News

Brazilian Broadcasters Unite to Promote HD Radio
Broadcasters in Brazil have formed an organization to promote rapid adoption and deployment of HD Radio in their country, the largest country in South America. The emergence of the "Brazilian Alliance for Digital Radio" is the latest development in the country's tilt towards HD Radio, with 16 stations now broadcasting with HD Radio to a potential audience of 30 million people.

The alliance is composed of a number of domestic broadcast groups: the Brazilian Association of Radio and Television Broadcasters (ABERT), the Association of Broadcasters of Sao Paulo (AESP) and remaining Brazilian groups including: Sistema Globo de Rádio; Sistema Clube de Rádio; Rede Record; Rede Itatiaia; Grupo Bandeirantes de Comunicação; Rede RBS; Rede Energia; Grupo O Estado de São Paulo e Rede CBS.

The move toward embracing HD Radio is based on field test data presented at the Brazilian society of Engineering of Television and Telecommunications (SET) convention in September, and the increasing number of HD Radio receiver products now appearing on the U.S. market. In addition, numerous HD Radio operation reports have been presented to Brazilian regulatory authorities.

KISS-FM in São Paulo was one of the first radio stations outside the United States to begin HD Radio broadcasting when it went on the air on Sept. 24, 2005.

HD Radio Alliance to Commence Round Two in Marketing Drive
The next phase of the HD Digital Radio Alliance's $200 million HD Radio awareness and marketing initiative will begin on Monday, Nov. 13. An alliance press release said the campaign will promote Circuit City as the initiative’s first “big box” retailer; the expansion of Radio Shack’s national roll-out to new markets; and the reduction of JVC’s in-dash, automotive receiver price to $199. The promotional push will also headline consumer rebates up to $100 that are currently available for select receiver models.

The holiday season HD Radio campaign will be driven by as many as 150 spots per week to air on stations owned by alliance member radio groups. The ads will promote digital radio products in Circuit City stores in 10 markets and online. The alliance will be advertising online product availability in 58 additional markets as well.

Other ads will promote Radio Shack’s expansion of its HD Radio roll-out to include some 2,500 stores nationwide. The retailer is now offering HD Radios in stores located in 56 of the 68 markets where digital radio broadcasts have launched.

Other alliance partners to be promoted in the campaign include Amazon, Cambridge Sound Works, Crutchfield, Tweeter and JVC.

NPR Joins NAB in Push for Modulator Recalls
NPR has joined the NAB in calling on the FCC to require the recall of hundreds of thousands of non-Part 15 compliant FM modulators sold in the United States during the past three years. Like a similar request filed weeks ago by the NAB, NPR points to dozens of documented interference complaints received from listeners of NPR affiliate FM stations.

Most of the complainers say that some FM modulators commonly used to dock external devices, such as Ipods and satellite radio receivers to embedded car audio systems, actually override their FM receivers in traffic for significant periods of time. Some reports have also involved the involuntary reception of XM and Sirius radio content that contains obscene or indecent language.

NPR has also included test data with their filing that indicates a number of the branded devices substantially exceed FCC Part 15 limits on bandwidth and field strength.

While vendors of many of the products say they have now adjusted product specifications to bring them into compliance, no action has yet been taken to deal with non-compliant products already in the hands of consumers.

Innovative Products Make Splash at SEMA
Several new HD Radio-related products found their way onto the exhibit floor at the Specialty Equipment Markets Association (SEMA) Show in Las Vegas last week. Manufacturers demonstrating new HD Radio devices included AAMP of America, Dice and Visteon.

AAMP and Dice exhibited aftermarket adapters that allow HD Radio receivers to be added to OEM car audio systems, while Visteon showcased an new dockable HD Radio system that is transportable between home, car and office.

Visteon’s transportable unit, the HD Jump, delivers program-associated data, HD1 and HD2 multicast channels from a transportable receiver, which docks with a cradle in the vehicle. An optional home kit allows the receiver to also be used with any component audio system.

Existing models of HD Radios were also on display in a number of customized vehicles at the show.

Business

Directed Electronics to Ship New Receivers
Would-be Santas looking to give the gift of HD Radio this holiday season may have a lot of options to choose from, if Directed Electronics delivers on its latest promise. The Vista, CA, based manufacturer said it will begin shipping its HD Car Connect and indoor HD Table Top radio products in December for those taking advantage of broadcaster-based promotional sales of the products.

The Car Connect product is a full-featured HD Radio Tuner designed for easy connection with OEM car audio systems, while its HD Table Top receiver features detachable speakers and alarm clock functionality.

Full availability of both products is expected at retail outlets in early 2007.

HD Radio Comes Home to Quincy
Quincy, IL, a historical center for the development and production of broadcast equipment, will finally have a chance to sample the promise of HD Radio because public radio station, WQUB-FM 90.3, has commenced full time digital hybrid operation.

The station began broadcasting in digital FM just before its fall fundraising drive on Nov. 9 and Nov. 10, after Quincy radio equipment manufacturer Broadcast Electronics (BE) installed an HD Radio RF system at the station’s transmitter site.

The connection between BE and WQUB has been close for many years, according to Mick Freeman, assistant director for WQUB FM, which is licensed to Quincy University and plays jazz and classical music along with news as a multi-format public station. “BE is like our fairy godmother,” said Freeman. “We’ve always had a great relationship”

WQUB plans to offer its first HD multicast channel sometime next year.

Day Sequerra Releases Remote Software
Day Sequerra's Remote Dashboard software v1.2 is now available for use with the company’s M2.2 HD Radio Modulation Monitors. The Remote Dashboard is a Windows XP application that provides IP remote control and monitoring of AM and FM HD Radio broadcasts as well as alarm capabilities though the use the M2.2’s Ethernet port.

Day Sequerra claims that Remote Dashboard will allow a remote M2.2 user to simultaneously monitor HD Radio program availability and digital audio presence for MPS (HD-1) and all multicast HD-2 through HD-8 broadcasts, along with analog audio presence, analog delay bit and RF carrier signal strength.

Current M2.2 users are asked to e-mail Day Sequerra their unit’s serial number to receive the software package and firmware upgrade. Day Sequerra customers can find out more by e-mailing to support@daysequerra.com

IBOC Across America

IBOC by State: Pennsylvania

Ibiquity has a list of stations that have licensed HD Radio technology. IBOC by state will look at various states and list the stations that are making the transition.

HD Radio Terminology

The language surrounding HD Radio

transfer frame modulus: The number of transfer frames in an L1 frame.

transfer frame rate: The number of transfer frames per second entering the SAP and traversing Layer 1.