HD makes the list. The decade's 30 biggest tech flops
On 12/16/09 13:48 , fdgdfgfdg wrote:
"D. Peter wrote in message
...
On 12/15/09 17:35 , Brenda Ann wrote:
"Bob wrote in message
news:4b2a08da.2108125@chupacabra...
If HD is really the loser some would have us believe, it will still
linger
because the stations that already have it won't have any incentive to
ditch the
gear they've acquired, because it wouldn't bring much beyond scrap metal
value
in the used market.
Of course whenever I listen to the table radio in the other room it'll
probably
be an HD station.
...and any listener feedback from me will likely reflect my satisfaction
with
the improvements that technology brings.
So what's a station GM to do, keep what some listeners (the ones that
respond)
say they like, or listen to a few querulous snivelers on usenet which is
known
as a forum for whiners?
Neither. They'll look at the dismal sales curve for the receivers and
the
near zero Arbitron ratings for their IBOC streams and eventually conclude
that it isn't worth the extra electricity to keep the IBOC running.
There's still the matter of investment. With well into 6 figures for a
single station, manglement, investors, and corporate interests will not
simply let it die and go away. Like AM stereo, which actually worked, it
took nearly 20 years to go away.
But, UNlike AM stereo, which had a "marketplace based" approach and
competing standards all on the air at once....HD Radio standard has been
chosen. There is no battle among the formats on the air. Listeners can
enjoy it from the get go.
With AM Stereo, one had to decide which system to buy...and then could only
listen to certain stations.
HD learned from that fiasco...and is avoinding the pitfalls.
Which pitfalls aren't even on the radar, here. The uptake is
slow, the technology is flawed, and the implementation is poor. But
the investment has been spectacular.
The point being made that even a system like AM stereo which was
a simple and far less costly implementation took 20 years to go awaty.
IBOC, UNlike AM Stereo, with its enormous capital investment per
station, contractual obligations, and corporate support, will not
simply be allowed to die quickly. There's just too much money involved.
It will be around for quite a while.
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