A Be careful Of What You Wish For Moment

[Carmine5]

We've discussed this before.  But now the FCC wants comments on whether HD Radio should be included in satellite radios.  But here's the rub: the Commission also wants to put satellite in all HD Radios as well.

http://www.radioink.com/HeadlineEntry.asp?hid=143268&pt=todaysnews

All that whining from the NAB, the Alliance and politicos to get HD Radio in satellite receivers might be bearing some fruit.

But talk about an ironic twist.  If this comes to pass, HD Radio and satellite radio will be forever joined at the hip.

C5

[Savage]

Kind of like a guy who can't swim donning a life vest made out of concrete and scrap iron.

[Carmine5]

Kind of like a guy who can't swim donning a life vest made out of concrete and scrap iron.

In this case the guy has already been treading water a while and is tiring out.

But what is the NAB and the Alliance going to do?  They've already argued strenuously to the FCC that it is in the public interest for HD Radio to be in these new XM/Sirius in-dash receivers and that to install the technology would add little to the cost.

Are they going to now back petal and argue that XM/Sirius should not be in tabletop or in-dash HD Radios for the same reasons? 

They've painted themselves in a corner on this issue.

C5

[JohnnyElectron]

I wrote Leslie at RadioWorld and warned her about this - I can't believe that it actually came to light!

Problem is that both the HD radio chipset and the Satellite chipsets cause horrible noise into the AM band - not good.

[Savage]

Well, the XM-Sirius post-merger receivers may well have HD capabilities.  Meaning, there will be a few more receivers out there with the HD logo on them that won't be able to decode HD signals.  And more HD circuitry that never gets used by the listener because of unimaginative programming options and "lackluster performance," using Martin Stabbert's term for HD.

In fact, the juxtaposition of IBOC with XM/Sirius in the same unit may have an unfortunate effect from the viewpoint of HD.  Satrad may prove to bleakly, graphically point out the system's inherent weak coverage and 2 or 3 often limited-bandwidth programming options per station which isn't going to compare favorably with hundreds available on the bird.  Say it with me: "Yeah, I've got Sirius but I never use that HD thing.  It's just the same songs as regular radio and it doesn't come in well."

Increasing the number of zeroes in a string of zeroes you're adding produces very little difference in the sum.  But maybe Strew-Bull's experience with arithmetic is different from mine.

Last I heard the satrad-How Dumb receivers were going to be digital only.  Does anybody know if this is still the case?

[Carmine5]

In the end, being tethered together could prove to be a serious liability for them both.

Like fighting Siamese twins.

C5

[jhardis]

But here's the rub: the Commission also wants to put satellite in all HD Radios as well.

All the Commission "wants" at this point is analysis of various scenarios.  The NOI is a collection of "straw men" that you can either support or knock down based on your ability to argue the case well.

It's would also be useful to analyze the premises of the scenarios.  For example -- you want to talk about unintended consequences?  "Some commenters also urged the Commission to require the combined SDARS company to direct manufacturers to include HD Radio technology in all SDARS receivers containing analog AM or FM radio technology." It would seem to me that the interests of all terrestrial broadcasters would not be served by giving vendors of SDARS receivers a huge disincentive to include AM/FM radio at all.

I find the NOI quite odd in that it only addresses performance requirements of AM/FM radio receivers when combined with SDARS radio receivers. Under what theory of managing the AM and FM bands in the public interest does this represent a solution to a pressing problem?  Why wouldn't it be enough to require SDARS receivers to comport to whatever the prevailing minimum standard might be for all AM/FM radio receivers? This would seem to ensure consumers the access to the "Multiple Audio Entertainment Services" that is the goal of the NOI.  (Put another way, it would allow terrestrial broadcasters to compete for the same audience.)  Remember, the programming on AM and AM-HD is exactly the same, and the top-tier programming on FM and FM-HD is exactly the same -- including EAS alerts (paragraph 6).

(It would seem to be premature to be discussing hypothetical and not-yet-authorized subscription radio services that HDR might eventually support, especially because the advocates for this NOI failed to mention that, stressing instead "free" radio.)

  - Jonathan

[Carmine5]

But here's the rub: the Commission also wants to put satellite in all HD Radios as well.

All the Commission "wants" at this point is analysis of various scenarios.  The NOI is a collection of "straw men" that you can either support or knock down based on your ability to argue the case well.

I totally understand what this is.  The FCC is simply seeking comments on the proposal at this point.

What is ironic is the implication of this as indicated in Radio Ink:

"...and in turn require HD Radio receivers to include capabilities to carry satellite signals."

Those with a vested interest in HD Radio pushed hard for the inclusion of HD-R in satellite receivers, in turn, the satcasters have an equal right to seek inclusion in all HD Radio products.

Whether this is feasible from an engineering or business standpoint is something the Commission hopes to learn from the comments among other issues.

C5

[kenglish]

I can sorta see the point in requiring HD Radio in a satellite receiver....
If Digital Radio is to eventually be the standard for aural broadcasting, then it would be in the public interest to have free local stations included in any kind of "radio". This would be along the lines of "emergency preparedness' and such.

But, requiring that a "luxury" like pay-radio equipment (which might never be activated anyway) be included in every radio seems as nonsensicle as requiring all TV sets to have a built-in toaster.

[Tom Wells]

TV sets don't need toasters in them, VCRs do.  There's already ample precedent for children inserting food into the VCR slot.
Now all we need is something to discriminate between "bread insert" and "videocassette insert".

Of course, if the kid....'scuse me,.... child......inserts an ice cream sandwich, all bets are off.