jeffbrig

Edit: To clarify, I'm talking about terrestrial antenna-based digital radio, not to be confused with satellite radio. Digital radio will be free, just like today's radio.
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Much like the FCC has telelvision stations starting to broadcast digital (and sometimes HD) signals, radio stations are starting to broadcast on digital channels as well. A tech article I came across recently said 80 stations in the US are currently simulcasting digital, and over 300 are expected to be on the air by the end of the year. Furthermore, like digital TV, the bandwidth available allows multiple streams on a channel, which can allow multiple time-shifted broadcasts.

I'm the kind of guy who gets VERY annoyed at any radio static, and my Clarion MP3 player hasn't shown the receiver sensitivity that I desire. I pull down plenty of stations, but hear the occasional crackle during lulls (it's the tuner, CDs are crystal clear). When I decide to replace it, I want to make sure I get a digital-capable head unit, as the sound quality improvement will be significant. I also think digital will be the way to go for our cars with their relatively small antennas. Due to built in error correction in the bitstream, a weak digital signal can be corrected and come out crystal clear, when the same amplitude analog signal would sound terrible.

So, does anyone know anything about when digital-capable tuners will be coming to market?

Jeff

NFRs2000NYC

[QUOTE]Originally posted by jeffbrig
Edit: To clarify, I'm talking about terrestrial antenna-based digital radio, not to be confused with satellite radio.

jeffbrig

You're absolutely right, this would be a HUGE detriment to satellite radio. Neither XM nor Sirius has been able to meet their subscriber targets, and this won't help.

I'll have to see if I can locate the article I read the other day, and post a link here. But there's no technical reason why FM has to be analog.

jeffbrig

Okay, not the article I read the other day, but here's the information from the horse's mouth.

http://www.fcc.gov/mb/audio/digital/

Interesting excerpts:

......

IBOC refers to the method of transmitting a digital radio broadcast signal centered on the same frequency as the AM or FM station's present frequency. For FM stations, the transmission of the digital signal occupies the sidebands above and below the center FM frequency (e.g., 97.9 MHz). AM band transmissions also place the digital signal in sidebands above and below the existing AM carrier frequency. By this means, the AM or FM station digital signal is transmitted in addition to the existing analog signal. In both instances, the digital emissions fall within the spectral emission mask of the AM or FM channel (see 47 CFR Sections 73.44 and 73.317).

.....

IBOC digital radio is expected to provide near CD quality reception for stations operating in the FM broadcast band. For AM stations, IBOC digital radio is expected to provide reception approximately equal to today's analog FM reception. Minimal impact is anticipated on reception of existing service.

PJK3

i've heard and read about this in the recent past... but i don't think we're near implementation yet. there's a lot of infrastructure that needs to be put into place first... just think about how long it's taken HDTV to roll out...

and while we traditionally expect FM to be analog, there's no reason why it can't be digital carrier waves. in fact, broadcast HDTV is pumped out in a similar fashion that would be used to do this...

R11

I've been involved with HDTV for several years now and have seen a number of mentions of digital radio while visiting HD related forums. As with digital TV, I believe digital radio will ultimately supplant standard analog. It should really be a smoother transition because the bandwidth requirements are much less and quality should not be any kind of issue. One thing I have wondered about is whether the digital "FM" radio will allow the expansion of the some what limited frequency range of current analog FM. If it does that along with the elimination of the reception issues it should be great.

ron

hogrider80

Here's a link to the site for the 1st station in the USA to broadcast in HD radio...

http://www.wguc.org/hdradio/index.asp

jeffbrig

I did a little net research and found a few devices already on the market. Kenwood has an external digital tuner that's compatible with most of their head units, it runs $400 as an add on. Crutchfield lists a $1000 Panasonic unit as having a fully integrated HD tuner built into the deck.

PJK3

really!? so the early adopter gear is hitting the streets already? i guess that's good news....

Chadwick

Call me crazy, but this sounds a lot like DAB Radio, which is available in Canada already. My old Pioneer 9400 was DAB Ready, and the Windsor radio station I listen to apparently is being broadcasted on DAB. I never heard of any plans for it being stateside though.

May want to ask in one of the Canadian forums about it. From what I hear it's interesting stuff.