[BC] HD Radio's lack of upgrade capability

[Cowboy]

On Tuesday 18 October 2005 03:49 pm, Michael Bergman wrote:
>Hi, Cowboy,

 Hey.

>>>So: proposals to deal with the issues above?
>
>I believe you're not talking about over-the-air upgrades, which streamlines
>the discussion a bit...

 I wasn't.
 The logistics of reliable transmission of an upgrade to receivers
 from multiple manufacturers ( not just "branded" ) seems far
 too problematic, on the surface.

 Which upgrade to which incantation of which service pack are
 you upgrading ?
 I can see this broadcast model becoming a M$ Windows nightmare.

>This is a long post, so I'll summarize as: The real 
>cost of upgrades is surprisingly high, and consumers will end up buying new
>products instead of upgrading, even when it is offered.

 That's the consumers choice, in my perfect world.

>Liability must be 
>borne by the hardware maker if the radio must be opened to do the upgrade,
>and we don't want such liability unless there's a significant profit.

 Hmm.....
 Not so sure about that, depending on how it's done, but it's something
 that would have to be designed in from the outset.
 
>> EPROM.
>> If the base code algorythms reside in a socketed EPROM
>> of some sort from the beginning, future upgrades are
>> mechanicly simple, even if never done.
>>>Cost,
>> Pennies, really. ( EPROM are recycleable. )
>> Like anything software, the cost is in the writing of it.
>> ( which will exist regardless )
>
>First, use flash and reprogram it; it is cheaper.

 OK. No argument.
 What I'm hacking today uses EPROM so that is in the front of my mind. 

>Or CD-ROM, in products 
>which have a compatible CD drive (not all CD receivers do have the right
>kind of drive.)  However, the hardware cost of the upgrade isn't problem.
>Imagine your wife/neighbor dealing with this upgrade.

 Yup. 
 Needs to be *literally* plug-n-play.

>They'd take it to e.g. Best Buy for the rework, right?  Most people won't do
>it themselves.  A car audio shop would charge $75 / hour or some such
>amount.  

 I expect that will be the case regardless, with possible exception of
 a mail-order CD, or similar.

>Also, a hardware company doesn't create upgrade firmware for free.  We have
>to pay engineers and pay for testing, etc. 

 ME ! ME !
 oh, wait. That's another discussion.  ;-)

>Real resources have to be paid 
>for as indirect overhead--otherwise the accounting is flawed.
>
>This is a point that comes up frequently: Software is not free. 

 No, it is not, by any means.
 Me and FSF have a few issues there.

> Assume 10% take the upgrade, and run some numbers--very
>quickly, you realize that people will buy new radios instead of pay the
>upgrade cost.  Upgrades may still be mathematically cheaper, but not by
>enough to make it a useful business model.

 That few, you think ?

 Mostly, I'm thinking about those integrated car radios, that can't
 be replaced without losing the ECM interface, and other critical systems.
 There, it's not practical to expect replacing the radio, to the best
 of my current knowledge of those products. 

>Also, w.r.t. software that "will exist regardless", no, we change hardware
>platforms every year for cost reduction reasons.  They're not generally
>backwards compatible with last year's models.  

 There I was thinking as compared to the over-the-air or CD model.
 If the hardware is upgradeable at all ( ibiquity changes codec again )
 then the firmware must be generated regardless.

>We do one hardware/software release per year.  You get the features you paid
>for.  That's how the vast majority of products work--from toothbrushes to
>Office Suite; you want the new features from the next year, you buy the new
>product.  

 Pretty much, yes.

>>>and liability? 
>> Customer.
>> They can download the BIOS upgrade, or have it done by others.
>> If done at Best Buy, or the dealer from whom originally purchased,
>> the merchant simply swaps a chip.
>> Either way, it's at the customers option to purchase the upgrade, or not.
>
>We don't sell anything without a warranty.  I think the UCC and most state
>laws have something on warranty requirements, regardless of our policy,
>anyway.  Also, the retailer would not participate (do the install) if the
>hardware maker didn't warranty the result.  

 I would expect an upgrade to be warranted to work in the product for
 which it was intended, yes. ( nice if M$ learned that )
 However, the BIOS upgrade model still seems to ring true.
 The warrantee extends to doing what it does as designed at time of
 sale.
 An upgrade is available as an unnecessary option, that might fix a problem,
 or add a feature, but no warantee is offered, and installing such an upgrade
 may even void any existing warantee.

>> Just a few thoughts....
>
>Appreciate the feedback...a lot of good ideas die on the vine when faced
>with the rest of the solution.  Upgrades are like that.  It seems like a
>good idea, like Esperanto or a flat tax, until you walk through the full
>scenario.
>
>I wish it weren't this way--my life would have been easier if I could have
>shipped bug fixes or competitive features after the fact.  But even when the
>product is still in the warehouse, it is very expensive to upgrade or fix.

 Well, I still see it as having to be designed in from the beginning.
 If the radio is designed for flash upgrade to the codec ( as an example )
 then one just replaces the CD that comes with.

 In fact, a recent wireless device I bought, came that way.
 A CD pasted on the outside of the box, with a notice to use
 this one, and throw away the one inside the box.
 BUT, it was designed that way from the beginning.

-- 
Cowboy

http://cowboys.homeip.net

Real programmers disdain structured programming.  Structured
programming is for compulsive neurotics who were prematurely toilet-
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