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I would like to see this, and I would also like to see an expansion of the FM band (with support for it in cars also mandated). Low-VHF TV channels 4-6 are adja

I would like to see this, and I would also like to see an expansion of the FM band (with support for it in cars also mandated). Low-VHF TV channels 4-6 are adjacent to the existing FM band and are not really suitable for digital TV broadcasting due to the type of noise they experience (there are very few TV channels which still use those frequencies, and the most of the ones that did post-digital transision used channel 6 to broadcast as pseudo-radio stations since most FM radios could receive the analog audio of channel 6). That's 18 MHz of spectrum which would nearly double the size of the FM broadcast band which is getting quite croweded in many markets with the FCC allowing AM stations to broadcast low-power FM translators to try to help their market share.

cf100clunk 3y ago
The iBiquity IBOC system (a.k.a. HD Radio) now owned by DTS, as implemented in the North American FM radio band, features multiplexing of 2 or 3 subchannels per station across the existing band, so expanding the FM radio band has already been made a non-starter or moot point.
- MrRadar 3y ago
  The sound quality of "HD Radio" sucks. It's like listening to 96 kbps MP3s off Napster back in the day. Also, cheap FM radios still don't support it because 1) it's a US-specific technology and 2) iBiquity charges (charged?) obscene licensing fees for it. Doing a quick search on Amazon, the cheapest "HD" radios are around $75 vs $10 for the cheapest analog-only models.
  - cf100clunk 3y ago
    I'm not sure how that relates to the issue of AM radio being dropped by car manufacters, but IMHO the U.S. ''not invented here'' syndrome seemed to give iBiquity too much of a head start over the more open global digital radio formats, so I agree with your points.
  - buescher 3y ago
    A really good analog FM signal can sound very good on a very good receiver but I am a picky listener and I would not characterize HD FM that way. I don’t hear any difference on my car stereo and I hear very little difference on my old Sony XDR-F1HD, sadly long out of production and one of the best FM tuners ever made.

cf100clunk 3y ago

The iBiquity IBOC system (a.k.a. HD Radio) now owned by DTS, as implemented in the North American FM radio band, features multiplexing of 2 or 3 subchannels per station across the existing band, so expanding the FM radio band has already been made a non-starter or moot point.

MrRadar 3y ago
The sound quality of "HD Radio" sucks. It's like listening to 96 kbps MP3s off Napster back in the day. Also, cheap FM radios still don't support it because 1) it's a US-specific technology and 2) iBiquity charges (charged?) obscene licensing fees for it. Doing a quick search on Amazon, the cheapest "HD" radios are around $75 vs $10 for the cheapest analog-only models.
- cf100clunk 3y ago
  I'm not sure how that relates to the issue of AM radio being dropped by car manufacters, but IMHO the U.S. ''not invented here'' syndrome seemed to give iBiquity too much of a head start over the more open global digital radio formats, so I agree with your points.
- buescher 3y ago
  A really good analog FM signal can sound very good on a very good receiver but I am a picky listener and I would not characterize HD FM that way. I don’t hear any difference on my car stereo and I hear very little difference on my old Sony XDR-F1HD, sadly long out of production and one of the best FM tuners ever made.