[BC] HD Radio's lack of upgrade capability

[Michael Bergman]

> At 12:00 PM 10/18/2005, Cowboy wrote
>>  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.

>         Given the cheapness of the smaller
>         flash drives, or even small flash cards,
>         wouldn't a slot on the radio to accept
>         an SD or Memory stick be the "easiest"
>         way?  The consumer only has to insert
>         the media.... and the program loader
>         handles the rest.
>         Still it doesn't cover the issue of who
>         pays.

Barry, 
This is a good point, but still doesn't cover the issue of paying for the
development.  Typically, everything that goes into the receiver is
integrated and tested.  This includes any contribution by iBiquity or other
third-party developers.  Not to diminish iBiquity's, TI's or Philips' role
in this--the people who actually develop and test the codebase for IBOC put
in a huge number of hours in the lab and in the field developing and
testing.  But speaking at least for my own company, and knowing a bit about
how the other "majors" work, nothing goes into the customer's hands without
our development and test.  

The engineers who do this development and test have a full year of work
planned out for each model year.  There aren't "spare" engineers waiting for
upgrade work.  Carrying responsibility for upgrades (no matter how cheap
they are to install) is a real cost.  

>        It *can* be done, if the there is desire. 

I think that is, "if there is money to cover the cost".  Technically, field
upgrades are not impossible, it's a cost thing.  

See my previous post on why you can't charge the consumer enough to make the
upgrade business model work as an after-sale accessory/option product sale.

Upgrades came up in this forum, I think, because of two things: first-gen
radios don't support multicasting, and there is concern over AM
first-adjacent interference.  Upgrades will not make any difference to AM
performance, but ironically, if you have an IBOC receiver you won't hear the
analog noise anyway.  

Upgrades would have helped the multicast issue, true.  We took a hit
offering a $55 upgrade "for the benefit of the industry" to take radios from
original IBOC to multicasting, but our thinking was that a lot of
broadcasters had the first-gen radios, so it was probably a good idea to
support you guys.  

Generally, we don't offer this kind of deal to consumers because of the
points I've already made, but we didn't distinguish between consumers and
broadcasters when we did the upgrade offer.  (By the way, everyone, that
offer ended 7/14/05--please don't email me asking if it will be extended!)

New features can be rolled out on IBOC without upgrading old radios.
Surround sound, for example, is an interesting one being discussed right
now, and by the way, it's not too late to influence new tech like this,
since it isn't rolled out yet.

Mike Bergman