Basically, the AM sucks and again is the bastard step-child.
I don't think it's worth $500, I don't think it's worth $300. Really, this is a $99-$149 radio AT BEST when you factor in reception and their idea of sound quality. I'm just thankful I was able to see a demo and that I didn't buy this "thing".
Link to full revue:
http://www.radio-info.com/mods/board?Post=648033&Board=hd
I saw the Boston Acoustics radio today at the Radio Systems show in South Jersey.
AM was picking up WPEN very clear, they were obviously running HD with the sidebands, but it would not give us more than the call letters on the display (no HD audio). Obviously, with a very useable AM signal in analog, digital was nowhere to be found. WIP was lost in a sea of noise. We were using a loop antenna outside.
NOTE: WIP 610 AM is 14.2 miles, and WPEN 950 AM is 15.7 miles from Radio Systems in Logan Township, NJ 08085. DIGITAL RECEPTION FROM EITHER 5000 WATT STATION TOTALLY FAILED!
The AM seems to mute when the signal falls below a certain level.
PROBLEM. Basically, the AM sucks and again is the bastard step-child.
I don't think it's worth $500, I don't think it's worth $300. Really, this is a $99-$149 radio AT BEST when you factor in reception and their idea of sound quality. I'm just thankful I was able to see a demo and that I didn't buy this "thing".
Link to full revue:
http://www.radio-info.com/mods/board?Post=648033&Board=hd
HD digital radio-Poor reception!
HD digital radio-GETTING A POOR RECEPTION.
I have a Boston Acoustics Receptor HD. Sitting 12 miles south of one large market. 35 miles north of another. I'd like to hear both markets if possible.
Right now I'm having trouble pulling in the HD2 to one of the class B signals 12 miles north. Almost impossible to hear the HD2 on a class A from that same tower.
Most of the HDs are a no show from 35 miles south although it tries to match up with the HD signal on a pair of them. Nothing on any of the AMs although the tower for one is only 15 miles south. In a rental home so not inclined to add an outdoor antenna.
Tried a Terk Tower with no success.
Any suggestions on what will help capture those HD signals.
Please and thank you.
http://www.radio-info.com/mods/board?Board=hd&Post=649121&page=
Reply:
The HD digital AM signal is required by the NRSC-5a mask and proposed FCC standards to be at least -28 db below the maximum carrier power. This converts to about 1.5 watts for each 1000 watts of station analog carrier power. Coverage beyond a few miles from the stations transmitter is almost impossible, as the signal gets buried below the ambient noise level very quickly. Digging out a signal from below the noise level reliably, is difficult if not impossible. However, because of the destructive digital waveform is on adjacent channels, it can easily interfere with stations many miles away. http://worldsupercaster.blogspot.com/ http://commonsensesolutions.blogspot.com/
I have a Boston Acoustics Receptor HD. Sitting 12 miles south of one large market. 35 miles north of another. I'd like to hear both markets if possible.
Right now I'm having trouble pulling in the HD2 to one of the class B signals 12 miles north. Almost impossible to hear the HD2 on a class A from that same tower.
Most of the HDs are a no show from 35 miles south although it tries to match up with the HD signal on a pair of them. Nothing on any of the AMs although the tower for one is only 15 miles south. In a rental home so not inclined to add an outdoor antenna.
Tried a Terk Tower with no success.
Any suggestions on what will help capture those HD signals.
Please and thank you.
http://www.radio-info.com/mods/board?Board=hd&Post=649121&page=
Reply:
The HD digital AM signal is required by the NRSC-5a mask and proposed FCC standards to be at least -28 db below the maximum carrier power. This converts to about 1.5 watts for each 1000 watts of station analog carrier power. Coverage beyond a few miles from the stations transmitter is almost impossible, as the signal gets buried below the ambient noise level very quickly. Digging out a signal from below the noise level reliably, is difficult if not impossible. However, because of the destructive digital waveform is on adjacent channels, it can easily interfere with stations many miles away. http://worldsupercaster.blogspot.com/ http://commonsensesolutions.blogspot.com/
Thursday, February 02, 2006
HD digital radio-STOP HIGH DESTRUCTION RADIO!
Unless they find a way to stop the tremendous interference AM HD causes it's neighbors on the band, it may not fly at all.
Try listening to KDKA anywhere a few miles east of Pittsburgh after 4 or so in the afternoon. That very annoying hiss is coming from WBZ in Boston. See how bad the intererence is???
Although not quite as destructive as AM, (FM) will still cause problems"
Here is the link:
http://www.radio-info.com/mods/board?Post=640363&Board=hd
Try listening to KDKA anywhere a few miles east of Pittsburgh after 4 or so in the afternoon. That very annoying hiss is coming from WBZ in Boston. See how bad the intererence is???
Although not quite as destructive as AM, (FM) will still cause problems"
Here is the link:
http://www.radio-info.com/mods/board?Post=640363&Board=hd
Friday, January 27, 2006
HD digital radio-SHUT UP AND DRINK THE KOOL AID (Remember Jonestown?)
"IT'S A HIGHLY DOUBIOUS PROPOSITION THAT MILLIONS OF EXISTING AM LISTENERS WILL RUN OUT TO BUY IBOC RECEIVERS ONCE THEY DISCOVER THE BAND HAS BECOME A WALL OF (digital) NOISE ON THEIR ESTIMATED 1 BILLION ANALOG RADIOS."
Quotes are from a "Readers Forum" letter from broadcaster Robert C. Savage, WYSL(AM) Avon, NY, published in RADIO WORLD Jan. 18, 2006 Pg. 44.
Unlike other RADIO WORLD articles, I was not able to find a weblink to this article that appeared in the print publication.
"Allowing IBOC AM stations to crud up 50 kHz of the band while requiring analog operators to observe the NRSC mask is ... foolish, (and) .. outrageously unfair."
"When audience figures start plummeting, top management of the major groups" (owners) "will dash to the transmitter rack to turn off the HD exciter faster then you can say C-QUAM."
I wonder where that leaves all the HD radio owners who were suckered into spending money on this seriously flawed technology?
Quotes are from a "Readers Forum" letter from broadcaster Robert C. Savage, WYSL(AM) Avon, NY, published in RADIO WORLD Jan. 18, 2006 Pg. 44.
Unlike other RADIO WORLD articles, I was not able to find a weblink to this article that appeared in the print publication.
"Allowing IBOC AM stations to crud up 50 kHz of the band while requiring analog operators to observe the NRSC mask is ... foolish, (and) .. outrageously unfair."
"When audience figures start plummeting, top management of the major groups" (owners) "will dash to the transmitter rack to turn off the HD exciter faster then you can say C-QUAM."
I wonder where that leaves all the HD radio owners who were suckered into spending money on this seriously flawed technology?
HD digital radio-IF LOW-FI SOUNDS SO GREAT, WHY DO WE NEED DIGITAL?
"5 kHz audio equates to going back to the days when we used carbon microphones and mechanical oscillators."
Quoted from the article:
Now, I don't know who put wax in the ears of the proponents of 5 kHz bandwidth, and who talked them into the idea that the listener won't notice a difference; but I do notice a huge difference in the freshness of the highs on my AM stations when the highs are severely rolled back.
Besides, if listeners don't notice the audio quality at 5 kHz, why do they notice the difference in FM audio? Why do they notice that CDs sound better than FM? Could it be that high frequencies in the audio create interference patterns in the lower frequencies, making the audio more "hi-fi"?
Based upon the logic of several proponents I've heard, maybe those stations experiencing the interference should roll back their highs. But most of the rural stations, especially Class As, are still doing fine with NRSC at 10 kHz (upper and lower sidebands). And our listeners do notice. I've heard it straight from their mouths.
I am proud of a full-throated sound of my AM stations and intend to keep it that way as long as possible. And if technology supplants analog service, I welcome the day. But until everybody can make up their cotton-picking mind how it's going to be done, please don't trash a service that's already struggling with its identity.
Here is the link to the full article:
http://www.rwonline.com/reference-room/special-report/06_rwrf_june_22_part_1.shtml
Quoted from the article:
Now, I don't know who put wax in the ears of the proponents of 5 kHz bandwidth, and who talked them into the idea that the listener won't notice a difference; but I do notice a huge difference in the freshness of the highs on my AM stations when the highs are severely rolled back.
Besides, if listeners don't notice the audio quality at 5 kHz, why do they notice the difference in FM audio? Why do they notice that CDs sound better than FM? Could it be that high frequencies in the audio create interference patterns in the lower frequencies, making the audio more "hi-fi"?
Based upon the logic of several proponents I've heard, maybe those stations experiencing the interference should roll back their highs. But most of the rural stations, especially Class As, are still doing fine with NRSC at 10 kHz (upper and lower sidebands). And our listeners do notice. I've heard it straight from their mouths.
I am proud of a full-throated sound of my AM stations and intend to keep it that way as long as possible. And if technology supplants analog service, I welcome the day. But until everybody can make up their cotton-picking mind how it's going to be done, please don't trash a service that's already struggling with its identity.
Here is the link to the full article:
http://www.rwonline.com/reference-room/special-report/06_rwrf_june_22_part_1.shtml
Wednesday, January 25, 2006
HD digital radio-NOT OUTSIDE THE CITY, OR IN THE SUBURBS!
"If you don't have an HD station very close, they dont work!"
http://www.radio-info.com/mods/board?Post=638746&Board=hd
http://www.radio-info.com/mods/board?Post=638746&Board=hd
HD digital radio-But people don't want to listen to radio in CB quality at 5 kc.
HD Radio on AM "is going to be a disaster."
"Im scared of the commission once again being run by a bunch of bureaucrats mandating what we have to do, based on what they perceive to be a marketplace decision."
"I think we need some improvement in the AM spectrum. But the approach we're taking, reducing the frequency response to 5 kHz, is an absolute joke. It's only being done as a way to precondition for IBOC, in order to allow eventually more stations to be shoved into the spectrum than we already have."
"On AM I think the majority of small-town broadcasters will go to Cam-D. We'll not go digital (HD radio) on FM; we'll go with the system [FMeXtra from Digital Radio Express] that gives us additional channels for $9,000."
Quotes from Paul Mclane's article, quoting Ed De La Hunt.
Link to the full article:
http://www.rwonline.com/reference-room/special-report/01_rw_page_4_feb_1b.shtml
"Im scared of the commission once again being run by a bunch of bureaucrats mandating what we have to do, based on what they perceive to be a marketplace decision."
"I think we need some improvement in the AM spectrum. But the approach we're taking, reducing the frequency response to 5 kHz, is an absolute joke. It's only being done as a way to precondition for IBOC, in order to allow eventually more stations to be shoved into the spectrum than we already have."
"On AM I think the majority of small-town broadcasters will go to Cam-D. We'll not go digital (HD radio) on FM; we'll go with the system [FMeXtra from Digital Radio Express] that gives us additional channels for $9,000."
Quotes from Paul Mclane's article, quoting Ed De La Hunt.
Link to the full article:
http://www.rwonline.com/reference-room/special-report/01_rw_page_4_feb_1b.shtml
Tuesday, January 24, 2006
HD digital radio-FIND A BETTER WAY, OR FORGET IT!
HD DIGITAL RADIO, WORTH THE DESTRUCTION AND EXPENSE?
Here is radio expert Robert C. Crane's http://www.cccrane.com/ (the radio company) analysis and letter about digital AM IBOC creating a usable signal only within the IBOC stations 2mV/m local analog coverage area. Crane proves that the coverage area of an AM digital IBOC station is 1/40th of the stations analog coverage area.
According to Crane, past the local 2mV/m analog coverage area AM IBOC creates severe jamming interference to other analog stations, and reverts back to a noisier (digitally hissed) signal on the HD radio.
For a typical AM station, the 2mV/m signal only extends a few miles from the tower.
Other reports from HD radio users claim the signal starts to become spotty and revert to analog beginning at the much shorter 5mV/m coverage area.
Calculations show the -28 db AM digital signal equals about 1.5 watts of signal per kilowatt of licensed broadcast power, but creates jamming interference to adjacent channel stations at a much greater distance because of the high density, loud, irritating, digital hissing, jamming waveform. The digital waveform used for HD radio is similar to very successful radio jamming waveforms used to jam radio stations during the cold war.
HD digital radio creates many more problems, and much more trouble and expense, then any slight benefit it can provide to broadcasters or listeners. The only profit seems to be to the cartel peddling this defective technology.
The NRSC-5 "mask" often sited as an FCC "standard" has not yet been accepted, and can not be found in the FCC rules. The "mask" was created, and is being claimed as a standard by the same cartel hypeing HD digital radio to sell equipment and expensive use licenses.
Be as sceptical about the wild claims made for HD digital radio by their hucksters, as you would be the claims made by politicians or used car salesmen. They are cut from the same cloth.
http://www.nrscstandards.org/DRB/NRSC%20eval%20iBiquityAM/Craneletter.pdf
Here is radio expert Robert C. Crane's http://www.cccrane.com/ (the radio company) analysis and letter about digital AM IBOC creating a usable signal only within the IBOC stations 2mV/m local analog coverage area. Crane proves that the coverage area of an AM digital IBOC station is 1/40th of the stations analog coverage area.
According to Crane, past the local 2mV/m analog coverage area AM IBOC creates severe jamming interference to other analog stations, and reverts back to a noisier (digitally hissed) signal on the HD radio.
For a typical AM station, the 2mV/m signal only extends a few miles from the tower.
Other reports from HD radio users claim the signal starts to become spotty and revert to analog beginning at the much shorter 5mV/m coverage area.
Calculations show the -28 db AM digital signal equals about 1.5 watts of signal per kilowatt of licensed broadcast power, but creates jamming interference to adjacent channel stations at a much greater distance because of the high density, loud, irritating, digital hissing, jamming waveform. The digital waveform used for HD radio is similar to very successful radio jamming waveforms used to jam radio stations during the cold war.
HD digital radio creates many more problems, and much more trouble and expense, then any slight benefit it can provide to broadcasters or listeners. The only profit seems to be to the cartel peddling this defective technology.
The NRSC-5 "mask" often sited as an FCC "standard" has not yet been accepted, and can not be found in the FCC rules. The "mask" was created, and is being claimed as a standard by the same cartel hypeing HD digital radio to sell equipment and expensive use licenses.
Be as sceptical about the wild claims made for HD digital radio by their hucksters, as you would be the claims made by politicians or used car salesmen. They are cut from the same cloth.
http://www.nrscstandards.org/DRB/NRSC%20eval%20iBiquityAM/Craneletter.pdf
Saturday, January 21, 2006
HD digital radio-CREATES A GIANT HISSING CONTEST ON AM AND FM!
IN METROPOLITAN AREAS VIRTUALLY ALL RADIO FREQUENCIES ARE ALREADY USED.
THERE ARE NO EMPTY ADJACENT CHANNELS TO BROADCAST ADDITIONAL DIGITAL HISS NECESSARY FOR HD DIGITAL RADIO, WITHOUT INTERFERING WITH OTHER LICENSED STATIONS.
THIS IS TRUE IN MOST POPULATED METROPOLITAN AREAS.
The most powerful stations are usually concentrated in or near the large cities.
HD digital radio will create jamming "hiss zones" in the suburban areas between the metropolitan areas, and jam local stations.
The digital hissing channels will overlap, creating digital intermodulation havoc.
There are 144 radio stations that may be barely perceptible from
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (39° 59' 53" N, 75° 08' 41"
Distances to the stations are in miles.
Info Call Sign Frequency Dist./Signal City School Format
WNJS 88.1 FM 24.6 mi. Berlin, NJ Public Radio
WNJT 88.1 FM 31.2 mi. Trenton, NJ Public Radio
WXPN 88.5 FM 6.1 mi. Philadelphia, PA University of Pennsylvania Adult Album Alternative
WBYO 88.9 FM 28.8 mi. Sellersville, PA Christian Contemporary
WBZC 88.9 FM 33.6 mi. Pemberton, NJ Burlington County College College
WWFM 89.1 FM 31.8 mi. Trenton, NJ Mercer County Community College Classical
WXVU 89.1 FM 10.5 mi. Villanova, PA Villanova University College
WYBF 89.1 FM 12.8 mi. Radnor Township, PA Cabrini College College
WNJB 89.3 FM 37.2 mi. Bridgeton, NJ Public Radio
WRDV 89.3 FM 14.5 mi. Warminster, PA Nostalgia
WSJI 89.5 FM 14.1 mi. Cherry Hill, NJ Religious
WDVR 89.7 FM 36.8 mi. Delaware Township, NJ Variety
WGLS 89.7 FM 22.5 mi. Glassboro, NJ Rowan University of NJ College
WRTI 90.1 FM 5.7 mi. Philadelphia, PA Temple University Public Radio
WVBV 90.5 FM 37.2 mi. Medford Lakes, NJ Religious
WHYY 90.9 FM 5.9 mi. Philadelphia, PA Public Radio
WRTQ 91.3 FM 50.9 mi. Ocean City, NJ Temple University Public Radio
WTSR 91.3 FM 26.9 mi. Trenton, NJ The College of New Jersey College
WDBK 91.5 FM 15.8 mi. Blackwood, NJ Camden County College College
WSRN 91.5 FM 12.8 mi. Swarthmore, PA Swarthmore College College
WBMR 91.7 FM 22.6 mi. Telford, PA Religious
WKDU 91.7 FM 3.6 mi. Philadelphia, PA Drexel University College
WVLT 92.1 FM 34.8 mi. Vineland, NJ Oldies
WXTU 92.5 FM 5.7 mi. Philadelphia, PA Country
WMMR 93.3 FM 3.4 mi. Philadelphia, PA Rock
WSTW 93.7 FM 24.0 mi. Wilmington, DE Top-40
WYSP 94.1 FM 5.9 mi. Philadelphia, PA Rock
WDAC 94.5 FM 58.5 mi. Lancaster, PA Religious
WPST 94.5 FM 20.6 mi. Trenton, NJ Classic Rock
WRDX 94.7 FM 59.5 mi. Dover, DE Classic Rock
WRSD 94.9 FM 12.6 mi. Folsom, PA Ridley High School Grade School (K-12)
W236AF (WBZC) 95.1 FM 15.7 mi. Burlington, NJ Burlington County College College
WAYV 95.1 FM 56.4 mi. Atlantic City, NJ Top-40
WZZO 95.1 FM 43.8 mi. Bethlehem, PA Rock
WBEN 95.7 FM 5.7 mi. Philadelphia, PA Adult Hits
WCTO 96.1 FM 44.0 mi. Easton, PA Country
WRDW 96.5 FM 5.6 mi. Philadelphia, PA Hip Hop
W245AG (WBMR) 96.9 FM 6.1 mi. Gladwyne, PA Religious
WFPG 96.9 FM 56.7 mi. Atlantic City, NJ Adult Contemporary
W246AQ (WXHL) 97.1 FM 3.3 mi. Collingswood, NJ Christian Contemporary
W246AR (WRDV) 97.1 FM 13.9 mi. Bensalem, PA Nostalgia
WIXM 97.3 FM 50.9 mi. Millville, NJ News/Talk
WTHK 97.5 FM 25.8 mi. Burlington, NJ Classic Rock
WOGL 98.1 FM 5.7 mi. Philadelphia, PA Oldies
WUSL 98.9 FM 6.0 mi. Philadelphia, PA Hip Hop
WAWZ 99.1 FM 52.1 mi. Zarephath, NJ Christian Contemporary
WJBR 99.5 FM 23.1 mi. Wilmington, DE Adult Contemporary
WHHS (CP) 99.9 FM 8.4 mi. Havertown, PA Haverford High School Grade School (K-12)
WODE 99.9 FM 49.3 mi. Easton, PA Classic Hits
WPHI 100.3 FM 6.1 mi. Media, PA Hip Hop
WLEV 100.7 FM 42.2 mi. Allentown, PA Adult Contemporary
WBEB 101.1 FM 5.7 mi. Philadelphia, PA Adult Contemporary
WKXW 101.5 FM 31.2 mi. Trenton, NJ News/Talk
WJKS 101.7 FM 40.5 mi. Canton, NJ Hip Hop
WIOQ 102.1 FM 6.0 mi. Philadelphia, PA Top-40
WRFY 102.5 FM 45.5 mi. Reading, PA Rock
WMGK 102.9 FM 5.7 mi. Philadelphia, PA Classic Rock
WPRB 103.3 FM 31.2 mi. Princeton, NJ Princeton University College
W278AK (WXHL) 103.5 FM 18.6 mi. Village Green, PA Christian Contemporary
WMGM 103.7 FM 53.9 mi. Atlantic City, NJ Classic Rock
WXCY 103.7 FM 59.1 mi. Havre de Grace, MD Country
WPPZ 103.9 FM 5.8 mi. Jenkintown, PA Gospel Music
WAEB 104.1 FM 55.3 mi. Allentown, PA Top-40
WSNI 104.5 FM 5.9 mi. Philadelphia, PA Oldies
WSJO 104.9 FM 41.2 mi. Egg Harbor City, NJ Hot AC
WIOV 105.1 FM 55.0 mi. Ephrata, PA Country
WDAS 105.3 FM 5.9 mi. Philadelphia, PA Urban Contemporary
WCHR 105.7 FM 49.3 mi. Manahawkin, NJ Classic Rock
WJJZ 106.1 FM 6.2 mi. Philadelphia, PA Smooth Jazz
WKDN 106.9 FM 6.6 mi. Camden, NJ Religious
W297AD (WRDV) 107.3 FM 3.6 mi. Philadelphia, PA Nostalgia
WBYN 107.5 FM 38.8 mi. Boyertown, PA Religious
W300AD (WWFM) 107.9 FM 3.6 mi. Philadelphia, PA Mercer County Community College Classical
WHHS 107.9 FM 8.4 mi. Havertown, PA Haverford High School Grade School (K-12)
WRNB 107.9 FM 3.4 mi. Pennsauken, NJ Urban Contemporary
WLIE 540 AM 114.3 mi. Islip, NY Business News
WFIL 560 AM 9.7 mi. Philadelphia, PA Religious
WHP 580 AM 97.8 mi. Harrisburg, PA Talk
WARM 590 AM 109.5 mi. Scranton, PA News/Talk
WIP 610 AM 9.3 mi. Philadelphia, PA Sports
WWJZ 640 AM 22.5 mi. Mount Holly, NJ Children's
WFAN 660 AM 93.1 mi. New York, NY Sports
WCBM 680 AM 100.9 mi. Baltimore, MD News/Talk
WPHE 690 AM 24.0 mi. Phoenixville, PA Spanish
WOR 710 AM 78.0 mi. New York, NY Talk
WWII 720 AM 96.6 mi. Shiremanstown, PA Religious
WKDL 730 AM 135.8 mi. Alexandria, VA Spanish
WVCH 740 AM 16.2 mi. Chester, PA Religious
WBMD 750 AM 88.1 mi. Baltimore, MD Religious
WABC 770 AM 83.2 mi. New York, NY News/Talk
WAVA 780 AM 130.8 mi. Arlington, VA Unknown Format
WAEB 790 AM 49.8 mi. Allentown, PA Talk
WTMR 800 AM 6.6 mi. Camden, NJ Religious
WEEU 830 AM 62.8 mi. Reading, PA News/Talk
WWDB 860 AM 16.1 mi. Philadelphia, PA Business News
WCBS 880 AM 93.1 mi. New York, NY News/Talk
WURD 900 AM 6.9 mi. Philadelphia, PA News
WSBA 910 AM 84.8 mi. York, PA News/Talk
WPHY 920 AM 23.2 mi. Trenton, NJ Sports
WPEN 950 AM 6.9 mi. Philadelphia, PA Oldies
WTEM 980 AM 121.1 mi. Washington, DC Sports
WNTP 990 AM 9.7 mi. Philadelphia, PA Talk
WIBG 1020 AM 58.6 mi. Ocean City/Somers Po, NJ Religious
WCHR 1040 AM 36.2 mi. Flemington, NJ Religious
KYW 1060 AM 9.1 mi. Philadelphia, PA News
WBAL 1090 AM 96.7 mi. Baltimore, MD News/Talk
WGPA 1100 AM 44.7 mi. Bethlehem, PA Variety
WNAP 1110 AM 13.0 mi. Norristown, PA Gospel Music
WBBR 1130 AM 80.9 mi. New York, NY Business News
WDEL 1150 AM 24.0 mi. Wilmington, DE News/Talk
WBYN 1160 AM 63.6 mi. Lehighton, PA Religious
WOBM 1160 AM 49.4 mi. Lakewood Township, NJ Nostalgia
WPHT 1210 AM 8.5 mi. Philadelphia, PA Talk
WEEX 1230 AM 49.3 mi. Easton, PA Sports
WIOV 1240 AM 47.8 mi. Reading, PA Sports
WSNJ 1240 AM 37.4 mi. Bridgeton, NJ Nostalgia
WBUD 1260 AM 27.6 mi. Trenton, NJ Nostalgia
WWTX 1290 AM 27.4 mi. Wilmington, DE Sports
WIMG 1300 AM 24.7 mi. Ewing, NJ Gospel Music
WEMG 1310 AM 3.2 mi. Camden, NJ Spanish
WTKZ 1320 AM 44.7 mi. Allentown, PA Sports
WJSS 1330 AM 59.8 mi. Havre de Grace, MD Christian Contemporary
WHAT 1340 AM 3.4 mi. Philadelphia, PA Talk
WHWH 1350 AM 33.2 mi. Princeton, NJ Business News
WNJC 1360 AM 14.6 mi. Vineland, NJ Variety
WPAZ 1370 AM 32.0 mi. Pottstown, PA Oldies
WTMC 1380 AM 28.5 mi. Wilmington, DE Talk
WEST 1400 AM 46.8 mi. Easton, PA Nostalgia
WDOV 1410 AM 59.5 mi. Dover, DE News
WCOJ 1420 AM 35.5 mi. Coatesville, PA Oldies
WMVB 1440 AM 40.4 mi. Millville, NJ Adult Contemporary
WNPV 1440 AM 18.9 mi. Lansdale, PA Talk
WILM 1450 AM 28.5 mi. Wilmington, DE News/Talk
WIFI 1460 AM 19.4 mi. Florence, NJ Christian Contemporary
WKAP 1470 AM 47.6 mi. Allentown, PA Oldies
WDAS 1480 AM 3.6 mi. Philadelphia, PA Gospel Music
WBCB 1490 AM 20.2 mi. Levittown, PA Variety
WFAI 1510 AM 33.3 mi. Salem, NJ Religious
WCHE 1520 AM 26.0 mi. West Chester, PA Talk
WNWR 1540 AM 5.9 mi. Philadelphia, PA Ethnic
WISP 1570 AM 22.7 mi. Doylestown, PA Religious
WGYM 1580 AM 31.7 mi. Hammonton, NJ News/Talk
WPWA 1590 AM 18.5 mi. Chester, PA Gospel Music
WTTM 1680 AM 33.2 mi. Princeton, NJ Asian
THERE ARE NO EMPTY ADJACENT CHANNELS TO BROADCAST ADDITIONAL DIGITAL HISS NECESSARY FOR HD DIGITAL RADIO, WITHOUT INTERFERING WITH OTHER LICENSED STATIONS.
THIS IS TRUE IN MOST POPULATED METROPOLITAN AREAS.
The most powerful stations are usually concentrated in or near the large cities.
HD digital radio will create jamming "hiss zones" in the suburban areas between the metropolitan areas, and jam local stations.
The digital hissing channels will overlap, creating digital intermodulation havoc.
There are 144 radio stations that may be barely perceptible from
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (39° 59' 53" N, 75° 08' 41"
Distances to the stations are in miles.
Info Call Sign Frequency Dist./Signal City School Format
WNJS 88.1 FM 24.6 mi. Berlin, NJ Public Radio
WNJT 88.1 FM 31.2 mi. Trenton, NJ Public Radio
WXPN 88.5 FM 6.1 mi. Philadelphia, PA University of Pennsylvania Adult Album Alternative
WBYO 88.9 FM 28.8 mi. Sellersville, PA Christian Contemporary
WBZC 88.9 FM 33.6 mi. Pemberton, NJ Burlington County College College
WWFM 89.1 FM 31.8 mi. Trenton, NJ Mercer County Community College Classical
WXVU 89.1 FM 10.5 mi. Villanova, PA Villanova University College
WYBF 89.1 FM 12.8 mi. Radnor Township, PA Cabrini College College
WNJB 89.3 FM 37.2 mi. Bridgeton, NJ Public Radio
WRDV 89.3 FM 14.5 mi. Warminster, PA Nostalgia
WSJI 89.5 FM 14.1 mi. Cherry Hill, NJ Religious
WDVR 89.7 FM 36.8 mi. Delaware Township, NJ Variety
WGLS 89.7 FM 22.5 mi. Glassboro, NJ Rowan University of NJ College
WRTI 90.1 FM 5.7 mi. Philadelphia, PA Temple University Public Radio
WVBV 90.5 FM 37.2 mi. Medford Lakes, NJ Religious
WHYY 90.9 FM 5.9 mi. Philadelphia, PA Public Radio
WRTQ 91.3 FM 50.9 mi. Ocean City, NJ Temple University Public Radio
WTSR 91.3 FM 26.9 mi. Trenton, NJ The College of New Jersey College
WDBK 91.5 FM 15.8 mi. Blackwood, NJ Camden County College College
WSRN 91.5 FM 12.8 mi. Swarthmore, PA Swarthmore College College
WBMR 91.7 FM 22.6 mi. Telford, PA Religious
WKDU 91.7 FM 3.6 mi. Philadelphia, PA Drexel University College
WVLT 92.1 FM 34.8 mi. Vineland, NJ Oldies
WXTU 92.5 FM 5.7 mi. Philadelphia, PA Country
WMMR 93.3 FM 3.4 mi. Philadelphia, PA Rock
WSTW 93.7 FM 24.0 mi. Wilmington, DE Top-40
WYSP 94.1 FM 5.9 mi. Philadelphia, PA Rock
WDAC 94.5 FM 58.5 mi. Lancaster, PA Religious
WPST 94.5 FM 20.6 mi. Trenton, NJ Classic Rock
WRDX 94.7 FM 59.5 mi. Dover, DE Classic Rock
WRSD 94.9 FM 12.6 mi. Folsom, PA Ridley High School Grade School (K-12)
W236AF (WBZC) 95.1 FM 15.7 mi. Burlington, NJ Burlington County College College
WAYV 95.1 FM 56.4 mi. Atlantic City, NJ Top-40
WZZO 95.1 FM 43.8 mi. Bethlehem, PA Rock
WBEN 95.7 FM 5.7 mi. Philadelphia, PA Adult Hits
WCTO 96.1 FM 44.0 mi. Easton, PA Country
WRDW 96.5 FM 5.6 mi. Philadelphia, PA Hip Hop
W245AG (WBMR) 96.9 FM 6.1 mi. Gladwyne, PA Religious
WFPG 96.9 FM 56.7 mi. Atlantic City, NJ Adult Contemporary
W246AQ (WXHL) 97.1 FM 3.3 mi. Collingswood, NJ Christian Contemporary
W246AR (WRDV) 97.1 FM 13.9 mi. Bensalem, PA Nostalgia
WIXM 97.3 FM 50.9 mi. Millville, NJ News/Talk
WTHK 97.5 FM 25.8 mi. Burlington, NJ Classic Rock
WOGL 98.1 FM 5.7 mi. Philadelphia, PA Oldies
WUSL 98.9 FM 6.0 mi. Philadelphia, PA Hip Hop
WAWZ 99.1 FM 52.1 mi. Zarephath, NJ Christian Contemporary
WJBR 99.5 FM 23.1 mi. Wilmington, DE Adult Contemporary
WHHS (CP) 99.9 FM 8.4 mi. Havertown, PA Haverford High School Grade School (K-12)
WODE 99.9 FM 49.3 mi. Easton, PA Classic Hits
WPHI 100.3 FM 6.1 mi. Media, PA Hip Hop
WLEV 100.7 FM 42.2 mi. Allentown, PA Adult Contemporary
WBEB 101.1 FM 5.7 mi. Philadelphia, PA Adult Contemporary
WKXW 101.5 FM 31.2 mi. Trenton, NJ News/Talk
WJKS 101.7 FM 40.5 mi. Canton, NJ Hip Hop
WIOQ 102.1 FM 6.0 mi. Philadelphia, PA Top-40
WRFY 102.5 FM 45.5 mi. Reading, PA Rock
WMGK 102.9 FM 5.7 mi. Philadelphia, PA Classic Rock
WPRB 103.3 FM 31.2 mi. Princeton, NJ Princeton University College
W278AK (WXHL) 103.5 FM 18.6 mi. Village Green, PA Christian Contemporary
WMGM 103.7 FM 53.9 mi. Atlantic City, NJ Classic Rock
WXCY 103.7 FM 59.1 mi. Havre de Grace, MD Country
WPPZ 103.9 FM 5.8 mi. Jenkintown, PA Gospel Music
WAEB 104.1 FM 55.3 mi. Allentown, PA Top-40
WSNI 104.5 FM 5.9 mi. Philadelphia, PA Oldies
WSJO 104.9 FM 41.2 mi. Egg Harbor City, NJ Hot AC
WIOV 105.1 FM 55.0 mi. Ephrata, PA Country
WDAS 105.3 FM 5.9 mi. Philadelphia, PA Urban Contemporary
WCHR 105.7 FM 49.3 mi. Manahawkin, NJ Classic Rock
WJJZ 106.1 FM 6.2 mi. Philadelphia, PA Smooth Jazz
WKDN 106.9 FM 6.6 mi. Camden, NJ Religious
W297AD (WRDV) 107.3 FM 3.6 mi. Philadelphia, PA Nostalgia
WBYN 107.5 FM 38.8 mi. Boyertown, PA Religious
W300AD (WWFM) 107.9 FM 3.6 mi. Philadelphia, PA Mercer County Community College Classical
WHHS 107.9 FM 8.4 mi. Havertown, PA Haverford High School Grade School (K-12)
WRNB 107.9 FM 3.4 mi. Pennsauken, NJ Urban Contemporary
WLIE 540 AM 114.3 mi. Islip, NY Business News
WFIL 560 AM 9.7 mi. Philadelphia, PA Religious
WHP 580 AM 97.8 mi. Harrisburg, PA Talk
WARM 590 AM 109.5 mi. Scranton, PA News/Talk
WIP 610 AM 9.3 mi. Philadelphia, PA Sports
WWJZ 640 AM 22.5 mi. Mount Holly, NJ Children's
WFAN 660 AM 93.1 mi. New York, NY Sports
WCBM 680 AM 100.9 mi. Baltimore, MD News/Talk
WPHE 690 AM 24.0 mi. Phoenixville, PA Spanish
WOR 710 AM 78.0 mi. New York, NY Talk
WWII 720 AM 96.6 mi. Shiremanstown, PA Religious
WKDL 730 AM 135.8 mi. Alexandria, VA Spanish
WVCH 740 AM 16.2 mi. Chester, PA Religious
WBMD 750 AM 88.1 mi. Baltimore, MD Religious
WABC 770 AM 83.2 mi. New York, NY News/Talk
WAVA 780 AM 130.8 mi. Arlington, VA Unknown Format
WAEB 790 AM 49.8 mi. Allentown, PA Talk
WTMR 800 AM 6.6 mi. Camden, NJ Religious
WEEU 830 AM 62.8 mi. Reading, PA News/Talk
WWDB 860 AM 16.1 mi. Philadelphia, PA Business News
WCBS 880 AM 93.1 mi. New York, NY News/Talk
WURD 900 AM 6.9 mi. Philadelphia, PA News
WSBA 910 AM 84.8 mi. York, PA News/Talk
WPHY 920 AM 23.2 mi. Trenton, NJ Sports
WPEN 950 AM 6.9 mi. Philadelphia, PA Oldies
WTEM 980 AM 121.1 mi. Washington, DC Sports
WNTP 990 AM 9.7 mi. Philadelphia, PA Talk
WIBG 1020 AM 58.6 mi. Ocean City/Somers Po, NJ Religious
WCHR 1040 AM 36.2 mi. Flemington, NJ Religious
KYW 1060 AM 9.1 mi. Philadelphia, PA News
WBAL 1090 AM 96.7 mi. Baltimore, MD News/Talk
WGPA 1100 AM 44.7 mi. Bethlehem, PA Variety
WNAP 1110 AM 13.0 mi. Norristown, PA Gospel Music
WBBR 1130 AM 80.9 mi. New York, NY Business News
WDEL 1150 AM 24.0 mi. Wilmington, DE News/Talk
WBYN 1160 AM 63.6 mi. Lehighton, PA Religious
WOBM 1160 AM 49.4 mi. Lakewood Township, NJ Nostalgia
WPHT 1210 AM 8.5 mi. Philadelphia, PA Talk
WEEX 1230 AM 49.3 mi. Easton, PA Sports
WIOV 1240 AM 47.8 mi. Reading, PA Sports
WSNJ 1240 AM 37.4 mi. Bridgeton, NJ Nostalgia
WBUD 1260 AM 27.6 mi. Trenton, NJ Nostalgia
WWTX 1290 AM 27.4 mi. Wilmington, DE Sports
WIMG 1300 AM 24.7 mi. Ewing, NJ Gospel Music
WEMG 1310 AM 3.2 mi. Camden, NJ Spanish
WTKZ 1320 AM 44.7 mi. Allentown, PA Sports
WJSS 1330 AM 59.8 mi. Havre de Grace, MD Christian Contemporary
WHAT 1340 AM 3.4 mi. Philadelphia, PA Talk
WHWH 1350 AM 33.2 mi. Princeton, NJ Business News
WNJC 1360 AM 14.6 mi. Vineland, NJ Variety
WPAZ 1370 AM 32.0 mi. Pottstown, PA Oldies
WTMC 1380 AM 28.5 mi. Wilmington, DE Talk
WEST 1400 AM 46.8 mi. Easton, PA Nostalgia
WDOV 1410 AM 59.5 mi. Dover, DE News
WCOJ 1420 AM 35.5 mi. Coatesville, PA Oldies
WMVB 1440 AM 40.4 mi. Millville, NJ Adult Contemporary
WNPV 1440 AM 18.9 mi. Lansdale, PA Talk
WILM 1450 AM 28.5 mi. Wilmington, DE News/Talk
WIFI 1460 AM 19.4 mi. Florence, NJ Christian Contemporary
WKAP 1470 AM 47.6 mi. Allentown, PA Oldies
WDAS 1480 AM 3.6 mi. Philadelphia, PA Gospel Music
WBCB 1490 AM 20.2 mi. Levittown, PA Variety
WFAI 1510 AM 33.3 mi. Salem, NJ Religious
WCHE 1520 AM 26.0 mi. West Chester, PA Talk
WNWR 1540 AM 5.9 mi. Philadelphia, PA Ethnic
WISP 1570 AM 22.7 mi. Doylestown, PA Religious
WGYM 1580 AM 31.7 mi. Hammonton, NJ News/Talk
WPWA 1590 AM 18.5 mi. Chester, PA Gospel Music
WTTM 1680 AM 33.2 mi. Princeton, NJ Asian
Thursday, January 19, 2006
HD digital radio-Benefits a few at the expense of the many.
THE DESTRUCTION OF THE PUBLIC AIRWAVES FAR OUTWEIGHS ANY BENEFIT.
The media is already over concentrated in the hands of far too few vested interests.
HD digital radio jamms existing analog stations by broadcasting modem type digital hissing noise all over the public's AM and FM bands.
Provides fewer stations, not more, by jamming popular stations you can now receive clearly and enjoy.
Jamms lower power local, community, and suburban stations most. The same stations that provide valuable choice, diversity, and otherwise unavailable, unduplicated, local news, sports, entertainment and information.
Reduces diversity, restricts local news, information, and free speech, by allowing powerful broadcast stations and conglomerates to control and jam independent voices with digital noise.
Has digital coverage limited to only a few miles from the station's transmitter.
Provides few benefits, but maximum destruction, of the current analog broadcasting system the public depends upon, especially in emergencies.
Is a seriously flawed, expensive, technology that benefits a very few group station owners, at the expense of the many.
Obsoletes almost 1 billion AM and FM radios the public already owns.
Provides little benefit for the general public, at the great cost of destroying their airwaves.
The internet already provides hundreds of thousands of iPod downloads and broadcast streams, wireless inernet is already on the way. There is no need for a destructive new proprietary digital signals to jam analog broadcasting.
http://worldsupercaster.blogspot.com/
The media is already over concentrated in the hands of far too few vested interests.
HD digital radio jamms existing analog stations by broadcasting modem type digital hissing noise all over the public's AM and FM bands.
Provides fewer stations, not more, by jamming popular stations you can now receive clearly and enjoy.
Jamms lower power local, community, and suburban stations most. The same stations that provide valuable choice, diversity, and otherwise unavailable, unduplicated, local news, sports, entertainment and information.
Reduces diversity, restricts local news, information, and free speech, by allowing powerful broadcast stations and conglomerates to control and jam independent voices with digital noise.
Has digital coverage limited to only a few miles from the station's transmitter.
Provides few benefits, but maximum destruction, of the current analog broadcasting system the public depends upon, especially in emergencies.
Is a seriously flawed, expensive, technology that benefits a very few group station owners, at the expense of the many.
Obsoletes almost 1 billion AM and FM radios the public already owns.
Provides little benefit for the general public, at the great cost of destroying their airwaves.
The internet already provides hundreds of thousands of iPod downloads and broadcast streams, wireless inernet is already on the way. There is no need for a destructive new proprietary digital signals to jam analog broadcasting.
http://worldsupercaster.blogspot.com/
HD digital radio-Just because it’s new and digital does not make it better.
"I just can’t see ever upgrading my radio to HD."
"So one of the things you’ve probably heard about today is that your existing radio stations are converting to digital. What that means is that you’ll get the same clear stations with the limited programming you get now, but in crisp digital, as opposed to that lame analog you are listening to now. Of course you’ll need a new radio to enjoy this."
Here is the link to the complete article:
http://www.atmasphere.net/wp/archives/2005/01/05/hd-radio
"So one of the things you’ve probably heard about today is that your existing radio stations are converting to digital. What that means is that you’ll get the same clear stations with the limited programming you get now, but in crisp digital, as opposed to that lame analog you are listening to now. Of course you’ll need a new radio to enjoy this."
Here is the link to the complete article:
http://www.atmasphere.net/wp/archives/2005/01/05/hd-radio
Wednesday, January 18, 2006
HD digital radio-Jamms your neighbors-FOR BROADCAST ENGINEERS
It is a matter of record that 2nd adjacent interference to analog was observed in both the AM and FM IBOC systems, under laboratory conditions with pristine signals.
We've been through this one before, but I guess I'll have to say it again.
It is not necessary to postulate Tx problems in order to have 2nd adjacent issues. It is a matter of record that 2nd adjacent interference to analog was observed in both the AM and FM IBOC systems, under laboratory conditions with pristine signals. Obviously IMD from the transmitter canmake matters worse, but problems may exist even when the IMD is insignificant.
Barry-- Barry McLarnon VE3JF Ottawa, ON
Source:
http://lists.radiolists.net/pipermail/tech-zone/2005-November/000176.html
We've been through this one before, but I guess I'll have to say it again.
It is not necessary to postulate Tx problems in order to have 2nd adjacent issues. It is a matter of record that 2nd adjacent interference to analog was observed in both the AM and FM IBOC systems, under laboratory conditions with pristine signals. Obviously IMD from the transmitter canmake matters worse, but problems may exist even when the IMD is insignificant.
Barry-- Barry McLarnon VE3JF Ottawa, ON
Source:
http://lists.radiolists.net/pipermail/tech-zone/2005-November/000176.html
HD digital radio-FAILS AGAIN!-(for broadcast engineers)
A large bird squatting on the tower can change everything, and IMHO "annual" mask measurements have become a joke with the advent of NRSC-5.
On 26 Nov 2005 at 3:00, Alan Alsobrook wrote:> In actual practice it does seem to be hitting up to the 3rd on a few > I've listened to. I must admit that this was simply consumer receiver
> listening. So I can't say much as to the reason, be it receiver induced > or excessive bandwidth from the source.All I can say is I've seen Richard Hinkle's demo of adaptive predistortionwhere there was plenty of garbage at +/- 20 kHz around -70 with some showing up at +/- 30 kHz; then about 30-45 seconds after doing the Capt.Picard "Engage" number, all is clear above -90 at both second and third.Truly amazing.Considering the variations typical in DA operation, and for that matter,in a simple ATU/tower combination with temperature and moisture variation,I don't see how it will be possible to operate MW-IBOC/HD without a predistorter and continuous monitoring such as Belar is bringing to marketsoon.Maybe it's just me, but I don't see how you can KNOW what your emissions are unless you watch them. A large bird squatting on the tower can change everything, and IMHO "annual" mask measurements have become a joke withthe advent of NRSC-5.
Phil Alexander, CSRE, AMDBroadcast Engineering Services and Technology (a Div. of Advanced Parts Corporation) Ph. (317) 335-2065 FAX (317) 335-9037
Source:
http://lists.radiolists.net/pipermail/tech-zone/2005-November/000147.html
On 26 Nov 2005 at 3:00, Alan Alsobrook wrote:> In actual practice it does seem to be hitting up to the 3rd on a few > I've listened to. I must admit that this was simply consumer receiver
> listening. So I can't say much as to the reason, be it receiver induced > or excessive bandwidth from the source.All I can say is I've seen Richard Hinkle's demo of adaptive predistortionwhere there was plenty of garbage at +/- 20 kHz around -70 with some showing up at +/- 30 kHz; then about 30-45 seconds after doing the Capt.Picard "Engage" number, all is clear above -90 at both second and third.Truly amazing.Considering the variations typical in DA operation, and for that matter,in a simple ATU/tower combination with temperature and moisture variation,I don't see how it will be possible to operate MW-IBOC/HD without a predistorter and continuous monitoring such as Belar is bringing to marketsoon.Maybe it's just me, but I don't see how you can KNOW what your emissions are unless you watch them. A large bird squatting on the tower can change everything, and IMHO "annual" mask measurements have become a joke withthe advent of NRSC-5.
Phil Alexander, CSRE, AMDBroadcast Engineering Services and Technology (a Div. of Advanced Parts Corporation) Ph. (317) 335-2065 FAX (317) 335-9037
Source:
http://lists.radiolists.net/pipermail/tech-zone/2005-November/000147.html
HD digital radio LLL-LIES, LIES, AND MORE LIES!
"I’m concerned for the future of AM IBOC with the Ibiquity system. If adopted as-is, multiple lawsuits from aggrieved and irate parties seems likely."
"P.E. Timothy Cutforth of Vir James Engineers spoke of severe 2nd adjacent interference posed by the 6 Denver AM’s that were operating with HD Radio. Some of this was within the 2 mV contour of the "desired" station. Tim also charged that the present STA operations do not properly comply with the NRSC-2 mask, which uses a 10 minute peak detection."
The comments and replies on HD Radio-IBOC in general, and the NRSC-5 standard in particular, continued to roll in right up to the August 17 deadline. Nearly 1000 comment postings are listed in Docket 99-325. A number of Consulting Engineers and smaller broadcasting companies expressed concerns about interference with the AM system. P.E. Timothy Cutforth of Vir James Engineers spoke of severe 2nd adjacent interference posed by the 6 Denver AM’s that were operating with HD Radio. Some of this was within the 2 mV contour of the "desired" station. Tim also charged that the present STA operations do not properly comply with the NRSC-2 mask, which uses a 10 minute peak detection. Tim stated: "The very manufacturers setting up IBOC equipment are specifying that the spectrum analyzer should be set for average not peak detection as specified in NRSC-2. The new proposed NRSC-5 standard calls for several allowable spikes 20 dB above the (averaging detector) mask level. The present FCC rule upon which the IBOC STA operation is based specify peak detection and NO SPIKES above the mask level over a ten minute observation period. Again the broadcaster and the FCC has been mislead into believing that the IBOC STA operation complies fully with the present NRSC-2 emission mask when in fact it may miss the mark by 20 dB or more as actually installed and measured."
Broadcast Company of the Americas (BCA), which programs 50 kW 1090 XEPRS, was particularly concerned. Thanks to favorable propagation over the ocean, this Mexican AM has a 5 mV/m signal over much of Los Angeles, but received severe interference over large areas within that contour when Infinity's 50 kW KNX 1070 Los Angeles and Disney's 50 kW KDIS 1110 Pasadena turned on their HD exciters. BCA mirrored Cutforth’s concerns: "Whereas NRSC-2 used peak weighting and 10-minute spectrum storage for spectrograms, the proposed NRSC-5 uses average weighting and 30-second storage. The relatively lax NRSC-5 standard thus tends to gloss over what the ear actually hears as "hiss/noise" and what the spectrum analyzer displays. The NRSC-2 spectrum was never "maxed out" within a few seconds of storage time. It took many minutes to build up the NRSC-2 spectrum mask, unlike NRSC-5’s instant build up with constant digital signals. Additionally, NRSC-5 allows for two discrete "spikes" within 75 kHz of the carrier frequency to be 10 dB above the emission mask, with the result that a hybrid transmission that is barely meeting the proposed mask can claim compliance with the NRSC-5 standard. The ear hears these vast differences in digital and analog sidebands." (XEPRS was formerly "The Mighty 1090" XERB, with the inimitable Wolfman Jack.)
Having done hundreds of AM NRSC measurements over the years, I can verify that a station that meets the mask in a 10 minute peak test will normally have average sidebands many dB lower. The mask was never intended to be a limit for "good" operation, but a maximum for a "worst case" station operation. Some really lousy sounding AM stations with very audible sideband splatter can still pass the NRSC mask. While I’m still optimistic about the FM system, after reading many of these comments I’m concerned for the future of AM IBOC with the Ibiquity system. If adopted as-is, multiple lawsuits from aggrieved and irate parties seems likely.
HERE IS THE LINK:
http://www.sbe124.org/newsletters/pdx0905/
"P.E. Timothy Cutforth of Vir James Engineers spoke of severe 2nd adjacent interference posed by the 6 Denver AM’s that were operating with HD Radio. Some of this was within the 2 mV contour of the "desired" station. Tim also charged that the present STA operations do not properly comply with the NRSC-2 mask, which uses a 10 minute peak detection."
The comments and replies on HD Radio-IBOC in general, and the NRSC-5 standard in particular, continued to roll in right up to the August 17 deadline. Nearly 1000 comment postings are listed in Docket 99-325. A number of Consulting Engineers and smaller broadcasting companies expressed concerns about interference with the AM system. P.E. Timothy Cutforth of Vir James Engineers spoke of severe 2nd adjacent interference posed by the 6 Denver AM’s that were operating with HD Radio. Some of this was within the 2 mV contour of the "desired" station. Tim also charged that the present STA operations do not properly comply with the NRSC-2 mask, which uses a 10 minute peak detection. Tim stated: "The very manufacturers setting up IBOC equipment are specifying that the spectrum analyzer should be set for average not peak detection as specified in NRSC-2. The new proposed NRSC-5 standard calls for several allowable spikes 20 dB above the (averaging detector) mask level. The present FCC rule upon which the IBOC STA operation is based specify peak detection and NO SPIKES above the mask level over a ten minute observation period. Again the broadcaster and the FCC has been mislead into believing that the IBOC STA operation complies fully with the present NRSC-2 emission mask when in fact it may miss the mark by 20 dB or more as actually installed and measured."
Broadcast Company of the Americas (BCA), which programs 50 kW 1090 XEPRS, was particularly concerned. Thanks to favorable propagation over the ocean, this Mexican AM has a 5 mV/m signal over much of Los Angeles, but received severe interference over large areas within that contour when Infinity's 50 kW KNX 1070 Los Angeles and Disney's 50 kW KDIS 1110 Pasadena turned on their HD exciters. BCA mirrored Cutforth’s concerns: "Whereas NRSC-2 used peak weighting and 10-minute spectrum storage for spectrograms, the proposed NRSC-5 uses average weighting and 30-second storage. The relatively lax NRSC-5 standard thus tends to gloss over what the ear actually hears as "hiss/noise" and what the spectrum analyzer displays. The NRSC-2 spectrum was never "maxed out" within a few seconds of storage time. It took many minutes to build up the NRSC-2 spectrum mask, unlike NRSC-5’s instant build up with constant digital signals. Additionally, NRSC-5 allows for two discrete "spikes" within 75 kHz of the carrier frequency to be 10 dB above the emission mask, with the result that a hybrid transmission that is barely meeting the proposed mask can claim compliance with the NRSC-5 standard. The ear hears these vast differences in digital and analog sidebands." (XEPRS was formerly "The Mighty 1090" XERB, with the inimitable Wolfman Jack.)
Having done hundreds of AM NRSC measurements over the years, I can verify that a station that meets the mask in a 10 minute peak test will normally have average sidebands many dB lower. The mask was never intended to be a limit for "good" operation, but a maximum for a "worst case" station operation. Some really lousy sounding AM stations with very audible sideband splatter can still pass the NRSC mask. While I’m still optimistic about the FM system, after reading many of these comments I’m concerned for the future of AM IBOC with the Ibiquity system. If adopted as-is, multiple lawsuits from aggrieved and irate parties seems likely.
HERE IS THE LINK:
http://www.sbe124.org/newsletters/pdx0905/
HD digital radio-Out of 940 comments filed with the FCC, MOST ARE AGAINST HD!
MOST OF THE 940 OFFICIAL COMMENTS FILED WITH THE FCC, BEFORE THE FILING PERIOD CLOSED, WERE AGAINST ACCEPTING THE STANDARD AS SUBMITTED.
Here is the link:
http://www.nab.org/newsroom/PressRel/Releases/nrsc041605.htm
Here is the link:
http://www.nab.org/newsroom/PressRel/Releases/nrsc041605.htm
HD digital radio-"INTERUM AUTHORITY" NOT THE SAME AS "FINAL APPROVAL"
ANOTHER HD DIGITAL RADIO LIE DETECTED!
The FCC has given broadcasters interim authority to implement iBiquity's HD Radio™ system, which is a specific implementation of NRSC 5.
Source:
http://www.nab.org/newsroom/PressRel/Releases/nrsc041605.htm
The FCC has given broadcasters interim authority to implement iBiquity's HD Radio™ system, which is a specific implementation of NRSC 5.
Source:
http://www.nab.org/newsroom/PressRel/Releases/nrsc041605.htm
Tuesday, January 17, 2006
HD DIGITAL RADIO-Encryption requirement to prevent downloading.
"The RIAA has suggested broadly empowering the FCC to mandate that all radio broadcasters encrypt their digital content at the source."
The NAB objects claiming millions of HD digital radios would become obsolete.
Some would argue that this is wishful thinking on the NAB's part because there are few HD Radio receivers actually in the field.
Here is the link to the full article:
http://beradio.com/currents/radio_currents_010906/index.html#riaa
The NAB objects claiming millions of HD digital radios would become obsolete.
Some would argue that this is wishful thinking on the NAB's part because there are few HD Radio receivers actually in the field.
Here is the link to the full article:
http://beradio.com/currents/radio_currents_010906/index.html#riaa
Sunday, January 15, 2006
FMeXtra vs HD Radio-Comments
Independent comments from broadcast engineers comparing the two FM digital systems.
"> > Thats a cool system, it seems much more superior to IBOC. > > Why havent we heard more about it? > > Because our pals at Ibiquity wouldn't be able to charge > their superior licensing fees for their inferior product > they are sticking us with... > At least with the whole HD-2 thing we might gain enough > extra revenue to recover all the fees someday... Maybe. Thats just it. FMeXtra is superior in several ways to HD. First off, the Codecs sound much better. Why can't iBiquity get it right. How come the FM codec doesn't sound much better than the AM codec. FMeXtra managed to squeeze two really good sounding stereo streams in the subcarrier band. Even TieLine Technology http://www.tieline.com/ was able to develop a codec that gives you quality stereo audio over a POTS Dialup connection! Where has (or why has) iBiquity gone wrong? Secondly, all the radio station has to do is buy the FMeXtra encoder/generator. Once you have it, you got it. Plug it in, configure it, and you're done, its on the air. With HD, stations need to spend money on combiners or additional antennas. Thirdly, There is the annual licensing fee for HD. There are no fees with FMeXtra. Fourthly, there is no issue of adjacent channel interference from FMeXtra as it uses the existing subcarrier part of the channel, and not the sidebands. Drawbacks: You need to keep the Analog Modulation in check. No more overmodulating. Also the range doesn'treach quite as far as the usable main channel Analog signal. This however is no different with the current HD system. Other Perks: FMeXtra is fully compatible with HD, so a station could use both at the same time if they wanted. The system supports ancillary data as well. It can also be configured to allow for use of RDS. So why haven't we heard more about it? The problem is that it is a superior system that would allow the little independant and college/community stations to remain on a level playing field with the big corporate broadcasters. FMeXtra is developed by DREinc which itself is a small private company. iBiquity is a conglomeration supported by all the big corporate broadcasters and then some. There is too much invested in iBiquity's system to let some little independant guy come along and steal their corporate thunder. By advocating a system that requires major technical upgrades, expensive equipment, and "superior licensing fees" they basically edge out the little broadcasters who can't aford it, thus allowing more room for big bucks corporate radio. Tell everyone you know about DREinc and FMeXtra! "
http://www.radio-info.com/mods/board?Post=628373&Board=engineering
"> > Thats a cool system, it seems much more superior to IBOC. > > Why havent we heard more about it? > > Because our pals at Ibiquity wouldn't be able to charge > their superior licensing fees for their inferior product > they are sticking us with... > At least with the whole HD-2 thing we might gain enough > extra revenue to recover all the fees someday... Maybe. Thats just it. FMeXtra is superior in several ways to HD. First off, the Codecs sound much better. Why can't iBiquity get it right. How come the FM codec doesn't sound much better than the AM codec. FMeXtra managed to squeeze two really good sounding stereo streams in the subcarrier band. Even TieLine Technology http://www.tieline.com/ was able to develop a codec that gives you quality stereo audio over a POTS Dialup connection! Where has (or why has) iBiquity gone wrong? Secondly, all the radio station has to do is buy the FMeXtra encoder/generator. Once you have it, you got it. Plug it in, configure it, and you're done, its on the air. With HD, stations need to spend money on combiners or additional antennas. Thirdly, There is the annual licensing fee for HD. There are no fees with FMeXtra. Fourthly, there is no issue of adjacent channel interference from FMeXtra as it uses the existing subcarrier part of the channel, and not the sidebands. Drawbacks: You need to keep the Analog Modulation in check. No more overmodulating. Also the range doesn'treach quite as far as the usable main channel Analog signal. This however is no different with the current HD system. Other Perks: FMeXtra is fully compatible with HD, so a station could use both at the same time if they wanted. The system supports ancillary data as well. It can also be configured to allow for use of RDS. So why haven't we heard more about it? The problem is that it is a superior system that would allow the little independant and college/community stations to remain on a level playing field with the big corporate broadcasters. FMeXtra is developed by DREinc which itself is a small private company. iBiquity is a conglomeration supported by all the big corporate broadcasters and then some. There is too much invested in iBiquity's system to let some little independant guy come along and steal their corporate thunder. By advocating a system that requires major technical upgrades, expensive equipment, and "superior licensing fees" they basically edge out the little broadcasters who can't aford it, thus allowing more room for big bucks corporate radio. Tell everyone you know about DREinc and FMeXtra! "
http://www.radio-info.com/mods/board?Post=628373&Board=engineering
HD digital FM-POOR QUALITY-JAMMS OTHER STATIONS!
Here is a link providing engineering proof that HD digital radio is a seriously defective system.
http://users.tns.net/~bb/iboc.htm
http://users.tns.net/~bb/iboc.htm
HD digital radio jamms stations!
Before and after spectrum analysis proving HD digital AM radio jamms other stations!
Here is the link:
http://www.dallas.net/~jvpoll/rfi/AM620_KMKI/AM620_KMKI_01.html
Here is the link:
http://www.dallas.net/~jvpoll/rfi/AM620_KMKI/AM620_KMKI_01.html
HD DIGITAL RADIO IBOC technology has not been proven to work.
"In almost every test conducted in the past ten years, the IBOC system failed to perform as well as expected."
Observers that have listened to IBOC test stations have heard sound effects on adjacent channels that they have likened to "a buzz saw."
NEXT FCC GIVEAWAY: DIGITAL RADIO, by Pete Tridish & Amy Hammersmith
Here is the link to the full article:
http://www.media-alliance.org/article.php?story=20040514121942368&mode=print
Observers that have listened to IBOC test stations have heard sound effects on adjacent channels that they have likened to "a buzz saw."
NEXT FCC GIVEAWAY: DIGITAL RADIO, by Pete Tridish & Amy Hammersmith
Here is the link to the full article:
http://www.media-alliance.org/article.php?story=20040514121942368&mode=print
I expect IBOC to die the same death as AM Stereo.
"If everyone adopts IBOC, they should destroy each other totally."
Here is the link to the complete review article about AM and FM HD digital radio IBOC:
http://www.angelfire.com/wi/Page3/iboc.htm
Here is the link to the complete review article about AM and FM HD digital radio IBOC:
http://www.angelfire.com/wi/Page3/iboc.htm
What does IBOC add to the enjoyment of the FM radio listener? Nothing!
"But, as with all entertainment services, it is the content that is the real market driver. What does IBOC add to the enjoyment of the FM radio listener? Nothing. Will buyers go out for a new IBOC receiver for a switch to digital quality? No. So, do I believe that the IBOC market for existing FM stations is a moot issue? You bet."
"From this Editor's viewpoint of the radio industry iBiquity's IBOC is a wonderful idea, poorly engineered. Were there any analog RF engineers in the design team or did "digital" make assumptions about reality? All in A Midsummer Night's Dream."
Here is the link to the full review:
http://www.analogzone.com/nete0819.htm
"From this Editor's viewpoint of the radio industry iBiquity's IBOC is a wonderful idea, poorly engineered. Were there any analog RF engineers in the design team or did "digital" make assumptions about reality? All in A Midsummer Night's Dream."
Here is the link to the full review:
http://www.analogzone.com/nete0819.htm
Monday, January 09, 2006
HD digital radio-Just Hype-"WHERE'S THE BEEF?"
"IBOC is a solution running around in search of a problem that doesn't exist. I have yet to hear anyone say, "I don't listen to radio anymore because AM (or FM) sounds horrible," but I *have* heard people say that they abandoned radio because of lousy programming. If stations that play stale voice-tracked playlists or schlock infomercials think they can magically expand their audience shares by broadcasting such program content in IBOC, I have some prime Martian real estate for them at a very reasonable price... It's ironic that IBOC's backers are pushing it primarily for car receivers, because with the ambient vehicle noise the supposedly better audio quality wouldn't be apparent anyway."
Here is the link to the full posting:
http://www.radio-info.com/mods/board?Post=617562&Board=engineering
Here is the link to the full posting:
http://www.radio-info.com/mods/board?Post=617562&Board=engineering
Friday, January 06, 2006
HD DIGITAL RADIO-EXPENSIVE HOAX
HD DIGITAL RADIO-SPUTTERS-VERY LIMITED RANGE!
Here is a link to a Philadelphia Daily News article about HD digital radio, and my reply is below.
http://www.philly.com/mld/philly/entertainment/nightlife/13537303.htm
My letter to the editor:
Oh, if the rosy picture you paint for HD digital radio were only true.
I am in favor of digital audio and digital media except for the proprietary HD Radio-NRSC-5-iBiquity system which is destructive, deceptive, and not in "the public interest, convenience, or necessity." It will do far more to destroy broadcasting, and the public's airwaves, then any possible benefit. As more digital stations sign on the air the digital hissing and jamming will spread across the dial, jamming more and more licensed stations, and eventually making the broadcast bands a noisy wasteland. This system is severely flawed and has misrepresented itself to the public and the government. HD Radio should not be approved or allowed.
Here, in northeast Philly, WDAS 1480 (AM) jamms the primary signal of WBCB 1490 (AM) in their primary coverage, with a continuous, annoying digital hiss.
Thousands of favorite AM and FM stations will be jammed by these digital signals (which sound like a computer modem) as more and more digital stations invade the airwaves. Each HD Radio AM or FM station blocks up to 5 channels, jamming and blocking other popular stations with digital noise. Proove it yourelf! Just tune to either side of a HD digital AM station with any ordinary AM radio. The hissing noise is loud, plain and jamms other stations. The digital stations here in Philadelphia are WIP 610, WPEN 950, and WDAS 1480. The situation is similar on FM.
HD digital AM radio requires the current analog fidelity to be cut in half, in order to accommodate the new digital signals, and creates an annoying digital hiss that can not be tuned out with most current analog radios. The public now owns over 800 million analog AM/FM radios, and they all will become obsolete due to digital hissing. Conveniently for the HD cartel, they have an expensive, poor performing, replacement.
There are other, better, compatible systems to transmit digital audio that are not getting proper consideration because of political misrepresentations, maneuvers, lobbying, and "influence" being spread around by the HD Radio Cartel/Consortium. Other systems are Kahn CamD for AM and FMeXtra for FM. Neither jams other stations and both provide fully compatible digital broadcast service without destroying the current analog broadcasting system. Both are fully compatible with the current AM and FM broadcasting system and standards, while HD Radio is not.
HD digital radio claims to be in band, on channel. But it is off channel, and will soon be all over the band if HD digital radio proponents have their way.
The FCC is now considering final acceptance of this seriously flawed system. Let them know that you do not want HD digital radio jamming the public's airwaves.
There is much less coverage area, not more, as falsely promised.
HD digital radio does not overcome interference, in most cases, it creates it.
HD digital radio creates an annoying digital hiss, jamming other favorite stations.
Fewer stations, not more.
Less diversity, not more.
Lower fidelity, not more.
More expense, not less.
Do you want your radios to perform as poorly as your digital cell phone?
They will soon, if HD Radio has it's way.
My websites further discuss this impending digital disaster, and are listed below.
HD digital radio is a DIGITAL DISASTER.
Sincerely,
Richard Franklin
http://worldsupercaster.blogspot.com/
FMeXtra info: http://www.dreinc.com/www/main_radio.htm
Kahn CamD info: http://www.wrathofkahn.org/wst_page5.html
Here is a link to a Philadelphia Daily News article about HD digital radio, and my reply is below.
http://www.philly.com/mld/philly/entertainment/nightlife/13537303.htm
My letter to the editor:
Oh, if the rosy picture you paint for HD digital radio were only true.
I am in favor of digital audio and digital media except for the proprietary HD Radio-NRSC-5-iBiquity system which is destructive, deceptive, and not in "the public interest, convenience, or necessity." It will do far more to destroy broadcasting, and the public's airwaves, then any possible benefit. As more digital stations sign on the air the digital hissing and jamming will spread across the dial, jamming more and more licensed stations, and eventually making the broadcast bands a noisy wasteland. This system is severely flawed and has misrepresented itself to the public and the government. HD Radio should not be approved or allowed.
Here, in northeast Philly, WDAS 1480 (AM) jamms the primary signal of WBCB 1490 (AM) in their primary coverage, with a continuous, annoying digital hiss.
Thousands of favorite AM and FM stations will be jammed by these digital signals (which sound like a computer modem) as more and more digital stations invade the airwaves. Each HD Radio AM or FM station blocks up to 5 channels, jamming and blocking other popular stations with digital noise. Proove it yourelf! Just tune to either side of a HD digital AM station with any ordinary AM radio. The hissing noise is loud, plain and jamms other stations. The digital stations here in Philadelphia are WIP 610, WPEN 950, and WDAS 1480. The situation is similar on FM.
HD digital AM radio requires the current analog fidelity to be cut in half, in order to accommodate the new digital signals, and creates an annoying digital hiss that can not be tuned out with most current analog radios. The public now owns over 800 million analog AM/FM radios, and they all will become obsolete due to digital hissing. Conveniently for the HD cartel, they have an expensive, poor performing, replacement.
There are other, better, compatible systems to transmit digital audio that are not getting proper consideration because of political misrepresentations, maneuvers, lobbying, and "influence" being spread around by the HD Radio Cartel/Consortium. Other systems are Kahn CamD for AM and FMeXtra for FM. Neither jams other stations and both provide fully compatible digital broadcast service without destroying the current analog broadcasting system. Both are fully compatible with the current AM and FM broadcasting system and standards, while HD Radio is not.
HD digital radio claims to be in band, on channel. But it is off channel, and will soon be all over the band if HD digital radio proponents have their way.
The FCC is now considering final acceptance of this seriously flawed system. Let them know that you do not want HD digital radio jamming the public's airwaves.
There is much less coverage area, not more, as falsely promised.
HD digital radio does not overcome interference, in most cases, it creates it.
HD digital radio creates an annoying digital hiss, jamming other favorite stations.
Fewer stations, not more.
Less diversity, not more.
Lower fidelity, not more.
More expense, not less.
Do you want your radios to perform as poorly as your digital cell phone?
They will soon, if HD Radio has it's way.
My websites further discuss this impending digital disaster, and are listed below.
HD digital radio is a DIGITAL DISASTER.
Sincerely,
Richard Franklin
http://worldsupercaster.blogspot.com/
FMeXtra info: http://www.dreinc.com/www/main_radio.htm
Kahn CamD info: http://www.wrathofkahn.org/wst_page5.html
Wednesday, January 04, 2006
HD DIGITAL RADIO-believe it or NOT!
HD DIGITAL RADIO-FORGETABOUTIT!
Sarasota Herald-Tribune
Dear Digital Radio Babe,
Oh, if the rosy picture you paint for HD-2 radio were only true.
I am in favor of digital audio and digital media except for the proprietary HD Radio-NRSC-5-iBiquity system which is destructive, deceptive, and not in "the public interest, convenience, or necessity." It will do far more to destroy broadcasting, and the public's airwaves, then any possible benefit. As more digital stations sign on the air the digital hissing and jamming will spread across the dial, jamming more and more licensed stations, and eventually making the broadcast bands a noisy wasteland. This system is severely flawed and has misrepresented itself to the public and the government. HD Radio should not be approved or allowed.
There are other, better, compatible systems to transmit digital audio that are not getting proper consideration because of political misrepresentations, maneuvers, lobbying, and "influence" being spread around by the HD Radio Cartel/Consortium.
Other systems are Kahn CamD for AM and fmXtra for FM. Neither jams other stations and both provide fully compatible digital broadcast service without destroying the current analog broadcasting system. Both are fully compatible with the current AM and FM broadcasting system and standards, while HD Radio is not.
HD digital AM radio requires the current analog fidelity to be cut in half, and creates an annoying digital hiss that can not be tuned out with most current analog radios. The public now owns over 800 million analog AM/FM radios, and they all will become obsolete. Conveniently for the cartel, they have an expensive, poor performing, replacement.
Each HD Radio station is up to 5 channels wide, jamming and blocking other stations with digital noise.
There is much less coverage area, not more.
Fewer stations, not more.
Less diversity, not more.
Lower fidelity, not more.
Do you want your radios to perform as poorly as your digital cell phone?
They will soon, if HD Radio has it's way.
My websites further discuss this impending digital disaster, and are listed below.
HD digital radio is a DIGITAL DISASTER.
Sincerely,
Richard Franklin
http://worldsupercaster.blogspot.com
http://commonsensesolutions.blogspot.com
Sarasota Herald-Tribune
Dear Digital Radio Babe,
Oh, if the rosy picture you paint for HD-2 radio were only true.
I am in favor of digital audio and digital media except for the proprietary HD Radio-NRSC-5-iBiquity system which is destructive, deceptive, and not in "the public interest, convenience, or necessity." It will do far more to destroy broadcasting, and the public's airwaves, then any possible benefit. As more digital stations sign on the air the digital hissing and jamming will spread across the dial, jamming more and more licensed stations, and eventually making the broadcast bands a noisy wasteland. This system is severely flawed and has misrepresented itself to the public and the government. HD Radio should not be approved or allowed.
There are other, better, compatible systems to transmit digital audio that are not getting proper consideration because of political misrepresentations, maneuvers, lobbying, and "influence" being spread around by the HD Radio Cartel/Consortium.
Other systems are Kahn CamD for AM and fmXtra for FM. Neither jams other stations and both provide fully compatible digital broadcast service without destroying the current analog broadcasting system. Both are fully compatible with the current AM and FM broadcasting system and standards, while HD Radio is not.
HD digital AM radio requires the current analog fidelity to be cut in half, and creates an annoying digital hiss that can not be tuned out with most current analog radios. The public now owns over 800 million analog AM/FM radios, and they all will become obsolete. Conveniently for the cartel, they have an expensive, poor performing, replacement.
Each HD Radio station is up to 5 channels wide, jamming and blocking other stations with digital noise.
There is much less coverage area, not more.
Fewer stations, not more.
Less diversity, not more.
Lower fidelity, not more.
Do you want your radios to perform as poorly as your digital cell phone?
They will soon, if HD Radio has it's way.
My websites further discuss this impending digital disaster, and are listed below.
HD digital radio is a DIGITAL DISASTER.
Sincerely,
Richard Franklin
http://worldsupercaster.blogspot.com
http://commonsensesolutions.blogspot.com
Saturday, December 24, 2005
HD DIGITAL RADIO-"PET ROCK" FOR THE NEW MELLENIUM
MAKE THE HISS GO AWAY!-Parody of old Eddy Arnold tune.
Click Here for info.
Click Here for info.
Friday, December 09, 2005
AM RADIO CUTS ALREADY POOR FIDELITY IN HALF!
LOOSING LISTENERS TO FM, AM RADIO HAS DECIDED THE ANSWER IS TO SOUND WORSE!
Dear Radio World Editor,
I strongly disagree with the conclusions drawn in the article "5 kHz Bandwidth Restriction suits AM" by George W. Woodard, PE, Dec. 7, 2005 Radio World.
This article not posted to web-No link yet available.
The conclusions he reached are not supported by his own data, and is contrary to the bulk of over 100 years of acoustic, medical, and electronic research.
His data and text show a -16 dB loss on his "Best" tested radio. At about 9000 Hz (NRSC-1 and 2 dictate high frequency pre-emphasis and a 10, 000 Hz cutoff) for broadcast AM. When the preemphasis that he mentions is included, this is reduced to about -6dB. NOT BAD! I'll settle for that.
Then he proposes that broadcast AM would sound better and more intelligible if the fidelity were cut in half to 5 kHz. Perhaps on short wave communication where sky wave with selective fading and selective sideband cancellation occur this might be an advantage. In AM broadcast where the primary coverage is ground wave, such effects are minimal.
Almost all acoustic, medical, electronic, speech, and other research strongly show higher fidelity, greater signal to noise, lower distortion, improve natural sound and intelligibility. The research for this is compellingly conclusive. If you have any doubt, study the research or ask any competent audiologist, medical doctor, acoustic engineer, or other professional.
The link below is to a recent white paper showing that speech intelligibility is increased with better response up to 14 kHz and there is a very significant loss of intelligibility when frequencies between 5 and 9 kHz are missing. (See Figure 2).
http://www.polycom.com/common/pw_cmp_updateDocKeywords/0,1687,1809,00.pdf
Add to this the very loud hiss created by HD radio-IBOC-iBiquity and AM radio is destroying itself. The level of the IBOC hiss belies it's actual loudness and loss of intelligibility because of the nature of the digital waveform vs. analog waveform. Square waves are much louder then sine waves of the same level. In addition, with most common radio detectors it is almost impossible to completely tune out this annoying and distracting digital hiss.
FM IBOC takes about 5 channels and is jamming favorite nearby stations in populated metropolitan areas, where most listeners live. It does not take a genius to divide by 5 the 100 available FM channels to see that about 20 unjammed channels is about the most you can expect in congested metropolitan areas. (4 of those channels are likely to fall in the non-commercial low end of the dial leaving only about 16 commercial FM stations).
The most favorable projections only predict that perhaps 10% of listeners will purchase HD radios in the next 5 years. Can broadcasting as we know it survive with less then 10% of it's current listeners?
HD radio is an expensive, destuctive hoax.
Sincerely,
Richard Franklin
HD RADIO=DIGITAL DISASTER!
Dear Radio World Editor,
I strongly disagree with the conclusions drawn in the article "5 kHz Bandwidth Restriction suits AM" by George W. Woodard, PE, Dec. 7, 2005 Radio World.
This article not posted to web-No link yet available.
The conclusions he reached are not supported by his own data, and is contrary to the bulk of over 100 years of acoustic, medical, and electronic research.
His data and text show a -16 dB loss on his "Best" tested radio. At about 9000 Hz (NRSC-1 and 2 dictate high frequency pre-emphasis and a 10, 000 Hz cutoff) for broadcast AM. When the preemphasis that he mentions is included, this is reduced to about -6dB. NOT BAD! I'll settle for that.
Then he proposes that broadcast AM would sound better and more intelligible if the fidelity were cut in half to 5 kHz. Perhaps on short wave communication where sky wave with selective fading and selective sideband cancellation occur this might be an advantage. In AM broadcast where the primary coverage is ground wave, such effects are minimal.
Almost all acoustic, medical, electronic, speech, and other research strongly show higher fidelity, greater signal to noise, lower distortion, improve natural sound and intelligibility. The research for this is compellingly conclusive. If you have any doubt, study the research or ask any competent audiologist, medical doctor, acoustic engineer, or other professional.
The link below is to a recent white paper showing that speech intelligibility is increased with better response up to 14 kHz and there is a very significant loss of intelligibility when frequencies between 5 and 9 kHz are missing. (See Figure 2).
http://www.polycom.com/common/pw_cmp_updateDocKeywords/0,1687,1809,00.pdf
Add to this the very loud hiss created by HD radio-IBOC-iBiquity and AM radio is destroying itself. The level of the IBOC hiss belies it's actual loudness and loss of intelligibility because of the nature of the digital waveform vs. analog waveform. Square waves are much louder then sine waves of the same level. In addition, with most common radio detectors it is almost impossible to completely tune out this annoying and distracting digital hiss.
FM IBOC takes about 5 channels and is jamming favorite nearby stations in populated metropolitan areas, where most listeners live. It does not take a genius to divide by 5 the 100 available FM channels to see that about 20 unjammed channels is about the most you can expect in congested metropolitan areas. (4 of those channels are likely to fall in the non-commercial low end of the dial leaving only about 16 commercial FM stations).
The most favorable projections only predict that perhaps 10% of listeners will purchase HD radios in the next 5 years. Can broadcasting as we know it survive with less then 10% of it's current listeners?
HD radio is an expensive, destuctive hoax.
Sincerely,
Richard Franklin
HD RADIO=DIGITAL DISASTER!
Monday, November 21, 2005
KARL ROVE IMPLICATED IN CORP. FOR PUBLIC BROADCASTING SCANDAL
Common Cause demands CPB to publicly disclose all evidence shared with its board
November 17, 2005: Common Cause has sent a letter to top officials of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, demanding the release of all evidence uncovered during a recently completed Inspector General's investigation -- including e-mail correspondence between ex-CPB Chairman Kenneth Tomlinson and White House adviser Karl Rove. "This goes beyond the public's basic right-to-know," said Common Cause President Chellie Pingree. "What's at stake is the public's confidence in the CPB to dramatically change course and regain our trust and confidence in this important American institution."
Statements given to reporters by Inspector General Kenneth Konz indicate that Tomlinson discussed programming and hiring decisions at the CPB with Rove and other White House officials from November 2003 to May 2005. According to Bloomberg News, Tomlinson wrote to Rove that he was "finding programs to balance the Moyers report" and working "to shake up" the organization and hire Republican staff. Konz described Rove's response as, "a cryptic encouragement, a congratulations." The White House refused to cooperate with Konz's investigation. Common Cause, joined by the Center for Digital Democracy and Free Press, said the CPB board and inspector general must immediately disclose all the information related to efforts to force programming changes onto PBS and NPR.
Common Cause calls for new leadership at CPB after report reveals ethical violations and 'political tests' in hiring
November 15, 2005: Common Cause on Tuesday called on Corporation for Public Broadcasting President Patricia Harrison to resign following the long-awaited release of a report that exposes extensive wrongdoing by CPB leadership. The report found that "political tests" were a "major criteria" in hiring Harrison to oversee the CPB.
Other findings of the report by Inspector General Kenneth Konz include:
Former CPB Chairman Kenneth Y. Tomlinson "violated his fiduciary responsibilities and statutory prohibitions against Board member involvement in programming decisions" in creating the "Journal Editorial Report."
The report criticizes the secretive hiring of Republican operative Frederick Mann to monitor "Now with Bill Moyers" and other programs without authorization from the CPB Board.
While the report concludes the violations were primarily the result of Tomlinson's "personal actions to accomplish his various initiatives," it also identifies "serious weaknesses" in the CPB's governance system.
"The CPB must acknowledge its mistakes and act to restore public confidence, especially in the face of this critical report on Mr. Tomlinson's failures," said Common Cause President Chellie Pingree. "We renew our call today for the CPB to be more transparent and accountable by making structural changes to better serve the public interest."
Click here to read the full response to the report by Common Cause and the Center for Digital Democracy and Free Press, coalition partners who also called for Harrison's resignation.
November 17, 2005: Common Cause has sent a letter to top officials of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, demanding the release of all evidence uncovered during a recently completed Inspector General's investigation -- including e-mail correspondence between ex-CPB Chairman Kenneth Tomlinson and White House adviser Karl Rove. "This goes beyond the public's basic right-to-know," said Common Cause President Chellie Pingree. "What's at stake is the public's confidence in the CPB to dramatically change course and regain our trust and confidence in this important American institution."
Statements given to reporters by Inspector General Kenneth Konz indicate that Tomlinson discussed programming and hiring decisions at the CPB with Rove and other White House officials from November 2003 to May 2005. According to Bloomberg News, Tomlinson wrote to Rove that he was "finding programs to balance the Moyers report" and working "to shake up" the organization and hire Republican staff. Konz described Rove's response as, "a cryptic encouragement, a congratulations." The White House refused to cooperate with Konz's investigation. Common Cause, joined by the Center for Digital Democracy and Free Press, said the CPB board and inspector general must immediately disclose all the information related to efforts to force programming changes onto PBS and NPR.
Common Cause calls for new leadership at CPB after report reveals ethical violations and 'political tests' in hiring
November 15, 2005: Common Cause on Tuesday called on Corporation for Public Broadcasting President Patricia Harrison to resign following the long-awaited release of a report that exposes extensive wrongdoing by CPB leadership. The report found that "political tests" were a "major criteria" in hiring Harrison to oversee the CPB.
Other findings of the report by Inspector General Kenneth Konz include:
Former CPB Chairman Kenneth Y. Tomlinson "violated his fiduciary responsibilities and statutory prohibitions against Board member involvement in programming decisions" in creating the "Journal Editorial Report."
The report criticizes the secretive hiring of Republican operative Frederick Mann to monitor "Now with Bill Moyers" and other programs without authorization from the CPB Board.
While the report concludes the violations were primarily the result of Tomlinson's "personal actions to accomplish his various initiatives," it also identifies "serious weaknesses" in the CPB's governance system.
"The CPB must acknowledge its mistakes and act to restore public confidence, especially in the face of this critical report on Mr. Tomlinson's failures," said Common Cause President Chellie Pingree. "We renew our call today for the CPB to be more transparent and accountable by making structural changes to better serve the public interest."
Click here to read the full response to the report by Common Cause and the Center for Digital Democracy and Free Press, coalition partners who also called for Harrison's resignation.
DIGITAL JAMMING-THREAT TO FREE SPEECH AND DIVERSITY
E-MAIL LETTER TO
WWW.COMMONCAUSE.ORG
Dear CC,
There is an impending radio broadcast digital disaster as thousands of high powered AM and FM radio stations switch to digital transmission and jam the community independent stations off the air.
This deception, and destruction of the AM and FM broadcast bands, and media diversity already in progress by the FCC, iBiquity HD digital radio, and media conglomerates and cartels.
Digital HD radio has been misrepresented as IBOC (In Band On Channel) when it is actually OFF CHANNEL, ALL OVER THE BAND digital transmission.
As thousands of these "HD Radio" stations sign on the air they cause loud, destructive, jamming digital hiss on two channels on either side of the assigned stations frequency, jamming nearby competing stations. EACH DIGITAL STATION OCCUPIES 5 FREQUENCIES INSTEAD OF THE PRESENT 1. Lower powered community stations and LPAM and LPFM stations signals are being destroyed as these giant broadcast conglomerates trespass on their neighbors broadcast frequencies.
Engineering studies by expert broadcast engineers show that as thousands of stations shift to this digital HD Radio transmission using the defective iBiquity digital system, the AM and FM broadcast bands will be turned into a hissing digital mass of interference, jamming smaller stations, and limiting wide area coverage to local area high powered stations only.
Other stations are expected to be jammed off the air. One proponent calls this "thinning the heard of cripples".
This pending catastrophe for diversity on radio is fully documented in entries on these blogs:
http://worldsupercaster.blogspot.com/
http://commonsensesolutions.blogspot.com/
I hope you will spread the word about this threat to free speech and media diversity, and petition the FCC and congress to stop this digital destruction of the public airwaves.
LPFM and LPAM and community radio stations are being jammed off the air.
Sincerely,
Richard Franklin
WWW.COMMONCAUSE.ORG
Dear CC,
There is an impending radio broadcast digital disaster as thousands of high powered AM and FM radio stations switch to digital transmission and jam the community independent stations off the air.
This deception, and destruction of the AM and FM broadcast bands, and media diversity already in progress by the FCC, iBiquity HD digital radio, and media conglomerates and cartels.
Digital HD radio has been misrepresented as IBOC (In Band On Channel) when it is actually OFF CHANNEL, ALL OVER THE BAND digital transmission.
As thousands of these "HD Radio" stations sign on the air they cause loud, destructive, jamming digital hiss on two channels on either side of the assigned stations frequency, jamming nearby competing stations. EACH DIGITAL STATION OCCUPIES 5 FREQUENCIES INSTEAD OF THE PRESENT 1. Lower powered community stations and LPAM and LPFM stations signals are being destroyed as these giant broadcast conglomerates trespass on their neighbors broadcast frequencies.
Engineering studies by expert broadcast engineers show that as thousands of stations shift to this digital HD Radio transmission using the defective iBiquity digital system, the AM and FM broadcast bands will be turned into a hissing digital mass of interference, jamming smaller stations, and limiting wide area coverage to local area high powered stations only.
Other stations are expected to be jammed off the air. One proponent calls this "thinning the heard of cripples".
This pending catastrophe for diversity on radio is fully documented in entries on these blogs:
http://worldsupercaster.blogspot.com/
http://commonsensesolutions.blogspot.com/
I hope you will spread the word about this threat to free speech and media diversity, and petition the FCC and congress to stop this digital destruction of the public airwaves.
LPFM and LPAM and community radio stations are being jammed off the air.
Sincerely,
Richard Franklin
Sunday, November 20, 2005
$190 Mil. WASTED BY CONGRESS TO JAM YOUR RADIO!
Over the last five years, Congress has provided nearly $190 million in funding to CPB to assist both public radio and public television stations to convert from analog to digital transmission.
THIS MONEY IS BEING SPENT FOR DIGITAL EQUIPMENT TO JAM YOUR LOCAL RADIO STATIONS!
HD Radio, "IBOC will cause interference to analog signals and there is simply no way of avaiding it completely.""Radio Guide - Radio technology for engineers and managers", Nov. 2005 Pg. 18Barry McLarnon, B.Sc., M.Sc., formerly Project Leader-Radio Broadcast Systems, Communications Research Center, Canada
THIS MONEY IS BEING SPENT FOR DIGITAL EQUIPMENT TO JAM YOUR LOCAL RADIO STATIONS!
HD Radio, "IBOC will cause interference to analog signals and there is simply no way of avaiding it completely.""Radio Guide - Radio technology for engineers and managers", Nov. 2005 Pg. 18Barry McLarnon, B.Sc., M.Sc., formerly Project Leader-Radio Broadcast Systems, Communications Research Center, Canada
Friday, November 18, 2005
HD RADIO-STOP THE INSANITY!
Friday, 11 November 2005
Digital radio still hard to hear
John Borland writes: "In most major cities in the United States, the future of radio is already on the air. But hardly anyone is listening. ¶ The problem is, hardly anyone can. More than 570 stations around the county are now broadcasting in the new digital radio format, but only a relative handful of actual digital radio receivers have been sold, or are even available to consumers who want to buy them. ¶ With competitive pressures growing from satellite radio and the iPod, radio companies had hoped that this year's shopping season would finally see a significant number of high-definition radios hitting the market. But several major manufacturers have pushed back releases until 2006, likely dooming these hopes. ..." Link: CNET News.com.
Friday, 11 November 2005 at 15:43 in Digital Radio Permalink Comments (0)
-Rich
Digital radio still hard to hear
John Borland writes: "In most major cities in the United States, the future of radio is already on the air. But hardly anyone is listening. ¶ The problem is, hardly anyone can. More than 570 stations around the county are now broadcasting in the new digital radio format, but only a relative handful of actual digital radio receivers have been sold, or are even available to consumers who want to buy them. ¶ With competitive pressures growing from satellite radio and the iPod, radio companies had hoped that this year's shopping season would finally see a significant number of high-definition radios hitting the market. But several major manufacturers have pushed back releases until 2006, likely dooming these hopes. ..." Link: CNET News.com.
Friday, 11 November 2005 at 15:43 in Digital Radio Permalink Comments (0)
-Rich
Thursday, November 17, 2005
MEXICO FIRES ON USA-BORDER WARS ESCALATING!
BUTTS NOT BULLETS!-Mexico fires first illegal accross the border.
WE ARE UNDER ATTACK BY MEXICAN HUMAN CANNONBALLS! Click on links below.
inSite_05 - San Diego Tijuana
CUBA PLANS SIMILAR HAVANA TO MIAMI AERIAL EXPRESS SERVICE, AVOIDING "WET FOOT-DRY FOOT" CONTROVERSY!
FREE DESIGNER SNEAKERS!
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/11/17/AR2005111700146.html
WE ARE UNDER ATTACK BY MEXICAN HUMAN CANNONBALLS! Click on links below.
inSite_05 - San Diego Tijuana
CUBA PLANS SIMILAR HAVANA TO MIAMI AERIAL EXPRESS SERVICE, AVOIDING "WET FOOT-DRY FOOT" CONTROVERSY!
FREE DESIGNER SNEAKERS!
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/11/17/AR2005111700146.html
CPB (Corp. for Public Broadcasting)-POLITICAL VIPERS NEST?
Tomlinson Violated Statute, Ethics, Says Report
By John Eggerton -- Broadcasting & Cable, 11/15/2005 12:50:00 PM
Abstract: The Corporation for Public Broadcasting Inspector General, Kenneth Konz, has concluded that CPB Chairman Ken Tomlinson "violated statutory provisions" and the board's code of ethics by dealing directly with programmers during negotiations over the creation of a public affairs program and by using "political tests" to recruit President and CEO Patricia Harrison.
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/media/july-dec05/kenny_11-15.html
http://dorgan.senate.gov/newsroom/record.cfm?id=248813
PREVIOUS ARTICLES:
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/CA6281019.html
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/11/03/AR2005110302235.html
-Rich
By John Eggerton -- Broadcasting & Cable, 11/15/2005 12:50:00 PM
Abstract: The Corporation for Public Broadcasting Inspector General, Kenneth Konz, has concluded that CPB Chairman Ken Tomlinson "violated statutory provisions" and the board's code of ethics by dealing directly with programmers during negotiations over the creation of a public affairs program and by using "political tests" to recruit President and CEO Patricia Harrison.
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/media/july-dec05/kenny_11-15.html
http://dorgan.senate.gov/newsroom/record.cfm?id=248813
PREVIOUS ARTICLES:
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/CA6281019.html
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/11/03/AR2005110302235.html
-Rich
Tuesday, November 15, 2005
HD Radio-HOAX, MYTH, AND DIGITAL DISASTER!
Exploding the momentum myth of HD radio
Reading the Inside Radio headlines - not to mention the full pages sponsored by iBiquity - one would think that we're on the verge of an explosion in popularity for HD radio, that all we need to do is "get the word out" or "get the radios in cars" and we're home free.
Well, that's the perspective from the folks selling the technology who are interested, first and foremost, in selling the technology.
For a sense of where the momentum is we need to refer to more neutral parties. Ideally, folks whose job it is to measure trends, not fudge them.
For that, you have to refer to the Forrester study released earlier this year which showed where HD radio is expected to track between now and 2010.
As the graphic clearly shows, even by 2010 podcasting will be more popular than HD radio. Satellite will be twice as popular, and mp3 players and online radio will be four times as popular.
HD is estimated to be in 10 million households by then. That's out of a projected total of 115 million households. In other words, less than 9% of households will possess an HD radio by 2010. Compare that to the 99% of households that have at least one conventional radio now (the average is five per household).
As an industry, we have to understand that, while our future is digital, it's not necessarily HD radio. "Digital" comes in many flavors and we must pick the right racehorse if we expect to win the race. "Digital" and "HD" are anything but synonymous.
How does it benefit radio to develop a technology which, by 2010, will be used by far less than one in every ten households when each of those same households now has five conventional radios? How does this suit the interests of our advertisers?
When twice as many consumers pay to subscribe to something as choose to get it for free, what does that teach us?
How does it benefit radio to develop a marginally appealing technology when the trends clearly indicate that consumer interest is elsewhere?
How does it benefit radio to ignore much more obvious methods of "being digital" and instead distract ourselves with HD radio in the vain hope we can once again "own the pipes"?
For the sake of our industry I urge you to print out this post and paste it where you can always be reminded of it. I urge you to forward this post to your friends and associates in power. I urge you to return to the truth whenever you're overwhlemed by the myth. I urge you to think - hard - about what your company has to do in the future in order to compete.
You will never see this news in a full-page sponsored ad.
Posted by Mark Ramsey on November 08, 2005 Permalink
http://www.radiomarketingnexus.com/2005/11/exploding_the_m.html
Reading the Inside Radio headlines - not to mention the full pages sponsored by iBiquity - one would think that we're on the verge of an explosion in popularity for HD radio, that all we need to do is "get the word out" or "get the radios in cars" and we're home free.
Well, that's the perspective from the folks selling the technology who are interested, first and foremost, in selling the technology.
For a sense of where the momentum is we need to refer to more neutral parties. Ideally, folks whose job it is to measure trends, not fudge them.
For that, you have to refer to the Forrester study released earlier this year which showed where HD radio is expected to track between now and 2010.
As the graphic clearly shows, even by 2010 podcasting will be more popular than HD radio. Satellite will be twice as popular, and mp3 players and online radio will be four times as popular.
HD is estimated to be in 10 million households by then. That's out of a projected total of 115 million households. In other words, less than 9% of households will possess an HD radio by 2010. Compare that to the 99% of households that have at least one conventional radio now (the average is five per household).
As an industry, we have to understand that, while our future is digital, it's not necessarily HD radio. "Digital" comes in many flavors and we must pick the right racehorse if we expect to win the race. "Digital" and "HD" are anything but synonymous.
How does it benefit radio to develop a technology which, by 2010, will be used by far less than one in every ten households when each of those same households now has five conventional radios? How does this suit the interests of our advertisers?
When twice as many consumers pay to subscribe to something as choose to get it for free, what does that teach us?
How does it benefit radio to develop a marginally appealing technology when the trends clearly indicate that consumer interest is elsewhere?
How does it benefit radio to ignore much more obvious methods of "being digital" and instead distract ourselves with HD radio in the vain hope we can once again "own the pipes"?
For the sake of our industry I urge you to print out this post and paste it where you can always be reminded of it. I urge you to forward this post to your friends and associates in power. I urge you to return to the truth whenever you're overwhlemed by the myth. I urge you to think - hard - about what your company has to do in the future in order to compete.
You will never see this news in a full-page sponsored ad.
Posted by Mark Ramsey on November 08, 2005 Permalink
http://www.radiomarketingnexus.com/2005/11/exploding_the_m.html
HD Radio-HOAX, MYTH, AND DIGITAL DISASTER!
Saturday, November 05, 2005
DIGITAL HD RADIO-WAVE OF THE FUTURE OR TSUNAMI?
Many engineers agree HD Radio is a digital train wreck,
as more stations start transmitting with HD, the AM and FM bands will fill with jamming digital hiss, making voice communication unpleasant and difficult to understand. Music programming on HD stations have more hiss then an old 78 record. Favorite local stations will be unlistenable and disappear from the airwaves.
HD Radios are very expensive and virtually unavailable. Manufacturers are reluctant to produce large quantities of a product (HD Radios) for which there is no consumer demand.
This is an improvement?
Or just a sham to grab the money and run, leaving stations and listeners without their favorite form of communication?
The broadcast bands will be so full of jamming digital hiss they will be all but useless in a national or regional emergency.
Listener complaints about HD Radio WIP, WPEN, and WDAS resulting from the reduced fidelity and continuous hiss abound. As their listeners desert them, and revenues decrease, they are less likely to stay on the air, or spend any money on programming.
The result is that listeners are being driven away from listening to AM and FM broadcasting to other, better, new media.
Best Wishes,
-Rich
as more stations start transmitting with HD, the AM and FM bands will fill with jamming digital hiss, making voice communication unpleasant and difficult to understand. Music programming on HD stations have more hiss then an old 78 record. Favorite local stations will be unlistenable and disappear from the airwaves.
HD Radios are very expensive and virtually unavailable. Manufacturers are reluctant to produce large quantities of a product (HD Radios) for which there is no consumer demand.
This is an improvement?
Or just a sham to grab the money and run, leaving stations and listeners without their favorite form of communication?
The broadcast bands will be so full of jamming digital hiss they will be all but useless in a national or regional emergency.
Listener complaints about HD Radio WIP, WPEN, and WDAS resulting from the reduced fidelity and continuous hiss abound. As their listeners desert them, and revenues decrease, they are less likely to stay on the air, or spend any money on programming.
The result is that listeners are being driven away from listening to AM and FM broadcasting to other, better, new media.
Best Wishes,
-Rich
DIGITAL RADIO DECEPTION
HD radios won't be manufactured in any quantity until next year (if then). HD radio has not gotten final approval from the FCC, indeed, the NRSC and iBiquity have not even submitted a complete, final specification to the FCC yet.
HD Radio promised and promotes itself as "in band, on channel" and instead is "all over the band, off channel." HD Radio jams listeners radios and other broadcasters.
Coverage area is half of what regular analog stations now transmit (very local to the transmitting station). Multicast fidelity is no better then low bitrate internet streaming, more like AM quality, NOT BETTER THEN FM AS PROMISED.
If no one can hear it, who cares?
I can yell and reach more listeners. Much cheaper, and with better fidelity too!
Streaming internet radio and podcasting covers the world, is available now, hundreds millions are listening daily, and can be downloaded for on demand replay at any time on computers, iPods, mobile phones and MP3 players. It is also available at WIFI wireless hot spots, new iPod type cell phones, and will soon be available on wireless WI-MAX with a 30 to 50 mile coverage area surrounding each hot spot worldwide. There is no need or popular demand for HD radio.
HD radio is a fraud and a hoax that jams broadcasting for little or no benefit to anyone except profit for iBiquity, their unscrupulous promoters and salesmen.
-Rich
HD Radio promised and promotes itself as "in band, on channel" and instead is "all over the band, off channel." HD Radio jams listeners radios and other broadcasters.
Coverage area is half of what regular analog stations now transmit (very local to the transmitting station). Multicast fidelity is no better then low bitrate internet streaming, more like AM quality, NOT BETTER THEN FM AS PROMISED.
If no one can hear it, who cares?
I can yell and reach more listeners. Much cheaper, and with better fidelity too!
Streaming internet radio and podcasting covers the world, is available now, hundreds millions are listening daily, and can be downloaded for on demand replay at any time on computers, iPods, mobile phones and MP3 players. It is also available at WIFI wireless hot spots, new iPod type cell phones, and will soon be available on wireless WI-MAX with a 30 to 50 mile coverage area surrounding each hot spot worldwide. There is no need or popular demand for HD radio.
HD radio is a fraud and a hoax that jams broadcasting for little or no benefit to anyone except profit for iBiquity, their unscrupulous promoters and salesmen.
-Rich
BROADCASTERS DIGITALLY JAMMING COMPETITORS AND LISTENERS!
HD RADIO STATONS DIGITALLY JAM COMPETION.
FCC shamefully neglects it's three primary functions, to keep stations from interfering with one another, operating in the public interest, convenience, and necessity, and provide public service.
-Rich
FCC shamefully neglects it's three primary functions, to keep stations from interfering with one another, operating in the public interest, convenience, and necessity, and provide public service.
-Rich
Friday, November 04, 2005
PUBLIC BROADCASTING CORP.-HEAD CHOPPED!
Head of Corp. Public Broadcasting (CPB) chopped before release of critical Inspector General's report.
Here is the link:
http://aolsvc.news.aol.com/news/article.adp?id=20051103213309990004
Here is the link:
http://aolsvc.news.aol.com/news/article.adp?id=20051103213309990004
SINATRA, CROSBY, COMO FEATURED ON WNAR-AM
Tuesday, November 01, 2005
HD RADIO-IF NOT THIS CHRISTMAS, MAYBE NEVER!
Holiday Train Pulls Out Of The Station - Without HD On Board
“HD is still one to one-and-a-half years from kicking in.”
Tech Setbacks Delay High-Definition Retail Rollout!!!
Oct. 28, 2005 By Paul Heine
HERE IS THE LINK TO THE ARTICLE:
http://www.billboardradiomonitor.com/radiomonitor/news/business/digital/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1001391048
-Rich
Monday, October 31, 2005
Digital HD RADIO IS A DIGITAL DISASTER!
DIGITAL IBOC IBIQUITY HD RADIO MEANS FEWER STATIONS, NOT MORE!
HD RADIO IS A FRAUD, ON AM OR FM.
Quotes from a broadcast engineer who was FORMERLY 100% in favor of HD digital radio. Quotes follow:
A number of stations are finding it difficult to suppress the "bacon-frying" noise produced in all analog receivers because of nonlinear performing transmission chains, including the null regions of many directional antennas. The necessity of having to rebuild antenna systems will place an expensive burden on numerous stations, many of which are the least able to afford it.
Using IBOC at night undoubtedly will unleash an ugly Pandora's Box of trouble for many stations. The Canadian government has formally objected to U.S. stations operating IBOC at night, fearing significant interference to Canadian stations operating on adjacent channels. Neither the NAB nor the FCC had yet to comment on this objection at this writing.
Most AM station owners understand the risks of investing in the Ibiquity standard and are postponing plans to add IBOC until more of the lingering questions receive answers.
According to one resource as of this writing, there are 77 stations on the air with daytime AM IBOC. At least five Class A 50 kW blowtorches and a few other stations have turned it off, mostly because of interference caused to their own analog listeners or to their adjacent-channel neighbors.
I was an early supporter of IBOC for both AM and FM, but after carefully reflecting on how the AM rollout has faltered I am now convinced the proposed standard for AM during the hybrid transition period is not the best it could be. I am joined by many other engineers who see the possibility of a colossal train wreck coming, when and if AM IBOC is opened up for full-time operations by all stations.
Listeners who lose the ability to hear a desired and dependable radio service they've enjoyed for a long time could care less where a protected contour ends or begins. It will simply eliminate one of their favored choices and further diminish the size of AM radio's already dwindling audience.
Take the most notable and often used example of three Class A stations: WLW 700 in Cincinnati, WOR 710 in NYC and WGN 720 in Chicago. All three are 50 kW powerhouses that enjoy extensive secondary contour as well as skywave coverage and audience. Large areas of that will be lost in both analog and digital reception when all three light up IBOC at night.
The overall result of this chaos could leave AM IBOC an under-achieving digital standard that only a minority of stations could use to full advantage. We could see the filing of lawsuits by stations that invested in the technology but were forced to stop using it.
Many of the rimshot stations that rely heavily on secondary coverage to serve their intended target audiences will probably be shut down by IBOC interference with no remedy whatsoever. Some may just throw up the white flag and be content to be daytimers or go out of business entirely. Others could get angry enough to pursue litigation.
The ensuing malaise would cripple AM further until such time that a significant number of stations simply go away and turn in their licenses.
LINK TO THE FULL STORY:
http://www.rwonline.com/reference-room/guywire/gw.2005.10.19.shtml
-Rich
HD RADIO IS A FRAUD, ON AM OR FM.
Quotes from a broadcast engineer who was FORMERLY 100% in favor of HD digital radio. Quotes follow:
A number of stations are finding it difficult to suppress the "bacon-frying" noise produced in all analog receivers because of nonlinear performing transmission chains, including the null regions of many directional antennas. The necessity of having to rebuild antenna systems will place an expensive burden on numerous stations, many of which are the least able to afford it.
Using IBOC at night undoubtedly will unleash an ugly Pandora's Box of trouble for many stations. The Canadian government has formally objected to U.S. stations operating IBOC at night, fearing significant interference to Canadian stations operating on adjacent channels. Neither the NAB nor the FCC had yet to comment on this objection at this writing.
Most AM station owners understand the risks of investing in the Ibiquity standard and are postponing plans to add IBOC until more of the lingering questions receive answers.
According to one resource as of this writing, there are 77 stations on the air with daytime AM IBOC. At least five Class A 50 kW blowtorches and a few other stations have turned it off, mostly because of interference caused to their own analog listeners or to their adjacent-channel neighbors.
I was an early supporter of IBOC for both AM and FM, but after carefully reflecting on how the AM rollout has faltered I am now convinced the proposed standard for AM during the hybrid transition period is not the best it could be. I am joined by many other engineers who see the possibility of a colossal train wreck coming, when and if AM IBOC is opened up for full-time operations by all stations.
Listeners who lose the ability to hear a desired and dependable radio service they've enjoyed for a long time could care less where a protected contour ends or begins. It will simply eliminate one of their favored choices and further diminish the size of AM radio's already dwindling audience.
Take the most notable and often used example of three Class A stations: WLW 700 in Cincinnati, WOR 710 in NYC and WGN 720 in Chicago. All three are 50 kW powerhouses that enjoy extensive secondary contour as well as skywave coverage and audience. Large areas of that will be lost in both analog and digital reception when all three light up IBOC at night.
The overall result of this chaos could leave AM IBOC an under-achieving digital standard that only a minority of stations could use to full advantage. We could see the filing of lawsuits by stations that invested in the technology but were forced to stop using it.
Many of the rimshot stations that rely heavily on secondary coverage to serve their intended target audiences will probably be shut down by IBOC interference with no remedy whatsoever. Some may just throw up the white flag and be content to be daytimers or go out of business entirely. Others could get angry enough to pursue litigation.
The ensuing malaise would cripple AM further until such time that a significant number of stations simply go away and turn in their licenses.
LINK TO THE FULL STORY:
http://www.rwonline.com/reference-room/guywire/gw.2005.10.19.shtml
-Rich
Wednesday, October 26, 2005
BING IS BACK-REVIEW
Here is the link to the revue:
http://www.angelfire.com/biz/acousticdigest/SS/index.blog?entry_id=1105399
http://www.angelfire.com/biz/acousticdigest/SS/index.blog?entry_id=1105399
Thursday, October 20, 2005
PUBLIC RADIO-NO MORAL HIGH GROUND HERE!
A REPLY TO AN E-MAIL CLAIM OF MORAL HIGH GROUND FOR PUBLIC RADIO.
I re-read your e-mail several times, just to be sure I understood your meaning.
I am not suggesting sales of anything on public stations. No "Buy now", "Half price sale", "Better then all the rest", just the same underwriting I hear all day long on WHYY, WRTI, WXPN, WRDV, WKDU, and most other public stations.
The public radio programs almost always have a related website that they mention, and promote. Most underwriters have some sort of direct or indirect interest in at least some of the content of the shows. The public stations run long program length "commercials" hawking "donations" to themselves or to program producers, selling T-shirts, mugs, CD's, DVD's and hundreds of other items. Writers, musicians, doctors, lawyers, politicians, chefs, scientists, and dozens of others as guests on public radio, promote magazines, books, CD's, kitchen tools, hardware, services, religion, therapy, a scientific theory, political viewpoints, some type of music, and just about anything else you can imagine.
Your response puzzled me. Then I realized that you did not understand my e-mail, or jumped to conclusions. I did not mention or intend "selling" anything outside the public radio guidelines.
Many of the programs on public radio are syndicated, produced, or underwritten by independent producers that have interested underwriters, or in some cases by related divisions or featuring persons involved with the underwriters.
I was going to list some examples here, but there were far too many to list. Instead just take a look at some of the public stations schedules. Perhaps you haven't heard most of the shows.
http://www.pri.org/PublicSite/listeners/index.html
http://www.whyy.org/91FM/schedule.html
http://www.npr.org/audiohelp/progstream.html
http://americanpublicmedia.publicradio.org/
http://about.prx.org/
http://www.apmstations.org/apmstations/ota/OTAUnderwriting.do?navId=60
http://www.publicradiofan.com/
http://www.prms.org/
And many others.
Almost all the programs in these schedules include underwriting credits, website promotion, and mention items, viewpoints or services being promoted by guests or the program producers. None of this is considered selling and is within the public radio guidelines for program producers.
Many shows are independently produced or feature program elements produced independently. Sometimes they are independently produced but originate from a public radio station or network, but many times the programs are independently produced and just carried by public stations or networks.
Independent producers are eligible to receive payments form the programming fund for use of their content.
Your extremely restricted view of what is allowed on public radio seems at odds with what is on the air.
If I misinterpreted your e-mail, or am in some way in error, I am open to ideas and discussion.
If you are claiming some kind of virginal purity for public radio, like the disappointed new husband, I'm afraid you are 40 years too late.
One of the main driving forces and selling points behind HD digital radio, is that stations will hawk expensive new digital radio receivers made necessary by the hissing digital interference transmitted, making the older current analog receivers obsolete. All the while jamming competing adjacent channel stations.
Not only has public radio lost all it's virtue and virginity, it is now a street walker hawking implements, aids, and selling services. Like a street hooker, public radio also jams the competition and runs competitors into the ground. Public radio no longer has claim to the high moral ground once claimed. It is spending millions of taxpayer public money to digitally jam other independent voices and stations. No morality in that. This results in far fewer received stations, not more, as falsely claimed.
I hope this helps.
Best wishes,
Rich
FROM THE ORIGINAL E-MAIL POST THAT PROMPTED THIS REPLY (FROM R. ALAN CAMPBELL- PUBLIC BROADCASTER)
OK This will work with commercial stations.....
Each of the two Public Radio networks will not allow distribution a program promoting sales on their networks...however if they just do up linking without their brand it may work- they lease their satellite for commercial use. They have separate distribution arms from their own network shows. My grasp
however for public stations is a "locally" produced program could be underwritten locally...we just do a local program for each station (same master). Local stores get promotion money for advertising from the parent.
At one time Richard Crandell did a show like this out of LA for BMG. Some public stations carried it but without other record companies on board the stations and public radio networks realized they were just promoting BMG product on their stations...becoming an hour commercial. Frank Carter did one on WFLN for Sam Goody...on Saturday mornings. He did it at WFLN as an hour commercial working for himself and Sam Goody-Philadelphia and not an employee of the station but as an independent contractor.
yours truly, R A Campbell
http://studionote.com/http://racampbell.com/
http://classicalmanac.blogspot.com/
I re-read your e-mail several times, just to be sure I understood your meaning.
I am not suggesting sales of anything on public stations. No "Buy now", "Half price sale", "Better then all the rest", just the same underwriting I hear all day long on WHYY, WRTI, WXPN, WRDV, WKDU, and most other public stations.
The public radio programs almost always have a related website that they mention, and promote. Most underwriters have some sort of direct or indirect interest in at least some of the content of the shows. The public stations run long program length "commercials" hawking "donations" to themselves or to program producers, selling T-shirts, mugs, CD's, DVD's and hundreds of other items. Writers, musicians, doctors, lawyers, politicians, chefs, scientists, and dozens of others as guests on public radio, promote magazines, books, CD's, kitchen tools, hardware, services, religion, therapy, a scientific theory, political viewpoints, some type of music, and just about anything else you can imagine.
Your response puzzled me. Then I realized that you did not understand my e-mail, or jumped to conclusions. I did not mention or intend "selling" anything outside the public radio guidelines.
Many of the programs on public radio are syndicated, produced, or underwritten by independent producers that have interested underwriters, or in some cases by related divisions or featuring persons involved with the underwriters.
I was going to list some examples here, but there were far too many to list. Instead just take a look at some of the public stations schedules. Perhaps you haven't heard most of the shows.
http://www.pri.org/PublicSite/listeners/index.html
http://www.whyy.org/91FM/schedule.html
http://www.npr.org/audiohelp/progstream.html
http://americanpublicmedia.publicradio.org/
http://about.prx.org/
http://www.apmstations.org/apmstations/ota/OTAUnderwriting.do?navId=60
http://www.publicradiofan.com/
http://www.prms.org/
And many others.
Almost all the programs in these schedules include underwriting credits, website promotion, and mention items, viewpoints or services being promoted by guests or the program producers. None of this is considered selling and is within the public radio guidelines for program producers.
Many shows are independently produced or feature program elements produced independently. Sometimes they are independently produced but originate from a public radio station or network, but many times the programs are independently produced and just carried by public stations or networks.
Independent producers are eligible to receive payments form the programming fund for use of their content.
Your extremely restricted view of what is allowed on public radio seems at odds with what is on the air.
If I misinterpreted your e-mail, or am in some way in error, I am open to ideas and discussion.
If you are claiming some kind of virginal purity for public radio, like the disappointed new husband, I'm afraid you are 40 years too late.
One of the main driving forces and selling points behind HD digital radio, is that stations will hawk expensive new digital radio receivers made necessary by the hissing digital interference transmitted, making the older current analog receivers obsolete. All the while jamming competing adjacent channel stations.
Not only has public radio lost all it's virtue and virginity, it is now a street walker hawking implements, aids, and selling services. Like a street hooker, public radio also jams the competition and runs competitors into the ground. Public radio no longer has claim to the high moral ground once claimed. It is spending millions of taxpayer public money to digitally jam other independent voices and stations. No morality in that. This results in far fewer received stations, not more, as falsely claimed.
I hope this helps.
Best wishes,
Rich
FROM THE ORIGINAL E-MAIL POST THAT PROMPTED THIS REPLY (FROM R. ALAN CAMPBELL- PUBLIC BROADCASTER)
OK This will work with commercial stations.....
Each of the two Public Radio networks will not allow distribution a program promoting sales on their networks...however if they just do up linking without their brand it may work- they lease their satellite for commercial use. They have separate distribution arms from their own network shows. My grasp
however for public stations is a "locally" produced program could be underwritten locally...we just do a local program for each station (same master). Local stores get promotion money for advertising from the parent.
At one time Richard Crandell did a show like this out of LA for BMG. Some public stations carried it but without other record companies on board the stations and public radio networks realized they were just promoting BMG product on their stations...becoming an hour commercial. Frank Carter did one on WFLN for Sam Goody...on Saturday mornings. He did it at WFLN as an hour commercial working for himself and Sam Goody-Philadelphia and not an employee of the station but as an independent contractor.
yours truly, R A Campbell
http://studionote.com/http://racampbell.com/
http://classicalmanac.blogspot.com/
Tuesday, October 04, 2005
HISS BACK AT THE CPB FOR SHAMEFUL PERFORMANCE
Corporation for Public Broadcasting provides taxpayer money to enable 400 more of their stations to jam hundreds of other broadcasting stations with digital hiss! SHAME!
From: http://beradio.com/currents/radio_currents_092605/index.html#hi
CPB Helps Stations Convert to HD Radio Philadelphia - Sep 26, 2005 - The Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) will purchase a group license that will allow more than 400 CPB-funded public radio stations to acquire Ibiquity's digital HD Radio technology. This group license will also cover costs associated with the technology's advanced services such as multicasting and datacasting. Previously, CPB provided funding to about 400 local public radio stations for their digital conversions.
CPB, a private, nonprofit corporation created by Congress in 1967, is the steward of the federal government's investment in public broadcasting. It helps support the operations of more than 1,000 locally owned and operated public TV and radio stations nationwide, and is the largest single source of funding for research, technology and program development for public radio, TV and related online services.
From: http://beradio.com/currents/radio_currents_092605/index.html#hi
CPB Helps Stations Convert to HD Radio Philadelphia - Sep 26, 2005 - The Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) will purchase a group license that will allow more than 400 CPB-funded public radio stations to acquire Ibiquity's digital HD Radio technology. This group license will also cover costs associated with the technology's advanced services such as multicasting and datacasting. Previously, CPB provided funding to about 400 local public radio stations for their digital conversions.
CPB, a private, nonprofit corporation created by Congress in 1967, is the steward of the federal government's investment in public broadcasting. It helps support the operations of more than 1,000 locally owned and operated public TV and radio stations nationwide, and is the largest single source of funding for research, technology and program development for public radio, TV and related online services.
Monday, October 03, 2005
CURB CORPORATE TYRANNY
"We can have democracy in this country, or we can have great wealth concentrated in the hands of a few, but we can't have both."
-Justice Louis Brandeis, Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court 1916-1939.
Check out this article from "The Nation":
http://news.yahoo.com/s/thenation/20050922/cm_thenation/20051010nader&printer=1;_ylt=AtuUrEzME16A7c91xxmVjwE__8QF;_ylu=X3oDMTA3MXN1bHE0BHNlYwN0bWE-
Conclusion: Subordinating Corporations to People. Ultimately, the most effective way to control corporations is to restore citizen democracy and find effective ways to reclaim the once widely accepted principle that corporations are but creatures of the state, chartered by the state under the premise that they will serve the public good, and entitled only to those revocable rights and privileges granted by citizen governments. That is, corporations are our servants, not our masters. By doing so we will be able to create a more just and sustainable economy, an economy driven by the values of humanity and community and democracy instead of the current globally omnicidal economy driven by the relentless pursuit of short-range financial profit at any cost--market and military--to innocent peoples of the world.
I agree.
Rich
-Justice Louis Brandeis, Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court 1916-1939.
Check out this article from "The Nation":
http://news.yahoo.com/s/thenation/20050922/cm_thenation/20051010nader&printer=1;_ylt=AtuUrEzME16A7c91xxmVjwE__8QF;_ylu=X3oDMTA3MXN1bHE0BHNlYwN0bWE-
Conclusion: Subordinating Corporations to People. Ultimately, the most effective way to control corporations is to restore citizen democracy and find effective ways to reclaim the once widely accepted principle that corporations are but creatures of the state, chartered by the state under the premise that they will serve the public good, and entitled only to those revocable rights and privileges granted by citizen governments. That is, corporations are our servants, not our masters. By doing so we will be able to create a more just and sustainable economy, an economy driven by the values of humanity and community and democracy instead of the current globally omnicidal economy driven by the relentless pursuit of short-range financial profit at any cost--market and military--to innocent peoples of the world.
I agree.
Rich
HIGH MILEAGE FUEL EFFICIENT HYBRID CAR FROM 1968!
EVERYTHING OLD IS NEW AGAIN.
RALPH NADER WAS RIGHT!
We have the best politicians money can buy.
Link to the truth:
http://www.electrifyingtimes.com/GE_EV_hearings.html
-Rich
RALPH NADER WAS RIGHT!
We have the best politicians money can buy.
Link to the truth:
http://www.electrifyingtimes.com/GE_EV_hearings.html
-Rich
SLICK, OILY POLITICIANS BLOCK PROGRESS!
America had a hybrid gas/elecric car in 1968!
Imagine what we would have had by now if politicians had not de-funded all the research!
Here is the proof:
http://www.electrifyingtimes.com/GE_EV_hearings.html
-Rich
Imagine what we would have had by now if politicians had not de-funded all the research!
Here is the proof:
http://www.electrifyingtimes.com/GE_EV_hearings.html
-Rich
Sunday, October 02, 2005
RADIO, FADING FAST-HISS AND HURTS!
WBCB 1490 AM Levittown, PA and WKAP 1470 AM Allentown, PA both get heavily doused with digital hiss from WDAS 1480 AM Philadelphia, PA. If they both decide to join the hissing contest, WDAS might be the real looser!
Another study showing radio is fading fast. Do you think adding digital hiss will help? -Rich
From 'My Generation' to 'My Media Generation:' Yahoo! and OMD Global Study Finds Youth Love Personalized Media: Financial New.
Another study showing radio is fading fast. Do you think adding digital hiss will help? -Rich
From 'My Generation' to 'My Media Generation:' Yahoo! and OMD Global Study Finds Youth Love Personalized Media: Financial New.
Tuesday, September 27, 2005
COLD FUSION TURNS UP THE HEAT-FACT OR FRICTION?
Myths and Facts of Cold Fusion / Condensed Matter Nuclear Science
From-
http://www.newenergytimes.com/PR/CFMythsFacts.htm
"Myths and Facts of Cold Fusion / Condensed Matter Nuclear Science" was presented on 26 August, 2005 to the International Conference on Emerging Nuclear Energy Systems, in Brussels, Belgium as part of the paper, "How Can Cold Fusion Be Real, Considering It Was Disproved By Several Well-Respected Labs In 1989?"
Paper: http://newenergytimes.com/Library/2005KrivitS-HowCanItBeReal-Paper.pdfPresentation: http://newenergytimes.com/Library/2005KrivitS-HowCanItBeReal-Presentation.pdfAudio Recording: http://newenergytimes.com/Audio/2005KrivitS-ICENES-2005.mp3
Myth 1: Cold fusion is "not reproducible." An effect is reproducible if it happens “more often than not." (Richard Garwin, IBM )
Fact 1: In the early 1990s, the rate of reproducibility was very low. As of 2003, cold fusion shows 83% average reproducibility, with some reports of 100% reproducibility [26].
Myth 2: “Nobody in mainstream science” is researching cold fusion. Mainstream scientists are those "who work in universities.” (Frank Close, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory)
Fact 2: Several dozen university scientists have been, or are researching cold fusion [27].
Myth 3 : Cold fusion is “impossible according to current nuclear theory.” (John Huizenga, Chair, 1989 Department of Energy Cold Fusion Panel)
Fact 3: That was true in 1989, but it no longer is [28].
Myth 4: "The claim that cold fusion is a nuclear process producing excess power without commensurate nuclear reaction products, is pathological science." (John Huizenga)
Fact 4: The pathology ended when proportional amounts of reaction products were discovered in the early 1990s, which demonstrated conformance with the first law of thermodynamics [29].
Myth 5: Cold fusion is false because there are no significant neutrons. “There is no reason to think that the branching ratios would be different for cold fusion” than with hot fusion. (John Huizenga)
Fact 5: Cold fusion is not a colder form of hot fusion. The assumption that cold fusion should follow hot fusion branching ratios is erroneous [30].
Myth 6: No “hard evidence” supports the claims of cold fusion. (Frank Close)
Fact 6: Evidence exists for 4He, 3He, tritium, transmutation and charged particles [31].
Myth 7: Only a “dwindling band of true believers” studies cold fusion. (Robert Park, American Physics Society)
Fact 7: ~200 researchers in 13 countries are actively researching cold fusion [32].
Myth 8: Calorimetry is unreliable.
Fact 8: Many calorimeters applied to cold fusion are accurate to ±50 mW. Energy in excess of 1000 mW is frequently measured [33]. Calorimetry has been a common and trusted tool for electrochemists for over 200 years.
Myth 9: “The fact of the matter is Pons & Fleischmann's experiment never did demonstrate any excess heat. ... It was nothing more than experimental error.” (Lee Hansen, Brigham Young University) Another related myth is that all of the claims of excess heat from the last 16 years of research are all the result of operator error.
Fact 9: Wilford Hansen, of Utah State University, in a report to the state of Utah, verified the excess heat claims of Fleischmann and Pons [10]. Hundreds of observations, using a variety of calorimeters, have been made. It is unlikely that they are all erroneous [34].
Myth 10 : Cold fusion “is a simple chemical reaction that has nothing to do with fusion." (Nathan Lewis, Caltech)
Fact 10: Energy generation starts too quickly to result from storage. No specific chemical explanation has been offered for the anomalous heat. The excess heat effect is too large to be of chemical origin. Infrared microscope/ thermographs measure nanoscale hot spots that are hotter than any known chemical heat source. [35].
Myth 11: Cold fusion papers have not been published in peer-reviewed journals.
Fact 11: More than 55 peer-reviewed journals have published cold fusion papers [36].
Myth 12: If cold fusion were “a real phenomenon it would have emerged and be on the way to exploitation.” (Richard Garwin)
Fact 12: Many scientific endeavors are valid but not yet commercially viable including thermonuclear fusion energy [37].
Myth 13: Fleischmann and Pons were incompetent. "Just by looking at these guys on television, it was obvious that they were incompetent fools,” (William Happer, Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory, former head of the U.S. Dept. of Energy Office of Energy Research)
Fact 13: A refined image does not necessarily correlate with scientific competency [38]. Fleischmann and Pons were poorly prepared by the University of Utah administration for the press conference [39]. Being scientists, not performers, they were ill-prepared for the McNeil/Lehrer TV news show later that day, and their discomfort and unease was evident. They were asked silly questions such as "You did this in the kitchen, right?" by correspondent Charlene Hunter-Gault. Fleischmann was also very worried about other scientists' safety and was concerned that they might inadvertently replicate the "meltdown" experiment and cause fatalities as a result of the news interview.
Myth 14: Fleischmann and Pons were working "outside of their field of expertise." (John Huizenga)
Fact 14: Fleischmann and Pons were among the world's top electrochemists and were experts in their craft and pioneers in a significant new field of science [40].
Myth 15: Fleischmann and Pons "circumvented the normal peer review process." (John Huizenga)
Fact 15: Fleischmann and Pons did not announce their findings before the acceptance of their paper in a peer-reviewed journal [41].
Myth 16: No qualified scientists are convinced of the general phenomena of cold fusion.Fact 16: Dozens of qualified scientists in universities and government laboratories are convinced that the claims of excess heat and transmutation in "cold fusion" research are valid [42].
Myth 17: Fleischmann and Pons observed large quantities of excess heat quickly after turning on their cold fusion cell.
Fact 17: In the early years of cold fusion research, initiation time often took hundreds of hours.
Myth 18: The original cold fusion experiment was "ridiculously simple." ( Fleischmann and Pons)
Fact 18: Not true. It was, and still is, highly complex.
Myth 19: Cold fusion cannot be used for destructive purposes.
Fact: 19: Mankind always seems to find ways to use portable, high-density energy sources for destructive as well as constructive purposes.
Myth 20: Fleischmann and Pons were "incompetent and delusional." (Steven Koonin, Caltech)
Fact 20: The final chapter on cold fusion has not been written. It is yet to be known who was thinking clearly and who was not.
Myth 21: Cold fusion is a "fraud." (Ronald Parker, MIT)
Fact 21: Parker retracted his comment in a press release several days later.
Myth 22: Working cold fusion devices will be available soon. "Prototype cold fusion home heating units are widely expected to emerge this year or next." (Eugene Mallove, 1993)
Fact 22: 12 years later, the only unit to emerge is Dennis Cravens' (Eastern New Mexico University) experimental calorimeter and cold fusion cell which heats up his laboratory.
Myth 23: Cold fusion will provide an inexpensive, inexhaustible source of energy for the entire world.
Fact 23: This is only the hope. The future is unknown.
From-
http://www.newenergytimes.com/PR/CFMythsFacts.htm
"Myths and Facts of Cold Fusion / Condensed Matter Nuclear Science" was presented on 26 August, 2005 to the International Conference on Emerging Nuclear Energy Systems, in Brussels, Belgium as part of the paper, "How Can Cold Fusion Be Real, Considering It Was Disproved By Several Well-Respected Labs In 1989?"
Paper: http://newenergytimes.com/Library/2005KrivitS-HowCanItBeReal-Paper.pdfPresentation: http://newenergytimes.com/Library/2005KrivitS-HowCanItBeReal-Presentation.pdfAudio Recording: http://newenergytimes.com/Audio/2005KrivitS-ICENES-2005.mp3
Myth 1: Cold fusion is "not reproducible." An effect is reproducible if it happens “more often than not." (Richard Garwin, IBM )
Fact 1: In the early 1990s, the rate of reproducibility was very low. As of 2003, cold fusion shows 83% average reproducibility, with some reports of 100% reproducibility [26].
Myth 2: “Nobody in mainstream science” is researching cold fusion. Mainstream scientists are those "who work in universities.” (Frank Close, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory)
Fact 2: Several dozen university scientists have been, or are researching cold fusion [27].
Myth 3 : Cold fusion is “impossible according to current nuclear theory.” (John Huizenga, Chair, 1989 Department of Energy Cold Fusion Panel)
Fact 3: That was true in 1989, but it no longer is [28].
Myth 4: "The claim that cold fusion is a nuclear process producing excess power without commensurate nuclear reaction products, is pathological science." (John Huizenga)
Fact 4: The pathology ended when proportional amounts of reaction products were discovered in the early 1990s, which demonstrated conformance with the first law of thermodynamics [29].
Myth 5: Cold fusion is false because there are no significant neutrons. “There is no reason to think that the branching ratios would be different for cold fusion” than with hot fusion. (John Huizenga)
Fact 5: Cold fusion is not a colder form of hot fusion. The assumption that cold fusion should follow hot fusion branching ratios is erroneous [30].
Myth 6: No “hard evidence” supports the claims of cold fusion. (Frank Close)
Fact 6: Evidence exists for 4He, 3He, tritium, transmutation and charged particles [31].
Myth 7: Only a “dwindling band of true believers” studies cold fusion. (Robert Park, American Physics Society)
Fact 7: ~200 researchers in 13 countries are actively researching cold fusion [32].
Myth 8: Calorimetry is unreliable.
Fact 8: Many calorimeters applied to cold fusion are accurate to ±50 mW. Energy in excess of 1000 mW is frequently measured [33]. Calorimetry has been a common and trusted tool for electrochemists for over 200 years.
Myth 9: “The fact of the matter is Pons & Fleischmann's experiment never did demonstrate any excess heat. ... It was nothing more than experimental error.” (Lee Hansen, Brigham Young University) Another related myth is that all of the claims of excess heat from the last 16 years of research are all the result of operator error.
Fact 9: Wilford Hansen, of Utah State University, in a report to the state of Utah, verified the excess heat claims of Fleischmann and Pons [10]. Hundreds of observations, using a variety of calorimeters, have been made. It is unlikely that they are all erroneous [34].
Myth 10 : Cold fusion “is a simple chemical reaction that has nothing to do with fusion." (Nathan Lewis, Caltech)
Fact 10: Energy generation starts too quickly to result from storage. No specific chemical explanation has been offered for the anomalous heat. The excess heat effect is too large to be of chemical origin. Infrared microscope/ thermographs measure nanoscale hot spots that are hotter than any known chemical heat source. [35].
Myth 11: Cold fusion papers have not been published in peer-reviewed journals.
Fact 11: More than 55 peer-reviewed journals have published cold fusion papers [36].
Myth 12: If cold fusion were “a real phenomenon it would have emerged and be on the way to exploitation.” (Richard Garwin)
Fact 12: Many scientific endeavors are valid but not yet commercially viable including thermonuclear fusion energy [37].
Myth 13: Fleischmann and Pons were incompetent. "Just by looking at these guys on television, it was obvious that they were incompetent fools,” (William Happer, Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory, former head of the U.S. Dept. of Energy Office of Energy Research)
Fact 13: A refined image does not necessarily correlate with scientific competency [38]. Fleischmann and Pons were poorly prepared by the University of Utah administration for the press conference [39]. Being scientists, not performers, they were ill-prepared for the McNeil/Lehrer TV news show later that day, and their discomfort and unease was evident. They were asked silly questions such as "You did this in the kitchen, right?" by correspondent Charlene Hunter-Gault. Fleischmann was also very worried about other scientists' safety and was concerned that they might inadvertently replicate the "meltdown" experiment and cause fatalities as a result of the news interview.
Myth 14: Fleischmann and Pons were working "outside of their field of expertise." (John Huizenga)
Fact 14: Fleischmann and Pons were among the world's top electrochemists and were experts in their craft and pioneers in a significant new field of science [40].
Myth 15: Fleischmann and Pons "circumvented the normal peer review process." (John Huizenga)
Fact 15: Fleischmann and Pons did not announce their findings before the acceptance of their paper in a peer-reviewed journal [41].
Myth 16: No qualified scientists are convinced of the general phenomena of cold fusion.Fact 16: Dozens of qualified scientists in universities and government laboratories are convinced that the claims of excess heat and transmutation in "cold fusion" research are valid [42].
Myth 17: Fleischmann and Pons observed large quantities of excess heat quickly after turning on their cold fusion cell.
Fact 17: In the early years of cold fusion research, initiation time often took hundreds of hours.
Myth 18: The original cold fusion experiment was "ridiculously simple." ( Fleischmann and Pons)
Fact 18: Not true. It was, and still is, highly complex.
Myth 19: Cold fusion cannot be used for destructive purposes.
Fact: 19: Mankind always seems to find ways to use portable, high-density energy sources for destructive as well as constructive purposes.
Myth 20: Fleischmann and Pons were "incompetent and delusional." (Steven Koonin, Caltech)
Fact 20: The final chapter on cold fusion has not been written. It is yet to be known who was thinking clearly and who was not.
Myth 21: Cold fusion is a "fraud." (Ronald Parker, MIT)
Fact 21: Parker retracted his comment in a press release several days later.
Myth 22: Working cold fusion devices will be available soon. "Prototype cold fusion home heating units are widely expected to emerge this year or next." (Eugene Mallove, 1993)
Fact 22: 12 years later, the only unit to emerge is Dennis Cravens' (Eastern New Mexico University) experimental calorimeter and cold fusion cell which heats up his laboratory.
Myth 23: Cold fusion will provide an inexpensive, inexhaustible source of energy for the entire world.
Fact 23: This is only the hope. The future is unknown.
SLIMY REPUBLICANS AND THEIR OILY BENEFACTORS
Excerpt-US Senate Commerce Committee testimony by Tyson Slocum, Public Citizen's Energy Program
From- http://www.citizen.org/cmep/energy_enviro_nuclear/electricity/Oil_and_Gas/articles.cfm?ID=14181
Oil and gasoline prices were rising long before Hurricane Katrina wreaked havoc. U.S. gasoline prices jumped 14% from July 25 to Aug. 22. Indeed, profits for U.S. oil refiners have been at record highs. In 1999, U.S.oil refiners made 22.8 cents for every gallon of gasoline refined from crude oil. By 2004, they were making 40.8 cents for every gallon of gasoline refined, a 79% jump.[3]
Faced with these facts, Congress and the White House instead recently passed energy legislation that does nothing to address any of the fundamental problems plaguing AmericaÂs energy policiesÂafter all, if it did, why are having this hearing today? As a whole, the Senate voted to approve HR 6, the Âcomprehensive energy bill, by a vote of 74 to 26[4], even though the only Âcomprehensive aspect of the legislation is the $6 billion in subsidies to big oil companies.[5] The only possible explanation for why Congress would bestow these subsidies on oil companies are the $52 million in campaign contributions by the oil industry, with 80% of that total going to Republicans.[6]
Remember, environmental regulations are not restricting oil drilling in the United States. An Interior Department study concludes that federal leasing restrictionsÂin the form of wilderness designations and other leasing restrictionsÂcompletely block drilling of only 15.5% of the oil in the five major U.S. production basins on 104 million acres stretching from Montana to New Mexico. While only 15.5% is totally off-limits, 57% of AmericaÂs oil reserves on federal land are fully available for drilling, with the remaining 27.5% featuring partial limitations on drilling.[7] This report contradicts industry claims that environmental laws are squelching production.
Congress can restore accountability to oil and gas markets and protect consumers by supporting Public CitizenÂs 5-point reform plan:
Implement a windfall profits tax or enact temporary price caps.
Launch an immediate investigation, including the use of subpoena, into uncompetitive practices by oil companies.
Reevaluate recent mergers, particularly in the refining sector.
Re-regulate energy trading exchanges to restore transparency.
Improve fuel economy standards to reduce demand.
From- http://www.citizen.org/cmep/energy_enviro_nuclear/electricity/Oil_and_Gas/articles.cfm?ID=14181
Oil and gasoline prices were rising long before Hurricane Katrina wreaked havoc. U.S. gasoline prices jumped 14% from July 25 to Aug. 22. Indeed, profits for U.S. oil refiners have been at record highs. In 1999, U.S.oil refiners made 22.8 cents for every gallon of gasoline refined from crude oil. By 2004, they were making 40.8 cents for every gallon of gasoline refined, a 79% jump.[3]
Faced with these facts, Congress and the White House instead recently passed energy legislation that does nothing to address any of the fundamental problems plaguing AmericaÂs energy policiesÂafter all, if it did, why are having this hearing today? As a whole, the Senate voted to approve HR 6, the Âcomprehensive energy bill, by a vote of 74 to 26[4], even though the only Âcomprehensive aspect of the legislation is the $6 billion in subsidies to big oil companies.[5] The only possible explanation for why Congress would bestow these subsidies on oil companies are the $52 million in campaign contributions by the oil industry, with 80% of that total going to Republicans.[6]
Remember, environmental regulations are not restricting oil drilling in the United States. An Interior Department study concludes that federal leasing restrictionsÂin the form of wilderness designations and other leasing restrictionsÂcompletely block drilling of only 15.5% of the oil in the five major U.S. production basins on 104 million acres stretching from Montana to New Mexico. While only 15.5% is totally off-limits, 57% of AmericaÂs oil reserves on federal land are fully available for drilling, with the remaining 27.5% featuring partial limitations on drilling.[7] This report contradicts industry claims that environmental laws are squelching production.
Congress can restore accountability to oil and gas markets and protect consumers by supporting Public CitizenÂs 5-point reform plan:
Implement a windfall profits tax or enact temporary price caps.
Launch an immediate investigation, including the use of subpoena, into uncompetitive practices by oil companies.
Reevaluate recent mergers, particularly in the refining sector.
Re-regulate energy trading exchanges to restore transparency.
Improve fuel economy standards to reduce demand.
Friday, September 23, 2005
iPods and MP3's WIN over HD Radio!
Everyone is spending their money on cheaper iPods, XM or Sirius digital radio, MP3 players, rather then HD Radios so they DON'T have to listen to commercials. Ipods, and MP3 cell Phones will soon be wireless, via WI-fi, Wi-Max, or cell phone service.
Broadcasters are either incredibly stupid, or nuts! There is no public outcry for short, repetitive play lists, blabby DJ's, more commercials, or ignorant talk show hosts. The digital jamming of the analog airwaves will put a merciful quick end to AM and FM broadcasting. -Rich
4. HIGH-DEFINITION RADIOWHAT IT IS: Forget satellite. Regular radio is getting an upgrade, with CD-quality audio and many more channels.WHY IT'S HOT: Under pressure from satellite services like XM Radio (XM) and Sirius (SIRI), online music services, and iPod-type devices, the $20 billion-a-year radio industry has been steadily losing listeners' attention. HD radio is seen as the solution. The technology splices existing spectrum owned by station operators into thin bands. Each band supports a new radio station, so one FM or AM station can be divided into as many as eight channels to broadcast eight times the music, the talk, and (most important) the ads. And since they're digital, HD radio streams can easily be stored, giving listeners the option to pause and rewind live broadcasts, just as TiVo (TIVO) did for TV.
There are already 450 U.S. stations broadcasting HD radio. By 2007 that number should rise to 2,500 stations, covering 90 percent of the country. The biggest hurdle to mass adoption: Listeners will need to buy new radio sets to decode HD signals.KEY PLAYERS: Clear Channel Communications (CCU), Disney (DIS), Ford Motor (F), iBiquity Digital, Radiosophy, Texas Instruments (TXN), and Visteon.
From: http://www.business2.com/b2/web/articles/0,17863,1107751,00.html
Broadcasters are either incredibly stupid, or nuts! There is no public outcry for short, repetitive play lists, blabby DJ's, more commercials, or ignorant talk show hosts. The digital jamming of the analog airwaves will put a merciful quick end to AM and FM broadcasting. -Rich
4. HIGH-DEFINITION RADIOWHAT IT IS: Forget satellite. Regular radio is getting an upgrade, with CD-quality audio and many more channels.WHY IT'S HOT: Under pressure from satellite services like XM Radio (XM) and Sirius (SIRI), online music services, and iPod-type devices, the $20 billion-a-year radio industry has been steadily losing listeners' attention. HD radio is seen as the solution. The technology splices existing spectrum owned by station operators into thin bands. Each band supports a new radio station, so one FM or AM station can be divided into as many as eight channels to broadcast eight times the music, the talk, and (most important) the ads. And since they're digital, HD radio streams can easily be stored, giving listeners the option to pause and rewind live broadcasts, just as TiVo (TIVO) did for TV.
There are already 450 U.S. stations broadcasting HD radio. By 2007 that number should rise to 2,500 stations, covering 90 percent of the country. The biggest hurdle to mass adoption: Listeners will need to buy new radio sets to decode HD signals.KEY PLAYERS: Clear Channel Communications (CCU), Disney (DIS), Ford Motor (F), iBiquity Digital, Radiosophy, Texas Instruments (TXN), and Visteon.
From: http://www.business2.com/b2/web/articles/0,17863,1107751,00.html
Thursday, September 22, 2005
Built in car iPods gaining ground on HD Radio!
iPods winning the"Car Wars"?-Jabba the giant digital Hutcaster angry.
Quoted from: http://beradio.com/iboc_update/iboc_update_092105/#iboc
More Automakers to offer Ipods Buyers of Audi, Volkswagen and Honda cars will soon have an Apple on their option menu, according to the makers of the ubiquitous Ipod audio player. Speaking at a recent press event in San Francisco, Apple CEO Steve Jobs boasted that the company’s Ipod player will become available as a factory option in about 30 percent of all 2006 car models available to consumers in the United States. Audi, Volkswagen and Honda will join 15 other auto manufacturers already supporting the option.
In exchange for the added sticker price, new car buyers will enjoy the convenience of having their Ipods fully integrated with the car audio system, with access jacks mounted in a glove box or center console. Honda and its Acura division even plan to offer a text and speech interface to allow drivers to manage playlists while operating the vehicle. Jobs estimates that about five million cars will be sold with the Ipod option in the coming model year.
iPods produce no interference to present analog broadcasting. It's all about more choices, not less. -Rich
Quoted from: http://beradio.com/iboc_update/iboc_update_092105/#iboc
More Automakers to offer Ipods Buyers of Audi, Volkswagen and Honda cars will soon have an Apple on their option menu, according to the makers of the ubiquitous Ipod audio player. Speaking at a recent press event in San Francisco, Apple CEO Steve Jobs boasted that the company’s Ipod player will become available as a factory option in about 30 percent of all 2006 car models available to consumers in the United States. Audi, Volkswagen and Honda will join 15 other auto manufacturers already supporting the option.
In exchange for the added sticker price, new car buyers will enjoy the convenience of having their Ipods fully integrated with the car audio system, with access jacks mounted in a glove box or center console. Honda and its Acura division even plan to offer a text and speech interface to allow drivers to manage playlists while operating the vehicle. Jobs estimates that about five million cars will be sold with the Ipod option in the coming model year.
iPods produce no interference to present analog broadcasting. It's all about more choices, not less. -Rich
Built in car iPods gaining ground on HD Radio!
iPods winning the"Car Wars"?-Jabba the giant digital Hutcaster angry.
Quoted from: http://beradio.com/iboc_update/iboc_update_092105/#iboc
More Automakers to offer Ipods Buyers of Audi, Volkswagen and Honda cars will soon have an Apple on their option menu, according to the makers of the ubiquitous Ipod audio player. Speaking at a recent press event in San Francisco, Apple CEO Steve Jobs boasted that the company’s Ipod player will become available as a factory option in about 30 percent of all 2006 car models available to consumers in the United States. Audi, Volkswagen and Honda will join 15 other auto manufacturers already supporting the option.
In exchange for the added sticker price, new car buyers will enjoy the convenience of having their Ipods fully integrated with the car audio system, with access jacks mounted in a glove box or center console. Honda and its Acura division even plan to offer a text and speech interface to allow drivers to manage playlists while operating the vehicle. Jobs estimates that about five million cars will be sold with the Ipod option in the coming model year.
iPods produce no interference to present analog broadcasting. It's all about more choices, not less. -Rich
Quoted from: http://beradio.com/iboc_update/iboc_update_092105/#iboc
More Automakers to offer Ipods Buyers of Audi, Volkswagen and Honda cars will soon have an Apple on their option menu, according to the makers of the ubiquitous Ipod audio player. Speaking at a recent press event in San Francisco, Apple CEO Steve Jobs boasted that the company’s Ipod player will become available as a factory option in about 30 percent of all 2006 car models available to consumers in the United States. Audi, Volkswagen and Honda will join 15 other auto manufacturers already supporting the option.
In exchange for the added sticker price, new car buyers will enjoy the convenience of having their Ipods fully integrated with the car audio system, with access jacks mounted in a glove box or center console. Honda and its Acura division even plan to offer a text and speech interface to allow drivers to manage playlists while operating the vehicle. Jobs estimates that about five million cars will be sold with the Ipod option in the coming model year.
iPods produce no interference to present analog broadcasting. It's all about more choices, not less. -Rich
Built in car iPods gaining ground on HD Radio!
iPods winning the"Car Wars"?-Jabba the giant digital Hutcaster angry.
Quoted from: http://beradio.com/iboc_update/iboc_update_092105/#iboc
More Automakers to offer Ipods Buyers of Audi, Volkswagen and Honda cars will soon have an Apple on their option menu, according to the makers of the ubiquitous Ipod audio player. Speaking at a recent press event in San Francisco, Apple CEO Steve Jobs boasted that the company’s Ipod player will become available as a factory option in about 30 percent of all 2006 car models available to consumers in the United States. Audi, Volkswagen and Honda will join 15 other auto manufacturers already supporting the option.
In exchange for the added sticker price, new car buyers will enjoy the convenience of having their Ipods fully integrated with the car audio system, with access jacks mounted in a glove box or center console. Honda and its Acura division even plan to offer a text and speech interface to allow drivers to manage playlists while operating the vehicle. Jobs estimates that about five million cars will be sold with the Ipod option in the coming model year.
iPods produce no interference to present analog broadcasting. It's all about more choices, not less. -Rich
Quoted from: http://beradio.com/iboc_update/iboc_update_092105/#iboc
More Automakers to offer Ipods Buyers of Audi, Volkswagen and Honda cars will soon have an Apple on their option menu, according to the makers of the ubiquitous Ipod audio player. Speaking at a recent press event in San Francisco, Apple CEO Steve Jobs boasted that the company’s Ipod player will become available as a factory option in about 30 percent of all 2006 car models available to consumers in the United States. Audi, Volkswagen and Honda will join 15 other auto manufacturers already supporting the option.
In exchange for the added sticker price, new car buyers will enjoy the convenience of having their Ipods fully integrated with the car audio system, with access jacks mounted in a glove box or center console. Honda and its Acura division even plan to offer a text and speech interface to allow drivers to manage playlists while operating the vehicle. Jobs estimates that about five million cars will be sold with the Ipod option in the coming model year.
iPods produce no interference to present analog broadcasting. It's all about more choices, not less. -Rich
Friday, September 16, 2005
BUSH'S FCC JAMS INDEPENDENT VOICES, LIMITING FREE SPEECH.
The latest news from the cradle of liberty, Philadelphia, is that the FCC is allowing WDAS 1480 AM to digitally jam smaller suburban independent WBCB 1490 AM making WBCB almost unlistenable in it's 1.03 mV/m main coverage area.
I plan to post audio soon so you can hear this digital jamming noise for yourself.
Rich Franklin
I plan to post audio soon so you can hear this digital jamming noise for yourself.
Rich Franklin
Sunday, September 04, 2005
IS HD DIGITAL RADIO FATAL?
This amplifies the long trend of distracting motorists, pedestrians, and cyclists, with transistor radios, Walkman, cell phones, high powered multi-channel car amplifiers, and now HD digital car radios with blinking full color displays and "BUY NOW" buttons.
Are iPods Killing the Scottish?
Will HD digital radio kill the Americans?
September 03, 2005
Scotsman.com, a site that features "Scottish news direct from Scotland", reports that "dozens of Scots road users are being injured or killed as a result of MP3 mania."
Traffic collision expert Mike Irwin said: "The potential here is for scores more accidents, particularly among cyclists and pedestrians. Drivers using their earphones will not hear vital traffic noise and warning signs, such as emergency sirens."
Researchers at the United States' National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute have warned that digital distractions are becoming a menace on the roads.
The researchers found that 80% of the crashes and 65% of the near crashes were a result of driver distraction.
Source: Scotsman.com
Are iPods Killing the Scottish?
Will HD digital radio kill the Americans?
September 03, 2005
Scotsman.com, a site that features "Scottish news direct from Scotland", reports that "dozens of Scots road users are being injured or killed as a result of MP3 mania."
Traffic collision expert Mike Irwin said: "The potential here is for scores more accidents, particularly among cyclists and pedestrians. Drivers using their earphones will not hear vital traffic noise and warning signs, such as emergency sirens."
Researchers at the United States' National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute have warned that digital distractions are becoming a menace on the roads.
The researchers found that 80% of the crashes and 65% of the near crashes were a result of driver distraction.
Source: Scotsman.com
Thursday, September 01, 2005
HD radio-JAMS AM AND FM STATIONS!
My republished reply to an article that appeared in Oct. 2004 issue of Radio World magazine.
Published in Radio World Nov. 2004
Oct. 31, 2004
Dear Radio World Editor,
The current IBOC iBiquity system does not meet FCC engineering standards for AM or FM broadcasting. It causes more interference to existing service then the small benefit it might provide to a few who will immediately trash all the old radios they have around the house and run out and buy expensive new IBOC radios for every room, car, and workplace. There have been successful High Definition digital broadcasting systems on the air for years, (DRM, Sirius, XM) and people who want them and have them are perfectly happy, so there is no need to destroy the current system of AM and FM. Better, perhaps digital, detectors in radios could provide much of the same benefit with no changes to the broadcasting system. The reason these haven't appeared is the reluctance of most consumers to pay high prices for replacement radios with what they perceive as little benefit. The slight increase in fidelity is not perceived as warranting the inconvenience and large expenditure.
Many AM directional antenna systems can not be easily, effectively, or cheaply be broad banded as required for proper digital IBOC.
The iBiquity claim that "It's all free for consumers," is a lie. The costs are: destruction of and interference with the current AM and FM broadcasting system, excessive cost, inconvenience, little benefit to the average user.
The slow digital TV sales and adoption by consumers is a strong message to the radio community. Radio is largely content driven. Put something on the air that people want to hear, and they will listen, as long as they can pick it up on their current radios. Most people don't listen to technology, they listen to content, and could care less about the delivery system except when it involves inconvenience and excessive expense.
Jeff Littlejohn's (Clear Channel) claim that what is wrong with analog AM is that the fidelity is too good and needs to be cut in half by a brick wall filter, reduces AM to near telephone quality audio.
Guy Wire's claims that those that are against IBOC are stuck in the past is untrue. Most advocate even more advanced all digital systems such as 5.1 and even 7.1 digital surround sound (not IBOC) that doesn't destroy any AM or FM coverage or abandon, inconvenience, or interfere with current listeners. Dolby 5.1 and 7.1 digital surround sound is already here and could be easily broadcast on channels that are all digital, not in the current band on top of AM and FM stations. He is right when he said 5.1 surround sound could be the "killer app." DRM, digital broadcasting which has been worldwide for years is currently being adapted to 5.1 and even 7.1 all digital surround sound, XM and Sirius are sure to follow. IBOC can hardly squeeze in 2 channel stereo, and even then causes noise, interference, reduced coverage and fidelity loss to current listeners.
The large broadcasting and recording trusts are terrified by their impending loss of control over what people can view and hear. They might not be able to monopolize digital delivery of all sound and video. They fear competition, restrict access by less powerful potential competition, while claiming to be for a free market. Unfortunately Teddy Roosevelt is no longer with us to protect our freedom and liberty.
Community broadcasting should be encouraged and provided a reasonable, inexpensive place in the AM, FM, digital, and TV bands.
Sometimes I find a simple, old fashioned, soldering iron will do the trick even though laser welding has been invented. Not everything needs to be laser welded. The availability of inexpensive, convenient, easy to use soldering irons without the bulky laser welding attachments, should be continued and not impeded.
Sincerely,
Richard Franklin
Super Sound Studios,
WNAR-AM
Published in Radio World Nov. 2004
Oct. 31, 2004
Dear Radio World Editor,
The current IBOC iBiquity system does not meet FCC engineering standards for AM or FM broadcasting. It causes more interference to existing service then the small benefit it might provide to a few who will immediately trash all the old radios they have around the house and run out and buy expensive new IBOC radios for every room, car, and workplace. There have been successful High Definition digital broadcasting systems on the air for years, (DRM, Sirius, XM) and people who want them and have them are perfectly happy, so there is no need to destroy the current system of AM and FM. Better, perhaps digital, detectors in radios could provide much of the same benefit with no changes to the broadcasting system. The reason these haven't appeared is the reluctance of most consumers to pay high prices for replacement radios with what they perceive as little benefit. The slight increase in fidelity is not perceived as warranting the inconvenience and large expenditure.
Many AM directional antenna systems can not be easily, effectively, or cheaply be broad banded as required for proper digital IBOC.
The iBiquity claim that "It's all free for consumers," is a lie. The costs are: destruction of and interference with the current AM and FM broadcasting system, excessive cost, inconvenience, little benefit to the average user.
The slow digital TV sales and adoption by consumers is a strong message to the radio community. Radio is largely content driven. Put something on the air that people want to hear, and they will listen, as long as they can pick it up on their current radios. Most people don't listen to technology, they listen to content, and could care less about the delivery system except when it involves inconvenience and excessive expense.
Jeff Littlejohn's (Clear Channel) claim that what is wrong with analog AM is that the fidelity is too good and needs to be cut in half by a brick wall filter, reduces AM to near telephone quality audio.
Guy Wire's claims that those that are against IBOC are stuck in the past is untrue. Most advocate even more advanced all digital systems such as 5.1 and even 7.1 digital surround sound (not IBOC) that doesn't destroy any AM or FM coverage or abandon, inconvenience, or interfere with current listeners. Dolby 5.1 and 7.1 digital surround sound is already here and could be easily broadcast on channels that are all digital, not in the current band on top of AM and FM stations. He is right when he said 5.1 surround sound could be the "killer app." DRM, digital broadcasting which has been worldwide for years is currently being adapted to 5.1 and even 7.1 all digital surround sound, XM and Sirius are sure to follow. IBOC can hardly squeeze in 2 channel stereo, and even then causes noise, interference, reduced coverage and fidelity loss to current listeners.
The large broadcasting and recording trusts are terrified by their impending loss of control over what people can view and hear. They might not be able to monopolize digital delivery of all sound and video. They fear competition, restrict access by less powerful potential competition, while claiming to be for a free market. Unfortunately Teddy Roosevelt is no longer with us to protect our freedom and liberty.
Community broadcasting should be encouraged and provided a reasonable, inexpensive place in the AM, FM, digital, and TV bands.
Sometimes I find a simple, old fashioned, soldering iron will do the trick even though laser welding has been invented. Not everything needs to be laser welded. The availability of inexpensive, convenient, easy to use soldering irons without the bulky laser welding attachments, should be continued and not impeded.
Sincerely,
Richard Franklin
Super Sound Studios,
WNAR-AM
Wednesday, August 31, 2005
MEN'S RULES - Insight
GUYS RULES-Finally . Please learn them-PRINT THIS AND POST IT!The Guys' Rules : At last a guy has taken the time to write this all down. Finally, the guys' side of the story.(I must admit, it's pretty good.) We always hear"the rules"from the female point of view...Now here are the rules from the male side. These are our rules!Please note... these are all numbered "1" ON PURPOSE!1. Men ARE NOT mind readers.1. Learn to work the toilet seat. You're a big girl.If it's up, put it down. We need it up, you need it down.You don't hear us complaining about you leaving it down.1. Sunday sports. It's like the full moon or the changing of the tides. Let it be.1. Shopping is NOT a sport. And no, we are nevergoing to think of it that way.1. Crying is blackmail.1. Ask for what you want.Let us be clear on this one:Subtle hints do not work!Strong hints do not work!Obvious hints do not work!Just say it!1. Yes and No are perfectly Acceptable answers to almost every question.1. Come to us with a problem only If you want helpsolving it. That's what we do. Sympathy is what your girlfriends are for.1. A headache that lasts for 17 months is a serious medical problem. See a doctor.1. Anything we said 6 months ago is inadmissible in an argument.In fact, all comments become null and void after 7 Days.1. If you won't dress like the Victoria's Secret girls, don't Expect usto act like soap opera guys.1. If you think you're fat, you probably are. Don't ask us.1. If something we said can be interpreted two ways and one of the waysmakes you sad or angry, we meant the other one.1. You can either ask us to do something Or tell ushow you want it done. Not both. If you already knowbest how to do it, just do it your self!1. Whenever possible, Please say whatever you have tosay during commercials.1. Christopher Columbus did NOT need directions andneither do we. STOPPING TO ASK DIRECTIONS FROMSTRANGERS IS DANGEROUS AND STUPID! STRANGERS THEN KNOWYOU ARE LOST, AND COULD SEND YOU ANYWHERE, EVEN TOYOUR DEATH!1. ALL men see in only 16 colors, like Windowsdefault settings.Peach, for example, is a fruit, not A color. Pumpkinis also a fruit. Wehave no idea what mauve is.1. If it itches, it will Be scratched. We do that.1. If we ask what is wrong and you say "nothing," !We will act likenothing's wrong. We know you are lying, but it isjust not worth the hassle.1. If you ask a question you don't want an answer to,expect an answeryou don't want to hear.1. When we have to go somewhere, absolutely anythingyou wear is fine...Really.1. Don't ask us what we're thinking about ! unlessyou are prepared todiscuss such topics as baseball, the shotgunformation, or golf.
1. You have enough clothes.
1. You have too many shoes.1. I am in shape. Round IS a shape!1. Thank you for reading this.Yes, I know, I have to sleep on the couch tonight;But did you know men really don't mind that? It'slike camping.Pass this to as many men as you can - to give them alaugh.Pass this to as many women as you can - to give thema bigger laugh!
1. You have enough clothes.
1. You have too many shoes.1. I am in shape. Round IS a shape!1. Thank you for reading this.Yes, I know, I have to sleep on the couch tonight;But did you know men really don't mind that? It'slike camping.Pass this to as many men as you can - to give them alaugh.Pass this to as many women as you can - to give thema bigger laugh!
Sunday, August 28, 2005
HD RADIO-FALSE OR DECEPTIVE ADVERTISING?
From Poznak Law Firm LTD
Basics In False Advertising
The FTC Act states that false advertising is a form of unfair and deceptive commerce. The term "false advertising" has been broadly construed. As you might expect, the term includes advertisements that are in fact untrue. However, the term false advertising extends well beyond untrue advertisements. It also includes advertisements that make representations that the advertiser has no reasonable basis to believe, even if the representations turn out to be true. An example would be an advertisement for a photocopier machine which stated that the machine used less toner than any comparable machine. The advertiser would have committed false advertising if it had no reasonable basis to believe the truth of this claim (such as through comparative tests), even if it turned out to be true.
The FTC Act gives the FTC broad authority to regulate advertising. Under this broad mandate, the FTC has issued regulations barring advertisements that could be misleading even if they are true. A famous example involves Anacin, a brand of aspirin. The maker of Anacin ran ads claiming that clinical tests showed that Anacin delivered the same headache relief as the leading pain relief prescription. The ad did not mention that aspirin itself is the leading pain medicine. The FTC determined that the ad was misleading. The ad implied that Anacin was more effective than aspirin, when in fact, Anacin is really just aspirin.
(Here is more)-
Actual loss is not required to show an injury. All that is needed is a reasonable basis for the belief that the plaintiff is likely to be damaged as a result of the advertising. An example of such damage would include ads that deceive consumers who are the target population of both the advertiser and the plaintiff. The penalties for a Lanham Act violation include the plaintiff's lost profits, the additional profits to the advertiser resulting from the deceptive ad, treble damages, and attorneys' fees.
Here is the link to the full article:
http://www.poznaklaw.com/articles/falsead.htm
You decide!
Basics In False Advertising
The FTC Act states that false advertising is a form of unfair and deceptive commerce. The term "false advertising" has been broadly construed. As you might expect, the term includes advertisements that are in fact untrue. However, the term false advertising extends well beyond untrue advertisements. It also includes advertisements that make representations that the advertiser has no reasonable basis to believe, even if the representations turn out to be true. An example would be an advertisement for a photocopier machine which stated that the machine used less toner than any comparable machine. The advertiser would have committed false advertising if it had no reasonable basis to believe the truth of this claim (such as through comparative tests), even if it turned out to be true.
The FTC Act gives the FTC broad authority to regulate advertising. Under this broad mandate, the FTC has issued regulations barring advertisements that could be misleading even if they are true. A famous example involves Anacin, a brand of aspirin. The maker of Anacin ran ads claiming that clinical tests showed that Anacin delivered the same headache relief as the leading pain relief prescription. The ad did not mention that aspirin itself is the leading pain medicine. The FTC determined that the ad was misleading. The ad implied that Anacin was more effective than aspirin, when in fact, Anacin is really just aspirin.
(Here is more)-
Actual loss is not required to show an injury. All that is needed is a reasonable basis for the belief that the plaintiff is likely to be damaged as a result of the advertising. An example of such damage would include ads that deceive consumers who are the target population of both the advertiser and the plaintiff. The penalties for a Lanham Act violation include the plaintiff's lost profits, the additional profits to the advertiser resulting from the deceptive ad, treble damages, and attorneys' fees.
Here is the link to the full article:
http://www.poznaklaw.com/articles/falsead.htm
You decide!
New York Times Article Lies About HD Radio!
Please post my comments on your (or other) websites, "spread the word" if you wish, including the article you sent.
COMPLAINT TO NEW YORK TIMES ABOUT ACCURACY-(ARTICLE ATTACHED AT BOTTOM)
This article is full of inaccuracies, omissions, half truths, and misinformation. It is biased propaganda spread by an interested party.
The In Band On channel IBOC now called HD (High Distortion?) iBiquity NRSC-5 system proposal has NOT yet been approved by the FCC, except for limited testing and experimentation. It may never be approved in the form now under consideration by the FCC. The $1900 Yamaha HD radio mentioned in the attached article, might be trash soon.
Most of the comments solicited by the FCC for consideration and posted on their website, are STRONGLY AGAINST ACCEPTING THE PROPOSED NRSC-5 HD DIGITAL SYSTEM.
All that hissing he hears from his HD radio is caused by the HD signal itself, and not the analog FM signal! Tune in to a non HD station with a regular analog stereo FM radio that most of us have, and except for unusual circumstances, you will get nice, clear, analog stereo sound that audiophiles worldwide have declared is much more musical and pleasant to listen to then any digital audio.
The system being proposed, and now under consideration by the FCC is a HOAX TO SELL EXPENSIVE HIGH DISTORTION RADIOS!
HD radio is NOT free, each listener has to spend hundreds or thousands of dollars on new HD radios, while the HD broadcasters are peddling and profiteering from the sales of the HD radios.
The proposed HD signal severely interferes with current analog AM and FM stereo broadcasting, and blocks adjacent channel stations that you now enjoy. HD creates a loud hiss several channels wide on either side of any HD station. You get fewer stations with HD, not more stations, because adjacent channel stations you can now clearly enjoy on your present analog radios, are jammed by digital hiss spread up and down the radio dial on either side of the transmitting HD station.
The claim that the HD signal can more easily penetrate tunnels and has more coverage than current AM and FM stations is untrue. In fact, the experiments show HD stations cover less then half of the area their current analog station signals are now covering, and the severe HD interference will create "hiss zones" between cities that are now clearly served by the larger analog signals and popular local stations that will be jammed by HD.
The public already owns over 1 Billion AM and FM radios in North America that will be hissed into obsolescence by the new system.
Most radio stations serve up a playlist limited to a few of the most popular tunes. I can get even better listening quality, with worldwide coverage (even in tunnels), from a less expensive iPod or similar player, without a radio station, commercials, obnoxious DJs, and I can pick and listen to my tunes and programs whenever I want to hear them, anywhere in the world! No HD stations cover the entire globe like an iPod, podcasting, internet steaming stations, WIFI, WiMax, and even the newest cell phones with built in, wireless delivery, high quality stereo iPod type music players.
Radio with pictures and text information has been around for more than 60 years. It is called TELEVISION, and is already available everywhere in the world, by satellite, cable and over the air TV stations. Who needs HD radio with pictures and text when there is already television?
HD radio is a sham.
Sincerely,
Richard Franklin
Steve Martin wrote:
Date: Mon, 1 Aug 2005 10:14:15 -0400From: Steve MartinSubject: NY Times article on HD RadioTo: PUBRADIO@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDUTo quote Sam Litzinger, "Pubsters, Perhaps of general interest."Steve MartinSFM Consulting 703.715.0827
Difference Between FM & HD Getting NoticedJuly 28, 2005
Revolution on the RadioBy GLENN FLEISHMAN
Plug a set of headphones into a radio tuned to an FM jazz station.Hear the hiss at the bottom of the range and the fuzz at the top.Remember why you like compact discs.But don't be impatient: wait eight seconds. An "HD" light appears onthe tuner. And now the bottom drops out. The hiss turns to silence.The stereo channels separate, opening a cramped room into aperformance hall. And the high fuzz is now crisp high notes from atrumpet or Ella Fitzgerald.You have just heard terrestrial digital radio. Or you would have - ifyou could get your hands on a receiver.Satellite digital radio has captured the attention of consumers andinvestors with its billions spent and millions of paying subscribers.But a quiet digital revolution has hit the AM and FM dials as well:more than 450 stations in the United States now broadcast one or twodigital channels alongside analog ones. At least 2,000 of the morethan 12,000 stations in the country are committed to adding theformat.The technology to make this happen - called in-band on-channel, orIBOC - hides digital signals at low power in the spaces betweenstations. Only one company's technology has been approved by theFederal Communications Commission: HD Radio from iBiquity Digital.(IBiquity says HD does not stand for high definition - or anythingelse.)Digital AM sounds like present-day stereo analog FM. Digital FM notonly improves fidelity and stereo reception, providing a dynamic audiorange approaching that of a compact disc, but also makes use of enoughbandwidth to allow multiple channels.An HD Radio tuner takes eight seconds to lock onto and start playing adigital stream; the analog broadcast seamlessly switches into richeraudio, providing a demonstration of its improved quality.Unlike satellite radio, digital AM and FM are free to listeners. Butonly a few tens of thousands of car tuners equipped to decode thesignals have been sold in the 18 months since the first product wasshipped, according to Dan Benjamin, a senior analyst at ABI Researchin Oyster Bay, N.Y. Home tuners are just reaching the market.How Digital Radio WorksIBOC uses a part of the spectrum just outside the frequency used for aradio station's conventional signals.HD Radio is capable of great range with a small fraction of the powerof analog radio. In a test by National Public Radio and WNYC-FM, a57-watt transmitter on the Empire State Building reached almost all ofWNYC's coverage area, with a population of 16 million, according toMike Starling, NPR's vice president for engineering.The technology sends multiple streams of data over very narrowfrequencies to solve the problems of analog AM and FM reception. Thestreams are separately received, synchronized and assembled by theradio tuner.In AM, this avoids having signals fade in short tunnels and willprevent noise from electrical motors. "It gets rid of the majority ofproblems with AM radio," said Thomas R. Ray III, director ofengineering for Buckley Broadcasting and WOR-AM, a commercialtalk-radio station in New York that has added digital transmissions.With FM stations, multipath reflection can be controlled with HDRadio, avoiding audible echoes from signals bouncing off buildings."You don't get that sort of 'fumth-th-th-fumth' sound," said StephenShenefield, director of product development at Boston Acoustics, anaudio equipment manufacturer.FM radio has a larger spread of unused spectrum, and National PublicRadio and public radio stations successfully pushed the F.C.C. toallow multicasting, or multiple digital channels of different qualityfor existing stations. The F.C.C. allows a second digital channel witha waiver; up to five channels may be permitted in the future.What's OnPublic radio produces much more programming than its member stationscan broadcast: 300 hours a week, Mr. Starling of NPR said. NPR is nowoffering five full-time music streams to stations for HD Radiomulticasting as well. "If we had more shelf space, we could do moreformat focusing," Mr. Starling said.KUOW-FM in Seattle broadcasts what it calls KUOW2, a full slate ofreruns of local and network programs with a dedicated host.Commercial broadcasters, too, are taking note. Clear Channel, whichowns 1,200 stations, says it is committed to taking 95 percent of itsstations in the top 100 markets digital within three years. Among theattractions is HD Radio's ability to deliver data streams alongsideaudio. The system can already carry program-associated data, like asong title, artist and album name. But the capacity exists for muchmore.Robert J. Struble, chairman and chief executive of iBiquity, notedthat the text of advertising messages could be synchronized to displayon a radio's readout as a related commercial was broadcast. Other usesinclude traffic updates for car navigation systems and privatecommercial data transmissions.A future version of the technology will feature a data uplink thatcould let stations have a "buy now" button for songs. "There's nobetter place to make an impulse purchase than when I'm sitting intraffic," Mr. Struble said.HD Radio has the potential to limit access to certain channels byreceiver serial number, much as with satellite digital radio, so thatspecific programming could be delivered for a fee.Mr. Starling mused that the "buy now" button might read "pledge now"for public radio stations, and that a station could allow onlylisteners who donate funds to tune to a digital channel free offund-raising during pledge drives.How to ListenHD Radio was limited to car receivers from its retail introduction inJanuary 2004 until June 2005. The earliest HD Radio manufacturer,Kenwood (kenwoodusa.com), now has 40 models compatible with a $399 HDRadio adapter; other makers have a few products released, but a floodis in the pipeline. A representative of Visteon, a major automotivesystems supplier, said automakers could offer HD Radio as an option inthe 2006 model year.Yamaha (www.yamaha.com) released the first home radio in June, itsRX-V4600 ($1,900), a home entertainment centerpiece. In tests of allSeattle-area FM HD Radio stations using the Yamaha unit, the resultswere breathtaking. Tuning in secondary multicast channels, however,required use of the remote control and was awkward.Three companies plan simpler tabletop tables, each of which will addmulticast digital stations sequentially: turning the dial will tunethrough those secondary stations.The Radiosophy receiver docks in a speaker unit; together, the twoparts cost $259 direct from the company, including shipping.Radiosophy expects to offer a car adapter kit later. The receiverincludes analog and digital optical outputs. The company(www.radiosophy.com) expects to ship the product in September.The Recepter Radio HD ($499) made by Boston Acoustics (www.bostonacoustics.com) has a single built-in speaker and a satellitespeaker to produce stereo audio. It is also a clock radio, and hasstereo input and multiple outputs. The radio should be available inlate August.Polk Audio has built HD Radio into a more elaborate all-in-oneentertainment system that includes a CD and DVD player and speakers,and multiple inputs and outputs. The $599 unit, called the I-Sonic, isalso equipped for satellite XM Radio through a plug-in module. PolkAudio has delayed shipping until late in the year (www.polkaudio.com).No one in the industry expects to replace a billion analog radiosovernight. Even Mr. Struble of iBiquity put the most optimistic datefor an analog shutdown as 12 years from now, though he thought thatwas unlikely.Still, there are already listeners, however few. "The last time we hadto shut down the HD - off for any reason - we had eight phone calls,"Mr. Ray of WOR said. "People wanted to know why."Steve MartinSFM Consulting 2579 John Milton DriveSuite 105-206Oak Hill, VA 20171-2527703.715.0827
COMPLAINT TO NEW YORK TIMES ABOUT ACCURACY-(ARTICLE ATTACHED AT BOTTOM)
This article is full of inaccuracies, omissions, half truths, and misinformation. It is biased propaganda spread by an interested party.
The In Band On channel IBOC now called HD (High Distortion?) iBiquity NRSC-5 system proposal has NOT yet been approved by the FCC, except for limited testing and experimentation. It may never be approved in the form now under consideration by the FCC. The $1900 Yamaha HD radio mentioned in the attached article, might be trash soon.
Most of the comments solicited by the FCC for consideration and posted on their website, are STRONGLY AGAINST ACCEPTING THE PROPOSED NRSC-5 HD DIGITAL SYSTEM.
All that hissing he hears from his HD radio is caused by the HD signal itself, and not the analog FM signal! Tune in to a non HD station with a regular analog stereo FM radio that most of us have, and except for unusual circumstances, you will get nice, clear, analog stereo sound that audiophiles worldwide have declared is much more musical and pleasant to listen to then any digital audio.
The system being proposed, and now under consideration by the FCC is a HOAX TO SELL EXPENSIVE HIGH DISTORTION RADIOS!
HD radio is NOT free, each listener has to spend hundreds or thousands of dollars on new HD radios, while the HD broadcasters are peddling and profiteering from the sales of the HD radios.
The proposed HD signal severely interferes with current analog AM and FM stereo broadcasting, and blocks adjacent channel stations that you now enjoy. HD creates a loud hiss several channels wide on either side of any HD station. You get fewer stations with HD, not more stations, because adjacent channel stations you can now clearly enjoy on your present analog radios, are jammed by digital hiss spread up and down the radio dial on either side of the transmitting HD station.
The claim that the HD signal can more easily penetrate tunnels and has more coverage than current AM and FM stations is untrue. In fact, the experiments show HD stations cover less then half of the area their current analog station signals are now covering, and the severe HD interference will create "hiss zones" between cities that are now clearly served by the larger analog signals and popular local stations that will be jammed by HD.
The public already owns over 1 Billion AM and FM radios in North America that will be hissed into obsolescence by the new system.
Most radio stations serve up a playlist limited to a few of the most popular tunes. I can get even better listening quality, with worldwide coverage (even in tunnels), from a less expensive iPod or similar player, without a radio station, commercials, obnoxious DJs, and I can pick and listen to my tunes and programs whenever I want to hear them, anywhere in the world! No HD stations cover the entire globe like an iPod, podcasting, internet steaming stations, WIFI, WiMax, and even the newest cell phones with built in, wireless delivery, high quality stereo iPod type music players.
Radio with pictures and text information has been around for more than 60 years. It is called TELEVISION, and is already available everywhere in the world, by satellite, cable and over the air TV stations. Who needs HD radio with pictures and text when there is already television?
HD radio is a sham.
Sincerely,
Richard Franklin
Steve Martin
Date: Mon, 1 Aug 2005 10:14:15 -0400From: Steve Martin
Difference Between FM & HD Getting NoticedJuly 28, 2005
Revolution on the RadioBy GLENN FLEISHMAN
Plug a set of headphones into a radio tuned to an FM jazz station.Hear the hiss at the bottom of the range and the fuzz at the top.Remember why you like compact discs.But don't be impatient: wait eight seconds. An "HD" light appears onthe tuner. And now the bottom drops out. The hiss turns to silence.The stereo channels separate, opening a cramped room into aperformance hall. And the high fuzz is now crisp high notes from atrumpet or Ella Fitzgerald.You have just heard terrestrial digital radio. Or you would have - ifyou could get your hands on a receiver.Satellite digital radio has captured the attention of consumers andinvestors with its billions spent and millions of paying subscribers.But a quiet digital revolution has hit the AM and FM dials as well:more than 450 stations in the United States now broadcast one or twodigital channels alongside analog ones. At least 2,000 of the morethan 12,000 stations in the country are committed to adding theformat.The technology to make this happen - called in-band on-channel, orIBOC - hides digital signals at low power in the spaces betweenstations. Only one company's technology has been approved by theFederal Communications Commission: HD Radio from iBiquity Digital.(IBiquity says HD does not stand for high definition - or anythingelse.)Digital AM sounds like present-day stereo analog FM. Digital FM notonly improves fidelity and stereo reception, providing a dynamic audiorange approaching that of a compact disc, but also makes use of enoughbandwidth to allow multiple channels.An HD Radio tuner takes eight seconds to lock onto and start playing adigital stream; the analog broadcast seamlessly switches into richeraudio, providing a demonstration of its improved quality.Unlike satellite radio, digital AM and FM are free to listeners. Butonly a few tens of thousands of car tuners equipped to decode thesignals have been sold in the 18 months since the first product wasshipped, according to Dan Benjamin, a senior analyst at ABI Researchin Oyster Bay, N.Y. Home tuners are just reaching the market.How Digital Radio WorksIBOC uses a part of the spectrum just outside the frequency used for aradio station's conventional signals.HD Radio is capable of great range with a small fraction of the powerof analog radio. In a test by National Public Radio and WNYC-FM, a57-watt transmitter on the Empire State Building reached almost all ofWNYC's coverage area, with a population of 16 million, according toMike Starling, NPR's vice president for engineering.The technology sends multiple streams of data over very narrowfrequencies to solve the problems of analog AM and FM reception. Thestreams are separately received, synchronized and assembled by theradio tuner.In AM, this avoids having signals fade in short tunnels and willprevent noise from electrical motors. "It gets rid of the majority ofproblems with AM radio," said Thomas R. Ray III, director ofengineering for Buckley Broadcasting and WOR-AM, a commercialtalk-radio station in New York that has added digital transmissions.With FM stations, multipath reflection can be controlled with HDRadio, avoiding audible echoes from signals bouncing off buildings."You don't get that sort of 'fumth-th-th-fumth' sound," said StephenShenefield, director of product development at Boston Acoustics, anaudio equipment manufacturer.FM radio has a larger spread of unused spectrum, and National PublicRadio and public radio stations successfully pushed the F.C.C. toallow multicasting, or multiple digital channels of different qualityfor existing stations. The F.C.C. allows a second digital channel witha waiver; up to five channels may be permitted in the future.What's OnPublic radio produces much more programming than its member stationscan broadcast: 300 hours a week, Mr. Starling of NPR said. NPR is nowoffering five full-time music streams to stations for HD Radiomulticasting as well. "If we had more shelf space, we could do moreformat focusing," Mr. Starling said.KUOW-FM in Seattle broadcasts what it calls KUOW2, a full slate ofreruns of local and network programs with a dedicated host.Commercial broadcasters, too, are taking note. Clear Channel, whichowns 1,200 stations, says it is committed to taking 95 percent of itsstations in the top 100 markets digital within three years. Among theattractions is HD Radio's ability to deliver data streams alongsideaudio. The system can already carry program-associated data, like asong title, artist and album name. But the capacity exists for muchmore.Robert J. Struble, chairman and chief executive of iBiquity, notedthat the text of advertising messages could be synchronized to displayon a radio's readout as a related commercial was broadcast. Other usesinclude traffic updates for car navigation systems and privatecommercial data transmissions.A future version of the technology will feature a data uplink thatcould let stations have a "buy now" button for songs. "There's nobetter place to make an impulse purchase than when I'm sitting intraffic," Mr. Struble said.HD Radio has the potential to limit access to certain channels byreceiver serial number, much as with satellite digital radio, so thatspecific programming could be delivered for a fee.Mr. Starling mused that the "buy now" button might read "pledge now"for public radio stations, and that a station could allow onlylisteners who donate funds to tune to a digital channel free offund-raising during pledge drives.How to ListenHD Radio was limited to car receivers from its retail introduction inJanuary 2004 until June 2005. The earliest HD Radio manufacturer,Kenwood (kenwoodusa.com), now has 40 models compatible with a $399 HDRadio adapter; other makers have a few products released, but a floodis in the pipeline. A representative of Visteon, a major automotivesystems supplier, said automakers could offer HD Radio as an option inthe 2006 model year.Yamaha (www.yamaha.com) released the first home radio in June, itsRX-V4600 ($1,900), a home entertainment centerpiece. In tests of allSeattle-area FM HD Radio stations using the Yamaha unit, the resultswere breathtaking. Tuning in secondary multicast channels, however,required use of the remote control and was awkward.Three companies plan simpler tabletop tables, each of which will addmulticast digital stations sequentially: turning the dial will tunethrough those secondary stations.The Radiosophy receiver docks in a speaker unit; together, the twoparts cost $259 direct from the company, including shipping.Radiosophy expects to offer a car adapter kit later. The receiverincludes analog and digital optical outputs. The company(www.radiosophy.com) expects to ship the product in September.The Recepter Radio HD ($499) made by Boston Acoustics (www.bostonacoustics.com) has a single built-in speaker and a satellitespeaker to produce stereo audio. It is also a clock radio, and hasstereo input and multiple outputs. The radio should be available inlate August.Polk Audio has built HD Radio into a more elaborate all-in-oneentertainment system that includes a CD and DVD player and speakers,and multiple inputs and outputs. The $599 unit, called the I-Sonic, isalso equipped for satellite XM Radio through a plug-in module. PolkAudio has delayed shipping until late in the year (www.polkaudio.com).No one in the industry expects to replace a billion analog radiosovernight. Even Mr. Struble of iBiquity put the most optimistic datefor an analog shutdown as 12 years from now, though he thought thatwas unlikely.Still, there are already listeners, however few. "The last time we hadto shut down the HD - off for any reason - we had eight phone calls,"Mr. Ray of WOR said. "People wanted to know why."Steve MartinSFM Consulting 2579 John Milton DriveSuite 105-206Oak Hill, VA 20171-2527703.715.0827
HD RADIO-EVEN MORE COMMENTS!
What a joke!
Posted by: T Oad
Posted on: May 27, 2005, 9:07 AM PDT
Story: High-definition radio gears up for reality
Who are the morons that run the entertainment business? I'd like to know because these people have to be the most clueless jokers in the history of the planet.Here's what will fix radio: better content. No more stupid "Morning Zoo Crew." No more stations that play the same ten songs over and over and over and over. No more stations that broadcast yet another conservative talk show.I have news for you: it's all BORING. It's all stale. People are tired of it which is why many have stopped listening. I'd rather have my iPod playing what I want to hear than to listen to the same old tired stuff on the radio.It doesn't matter if you broadcast radio in HD Surround 3D Holograms. If the programming remains narrow and boring, no one will listen.
Suck you in, then bury you in ads.
Posted by: Nathan Boyle
Posted on: May 27, 2005, 8:30 AM PDT
Story: High-definition radio gears up for reality
So Clear Channel can have up to 30 stations in the area that play nothing anybody wants to hear? Hot darn, sounds like a winner to me.NPR fears losing money if XM and Sirius drain local pledge drive listeners away. But in the end, if nobody wants to listen to local stations, I think that is there right, and the Government has to get out of the way. I'd give anything not to be forced to watch news from the local TV stations in this area, they are horrible beyond words. NWLB****http://www.nwlb.net
The absolute lack of...
Posted by: Earl Benser
Posted on: May 27, 2005, 4:58 AM PDT
Story: High-definition radio gears up for reality
... quality free radio stations now does not bode well for any technique to expand the number of such free radio stations. We will just wind up with that many times more audio garbage. Sirius and X-M work because people will pay to get the programming they want. No advertisers are involved (or so I think - I don't care for satellitle radio), and ratings are simply measured by subscritptions.My personal preference is MP3 music and audio book files via my super iPod. So I do my own programming the way I like it.
HD radio? Hardly!
Posted by: Paul Higgins
Posted on: May 28, 2005, 6:13 AM PDT
Story: High-definition radio gears up for reality
Given the audio quality that the proposed digital radio services will be offering, based on the testing up to now, calling it HD is a joke!And most of the ancillary services in purports to offer as something new, exciting and incredible, such as titles of songs being played, breaking news, traffic reports etc have all been possible in the analog realm on FM for years. But stations never bothered investing in the relatively inexpensive equipment to provide them. Why should digital radio (or, ahem, HD radio) be any more of an incentive.It's also about trying to hype up a medium that should merely be seen as utilitarian within the plethora of media out there. Broadcast radio is no longer an "exciting" medium. To try to artificially boost its fortunes now with something as lame as this is like throwing money down the toilet. Remember "return on investment", hmmm?!
Posted by: T Oad
Posted on: May 27, 2005, 9:07 AM PDT
Story: High-definition radio gears up for reality
Who are the morons that run the entertainment business? I'd like to know because these people have to be the most clueless jokers in the history of the planet.Here's what will fix radio: better content. No more stupid "Morning Zoo Crew." No more stations that play the same ten songs over and over and over and over. No more stations that broadcast yet another conservative talk show.I have news for you: it's all BORING. It's all stale. People are tired of it which is why many have stopped listening. I'd rather have my iPod playing what I want to hear than to listen to the same old tired stuff on the radio.It doesn't matter if you broadcast radio in HD Surround 3D Holograms. If the programming remains narrow and boring, no one will listen.
Suck you in, then bury you in ads.
Posted by: Nathan Boyle
Posted on: May 27, 2005, 8:30 AM PDT
Story: High-definition radio gears up for reality
So Clear Channel can have up to 30 stations in the area that play nothing anybody wants to hear? Hot darn, sounds like a winner to me.NPR fears losing money if XM and Sirius drain local pledge drive listeners away. But in the end, if nobody wants to listen to local stations, I think that is there right, and the Government has to get out of the way. I'd give anything not to be forced to watch news from the local TV stations in this area, they are horrible beyond words. NWLB****http://www.nwlb.net
The absolute lack of...
Posted by: Earl Benser
Posted on: May 27, 2005, 4:58 AM PDT
Story: High-definition radio gears up for reality
... quality free radio stations now does not bode well for any technique to expand the number of such free radio stations. We will just wind up with that many times more audio garbage. Sirius and X-M work because people will pay to get the programming they want. No advertisers are involved (or so I think - I don't care for satellitle radio), and ratings are simply measured by subscritptions.My personal preference is MP3 music and audio book files via my super iPod. So I do my own programming the way I like it.
HD radio? Hardly!
Posted by: Paul Higgins
Posted on: May 28, 2005, 6:13 AM PDT
Story: High-definition radio gears up for reality
Given the audio quality that the proposed digital radio services will be offering, based on the testing up to now, calling it HD is a joke!And most of the ancillary services in purports to offer as something new, exciting and incredible, such as titles of songs being played, breaking news, traffic reports etc have all been possible in the analog realm on FM for years. But stations never bothered investing in the relatively inexpensive equipment to provide them. Why should digital radio (or, ahem, HD radio) be any more of an incentive.It's also about trying to hype up a medium that should merely be seen as utilitarian within the plethora of media out there. Broadcast radio is no longer an "exciting" medium. To try to artificially boost its fortunes now with something as lame as this is like throwing money down the toilet. Remember "return on investment", hmmm?!
HD RADIO-MORE COMMENTS
fantastic, now mediocrity on the radio can be heard at a higher quality!! THIS is going to make me want to listen? I listen to one station, simply because they have a funny and irreverant morning show, that I can listen to on my computer. Everything else is done courtesy of CD's or mp3's (I prefer ogg format, thank you).I might give satellite a try, but nothing I have heard so far, will entice me to rush to listen.
In all honesty I don't even listen to the radio much. Most radio stations out there have the same top 40 rotation (XRT Chicago is an exception with a great play list). I remember this place i used to work at piped in a local radio station and I swear I must have heard the same 5 songs rotated within 3 hrs. Not only that, the FCC fines shows like the Stern show for being "indecent". No thanks, I'll stick to mp3s for music & Sirius for my car.
Gee!, now I can hear all of the same great commercials, commercials and commercials in higher quality! Most of my broadcast radio stations are at least 50% talk and commercials, who cares about the quality of that. That's what drove me to XM in the first place. Let's work on making ad-free radio higher quality.
Who gives a crap? Anyone who is serious about music turned off their radios a long, long time ago (like...1982). We've got cassettes and CD players, satellite radio, iPods and other digital music appliances - we can burn new music from new artists from around the world to CDs or aforementioned digital music appliances...who the hell needs broadcast radio - HD or otherwise. Does Clear Channel own stock in this fiasco? They and the what - one or two other megacorporations who control broadcast radio - must be rolling in their collective graves - and they ain't even dead.....yet.
In all honesty I don't even listen to the radio much. Most radio stations out there have the same top 40 rotation (XRT Chicago is an exception with a great play list). I remember this place i used to work at piped in a local radio station and I swear I must have heard the same 5 songs rotated within 3 hrs. Not only that, the FCC fines shows like the Stern show for being "indecent". No thanks, I'll stick to mp3s for music & Sirius for my car.
Gee!, now I can hear all of the same great commercials, commercials and commercials in higher quality! Most of my broadcast radio stations are at least 50% talk and commercials, who cares about the quality of that. That's what drove me to XM in the first place. Let's work on making ad-free radio higher quality.
Who gives a crap? Anyone who is serious about music turned off their radios a long, long time ago (like...1982). We've got cassettes and CD players, satellite radio, iPods and other digital music appliances - we can burn new music from new artists from around the world to CDs or aforementioned digital music appliances...who the hell needs broadcast radio - HD or otherwise. Does Clear Channel own stock in this fiasco? They and the what - one or two other megacorporations who control broadcast radio - must be rolling in their collective graves - and they ain't even dead.....yet.
NAB ORDERS FCC-LEARN TO LIKE IT!
FROM:
WWW. BILLBOARDRADIOMONITOR.COM
NAB to FCC: Don't Re-Think HD Standards Aug. 18, 2005 By Tony SandersThe NAB yesterday (Aug. 17) said in written comments that the current rules and technical standards governing HD Radio are more than adequate for the current nationwide rollout of digital AM and FM radio, and attempts to change or downgrade the status of those standards are, effectively, moot.
Late last month, Microsoft and two other joint commenters said in a filing that the FCC should amend the standard it has laid out for digital audio broadcasting because there are “critical omissions” in the standard.
The NAB said the current standards are “competent, sufficient” and “useful” and said that the FCC has already made its decisions about using those standards. Since those decisions have been made, says the NAB, the FCC should dismiss comments that urge the Commission to reconsider using the HD standards or that urge using other spectrum options.
The FCC’s deadline for filing comments and reply comment on this proceeding is now past. If the FCC decides that it has enough information on the record to render a decision, the next step would be for the FCC’s commissioners and staff to study the record and to draw their conclusions. There is no fixed deadline as to when those decisions might be made, or released to the public.
If the FCC decides, instead, to ask for even more comments on this issue, the Commission would do so by issuing a “Further Notice of Proposed Rule Making.”The proceeding on HD Radio is FCC Docket 99-325 and the standards involved are the “In-Band/On-Channel Digital Radio Broadcasting Standard NRSC-5.”
WWW. BILLBOARDRADIOMONITOR.COM
NAB to FCC: Don't Re-Think HD Standards Aug. 18, 2005 By Tony SandersThe NAB yesterday (Aug. 17) said in written comments that the current rules and technical standards governing HD Radio are more than adequate for the current nationwide rollout of digital AM and FM radio, and attempts to change or downgrade the status of those standards are, effectively, moot.
Late last month, Microsoft and two other joint commenters said in a filing that the FCC should amend the standard it has laid out for digital audio broadcasting because there are “critical omissions” in the standard.
The NAB said the current standards are “competent, sufficient” and “useful” and said that the FCC has already made its decisions about using those standards. Since those decisions have been made, says the NAB, the FCC should dismiss comments that urge the Commission to reconsider using the HD standards or that urge using other spectrum options.
The FCC’s deadline for filing comments and reply comment on this proceeding is now past. If the FCC decides that it has enough information on the record to render a decision, the next step would be for the FCC’s commissioners and staff to study the record and to draw their conclusions. There is no fixed deadline as to when those decisions might be made, or released to the public.
If the FCC decides, instead, to ask for even more comments on this issue, the Commission would do so by issuing a “Further Notice of Proposed Rule Making.”The proceeding on HD Radio is FCC Docket 99-325 and the standards involved are the “In-Band/On-Channel Digital Radio Broadcasting Standard NRSC-5.”
HD RADIO MULTICASTING-IRRELEVANT?
Melodeo First to Offer Podcasts for Mobile PhonesMelodeo, Inc., the company that provides the best experience for music on the mobile phone, today announces its expansion into new markets, including making Podcasts available for download to the mobile phone.
SEATTLE - August 19, 2005 -Beginning today consumers can use Melodeo software, called Mobilcast™, to find and download Podcasts on a mobile phone. The addition of Podcasts is a significant step in establishing the mobile phone as a singular device for finding, acquiring, and using digital media. During the past year Podcasting has grown exponentially, yet access is confined to the PC. By enabling Podcast downloads to a mobile phone Melodeo hopes to expand the reach of Podcasts to millions of new users. More information about Podcast downloads can be found at www.melodeo.com/mobilcast.
download the full press release in pdf
SEATTLE - August 19, 2005 -Beginning today consumers can use Melodeo software, called Mobilcast™, to find and download Podcasts on a mobile phone. The addition of Podcasts is a significant step in establishing the mobile phone as a singular device for finding, acquiring, and using digital media. During the past year Podcasting has grown exponentially, yet access is confined to the PC. By enabling Podcast downloads to a mobile phone Melodeo hopes to expand the reach of Podcasts to millions of new users. More information about Podcast downloads can be found at www.melodeo.com/mobilcast.
download the full press release in pdf
Thursday, August 25, 2005
Digital radio-A High Distortion Iniquity
I (along with hundreds of millions of others) have been listening to FM radio for 60 years and have never heard the digital noise and crackling described in this wretched piece of propaganda. (Reproduced below at bottom).
Most people are perfectly satisfied with analog FM stereo just the way it is, and has been for over 40 years. Analog FM occasionally has a problem with multi-path but that is much worse with the iBiquity HD radio system. When 2 digital signals combine (as in the case of multi-path) they wreck havoc. Multi-path doesn't disappear just because the signals are digital, in fact, the results are worse!
This article is a regurgitation of the New York Times article you sent me a couple of weeks ago (that was later retracted for inaccuracy).
The crackles and hisses are caused by the HD radio iBiquity digital FM signal interfering with the analog signal. The power lines associated with the stoplight re-radiate the digital HD radio interference causing more static, hissing, and jamming. Shut off the HD iBiquity digital signal and the interference will disappear! To avoid the interference just avoid broadcasting an iBiquity HD radio signal. iBiquity generated HD radio noise is a GUARANTEED TUNE OUT FOR ANALOG LISTENERS!
The solution is simple:
BAN INIQUITY HIGH DISTORTION RADIO!
THEN ALL THOSE NOISY PROBLEMS WILL DISAPPEAR, AND YOUR BROADCAST NEIGHBORS WON'T SUE!
NOW FOR THE GOOD NEWS:
THERE IS A BETTER SYSTEM! 100% in band and ON CHANNEL with 5.1 surround sound as a bonus!
Digital Radio Express - fmeXtra
www.dreinc.com
Sincerely,
-Rich Franklin
cc: USA TODAY
http://worldsupercaster.blogspot.com
www.supersoundstudios.com
Iniquity propaganda included below:
Art Cohen wrote:
Date: Thu, 25 Aug 2005 12:57:49 -0400From: Art CohenSubject: Digital radio begins to get media attentionTo: PUBRADIO@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDUThis was in today's USA Today:http://www.usatoday.com/tech/products/gear/2005-08-23-digital-radio_x.htmDigital radio emerges into the futureBy Paul Davidson, USA TODAYARLINGTON, Va. - As Jan Andrews circles a block of midrise office buildingsand hotels here, his car radio crackles and hisses, sullying the PartridgeFamily's 1970 chart-topper, I Think I Love You. When Andrews stops at a traffic light, the static thickens. But after hepushes a button on his radio, switching the 100.3 FM broadcast from analogto digital, the noise magically vanishes.Suddenly, the background keyboard sharpens and lead singer David Cassidy'ssomewhat clearer voice can be savored in its - ahem - full-throated glory. "When you don't hear the (static) for a while, you realize how obnoxious andobtrusive it can be," says Andrews, senior engineer for National PublicRadio, whose van offers digital-radio demonstrations. (Related item: Wherehart> the digital stations are)After getting a lackluster rollout from both radio stations andmanufacturers last year, digital radio is finally gaining some traction.Hundreds of radio stations have gone digital in recent months, and retailersare starting to offer digital radios for homes as well as cars.Analysts and broadcasters say digital radio will bring listeners bettersound quality, as well as new programming choices. That should generatefresh revenue for an aging medium under siege from satellite radio and theWeb. "Without (digital), the radio industry signs its death warrant," saysGartner analyst Laura Behrens. "With it, the industry has a chance toreinvent itself."Digital radio can revitalize AM stations by making them sound like analogFM, and can juice up FM stations with CD-quality sound. Perhaps moresignificantly, the digitized signal can be compressed to let FM stationsbroadcast at least one or two additional channels at the same frequency.Digital radios also display a song's title and artist on a small screen.On the way for digital AM and FM: on-demand traffic, weather and stockupdates, via text or audio, and the ability to pause or rewind a live song.Eventually, you'll even be able to push a button to order a CD of the songon the radio.Digital radio is different from fast-growing satellite services that serveabout 6 million subscribers. XM Satellite Radio and Sirius Satellite Radioalso beam their signals digitally but do so via satellite and offer anational service of 100 or so mostly commercial-free channels for $10 to $13a month. Digital radio is free, but to hear it, you have to spend at least severalhundred dollars on a new AM/FM receiver that pipes both digital and analogsignals at the same frequency. Satellite radio gear costs as little as $45.While most consumers have at least heard of satellite radio, an In-Stat/MDRsurvey says few are familiar with HD radio, as digital radio is formallyknown. "There's zero awareness," says analyst Leland Westerfield of HarrisNesbitt. A slow start AM/FM radio is somewhat belatedly following cell phones, music, cameras andTVs in the march toward digital. A handful of radio stations experimentedwith digital in 2002, but receivers weren't out until last year. Adoptionhas been slow, largely because of a chicken-and-egg problem: Radio stationsdidn't want to buy digital transmitters until more digital radios were onstore shelves, and manufacturers were loath to produce the radios untilthere were more digital broadcasts. But as satellite radio's footsteps grew louder last year, a group of largebroadcasters broke the logjam. No. 1 Clear Channel Radio, Cox Radio andEntercom Communications all said they would add digital to most of theirstations by 2008. It costs a radio station $100,000 or so to add a digital transmitter, vs.the $2 million or more to add digital to a TV station. By the end of 2008,2,000 of the USA's 13,500 radio stations are scheduled to go digital,covering 95% of the listening audience, says Robert Struble, CEO ofiBiquity, which developed and licenses the HD Radio technology and whoseinvestors include 15 big radio broadcasters. Of course, stations will crankout their analog signals as well for many years. There are about 500 stations broadcasting digitally, up from fewer than 100in January. New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Boston and Washington, D.C.,each have 10 or more digital stations. And since March, about 25 FM stations have started "multicasting," orbroadcasting at least one additional channel with new programming as well astheir main digital signal. Dozens more are set to do so by year's end.That should provide a boost to the nascent medium. About 50% of consumerssaid they would buy a digital radio for the new programming or on-demandtraffic or weather updates, vs. 38% who cited better sound quality,In-Stat/MDR says."The paramount reason we're excited is multicasting," says Entercom CEODavid Field. He says multicasting could keep some listeners from defecting to satelliteradio - which offers seemingly limitless choice - by supplying such nichechannels as blues, jazz and comedy. While satellite providers tout few or no commercials, national coverage andwider selection, broadcasters promote their local programming and freeservice. Eventually, though, broadcasters plan to charge listeners fees for somepremium multicast services, such as concerts or traffic updates. Text adscould accompany audio ones. By 2010, HD radio should generate 6% to 10% ofbroadcasters' revenue, Westerfield says. That could revitalize an industry whose revenue has been virtually flat thepast three years at about $20 billion. Many advertisers have turned to theInternet, while some consumers are flocking to satellite radio, podcastingand soon, music on cell phones. "All those things were catalysts" fordigital's recent jumpstart, says Clear Channel Radio CEO John Hogan. In May, Chicago country station WUSN became the USA's first commercial FMoutlet to multicast, adding a second digital stream that broadcasts newcountry hits at the same frequency, 99.5. A listener calls up 99.5 HD1 for adigital simulcast of the analog broadcast and HD2 for new-country.Infinity recently added a second digital channel at Chicago's WJMK FM- itseclectic "Jack" channel - that broadcasts 1960s and 1970s music. WJMK hashired three of its veteran oldies DJs to host, though the outlet has fewlisteners and no ads."The better the content, the more likely the technology will succeed," saysDave Robbins, general manager of both stations. Robbins is planning heavy promotions of digital radio this fall to drivelisteners to retailers. Other stations multicasting: . Greater Media's three Detroit FM stations last week each announced a newcompanion multicast channel broadcasting hip-hop, off-beat classic rock and"soft" adult contemporary music. "It's a line extension of the existingbrand," says Greater Media CEO Peter Smyth. . National Public Radio's member stations have taken a leading role inmulticasting. WFAE-FM in Charlotte, for instance, launched an adult-orientedfolk and rock channel to complement its flagship news and talk station.Public radio stations are partly countering the threat posed by satelliteradio's talk and classical music stations. "There's a feeling that public TV was weakened by its choice to stand patwhile many cable (TV) channels," such as the Discovery and History channels,lured away PBS' audience, says David Carwile of WOSU-FM in Columbus, Ohio.More choices on shelves Spurred by broadcasters' plans, manufacturers are picking up the pace. Sincelast year, after-market digital car stereos have been offered in stores suchas Myer-Emco for $350 to $500. But in June, Yamaha shipped the first homeradio, a $1,900 home-entertainment unit. This fall, Boston Acoustics, PolkAudio and Radiosophy plan to release tabletop models priced at $269 to $599in stores such as Crutchfield and J&R Music and Computer World. Bigretailers such as Circuit City, though, are awaiting greater consumerinterest and lower prices.In-Stat analyst Michelle Abraham says the medium won't take hold in earnestuntil the price of tabletop home units falls below $100 and the devices areoffered as factory-installed option in cars. BMW plans to offer HD radios inits 6 Series and 7 Series models this fall. Struble says three or fourcarmakers will likely add the option next fall, though he would not namethem. Large-scale adoption of digital radio will take two or three years, Abrahamsays. She says it will take 10 to 20 years before consumers replace all 750million analog radios in homes and cars and broadcasters go digital-only. In coming months, the FCC will likely consider a request from the musicindustry to add copy protections to digital broadcasts. Music companies fearconsumers will use sophisticated digital recorders to cherry-pick songs andcreate catalogs or blast them over the Web, dampening music sales.But the Electronic Frontier Foundation, a consumer rights group, saysgranting the request would be unduly restrictive. An appeals court recentlystruck down a copy protection plan for digital TV.The FCC is also expected to decide whether to permit digital AM broadcastsat night. Night broadcasts are barred because of concerns about interferencewith analog AM stations, some of which can be picked up by distant listenersat night.That could be key. Digital radio could revitalize the AM band as a bastionfor music. Many AM music stations have switched to news, talk and sportsformats because of AM's slightly muffled, tinny sound. KMRY-AM, an adult standards music station in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, addeddigital two years ago, hoping the fuller, clearer sound attracts newlisteners."It's going to save (AM) stations like us," says KMRY owner Rick Sellers."I'm not going to double my audience, but by God, I can be (the city's No. 4station), up from No. 7." He added: "Now if we can just get some radios out there."
o Arthur Cohen o Whole Station Solutionso acohen@wholestation.como 315-750-0419
Most people are perfectly satisfied with analog FM stereo just the way it is, and has been for over 40 years. Analog FM occasionally has a problem with multi-path but that is much worse with the iBiquity HD radio system. When 2 digital signals combine (as in the case of multi-path) they wreck havoc. Multi-path doesn't disappear just because the signals are digital, in fact, the results are worse!
This article is a regurgitation of the New York Times article you sent me a couple of weeks ago (that was later retracted for inaccuracy).
The crackles and hisses are caused by the HD radio iBiquity digital FM signal interfering with the analog signal. The power lines associated with the stoplight re-radiate the digital HD radio interference causing more static, hissing, and jamming. Shut off the HD iBiquity digital signal and the interference will disappear! To avoid the interference just avoid broadcasting an iBiquity HD radio signal. iBiquity generated HD radio noise is a GUARANTEED TUNE OUT FOR ANALOG LISTENERS!
The solution is simple:
BAN INIQUITY HIGH DISTORTION RADIO!
THEN ALL THOSE NOISY PROBLEMS WILL DISAPPEAR, AND YOUR BROADCAST NEIGHBORS WON'T SUE!
NOW FOR THE GOOD NEWS:
THERE IS A BETTER SYSTEM! 100% in band and ON CHANNEL with 5.1 surround sound as a bonus!
Digital Radio Express - fmeXtra
www.dreinc.com
Sincerely,
-Rich Franklin
cc: USA TODAY
http://worldsupercaster.blogspot.com
www.supersoundstudios.com
Iniquity propaganda included below:
Art Cohen
Date: Thu, 25 Aug 2005 12:57:49 -0400From: Art Cohen
o Arthur Cohen o Whole Station Solutionso acohen@wholestation.como 315-750-0419
Tuesday, August 23, 2005
HD RADIO-AN "EVIL THING"
If you go back in broadcast history to the days of yesteryear, TV and FM stereo were technologies that were not proprietary. I believe the inventor of TV wanted to patent the technology but never before IBOC has that been allowed to happen.
So here comes Ibiquity with IBOC. According to the trades if you signed on last year it was $5,000 but if you wait a couple of years it will be $25,000. Then they said you would have to pay a license fee just like your ASCAP and BMI at the prevailing rate to “reup” or whatever you want to call it. The trades said Ibiquity gave Clear Channel unnamed incentives and the head engineer at Clear Channel is on the NRSC board. I don't know all the details but this doesn't pass the smell test. As my grandmother would say, "There's something rotten in Denmark."
So Clear Channel is pushing for 6kHz music audio to diminish sidebands but I personally can hear IBOC hash when I tune my car radio to 1380 in Columbia, SC, which is five or six miles away from Clear Channel's WCOS-AM 1400. Why 1380? Because I own a simple country station doing live radio with real people (imagine that) not that far away broadcasting on 1380 AM in Bishopville, SC.
So the technicals look doubtful, and the money trail? It will make your head spin. Is this pathetic drama going to have the same sad conclusion as Braveheart? Mel Gibson playing William Wallace got pulled apart on the rack in the end. Are you with me? We've got to stop this evil thing.
James D. Jenkins,owner/GM
WAGS Radio
Bishopville, SC
So here comes Ibiquity with IBOC. According to the trades if you signed on last year it was $5,000 but if you wait a couple of years it will be $25,000. Then they said you would have to pay a license fee just like your ASCAP and BMI at the prevailing rate to “reup” or whatever you want to call it. The trades said Ibiquity gave Clear Channel unnamed incentives and the head engineer at Clear Channel is on the NRSC board. I don't know all the details but this doesn't pass the smell test. As my grandmother would say, "There's something rotten in Denmark."
So Clear Channel is pushing for 6kHz music audio to diminish sidebands but I personally can hear IBOC hash when I tune my car radio to 1380 in Columbia, SC, which is five or six miles away from Clear Channel's WCOS-AM 1400. Why 1380? Because I own a simple country station doing live radio with real people (imagine that) not that far away broadcasting on 1380 AM in Bishopville, SC.
So the technicals look doubtful, and the money trail? It will make your head spin. Is this pathetic drama going to have the same sad conclusion as Braveheart? Mel Gibson playing William Wallace got pulled apart on the rack in the end. Are you with me? We've got to stop this evil thing.
James D. Jenkins,owner/GM
WAGS Radio
Bishopville, SC
HD RADIO CONSPIRACY-RUIN THE COMPETITION!
IT SEEMS WE HAVE THE LARGEST ANTI-TRUST CASE EVER! THOUSANDS OF FAVORITE RADIO STATIONS WILL BE JAMMED AND FORCED TO SHUT DOWN.
HD radio
This is a technology that will financially ruin small town stations such as mine. We are unable to pay the $5,000 licensing per station now, much less the higher fees later. Then we are faced with the upgrade in equipment to broadcast IBOC. Again the financials do not work.
Overall, we estimate that if we licensed today that the cost would be in the range of $125,000. In a market that barely breaks even, how could we possibly handle this financially?
I posed this question to the IBOC people at NAB. The ultimate answer was, "we do not expect the small market to make this move." What then do we tell listeners who have ordered cars with IBOC radio and want to listen to IBOC? The simple answer is, "we lose!" No more listener.
Then there is the engineering and maintenance issue. How do we perform these functions when there are no qualified engineers available?
These are legitimate concerns for small operators. The entire IBOC thing appears to be driven by the large multi-station groups.
Tommie Dodd,president,GM
KQIK-AM/FMLakeview, OR
HD radio
This is a technology that will financially ruin small town stations such as mine. We are unable to pay the $5,000 licensing per station now, much less the higher fees later. Then we are faced with the upgrade in equipment to broadcast IBOC. Again the financials do not work.
Overall, we estimate that if we licensed today that the cost would be in the range of $125,000. In a market that barely breaks even, how could we possibly handle this financially?
I posed this question to the IBOC people at NAB. The ultimate answer was, "we do not expect the small market to make this move." What then do we tell listeners who have ordered cars with IBOC radio and want to listen to IBOC? The simple answer is, "we lose!" No more listener.
Then there is the engineering and maintenance issue. How do we perform these functions when there are no qualified engineers available?
These are legitimate concerns for small operators. The entire IBOC thing appears to be driven by the large multi-station groups.
Tommie Dodd,president,GM
KQIK-AM/FMLakeview, OR
Saturday, August 20, 2005
HD RADIO-A REAL "LISTENER LOOSER!"
The FM stereo radio in this new "Walkman Phone" is analog, so any digital signals that interfere with the analog FM stereo signals (like HD radio) will cause people to instantly switch to iPod style MP3 music listening. A real listener looser for broadcasters!
-Rich
Sony Ericsson W550 Walkman Phone @ PhoneMag.com
-Rich
Sony Ericsson W550 Walkman Phone @ PhoneMag.com
RADIO FACES COMPETITION!
Home Back
MIKE WENDLAND: Michigan broadcasters don't fear satellite radio competition -- yet
BY MIKE WENDLAND FREE PRESS COLUMNIST
July 22, 2005
Satellite radio is all the buzz these days. But the Michigan Association of Broadcasters says that buzz just may be literal.
According to a Michigan State University report commissioned by the association and to be released at the association's annual meeting at the Soaring Eagle Resort in Mt. Pleasant today, only about 8% of the Michigan public has access to satellite radio and of them, fully 50% say they do not receive good reception when driving.
That's perhaps the most controversial finding to come from the report, which, considering the outfit that commissioned it, not surprisingly finds that the public is not being lured away from local radio by emerging technologies.
In fact, 70% of the 300 Michigan residents surveyed in April and May by MSU researchers said they listen to local radio stations as much now as they ever did and 95% said they expected to listen as much or more during the coming year.
"The facts show that the hype being put forth by emerging technologies doesn't align with the reality that local radio is uniquely positioned to provide the local touch listeners value," said Karole White, president and chief executive officer of the association, which represents 300 radio and television stations across the state.
The association did find one high tech trend that has surprisingly strong legs.
According to the Communications Research Institute at MSU, 20% of Michigan residents said they listen regularly to personal music players like Apple's iPod, typically 45 minutes a day.
The MAB will unleash an advertising campaign over the next few weeks that highlights the findings and promotes the strength of local radio, said White.
But for now, broadcasters say they're not worried about high tech gizmos stealing their audience.
Geek speak
They can also take solace in a study issued Wednesday by the Pew Internet & American Life Project that also pooh-poohed the impact of all the geek speak high-tech terms bandied about by computer types and tech writers.
It found that the public often hasn't a clue what the geeks are gushing about.
Pew says only 13% of the public knows what the term "podcasting" means, 9% have heard of "RSS feeds" and 19% know the word "phishing."
I confess. Like many of my peers, I bandy those words around like they're on the tips of everyone's tongues.
So, just to be clear:
•Podcasting is a means of publishing audio files and do-it-yourself radio-like programs over the Internet that can be downloaded and played through computers or personal music players.
•RSS feeds are Web-based notifications of updates of Internet stories or blog reports or even podcasts sent out to people who use software that seeks out and flags or somehow marks new material for them.
•Phishing is the act of fraudulently trying to trick someone into giving up sensitive financial information or personal identification data by masquerading as a legitimate outfit like eBay or your bank. Usually the scam involves a real-looking e-mail that directs you to a forged Web site that the identity thieves set up to capture any information you unwittingly provide.
There. I feel better. Do we understand each other?
iPod's halo
Three more surveys that came out this week show that some high-tech trends are getting traction.
According to the Needham & Co. high-tech consulting outfit, the so-called iPod halo effect that has spotlighted consumer interest in Apple may have attracted up to 400,000 Windows users to the Mac computer platform so far this year.
If true, that is a tremendously significant number for Apple, which over recent years has only had about 3% of the personal computer market share. New sales this year have seen the company increase that now to 4.5%, says the tech firm IDC.
And it comes on the heels of an estimate by TechnoMetrica Market Intelligence that more than 32 million adult Americans plan to buy an iPod within the next 12 months.
Somebody is pretty excited by all this technology. Which takes us back to the Michigan broadcasters.
The fact that they're planning a big advertising campaign on why radio is so cool tells me that, while they may not be worried about audience erosion today, they see where the trend lines are heading.
Contact MIKE WENDLAND at 313-222-8861 or mwendland@freepress.com.
Copyright © 2005 Detroit Free Press Inc.
MIKE WENDLAND: Michigan broadcasters don't fear satellite radio competition -- yet
BY MIKE WENDLAND FREE PRESS COLUMNIST
July 22, 2005
Satellite radio is all the buzz these days. But the Michigan Association of Broadcasters says that buzz just may be literal.
According to a Michigan State University report commissioned by the association and to be released at the association's annual meeting at the Soaring Eagle Resort in Mt. Pleasant today, only about 8% of the Michigan public has access to satellite radio and of them, fully 50% say they do not receive good reception when driving.
That's perhaps the most controversial finding to come from the report, which, considering the outfit that commissioned it, not surprisingly finds that the public is not being lured away from local radio by emerging technologies.
In fact, 70% of the 300 Michigan residents surveyed in April and May by MSU researchers said they listen to local radio stations as much now as they ever did and 95% said they expected to listen as much or more during the coming year.
"The facts show that the hype being put forth by emerging technologies doesn't align with the reality that local radio is uniquely positioned to provide the local touch listeners value," said Karole White, president and chief executive officer of the association, which represents 300 radio and television stations across the state.
The association did find one high tech trend that has surprisingly strong legs.
According to the Communications Research Institute at MSU, 20% of Michigan residents said they listen regularly to personal music players like Apple's iPod, typically 45 minutes a day.
The MAB will unleash an advertising campaign over the next few weeks that highlights the findings and promotes the strength of local radio, said White.
But for now, broadcasters say they're not worried about high tech gizmos stealing their audience.
Geek speak
They can also take solace in a study issued Wednesday by the Pew Internet & American Life Project that also pooh-poohed the impact of all the geek speak high-tech terms bandied about by computer types and tech writers.
It found that the public often hasn't a clue what the geeks are gushing about.
Pew says only 13% of the public knows what the term "podcasting" means, 9% have heard of "RSS feeds" and 19% know the word "phishing."
I confess. Like many of my peers, I bandy those words around like they're on the tips of everyone's tongues.
So, just to be clear:
•Podcasting is a means of publishing audio files and do-it-yourself radio-like programs over the Internet that can be downloaded and played through computers or personal music players.
•RSS feeds are Web-based notifications of updates of Internet stories or blog reports or even podcasts sent out to people who use software that seeks out and flags or somehow marks new material for them.
•Phishing is the act of fraudulently trying to trick someone into giving up sensitive financial information or personal identification data by masquerading as a legitimate outfit like eBay or your bank. Usually the scam involves a real-looking e-mail that directs you to a forged Web site that the identity thieves set up to capture any information you unwittingly provide.
There. I feel better. Do we understand each other?
iPod's halo
Three more surveys that came out this week show that some high-tech trends are getting traction.
According to the Needham & Co. high-tech consulting outfit, the so-called iPod halo effect that has spotlighted consumer interest in Apple may have attracted up to 400,000 Windows users to the Mac computer platform so far this year.
If true, that is a tremendously significant number for Apple, which over recent years has only had about 3% of the personal computer market share. New sales this year have seen the company increase that now to 4.5%, says the tech firm IDC.
And it comes on the heels of an estimate by TechnoMetrica Market Intelligence that more than 32 million adult Americans plan to buy an iPod within the next 12 months.
Somebody is pretty excited by all this technology. Which takes us back to the Michigan broadcasters.
The fact that they're planning a big advertising campaign on why radio is so cool tells me that, while they may not be worried about audience erosion today, they see where the trend lines are heading.
Contact MIKE WENDLAND at 313-222-8861 or mwendland@freepress.com.
Copyright © 2005 Detroit Free Press Inc.
RADIO LISTENERSHIP SHRINKING!
Music Radio Stations Hard Hit by Personal Digital Music Revolution
ORADELL, N.J., June 7 /PRNewswire/ -- Music radio stations are facing
increasingly powerful competition from the modern music culture says a newly
published study by TechnoMetrica Market Intelligence. And what's more,
listener bases are changing, and not for the better.
"Listener bases appear to be shrinking," says Constantine Kambanis, an
analyst at TechnoMetrica. "Moreover, they may be losing some of their
financial value, with perhaps the most economically important listeners
leaving radio for the modern music experience."
According to Kambanis, the synergy between digital music formats, portable
digital music players, personal computers and the Internet has created better
and more alluring alternatives to traditional radio, forcing music radio to
either adapt or die.
"Part of the appeal of things like the Apple iPod and online music
services like iTunes and Napster is that the listener's music experience can
be completely customized. You just can't do that with traditional radio."
Comparing what he dubs the "modern music experience" to traditional music
radio programming, Kambanis says that downloading gives such music a certain
degree of ownership and permanence not found in radio. Beyond that, the
quickness and ease of downloading music and the absence of time-consuming and
irrelevant commercials diminishes the value proposition of music radio
programming.
According to the report, music radio will have to come to grips with the
fact that technology is fracturing the overarching listener base while
simultaneously personalizing consumer's interaction with pop culture.
"Technology is having a profound impact on music radio's mission
statement. It's forcing the advent of greater specialization and more
genre-specific content. The future of music radio probably lies in highly
targeted entertainment and in introducing new artists and music products into
highly specialized markets."
About the Report
This study surveyed a random sample of 1,002 adult American consumers on
their perceptions of various products and services as well as buying habits.
Beyond looking at the overarching modern music experience and its impact on
the music radio industry, the report examines ownership rates, demand for
portable digital music players, online music service subscriptions, trends in
PC usage for downloading music, downloading vs. buying music CDs, music
piracy, consumer familiarity with Sony's Walkman Phone, its market viability
and how it stacks up against Apple's iPod.
To request a Table of Contents and Abstract or to purchase the report,
please contact ckambanis@technometrica.com or call 800-328-8324.
SOURCE TechnoMetrica Market Intelligence
ORADELL, N.J., June 7 /PRNewswire/ -- Music radio stations are facing
increasingly powerful competition from the modern music culture says a newly
published study by TechnoMetrica Market Intelligence. And what's more,
listener bases are changing, and not for the better.
"Listener bases appear to be shrinking," says Constantine Kambanis, an
analyst at TechnoMetrica. "Moreover, they may be losing some of their
financial value, with perhaps the most economically important listeners
leaving radio for the modern music experience."
According to Kambanis, the synergy between digital music formats, portable
digital music players, personal computers and the Internet has created better
and more alluring alternatives to traditional radio, forcing music radio to
either adapt or die.
"Part of the appeal of things like the Apple iPod and online music
services like iTunes and Napster is that the listener's music experience can
be completely customized. You just can't do that with traditional radio."
Comparing what he dubs the "modern music experience" to traditional music
radio programming, Kambanis says that downloading gives such music a certain
degree of ownership and permanence not found in radio. Beyond that, the
quickness and ease of downloading music and the absence of time-consuming and
irrelevant commercials diminishes the value proposition of music radio
programming.
According to the report, music radio will have to come to grips with the
fact that technology is fracturing the overarching listener base while
simultaneously personalizing consumer's interaction with pop culture.
"Technology is having a profound impact on music radio's mission
statement. It's forcing the advent of greater specialization and more
genre-specific content. The future of music radio probably lies in highly
targeted entertainment and in introducing new artists and music products into
highly specialized markets."
About the Report
This study surveyed a random sample of 1,002 adult American consumers on
their perceptions of various products and services as well as buying habits.
Beyond looking at the overarching modern music experience and its impact on
the music radio industry, the report examines ownership rates, demand for
portable digital music players, online music service subscriptions, trends in
PC usage for downloading music, downloading vs. buying music CDs, music
piracy, consumer familiarity with Sony's Walkman Phone, its market viability
and how it stacks up against Apple's iPod.
To request a Table of Contents and Abstract or to purchase the report,
please contact ckambanis@technometrica.com or call 800-328-8324.
SOURCE TechnoMetrica Market Intelligence
Friday, August 19, 2005
Why HD radio won't save broadcasters.
CONVERGE SENSE
Talk Back
Format for Printing
E-Mail This Article
Subscribe to B2Can HD Rescue Radio?
The last, best hope for saving terrestrial radio may not be enough.By Om Malik, June 10, 2005
Terrestrial radio is under assault. The attacks are coming from all sides -- satellite radio, iPods, subscription music services, broadband radio, and podcasting. Given all that, the $20 billion a year radio industry has to reinvent itself. Fast.
So what's a radio executive to do? Industry insiders are excited about high-definition radio, which marries analog and digital signals and sends out a hybrid data stream. HD radios then decode the two types of signal and play them back as separate channels.
What makes this possible is that radio broadcasters actually own the frequencies around their stations. An operator whose station sits at 96.7 FM has control over the frequencies that spread from 96.5 to 96.9 megahertz. In HD radio, the analog signal travels over 96.7, and as many as eight additional digital signals can be sent using the 96.6- and 96.8-MHz bands.
HD technology addresses the biggest problem with modern radio: Its homogenized formats simply aren't serving the increasingly niche-ified audience. By offering more specialized formats, radio can bring back some of the listeners. A classical radio station with HD capability can promptly start offering an opera-only channel, which may attract a smaller but more lucrative listenership. Or a pop music station can launch a channel devoted exclusively to indie music. Or world music -- you get the idea. In addition, HD radio stations can dispatch real-time traffic reports, paging alerts, and even e-mails, which show up on the tiny LCD screens on HD radios. HD also sounds better than traditional analog radio and can be recorded TiVo-like for later playback.
Even with all those advantages, though, HD radio may be too late to help the industry. A recent study by TechnoMetrica Market suggests that the coveted youth audience has already abandoned traditional radio and is tuning in elsewhere. While one in nine U.S. adults listens to music online, an astonishing one in three 18- to 24-year-olds is doing it. "Listener bases appear to be shrinking," says Constantine Kambanis, an analyst at TechnoMetrica. And there's little reason to expect that trend to stop.
Talk Back
Format for Printing
E-Mail This Article
Subscribe to B2Can HD Rescue Radio?
The last, best hope for saving terrestrial radio may not be enough.By Om Malik, June 10, 2005
Terrestrial radio is under assault. The attacks are coming from all sides -- satellite radio, iPods, subscription music services, broadband radio, and podcasting. Given all that, the $20 billion a year radio industry has to reinvent itself. Fast.
So what's a radio executive to do? Industry insiders are excited about high-definition radio, which marries analog and digital signals and sends out a hybrid data stream. HD radios then decode the two types of signal and play them back as separate channels.
What makes this possible is that radio broadcasters actually own the frequencies around their stations. An operator whose station sits at 96.7 FM has control over the frequencies that spread from 96.5 to 96.9 megahertz. In HD radio, the analog signal travels over 96.7, and as many as eight additional digital signals can be sent using the 96.6- and 96.8-MHz bands.
HD technology addresses the biggest problem with modern radio: Its homogenized formats simply aren't serving the increasingly niche-ified audience. By offering more specialized formats, radio can bring back some of the listeners. A classical radio station with HD capability can promptly start offering an opera-only channel, which may attract a smaller but more lucrative listenership. Or a pop music station can launch a channel devoted exclusively to indie music. Or world music -- you get the idea. In addition, HD radio stations can dispatch real-time traffic reports, paging alerts, and even e-mails, which show up on the tiny LCD screens on HD radios. HD also sounds better than traditional analog radio and can be recorded TiVo-like for later playback.
Even with all those advantages, though, HD radio may be too late to help the industry. A recent study by TechnoMetrica Market suggests that the coveted youth audience has already abandoned traditional radio and is tuning in elsewhere. While one in nine U.S. adults listens to music online, an astonishing one in three 18- to 24-year-olds is doing it. "Listener bases appear to be shrinking," says Constantine Kambanis, an analyst at TechnoMetrica. And there's little reason to expect that trend to stop.
Audio Content is KING-whether digital or analog!
August 15, 2005
"Include Radio in iPods, Phones, Home Media"
That's the title of this Radio World article, in which Steve Church recognizes the degree to which new media has displaced radio as the centerpiece of audio entertainment. Unfortunately, he misdiagnoses the cause and possible solutions.
Like many other terrestrial broadcasters, Steve seems to think the attraction of iPods, etc., to consumers is that "they are digital. " As Steve writes, ". . . . the technology world is finding nothing much compelling in today's radio broadcasting. All these new digital machines need to eat digital food." And, of course, he feels IBOC/HD is the "digital food" that will magically save terrestrial radio.
I feel like I'm whipping a dead horse here, but I'll say it again: radio is a content business, not a technology business. People don't listen to iPods or satellite radio because "it's digital" but because iPods and satellite radio offer options and content they can't get from terrestrial radio. It's irrelevant that IBOC/HD is "digital" and"sounds great" if the content from terrestrial broadcasters is more cookie-cutter formats like "Jack FM" or syndicated talk shows like Rush, Dr. Laura, Jim Rome, etc., and listeners have to spend 15% or more each hour sitting through spots. Listeners are moving to new media to escape the same old same old on terrestrial radio, not because they want a "digital listening experience." They want an entertaining listening experience most of all.
"Include Radio in iPods, Phones, Home Media"
That's the title of this Radio World article, in which Steve Church recognizes the degree to which new media has displaced radio as the centerpiece of audio entertainment. Unfortunately, he misdiagnoses the cause and possible solutions.
Like many other terrestrial broadcasters, Steve seems to think the attraction of iPods, etc., to consumers is that "they are digital. " As Steve writes, ". . . . the technology world is finding nothing much compelling in today's radio broadcasting. All these new digital machines need to eat digital food." And, of course, he feels IBOC/HD is the "digital food" that will magically save terrestrial radio.
I feel like I'm whipping a dead horse here, but I'll say it again: radio is a content business, not a technology business. People don't listen to iPods or satellite radio because "it's digital" but because iPods and satellite radio offer options and content they can't get from terrestrial radio. It's irrelevant that IBOC/HD is "digital" and"sounds great" if the content from terrestrial broadcasters is more cookie-cutter formats like "Jack FM" or syndicated talk shows like Rush, Dr. Laura, Jim Rome, etc., and listeners have to spend 15% or more each hour sitting through spots. Listeners are moving to new media to escape the same old same old on terrestrial radio, not because they want a "digital listening experience." They want an entertaining listening experience most of all.
HD radio-No portable radios will be available for YEARS said CEO!
July 05, 2005
Q&A With Ibiquity's Bob Struble
Bob Struble is CEO of Ibiquity, the company behind IBOC/HD radio, and this interview with him is enlightening, often in ways he may not have intended. I got a good laugh out of this quote:
Right now we could probably make a portable HD radio but it would take a car battery to make it work.
Struble also admits the original selling points for IBOC/HD----improved audio and no interference----are turning out to be non-starters with consumers.
Q&A With Ibiquity's Bob Struble
Bob Struble is CEO of Ibiquity, the company behind IBOC/HD radio, and this interview with him is enlightening, often in ways he may not have intended. I got a good laugh out of this quote:
Right now we could probably make a portable HD radio but it would take a car battery to make it work.
Struble also admits the original selling points for IBOC/HD----improved audio and no interference----are turning out to be non-starters with consumers.
Radio Listenership Declining-Streaming Media the WINNER!!!
As AM and FM over the air listenership continues to decline streaming internet media will soar!
HD digital radio will jam the airwaves and make them useless as thousands of stations sign on to jam each other with hiss. AM and FM, digital or analog, will be useless because of the noise!
Here are some links to the projections and data.
http://www.bridgeratings.com/Website%20Docs/Digital%20Audio%20Projections2.htm
http://www.bridgeratings.com/dvd_letter.projections.3.17.05.htm
http://www.bridgeratings.com/press_8022004.htm
http://www.bridgeratings.com/press_11012004.htm
HD digital radio will jam the airwaves and make them useless as thousands of stations sign on to jam each other with hiss. AM and FM, digital or analog, will be useless because of the noise!
Here are some links to the projections and data.
http://www.bridgeratings.com/Website%20Docs/Digital%20Audio%20Projections2.htm
http://www.bridgeratings.com/dvd_letter.projections.3.17.05.htm
http://www.bridgeratings.com/press_8022004.htm
http://www.bridgeratings.com/press_11012004.htm
Tuesday, August 16, 2005
HD Radio-LESS CHOICE MORE NOISE!
Digital Radio:
When More (bandwidth) is Less (choice)
NEXT: ACTION
Another way to think of this is to compare an analog photograph with a digital fax ... the fax picture is a series of dots that are "on" (black) or "off" (white space).What is "Digital Audio Broadcasting"?
Digital is a new way of using electricity to store music, voice, and information. Digital information is "binary" (either on or off, one or a zero) using pits (or no pits) to code the music on compact discs or bursts of energy for computer communication, instead of smoothly varied signals taken from vinyl records, for example.
If you look very very closely, you will see that a facsimile printout is a digital "binary" (on or off) format of information. Look closely and you will see a series of squares that are either white (off) or black (on). There is no grey in-between, its either black or white. Contrast that digital storage and transmission with a photograph. Look very closely at the photo, on the other hand, and you will see greys and colors, in nearly infinite shades.
Currently radio stations transmit in analog, but take the music from a digital storage format.
Please don't confuse the digital display of your analog tuner's controller with DAB.Just as the fax machine screeches into the phone line to transmit those blocks of binary information that makes up a picture, so will "Digital Audio Broadcasting" make sounds very like a fax machine into your radio reciever!
Several years ago most of the rest of the nations of planet Earth created a third separate broadcast band to create Digital Audio Broadcasting (DAB) radio stations.
Large american broadcasters represented by the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) wanted to do the same in the United States. Unfortunately the US military wanted to continue using those bands of frequencies to transmit and recieve information for testing of military machinery. Modern technology makes this utterly unecessary, since now there are much higher frequencies available with much greater security with the current state-of-the-art available to the military. The retention of the 1400mHz "L-Band" by the US Military is especially ironic since now Europe and Canada are filling those frequencies with broadcasts thus making them largely useless to the US Military. Additionally, regular citizens can now easily build and modify equipment to transmit and recieve in the "L-Band" and thus these frequencies are not secure! The military should go ahead and move on to the higher more secure frequencies!
There's no point in testing your missile only to have Elvis on the "L-Band" take over control of it!
Example: from Richmond, Va., WHRV89.5FM and WAUQ89.7FM are "first adjacent" stations, that is they are on each other's first frequency channel adjacent to each other. Currently a good receiver can separate these two weak and distant stations right next to each other on the richmond radio dial. When they double in bandwidth, we will hear neither station ever again, nor will the rural people in between of Jamestown or Tidewater, Va. At least if these were NEW stations there would be new programming sources ... but instead we just lose two sources. They are not replaced with new programming outlets. But in 1992, the military would not yield and so the NAB thought they would instead place these DAB signals In the AM and FM Broadcast Band, centered On the existing radio station Channels (hence the acronym IBOC-DAB)
This is where this particular way of employing Digital became a threat to your favorite radio station. The NAB proposed to place the DAB "audio fax machines" just immediately (in radio-speak, "adjacent") above and below each analog radio station. The idea is that they will transmit both in analog and in digital for a few years, and eventually turn off the analog broadcast transmitter and end up with a fully pure DAB band that will completely replace the existing current analog AM and FM Broadcast bands.
Sounds great, eh? The problem is that a side-effect of doubling the width of a radio station is that if your favorite radio station happens to be a weak little independent college, religious or community mom&pop radio station right next to a high-powered blow-torch of a radio on the broadcast dial ... you very likely will not be able to recieve your favorite station again.
In other words, your favorite station's signal is jammed by the big stations digital signal!
Some will tell you that FM technology will reject the IBOC noise, but when WJFK ran an actual test IBOC signal, we went up to Northern Virginia to test their proposition that it would not affect our radios.
We made an actual recording of the IBOC signal jamming the next station down on the dial!! Then we testified to Congress regarding IBOC and gave Congress the actual sounds of test IBOC stations destroying another station's signal as well as more discussion of the misleading nature of the NAB testimony.
In this image here to the right of this text you can see a rough graphic representation of the proposed IBOC-DAB signal distribution and the graphic shows how this would destroy your access to recieve a neigboring signal if you are living in-between the two stations.
The current "In-Band On-Channel, Digital Audio Broadcasting" (IBOC-DAB) proposal would force mandatory "sunsetting" or prohibition of existing affordable analog FM stations, making them broadcast in digital.
Adding insult to injury, it would allow big stations to more than double their bandwidth. This would reduce the "buffer space" between many stations to a negative number ... station's signals would overlap and your receiver would "hear" both simultaneously ... utter gibberish would result. (See examples)
To see for yourself how this works, tune to a nearby powerful FM station and click once in either direction, notice that the signal is still there. Click twice, it vanishes. Under the proposed rules, two clicks in either direction would be taken and the powerful station would literally jam other signals nearby on the dial but geographically distant or weak.
The effect is like the Nazi radio giveaway because it destroys by law our ability to receive weaker or more distant signals but does not allow local competition to replace that loss with new programming sources. All Germans, whether they liked it or not, heard Hitler 's latest speech and no counterpoint.
Technology Investor magazine affirms the economic viability of subscription Satellite radio services citing research that shows that "30% of CD sales are in music genres rarely heard on the radio dial." What is especially galling is that the NAB, SONY etc. argue that they need IBOC-DAB in order to "compete" with satellite and the Internet ... sidestepping the fact that it is not the digital sound that drives interest in expensive and inferior technology such as Satellite and Internet audio ... it is the variety that Sony even admits in their official statements are not available on the FM dial.
Under IBOC-DAB, spreadsheet driven robots playing repetitive programming, blaring ads, and irritating call-in schemes broadcast at 40,000 watts would dominate even more mercilessly than they do now.
Commercial radio content has little to do with Nazism, unless the latest bleating teen idol brings you to a murderous rage. But IBOC-DAB would knock out what many (about 20%) listeners prefer; the smaller noncommercial college, community, and religious stations.
When More (bandwidth) is Less (choice)
NEXT: ACTION
Another way to think of this is to compare an analog photograph with a digital fax ... the fax picture is a series of dots that are "on" (black) or "off" (white space).What is "Digital Audio Broadcasting"?
Digital is a new way of using electricity to store music, voice, and information. Digital information is "binary" (either on or off, one or a zero) using pits (or no pits) to code the music on compact discs or bursts of energy for computer communication, instead of smoothly varied signals taken from vinyl records, for example.
If you look very very closely, you will see that a facsimile printout is a digital "binary" (on or off) format of information. Look closely and you will see a series of squares that are either white (off) or black (on). There is no grey in-between, its either black or white. Contrast that digital storage and transmission with a photograph. Look very closely at the photo, on the other hand, and you will see greys and colors, in nearly infinite shades.
Currently radio stations transmit in analog, but take the music from a digital storage format.
Please don't confuse the digital display of your analog tuner's controller with DAB.Just as the fax machine screeches into the phone line to transmit those blocks of binary information that makes up a picture, so will "Digital Audio Broadcasting" make sounds very like a fax machine into your radio reciever!
Several years ago most of the rest of the nations of planet Earth created a third separate broadcast band to create Digital Audio Broadcasting (DAB) radio stations.
Large american broadcasters represented by the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) wanted to do the same in the United States. Unfortunately the US military wanted to continue using those bands of frequencies to transmit and recieve information for testing of military machinery. Modern technology makes this utterly unecessary, since now there are much higher frequencies available with much greater security with the current state-of-the-art available to the military. The retention of the 1400mHz "L-Band" by the US Military is especially ironic since now Europe and Canada are filling those frequencies with broadcasts thus making them largely useless to the US Military. Additionally, regular citizens can now easily build and modify equipment to transmit and recieve in the "L-Band" and thus these frequencies are not secure! The military should go ahead and move on to the higher more secure frequencies!
There's no point in testing your missile only to have Elvis on the "L-Band" take over control of it!
Example: from Richmond, Va., WHRV89.5FM and WAUQ89.7FM are "first adjacent" stations, that is they are on each other's first frequency channel adjacent to each other. Currently a good receiver can separate these two weak and distant stations right next to each other on the richmond radio dial. When they double in bandwidth, we will hear neither station ever again, nor will the rural people in between of Jamestown or Tidewater, Va. At least if these were NEW stations there would be new programming sources ... but instead we just lose two sources. They are not replaced with new programming outlets. But in 1992, the military would not yield and so the NAB thought they would instead place these DAB signals In the AM and FM Broadcast Band, centered On the existing radio station Channels (hence the acronym IBOC-DAB)
This is where this particular way of employing Digital became a threat to your favorite radio station. The NAB proposed to place the DAB "audio fax machines" just immediately (in radio-speak, "adjacent") above and below each analog radio station. The idea is that they will transmit both in analog and in digital for a few years, and eventually turn off the analog broadcast transmitter and end up with a fully pure DAB band that will completely replace the existing current analog AM and FM Broadcast bands.
Sounds great, eh? The problem is that a side-effect of doubling the width of a radio station is that if your favorite radio station happens to be a weak little independent college, religious or community mom&pop radio station right next to a high-powered blow-torch of a radio on the broadcast dial ... you very likely will not be able to recieve your favorite station again.
In other words, your favorite station's signal is jammed by the big stations digital signal!
Some will tell you that FM technology will reject the IBOC noise, but when WJFK ran an actual test IBOC signal, we went up to Northern Virginia to test their proposition that it would not affect our radios.
We made an actual recording of the IBOC signal jamming the next station down on the dial!! Then we testified to Congress regarding IBOC and gave Congress the actual sounds of test IBOC stations destroying another station's signal as well as more discussion of the misleading nature of the NAB testimony.
In this image here to the right of this text you can see a rough graphic representation of the proposed IBOC-DAB signal distribution and the graphic shows how this would destroy your access to recieve a neigboring signal if you are living in-between the two stations.
The current "In-Band On-Channel, Digital Audio Broadcasting" (IBOC-DAB) proposal would force mandatory "sunsetting" or prohibition of existing affordable analog FM stations, making them broadcast in digital.
Adding insult to injury, it would allow big stations to more than double their bandwidth. This would reduce the "buffer space" between many stations to a negative number ... station's signals would overlap and your receiver would "hear" both simultaneously ... utter gibberish would result. (See examples)
To see for yourself how this works, tune to a nearby powerful FM station and click once in either direction, notice that the signal is still there. Click twice, it vanishes. Under the proposed rules, two clicks in either direction would be taken and the powerful station would literally jam other signals nearby on the dial but geographically distant or weak.
The effect is like the Nazi radio giveaway because it destroys by law our ability to receive weaker or more distant signals but does not allow local competition to replace that loss with new programming sources. All Germans, whether they liked it or not, heard Hitler 's latest speech and no counterpoint.
Technology Investor magazine affirms the economic viability of subscription Satellite radio services citing research that shows that "30% of CD sales are in music genres rarely heard on the radio dial." What is especially galling is that the NAB, SONY etc. argue that they need IBOC-DAB in order to "compete" with satellite and the Internet ... sidestepping the fact that it is not the digital sound that drives interest in expensive and inferior technology such as Satellite and Internet audio ... it is the variety that Sony even admits in their official statements are not available on the FM dial.
Under IBOC-DAB, spreadsheet driven robots playing repetitive programming, blaring ads, and irritating call-in schemes broadcast at 40,000 watts would dominate even more mercilessly than they do now.
Commercial radio content has little to do with Nazism, unless the latest bleating teen idol brings you to a murderous rage. But IBOC-DAB would knock out what many (about 20%) listeners prefer; the smaller noncommercial college, community, and religious stations.
HD Radio-Jams your favorite stations!
EXAMPLE TWO: A radio station is not a "point" on a line representing the FM dial's 20mHz bandwidth (from 88.0--108mHz).
A radio station slot is a "channel" encompassing a RANGE of frequencies. A legal FM radio station is currently 200kHz [0.2mHz] of that dial.
Due to the lack of regulation requiring a minimum level of performance for FM receivers ... a large buffer was established in 1963 of three "channels" (also known as "third adjacent channel prohibition") to each side of a station in a local area.
So Q94.5FM uses a range of frequencies centered at 94.5mHz (m="mega" Hz="Hertz", which means "million vibrations a second) on the electromagnetic spectrum of frequencies available to current technology.
Q94.5FM encompasses a 200kHz bandwidth centered at 94.5FM, therefore half (100kHz or 0.1mHz) is updial and half is downdial. So the range is 94.5-0.1=94.4mHz and 94.5+0.1mHz=94.6mHz thus the range is 94.4--94.6mHz.
The DAB-IBOC proposal plans to expand that bandwidth from 200kHz to 430kHz.
Thus Q94.5FM would under IBOC-DAB encompass on the FM dial a range from 94.285--to-- 94.715mHz on the FM dial.
Similarly, (several miles to the East) WTPE 94.9FM's new signal encompasses 94.685--to-- 95.115mHz on the FM dial
Graphically: (ascii charted) Q94.5 94.285 94.715mHz iiiiiiii <0.3mHz of mixed signal! iiiiiiii 94.685 95.115mHz 94.9 Losing the competition provided by 94.9FM for Richmonders with a good radio is bad enough ... but the rural listeners between Richmond and Norfolk will likely lose access to both stations! And unlike with LPFM, there will be no replacement service.
A radio station slot is a "channel" encompassing a RANGE of frequencies. A legal FM radio station is currently 200kHz [0.2mHz] of that dial.
Due to the lack of regulation requiring a minimum level of performance for FM receivers ... a large buffer was established in 1963 of three "channels" (also known as "third adjacent channel prohibition") to each side of a station in a local area.
So Q94.5FM uses a range of frequencies centered at 94.5mHz (m="mega" Hz="Hertz", which means "million vibrations a second) on the electromagnetic spectrum of frequencies available to current technology.
Q94.5FM encompasses a 200kHz bandwidth centered at 94.5FM, therefore half (100kHz or 0.1mHz) is updial and half is downdial. So the range is 94.5-0.1=94.4mHz and 94.5+0.1mHz=94.6mHz thus the range is 94.4--94.6mHz.
The DAB-IBOC proposal plans to expand that bandwidth from 200kHz to 430kHz.
Thus Q94.5FM would under IBOC-DAB encompass on the FM dial a range from 94.285--to-- 94.715mHz on the FM dial.
Similarly, (several miles to the East) WTPE 94.9FM's new signal encompasses 94.685--to-- 95.115mHz on the FM dial
Graphically: (ascii charted) Q94.5 94.285 94.715mHz iiiiiiii <0.3mHz of mixed signal! iiiiiiii 94.685 95.115mHz 94.9 Losing the competition provided by 94.9FM for Richmonders with a good radio is bad enough ... but the rural listeners between Richmond and Norfolk will likely lose access to both stations! And unlike with LPFM, there will be no replacement service.
HD Radio-Advocates exposed as conspirators!
Digital Radio: Orwell Would Have Been Proud
You are one of the few independent radio stations left.
You have worked long and hard to prevent Clear Channel Inc. from buying up your radio station.
You are of course concerned about alternatives such as tapes, CDs, stationary satellite digital audio such as Music Choice and now mobile direct satellite digital service such as XM and Sirius as well as Internet digital audio such as MP3 and streaming audio stations.
And you have survived anyway. You have invested years of effort and sacrifice to be a resource to the community, you are not in this for "the money" ... you love broadcasting!
In the 1930s Hitler gave away 9 million AM radios to the German public, all calibrated to one channel. People who listened to forbidden stations such as the BBC were sent to concentration camps. Every single radio blared the Nazi party line, you could not escape it anywhere.
The Effect of the current proposed version of a mandatory Digital Audio Broadcasting (DAB) format conversion is like the Nazi radio giveaway because it destroys by regulation our ability to receive weaker or more distant signals without replacing that with local competition ... further concentrating power to edit our perceptions of reality (via the media) into the hands of the few.
Perhaps you are one of the NonCommercial Educational (college, community and religious) radio stations that over 20% of Americans rely on for the programming that speaks to their souls and values their culture and music.
You know that the reason that these new digital services have not stolen that much of your audience is that you provide locally relevant music, news and cultural programming in a superior, robust analog broadcast format that is much more easily and cheaply available to the listener.
There are forces who would prefer to increase profits by reducing staff rather than compete fairly by producing compelling programming. These forces would like to have all programming automated and brought in from thousands of miles away. They would prefer that they not have to work very hard to gain listenership. In order for them to do that ... they need to get rid of the competition (you).
Its not just about money either. Those forces are frightened by alternatives to the mainstream Modernist American culture. Like the fictional Borg of the TV show, Startrek Voyager, since they have failed to absorb and assimilate you they instead will seek to destroy you!
A coalition headed by the "Washington Beltway" lobbyists for the largest broadcasters, the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB),would eliminate choice (you) on the airwaves just as effectively as any dictatorship by legally jamming weaker signals so your listener's receivers can no longer hear you.
The plan: NAB coalition lobbyists are pressuring the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for approval of a two-part proposed regulatory standard called "In-Band, On-Channel, Digital Audio Broadcasting" typically abbreviated as "IBOC-DAB".
The new proposed regulation for IBOC-DAB would force:
An end to affordable analog broadcasting (end of your favorite small-budget community, college or religious radio station as well as small commercial stations) Mandatory conversion is estimated to cost between $60,000 and $200,000 per transmitter. Do you have a spare quarter million? (don't forget murphy's law of upgrades).
Coalition cohort, Consumer Electronics Manufacturers Association (CEMA) is also standing to gain mightily from the forced obsolescence of half a BILLION receivers when that happens! Your favorite weaker nonmainstream radio signals will sound like a lone man calling out for help in a sea of screeching fax machine sounds.
Doubling the width of radio stations, causing overlapping signals where the larger more powerful signal would simply overwhelm (jam) the weaker signal.
The irony: In a very Orwellian twist, the NAB coalition claims that they must "go digital" in order to "be competitive."
Especially Ironic ... the NAB claims to oppose Low Power FM because LPFM would allegedly harm broadcasters fringe listenership ..
You are one of the few independent radio stations left.
You have worked long and hard to prevent Clear Channel Inc. from buying up your radio station.
You are of course concerned about alternatives such as tapes, CDs, stationary satellite digital audio such as Music Choice and now mobile direct satellite digital service such as XM and Sirius as well as Internet digital audio such as MP3 and streaming audio stations.
And you have survived anyway. You have invested years of effort and sacrifice to be a resource to the community, you are not in this for "the money" ... you love broadcasting!
In the 1930s Hitler gave away 9 million AM radios to the German public, all calibrated to one channel. People who listened to forbidden stations such as the BBC were sent to concentration camps. Every single radio blared the Nazi party line, you could not escape it anywhere.
The Effect of the current proposed version of a mandatory Digital Audio Broadcasting (DAB) format conversion is like the Nazi radio giveaway because it destroys by regulation our ability to receive weaker or more distant signals without replacing that with local competition ... further concentrating power to edit our perceptions of reality (via the media) into the hands of the few.
Perhaps you are one of the NonCommercial Educational (college, community and religious) radio stations that over 20% of Americans rely on for the programming that speaks to their souls and values their culture and music.
You know that the reason that these new digital services have not stolen that much of your audience is that you provide locally relevant music, news and cultural programming in a superior, robust analog broadcast format that is much more easily and cheaply available to the listener.
There are forces who would prefer to increase profits by reducing staff rather than compete fairly by producing compelling programming. These forces would like to have all programming automated and brought in from thousands of miles away. They would prefer that they not have to work very hard to gain listenership. In order for them to do that ... they need to get rid of the competition (you).
Its not just about money either. Those forces are frightened by alternatives to the mainstream Modernist American culture. Like the fictional Borg of the TV show, Startrek Voyager, since they have failed to absorb and assimilate you they instead will seek to destroy you!
A coalition headed by the "Washington Beltway" lobbyists for the largest broadcasters, the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB),would eliminate choice (you) on the airwaves just as effectively as any dictatorship by legally jamming weaker signals so your listener's receivers can no longer hear you.
The plan: NAB coalition lobbyists are pressuring the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for approval of a two-part proposed regulatory standard called "In-Band, On-Channel, Digital Audio Broadcasting" typically abbreviated as "IBOC-DAB".
The new proposed regulation for IBOC-DAB would force:
An end to affordable analog broadcasting (end of your favorite small-budget community, college or religious radio station as well as small commercial stations) Mandatory conversion is estimated to cost between $60,000 and $200,000 per transmitter. Do you have a spare quarter million? (don't forget murphy's law of upgrades).
Coalition cohort, Consumer Electronics Manufacturers Association (CEMA) is also standing to gain mightily from the forced obsolescence of half a BILLION receivers when that happens! Your favorite weaker nonmainstream radio signals will sound like a lone man calling out for help in a sea of screeching fax machine sounds.
Doubling the width of radio stations, causing overlapping signals where the larger more powerful signal would simply overwhelm (jam) the weaker signal.
The irony: In a very Orwellian twist, the NAB coalition claims that they must "go digital" in order to "be competitive."
Especially Ironic ... the NAB claims to oppose Low Power FM because LPFM would allegedly harm broadcasters fringe listenership ..