"A Browne" wrote in message
...


AM HD is stereo.

AM had stereo first, way back in the past. It was so good, the FCC
approved
first one, then FOUR different methods for stereo modulation. Holy
cats!
The FCC actually thought there might be enough consumer demand to
support
four different AM stereo plans. The broadcasters and manufacturers all
jumped in, as well.

Broadcaster's weren't "on board" with the marketplace aspect of picking a
standard.

Yet there were different AM stereo standards being broadcast. If the
broadcasters believed that one system was superior to the others, than that
would have decided the issue for the FCC.


The "let the marketplace decide the stereo standard" was one mistake that
the FCC didn't make with HD. They named a standard, and all the
brodcasters
are on board with the same standard.

HD is ibiquity's copyrighted term. If we consider HD to mean IBOC, Kahn's
CAM-D system is supposed to be on the air right now.

http://www.kdylam.com/camd.htm

Don't ask me where to buy a CAM-D receiver, though. I'm sure they are even
less popular than HD receivers.


With no standard chosen, there was no impetus for the public to buy one
standard over another, nor impetus for manufacturers to start making one
standard over another....in any real sense.

The impetus would have been the desirability to upgrade to stereo. A person
would buy a radio to match the system broadcast by a favorite station or
stations.

Somebody with different favorites would have to buy different radios or a
multimode radio.

Such are the sacrifices we make for the things we really like.


Problem was, people didn't like stereo enough to buy another radio. And
it's not as if the radios were real expensive. They wouldn't buy four
AM
stereo standards. They wouldn't buy even one.

They WOULD buy one...IF they knew *which* of the four was the one to buy!
So they waited....and did nothing.

Didn't the stations say which AM stereo system they were using? Didn't they
tell people where to get radios? Didn't stores know which radios to sell?

There was some stupidity in this, but not that much.


Actually, people didn't care much about FM stereo, either. FM stereo
didn't
reach mass market appeal until it was almost a give-away with the radio.

That's what will happen with HD. Until it starts being included in the
next
radio people will purchase, or in the next car they buy.

Right. Do you think the C-Quam car radio thing had anything to do with
Motorola?


There might be a lesson there for HD radio. Give it away and maybe
people
will listen. But I really doubt ibiquity will give up licensing fees on
their patents and copyrights.

Well, Volvo is making all their 2009's include HD as standard equipment.

If ibiqity is smart, they'll try to get HD radios in Fords and Chevys and
Toyotas.

If the really want to sell radios, they will go for the $15.00 clock radio
market.


Other manufacturers are including it as an option, and I'm sure some
people
will buy their cars off the lot with it included without them having to
chose it specifically.

Lucky for Glenn, if he ever does start living in the past, he can look
back
at a lifetime as an accomplished DXer and radio broadcaster.

I'm sure his kids will be impressed.


I'm sure they are.

Frank Dresser