Well, I don't think we know for sure. Ultimately, TV and Radio are going to be digital, or go away. However, IBOC may not be it, although they are going to try.
I have been representing IAAIS, the International Association of Audio Information Services in the work with IBOC digital radio, and its impact on SCA's, and future development of radio. We have to assume it will happen, until we know it won't. So, we are trying to get future radios to be accessible, and to minimize the impact on existing radio reading services, during the transition phase, which could take years, even if IBOC is successful.
Dave
At 10:11 PM 4/18/2002 -0500, Kelly Pierce wrote:
>David,
>
>I think your key idea is whether or not this technology is widely
>adopted. this is far from a sure thing. remember AM stereo? What abut
>video disks from the 1980s? How about interactive TV? Can anyone still
>buy a net appliance? Is anyone using a smart credit card? These are all
>technologies incredibly hyped at the time of introduction and then bombed
>in the marketplace. right now, digital TV is struggling. It is hard to
>make a case for access to a technology untested in the marketplace. We
>don't know, for example, if people will be willing to pay hundreds of
>dollars extra for a radio that offers a little better quality audio.
>this is considering that people are accepting the lower audio quality of
>MP3's.
>
>Kelly
>
>
>
>
>
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "David Andrews" <[log in to unmask]>
>To: <[log in to unmask]>
>Sent: Thursday, April 18, 2002 8:32 AM
>Subject: Re: Tech: AM and FM Radio to add digital features
>
>
>I have been working closely with iBiquity in testing effects on existing
>radio reading services, using FM sub-carriers, and have started a dialog
>with them and radio manufacturers about accessibility and usability of
>radios. This is a long-term process, and I don't expect anything good in
>the first generation or two, but hopefully, we can bring something about
>in
>the future.
>
>If IBOC is to happen, which isn't guaranteed, that is if it is to become
>widely adopted, it can ultimately offer reading services digital
>transmission, with far better quality than we have today. However, we
>have
>to be able to use the auxiliary data capacity of future receivers. This
>is
>why, in part, I have been working with iBiquity and others.
>
>David Andrews
>
>At 05:57 AM 04/18/2002 -0700, Kelly Ford wrote:
>>I wonder if the manufacturers of these radios are thinking about
>>accessibility of the extra digital info they'll be displaying?
>>
>>
>>
>>At 11:01 AM 4/17/02 -0400, you wrote:
>> >from the April 12th USA Today
>> >
>> >Radio close to increased digital transmissions
>> >
>> >By David Lieberman, USA TODAY
>> >
>> >LAS VEGAS - AM and FM radio are finally ready for the digital
>revolution,
>> >according to broadcasters who've been waiting a decade to jump in.
>> >
>> >Toward the end of this year, big-city stations reaching about half of
>all
>> >listeners are expected to supplement their current analog signals with
>> >digital
>> >transmissions.
>> >
>> >For consumers who buy digital radios, available early next year, AM
>> >programming should sound as sharp as FM - and FM will approach CD
>clarity.
>> >
>> >"Static, hiss and pops all go away," says iBiquity Digital CEO Bob
>Struble,
>> >whose company just unveiled its technology to lead the radio
>industry's
>> >digital
>> >charge.
>> >
>> >"You're talking about a diametrical upgrade in audio quality."
>> >
>> >IBiquity's digital radio was the most talked about new offering shown
>at the
>> >National Association of Broadcasters convention here this week.
>> >
>> >"This could revitalize AM radio," says Radio World news editor Leslie
>> >Stimson. "A lot of AM stations have been forced into adopting talk
>formats"
>> >because
>> >of audio quality inferior to FM.
>> >
>> >Broadcasters are intrigued with iBiquity's promise to help station
>owners go
>> >digital in less than a year using the airwaves they already control.
>> >
>> >"It will be an orderly transition," says NAB chief Edward Fritts. "We
>know
>> >the world is going digital. For radio to sit back and not have an
>avenue to
>> >step
>> >forward would be a tragedy."
>> >
>> >The plan won a key, but qualified, endorsement this week from the
>National
>> >Radio Systems Committee, the broadcast and consumer electronics
>industries'
>> >standards
>> >group. It blessed iBiquity's technology for FM stations to use
>beginning in
>> >November.
>> >
>> >It said AM stations should use it only during daytime until more tests
>> >determine whether it would create night interference.
>> >
>> >IBiquity has spent $100 million on the business, Struble says, and
>expects
>> >clear reception among station owners.
>> >
>> >Financial backers include top station owners Viacom, Radio One and
>Clear
>> >Channel, as well as Lucent and Gannett (publisher of USA TODAY). "The
>radio
>> >industry
>> >set us up," he says.
>> >
>> >New signal equipment will cost a station from $27,000 to $215,000,
>depending
>> >on its size and signal strength, plus a license fee for iBiquity's
>software.
>> >The company will begin by going after stations in New York, Chicago,
>Los
>> >Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle and Miami.
>> >
>> >Consumers who want to receive the clearer signals will initially pay
>about
>> >$300 for a high-end radio that receives existing analog and digital
>signals.
>> >Other, less costly, digital-only radios are expected to run about $100
>more
>> >than comparable analog units.
>> >
>> >And some will include new features. For example, motorists will be
>able to
>> >push a button on the radio to instantly retrieve the latest
>information
>> >about
>> >traffic conditions, weather, sports and stocks. When music's playing,
>the
>> >radio will display the song title and artist.
>> >
>> >Kenwood, Alpine, Harman/Kardon and JVC have said that they'll make the
>> >radios.
>> >
>> >Retailers such as Crutchfield, Good Guys, Tweeter and Ultimate
>Electronics
>> >have said they'd sell them.
>> >
>> >
>> >VICUG-L is the Visually Impaired Computer User Group List.
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>>
>>
>>VICUG-L is the Visually Impaired Computer User Group List.
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>
>
>VICUG-L is the Visually Impaired Computer User Group List.
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>[log in to unmask] In the body of the message, simply type
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> VICUG-L is archived on the World Wide Web at
>http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/vicug-l.html
VICUG-L is the Visually Impaired Computer User Group List.
To join or leave the list, send a message to
[log in to unmask] In the body of the message, simply type
"subscribe vicug-l" or "unsubscribe vicug-l" without the quotations.
VICUG-L is archived on the World Wide Web at
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