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.
> >
> >
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>
>
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VICUG-L is the Visually Impaired Computer User Group List.
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VICUG-L is archived on the World Wide Web at
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