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#11
December 30th 05, 11:55 AM
posted to rec.radio.shortwave
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CBS/Infinity and IBOC-AM?
wrote in message oups.com... May I chime in from the broadcasters perspective? Most of what's been written is very accurate. The IBOC technology as implemented in the USA was developed by Ibiquity, Inc and is licensed under the name 'HD Radio'. Hence, if you're interested in purchasing a receiver to decode this technology, do a search for 'HD Radio'. To date, there are very few receivers available, largely due to standards resolution, and the long lead-time required by Detroit to implement new technologies into US made automobiles. My sense is that radio Broadcasters, feeling the heat of competition from XM / Sirius / Ipods / Internet streams + WiFi, as well as the Eureka 147 digital radio roll-out in Europe (whereby all radio services emanate from a single point-source, and all have the same technical capabilities) felt the need to "do something digital". It had to be on the traditional AM/FM band because Broadcasters have paid a ton of money for each of their properties; to simply abandon the AM/FM scheme in order to implement 'digital' would have been financially devastating to station owners. As has been discussed, HD Radio is not currently authorized on AM stations at night, ("night is *not* defined as 6 AM to 6 PM, but rather varies with a station's geographic location and the time of year) though a serious lobbying effort is on to change this. Hence, at this point it does not seriously impact DX opportunities, since most long-range reception is a nighttime phenomenon (when the IBOC signals are off). Here in Los Angeles, we've implemented HD Radio on AM 1110, Radio Disney - a children's formatted music station. I would describe the aural result as "startling" - 14 kHz stereo, very low noise, no obviously noticable artifacts, no multi-path in an automotive environment - in short, it's *very* hard to believe you're hearing an AM station. Compare this to a *typical* AM receiver (not necessarily a Drake R8B or Eton E1/XM) with a mono 3.5 kHz response and loud buzzes evey time you drive under a power line, and you can see the attractivness to the Broadcasting community. "Here, finally is a way to compete with new technologies" [programming issues aside!]. On the FM side, the aural improvement is much less noticeable. Since no pre-emphasis is required in the IBOC signal path, the high-end sounds more 'natural' and 'airy', but these are very subjective terms. What is new is the ability to "split" the IBOC bandwidth, such that station W*** - FM can now have 2 or 3 full fidelity "sister" or "associated" stations. This will provide FM broadcasters with the opportunity to explore new (and hopefully more creative) programming opportunities. Here in LA, about a half-dozen FM broadcasters have already implemented this "multiple channel" broadcasting, and most of these new channels are (for the time being) commercial free. Too, there is a lot of talk about implementing 'surround' sound on IBOC FM, which also might prove to be a 'startling' addition to our radio experiences. Again, my sense is that broadcasters are thinking that the analog technology that served us well in the 20th Century has run its course, and that to remain a viable medium a transition to digital *must* take place. The trouble is that there are (probably) a half-billion analog receivers in the USA alone capable of receiving analog AM / FM, and these can't be abandoned overnight. The Station's around the country are now in the first phase of implementing digital radio, in the form of IBOC / HD Radio. And my bet is that it's *not* going to go away. Mike Worrall ABC Radio Los Angeles |
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