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hoarse with no name
Guest
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 Posted:
Wed Oct 19, 2005 4:01 am Post subject:
Why is the UK ahead of the US in digital FM? |
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I have never heard digital FM radio, but everything I read about it
makes me think that I would enjoy it. Whenever I try to google info on
the subject most of the hits are for the UK, which seems to have dived
into this with greater enthusiasm than the US. Why is the UK ahead and
when will digital FM become common in the US?
I am one of the last people without an a/v receiver or a small army of
speakers forming a perimeter around my couch. Can I wait a little while
longer and buy an a/v receiver with digital FM built in, or will the
wait be several years?
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Don Pearce
Guest
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| Posted:
Wed Oct 19, 2005 11:32 am Post subject:
Re: Why is the UK ahead of the US in digital FM? |
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On Tue, 18 Oct 2005 16:01:07 -0700, hoarse with no name wrote:
| Quote: | I have never heard digital FM radio, but everything I read about it
makes me think that I would enjoy it. Whenever I try to google info on
the subject most of the hits are for the UK, which seems to have dived
into this with greater enthusiasm than the US. Why is the UK ahead and
when will digital FM become common in the US?
I am one of the last people without an a/v receiver or a small army of
speakers forming a perimeter around my couch. Can I wait a little while
longer and buy an a/v receiver with digital FM built in, or will the
wait be several years?
|
Well, I have news for you. Digital radio in the UK isn't FM. It is QAM,
with an outer structure of COFDM.
But however it is done, I'm sure it will be with you soon.
d |
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Barry Mann
Guest
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| Posted:
Wed Oct 19, 2005 7:58 pm Post subject:
Re: Why is the UK ahead of the US in digital FM? |
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In <no-B43A28.16010618102005@cnews.newsguy.com>, on 10/18/05
at 04:01 PM, hoarse with no name <no@spam.com> said:
| Quote: | I have never heard digital FM radio, but everything I read about it
makes me think that I would enjoy it. Whenever I try to google info on
the subject most of the hits are for the UK, which seems to have
dived into this with greater enthusiasm than the US. Why is the UK
ahead and when will digital FM become common in the US?
|
See: http://ibiquity.com/
| Quote: | I am one of the last people without an a/v receiver or a small army of
speakers forming a perimeter around my couch. Can I wait a little
while longer and buy an a/v receiver with digital FM built in, or
will the wait be several years?
|
"Last"? Not by a long shot. My customer sample is too small and
specialized to warrant too much generalization, but I see customers
replacing their audio equipment during or immediately after school,
upgrades or replacement when they buy a house (finances permitting),
and again when the kids are gone. While much of the current excitement
for new purchases centers on home theater (mostly fueled by HDTV),
there is a huge segment that is quite happy with their existing stereo
system.
From a manufacturer's or audio dealer's perspective, this happy, non
buying group is not very exciting.
A recent emerging dynamic is families with teens and pre teens. The
teens are pressing for home theater -- "everyone has it".
It's early in the cycle, presently there are only a few HD radio
receivers, but I'm sure there will be a flood before too long.
If you can, I think waiting is a great idea. We are in the HD radio and
HDMI transition. When this transition is finished home audio/video will
be quite different and many of the old interconnection issues we've
been struggling with will be gone. Interconnection will be much like
USB connections on computer gear. (for the new equipment -- legacy
equipment will remain another layer to struggle with.)
-----------------------------------------------------------
spam: uce@ftc.gov
wordgame:123(abc):<14 9 20 5 2 9 18 4 at 22 15 9 3 5 14 5 20 dot 3 15
13> (Barry Mann)
[sorry about the puzzle, spammers are ruining my mailbox]
----------------------------------------------------------- |
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Colin B.
Guest
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| Posted:
Wed Oct 19, 2005 8:58 pm Post subject:
Re: Why is the UK ahead of the US in digital FM? |
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hoarse with no name <no@spam.com> wrote:
| Quote: |
I have never heard digital FM radio, but everything I read about it
makes me think that I would enjoy it. Whenever I try to google info on
the subject most of the hits are for the UK, which seems to have dived
into this with greater enthusiasm than the US. Why is the UK ahead and
when will digital FM become common in the US?
|
I suspect that digital radio in the US is slow to catch on because the radio
conglamorates have done such a thorough job of driving people away from
listening to the radio. Generic, formulaic, unintelligent, obnoxious radio
broadcasts have convinced the general populace to listen to other stuff. Now
in order to make digital radio really catch on, they have to get people _back_
to radio in general. |
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hoarse with no name
Guest
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| Posted:
Thu Oct 20, 2005 4:43 am Post subject:
Re: Why is the UK ahead of the US in digital FM? |
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In article <435665ef$2$avgroveq$mr2ice@wcnews.cyberonic.com>,
zzzz@zzzz.zzz (Barry Mann) wrote:
| Quote: | If you can, I think waiting is a great idea. We are in the HD radio and
HDMI transition. When this transition is finished home audio/video will
be quite different and many of the old interconnection issues we've
been struggling with will be gone. Interconnection will be much like
USB connections on computer gear. (for the new equipment -- legacy
equipment will remain another layer to struggle with.)
|
This is much how I feel about it. I see computers getting easier to use
every year and audio getting harder to use every year. I figure that
eventually some smart guy in Japan will fix this. |
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hoarse with no name
Guest
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| Posted:
Thu Oct 20, 2005 4:43 am Post subject:
Re: Why is the UK ahead of the US in digital FM? |
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In article <43566d09@news.nucleus.com>,
"Colin B." <cbigam@somewhereelse.nucleus.com> wrote:
| Quote: | I suspect that digital radio in the US is slow to catch on because the radio
conglamorates have done such a thorough job of driving people away from
listening to the radio. Generic, formulaic, unintelligent, obnoxious radio
broadcasts have convinced the general populace to listen to other stuff. Now
in order to make digital radio really catch on, they have to get people _back_
to radio in general.
|
I admit that I myself only listen to radio in the car, but I suspect
that being able to broadcast several channels per existing frequency
allocation will lead to more targeted and thus more satisfying
programming. |
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Don Pearce
Guest
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| Posted:
Thu Oct 20, 2005 11:37 am Post subject:
Re: Why is the UK ahead of the US in digital FM? |
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On Wed, 19 Oct 2005 19:59:31 -0700, hoarse with no name wrote:
| Quote: | In article <43566d09@news.nucleus.com>,
"Colin B." <cbigam@somewhereelse.nucleus.com> wrote:
I suspect that digital radio in the US is slow to catch on because the radio
conglamorates have done such a thorough job of driving people away from
listening to the radio. Generic, formulaic, unintelligent, obnoxious radio
broadcasts have convinced the general populace to listen to other stuff. Now
in order to make digital radio really catch on, they have to get people _back_
to radio in general.
I admit that I myself only listen to radio in the car, but I suspect
that being able to broadcast several channels per existing frequency
allocation will lead to more targeted and thus more satisfying
programming.
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The UK experience would suggest otherwise.
d |
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Arny Krueger
Guest
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| Posted:
Thu Oct 20, 2005 4:29 pm Post subject:
Re: Why is the UK ahead of the US in digital FM? |
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"hoarse with no name" <no@spam.com> wrote in message
news:no-B43A28.16010618102005@cnews.newsguy.com
| Quote: | I have never heard digital FM radio, but everything I
read about it makes me think that I would enjoy it.
|
About as close as we get to digital FM radio in the US is
satellite radio.
| Quote: | Whenever I try to google info on the subject most of the
hits are for the UK, which seems to have dived into this
with greater enthusiasm than the US. Why is the UK ahead
and when will digital FM become common in the US?
|
It looks to me like FM is taken a lot more seriously in the
UK than the US.
| Quote: | I am one of the last people without an a/v receiver or a
small army of speakers forming a perimeter around my
couch. Can I wait a little while longer and buy an a/v
receiver with digital FM built in, or will the wait be
several years?
|
The US works more like a free market economy than the UK.
For example the U.S. government is hardly a force in FM
programming while the BBS clearly is. I don't know if
digital FM will ever make the mainstream in the US.
Just like americans eschew mass transit and love their cars,
it may turn out that personal storage-based digital players
will be the future of mobile music listening in the US. |
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Colin B.
Guest
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| Posted:
Fri Oct 21, 2005 1:32 am Post subject:
Re: Why is the UK ahead of the US in digital FM? |
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hoarse with no name <no@spam.com> wrote:
| Quote: | In article <43566d09@news.nucleus.com>,
"Colin B." <cbigam@somewhereelse.nucleus.com> wrote:
I suspect that digital radio in the US is slow to catch on because the radio
conglamorates have done such a thorough job of driving people away from
listening to the radio. Generic, formulaic, unintelligent, obnoxious radio
broadcasts have convinced the general populace to listen to other stuff. Now
in order to make digital radio really catch on, they have to get people _back_
to radio in general.
I admit that I myself only listen to radio in the car, but I suspect
that being able to broadcast several channels per existing frequency
allocation will lead to more targeted and thus more satisfying
programming.
|
Bleah! Targeted programming sounds wonderful, but almost always ends up
being pseudo-custom dreck. Someone's a classic rock fan? Great, we'll blast
Stairway to Heaven and Paradise by the Dashboard Light at them 16hr/day!
I personally listen to the radio to hear new and interesting music, which
has been carefully selected by music-loving intelligent station staff.
Hey, quit laughing! You guys, I'm serious...
OK, I confess--we have one BRILLIANT station here (CKUA - they also have
internet streams at ckua.com), our national radio (CBC), and occasionally
worthwhile campus radio. If it weren't for these stations, I wouldn't bother
listening to more than a few minutes of radio a week, and I doubt very much
that changing the technology or the number of stations available would
improve matters.
Interesting, challenging programming is NOT conducive to the corporate needs
of profit and stability. Almost all of the stations which provide such
programming are run by governments or public trusts of some sort. In the USA,
there's not a lot of either (NPR is questionably supported), and with no
tradition of it, not a lot of demand. Hence the corporate broadcasters can
continue to subdivide the market into smaller segments but ultimately provide
LESS real selection, reducing costs and improving profit.
Of course, I'm just a cynic who hates the music and broadcasting industries
for what they've done to musicians and music fans. Take my opinion with a
grain of salt.
Colin |
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Peter Larsen
Guest
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| Posted:
Sat Oct 22, 2005 12:39 pm Post subject:
Re: Why is the UK ahead of the US in digital FM? |
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hoarse with no name wrote:
| Quote: | I have never heard digital FM radio, but everything I read about it
makes me think that I would enjoy it.
|
We have it in Denmark too. It has pro's and cons. Direct FM, from a
transmitter via airwaves to a quality tuner sounds vastly better.
| Quote: | I am one of the last people without an a/v receiver or
a small army of speakers forming a perimeter around my
couch.
|
You mean that you are one of the luddites with less than 10 remotes on
the coffee table.
| Quote: | Can I wait a little while longer and buy an a/v receiver
with digital FM built in, or will the wait be several years?
|
A simple question: what problem is it that you want to solve?
Currently DAB radios are fairly cheap stand alone units for kitchens and
whatever. The transmission format is, as I understand this and I may be
wrong, 128 kbits per second. It should have been 192 kbit pr second to
warrant playback outside the kitchen. No noise, possibility of large
dynamic range, but unfortunately slightly boring and dull in terms of
sound quality.
Kind regards
Peter Larsen
--
*******************************************
* My site is at: http://www.muyiovatki.dk *
******************************************* |
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Peter Larsen
Guest
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| Posted:
Sat Oct 22, 2005 12:45 pm Post subject:
Re: Why is the UK ahead of the US in digital FM? |
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hoarse with no name wrote:
| Quote: | I admit that I myself only listen to radio in the car, but I suspect
that being able to broadcast several channels per existing frequency
allocation will lead to more targeted and thus more satisfying
programming.
|
57 channels even, assuming you know your Springsteen.
I am not optimistic, what you want would require a departure from the
mass media structure the US is currently culturally exporting to the
rest of the world.
What radio needs is not technology, it is a will, a desire, to make good
programs.
Kind regards
Peter Larsen
--
*******************************************
* My site is at: http://www.muyiovatki.dk *
******************************************* |
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Laurence Payne
Guest
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| Posted:
Mon Oct 24, 2005 4:42 am Post subject:
Re: Why is the UK ahead of the US in digital FM? |
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On Wed, 19 Oct 2005 19:59:31 -0700, hoarse with no name <no@spam.com>
wrote:
| Quote: | I admit that I myself only listen to radio in the car, but I suspect
that being able to broadcast several channels per existing frequency
allocation will lead to more targeted and thus more satisfying
programming.
|
It doesn't work like that. Satisfying programming surprises you.
Targeted programming bores you. |
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Colin B.
Guest
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| Posted:
Mon Oct 24, 2005 8:06 pm Post subject:
Re: Why is the UK ahead of the US in digital FM? |
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Laurence Payne <lpayne1NOSPAM@dsl.pipexspamtrap.com> wrote:
| Quote: | On Wed, 19 Oct 2005 19:59:31 -0700, hoarse with no name <no@spam.com
wrote:
I admit that I myself only listen to radio in the car, but I suspect
that being able to broadcast several channels per existing frequency
allocation will lead to more targeted and thus more satisfying
programming.
It doesn't work like that. Satisfying programming surprises you.
Targeted programming bores you.
|
Very succinct and well-put. That's what I was trying to say in my rambling
way.
Colin |
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harrogate2
Guest
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| Posted:
Mon Oct 24, 2005 9:33 pm Post subject:
Re: Why is the UK ahead of the US in digital FM? |
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"Laurence Payne" <lpayne1NOSPAM@dsl.pipexSPAMTRAP.com> wrote in
message news:948ol11bgk34p2p39r55divqkhnr00n758@4ax.com...
| Quote: | On Wed, 19 Oct 2005 19:59:31 -0700, hoarse with no name
no@spam.com
wrote:
I admit that I myself only listen to radio in the car, but I
suspect
that being able to broadcast several channels per existing
frequency
allocation will lead to more targeted and thus more satisfying
programming.
It doesn't work like that. Satisfying programming surprises you.
Targeted programming bores you.
|
Probably why BBC R2 and Classic FM are so successful, where Radio 1
and many ILR stations are not?
--
Woody
harrogate2 at ntlworld dot com |
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Laurence Payne
Guest
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| Posted:
Tue Oct 25, 2005 11:17 pm Post subject:
Re: Why is the UK ahead of the US in digital FM? |
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On Mon, 24 Oct 2005 16:33:45 GMT, "harrogate2"
<harrogate2@ntlworld.com> wrote:
| Quote: | It doesn't work like that. Satisfying programming surprises you.
Targeted programming bores you.
Probably why BBC R2 and Classic FM are so successful, where Radio 1
and many ILR stations are not?
|
Classic FM is very targeted. Radio 1 actually covers quite varied
styles, though all loosely described as "pop" music. But I can't
imagine anyone tuning in to Kiss FM with the intention of actually
LISTENING. Can you? Though I suppose it has a place as lounge bar
background music. |
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