[BC] Re: HD Receiver

[WFIFeng@aol.com]

In a message dated 02/12/2007 11:50:47 AM Eastern Standard Time, 
Xmitters at aol.com writes:

>  The difference between HD and FM is not that dramatic and thus, is missing 
>  that WOW! Factor. I want to remain optimistic about the public's 
acceptance 
> of HD or digital radio in general. I must admit that it is very hard to 
> convince myself that the public will buy into it. 

They won't. Based on so many reports here on the Forum, and even my own very 
limited contacts, HD is just far too little and far too late. It is also, 
still, far too expensive... for everyone! (Especially the stations!)

>  Personally, I don't really care about the quality of a station's signal 
when 
>  I have my "Joe Blow Listener" hat on. I tune around the band looking for 
my 
>  favorite song :-) I continue listening when I find a station that plays a 
> lot of my favorite songs.

You, and millions of others!

> My time spent listening does however, drop like a rock 
>  when listening to an aggressively processed station. I just cannot 
tolerate 
> that grinding, ice pick in the ear sensation I get when listening to such 
> stations. 

I wonder how many others feel the same way. Perhaps they can't quantify it 
like we can, but if asked, may just say that it "gives them a headache" or they 
"get tired of it".

>  I will take music on AM any day over a highly processed FM station.

I wonder how many others feel this way. Unless it's a niche format that just 
isn't available anywhere else, it seems rather unlikely.

>  I would like to hear from some of the old timers that may know of some 
> common 
>  dialog during the time of the birth of FM. FM obviously took off like a 
>  rocket since its introduction thus leaving the naysayers with egg on their 
> face. 

Although I don't know what was going on among broadcasters back then, I can 
give the perspective of an avid listener, growing up in the 70's! FM used to be 
mostly just "elevator music" stations... lots of them. Is it any wonder so 
few people noticed it, or even cared? It wasn't until they moved "POP" music and 
rock to the FM dial, that the younger ears perked-up, and radios started 
flying off the shelves. Word-of-mouth began to spread like wildfire, as young 
people were now able to hear their favorite tunes in crystal-clear FM STEREO, 
instead of the freq-limited, static-prone, mono signals they were so accustomed to 
on AM.

That was certainly my experience... when I discovered my favorite tunes in 
stereo on FM, they sounded SO MUCH better, that it was a "no-brainer" to make 
the switch. I even started "mocking" the idea of listening to AM once that 
mindset had sunk in! Now look at me... I work for an AM station. ;) (Will be 
marking my 20'th year there, soon!)

Willie...