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January 8, 2017 6:42 pm  #1


Will HD Radio Ever Catch On In Canada?

This piece from the CBC quotes experts who don't believe the format will ever become widespread here, after this country already proved that a little DAB won't do ya.

Digital has not killed the radio frequency in Canada — yet 

U.S. HD Radio guide

Last edited by RadioActive (January 8, 2017 6:45 pm)

 

January 8, 2017 9:39 pm  #2


Re: Will HD Radio Ever Catch On In Canada?

Not in my lifetime...at least not while I still have ANY interest whatsoever in even working part-time...just for the 'fun' of it.  Doesn't matter how it's delivered to the audience...if the programming  S U C KS  it won't matter one iota how it makes it to the ear.  A turd is still a turd...even when it's spray-painted with fake gold-leaf.

 

January 9, 2017 1:03 pm  #3


Re: Will HD Radio Ever Catch On In Canada?

DAB died because of how it was approached in Canada in my opinion.

HD will only work in Canada IF we start coming up with unique content for HD channels AND as more and more newer cars with HD are on the road.

Simply putting your AM signal on HD is not going to cut it.   It's what killed DAB in my opinion.   The public is hardly going to get excited to buy a new radio if you don't give them anything different than they already get.

When I see markets in the US getting reasonable numbers on unique HD stations, I know the public is open to the idea.  The key is providing a reason to listen... as more HD radios are available on the market, you will find more will listen.  

Sound quality, and other technology driven reasons are not the reason anyone will change to HD.   Content will drive this.  I'm a strong believer, HD will grow if this approach is given, and cars come with HD from the factory as more and more are year after year.

Just my 2 cents. 

 

January 9, 2017 2:13 pm  #4


Re: Will HD Radio Ever Catch On In Canada?

grilled.cheese wrote:

Old Codger wrote:

Not in my lifetime...

I can wait those six long months.

If I'm lucky.
 

 

January 9, 2017 2:41 pm  #5


Re: Will HD Radio Ever Catch On In Canada?

radiokid wrote:

DAB died because of how it was approached in Canada in my opinion.

HD will only work in Canada IF we start coming up with unique content for HD channels AND as more and more newer cars with HD are on the road.

Simply putting your AM signal on HD is not going to cut it.   It's what killed DAB in my opinion.   The public is hardly going to get excited to buy a new radio if you don't give them anything different than they already get.

When I see markets in the US getting reasonable numbers on unique HD stations, I know the public is open to the idea.  The key is providing a reason to listen... as more HD radios are available on the market, you will find more will listen.  

Sound quality, and other technology driven reasons are not the reason anyone will change to HD.   Content will drive this.  I'm a strong believer, HD will grow if this approach is given, and cars come with HD from the factory as more and more are year after year.

Just my 2 cents. 

Well, it's possible. But even if everything you say comes true, there's still the spectre of the CRTC and whether it would agree to licence what is in effect a new "station" when all that space becomes available. I agree that putting your AM signal on your HD channels to get better quality won't inspire many to buy new equipment. For now, the CRTC is looking at this from an experimental point-of-view, because essentially no one's doing anything new.

But if an owner has to go to the commission to plead for another licence because he wants to put a punk country R&B hip hop format onto one of his subcarriers, only to face 26 months of intense examination by the idiots in Hull, it ain't going to happen.

And unlike your 2 cents, it will cost them a lot more than that - and given the tight-fistedness of most radio companies these days, there's simply no way they'll be willing to spend it. 

Last edited by RadioActive (January 9, 2017 2:44 pm)

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