[BC] Another iBiquity goof

[Ernie Belanger]

OK,

Everyone knows I'm not a fan of iBiquity.

But, Dan I think you are a little off target here.

In my discussions with A few of the folks there it was clear that the 
decisions not to have an upgradable radio was made my the receiver 
manufacturers not iBiquity.

iBiquity agrees that it would be best if all of the receivers had flash 
memory, or memory stick or some other method that a buyer could purchase a 
basic radio and then as other "jetson" stuff came into the market that they 
wanted they could go to their local electronic store and buy the upgrade, 
plug it in and away they go.

There were even some discussions about bringing the car in to the dealer and 
access the memory via the cars on board computer and update the radio's 
software that way.

But it really was not iBiquity's call to demand or mandate the receiver 
manufactures do any of this.

It didn't make a difference to iBiquity as they would receive their $$ from 
every upgrade software set or from a complete radio change out.

I don't think the broadcasters forward thought this that far. NAB should 
have been involved with CES and the iBiquity discussions with the receiver 
manufacturers pushing for some kind of upgradable radio to me offered from 
the get go.

The biggest resistance to the consumer is that they will have to keep 
purchasing radios for hundreds of dollars when they probably could have just 
bought a sub $100 upgrade.

So we do indeed have a new technology whose first receivers are already 
obsolete. No one has yet to decide how the second, third or other channels 
will be IDed by the radio. 95.5-1, -2. -3 or whatever. And apparently still 
no one has addressed the upgrade situation in a way that makes logistical 
sense.

iBiquity is like the  "overnight" who ends up a one hit wonder.  15 years in 
the making, to many hickcups in the launch and a fizzle and death because no 
one knows who's on first and no body is willing to take the reins.

Unlike Sirrus and XM who are a single entity and who can dictate how their 
receivers are manufactured iBiquity is a separate entity from each radio 
station and from each manufacturer. There is not a single
"dictorial body" to set minimum receiver standards and features so everyone 
is doing their own thing and we pretty much have anarchy.

It's like a baseball team or football team where each player decides 
individually what to do and there is no manager or team captain to get 
everyone on the right page of the playbook.


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Dan Strassberg" <dan.strassberg at att.net>
To: "Sid Schweiger" <sid at wrko.com>
Cc: <broadcast at radiolists.net>; <Towers at mre.com>
Sent: Saturday, October 01, 2005 6:06 PM
Subject: [BC] Another iBiquity goof


> Sid Schweiger (I think) wrote:
>
> By the time the HD radio was designed for that model, it was already
> obsolete
> -----
>
> And therein lies probably the worst flaw of HD Radio as it is currently
> conceived. A major (and essential) feature of a digital radio is its high
> software content. The software embedded in a properly designed digital 
> radio
> can be upgraded periodically to rectify design flaws or to incorporate
> improvements developed after the radio was produced. This capability is
> essential in consumer products that cost hundreds of dollars and even more
> important in such consumer prducts when they are built into other consumer
> products that cost upwards of $40,000 (cars, for example). As far as I 
> know,
> software upgrades are not envisioned in radios built to iBiquity's HD 
> Radio
> standards, however. This is a truly fatal flaw and iBiquity deserves to be
> rewarded with bankruptcy for attempting to inflict such a stupid design
> concept on the public.
>
> I realize that software upgrades can be implemented in a variety of ways. 
> It
> might, for example, be possible to transmit upgrades over the air (over
> stations that transmit HD Radio signals), but that approach might be just
> too complicated to be manageable. Mandating a USB (or comparable) port 
> might
> be a better approach. With Wireless USB on the horizon, the problem of 
> where
> to locate the connector may just go away. Yes, any version of USB will add
> cost, but the radios are expensive enough that a $15 increment in selling
> price should be acceptable to avoid premature obsolescense--or hobbling an
> unproven system with characteristics that prove to be unworkable and can't
> be changed economically.
>
> --
> Dan Strassberg, dan.strassberg at att.net
> eFax 707-215-6367
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
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