[BC] Re: IBOC Query

[R J Carpenter]

In my useless opinion, HD/HD2 isn't going to solve the sat_radio and 
iPod problem. Both of them can appeal to content niches that are well 
below the critical mass needed for HD2 (IMO).  Agregate these niches 
and you have a viable business model (or the satcasters hope so).

OTOH, I think it is far too early to complain about lack of pocket HD 
radios.  It took the satcasters close to three years to create theirs. 
Prior to that their suppliers had churned out millions of tuners for 
car and home application.

Interestingly, the satcasters likely have the technolgy for portable, 
low drain HD radios.  In the case of XM I think it is held in-house at 
their design center at Boca Raton.  I suspect that Sirius has very 
strict intellectual property agreements with their outside chip 
designers.

bc