Practical Operations Concerns about HD Radio & FMeXtra : Aaron Read (WEOS, Geneva)

1. Practical Operations Concerns about HD Radio & FMeXtra :Aaron Read (WEOS, Geneva) An “engineering-lite” look at the issues and concerns surrounding digital broadcast solutions like HD RadioTM and FMeXtraTM No, your presenters are not “drinking the iBiquity Kool-Aid”

2. What is HD Radio?Hint: the “HD” doesn’t stand for anything! • Digital method of broadcasting created by iBiquity Digital Corp & “blessed” by NRSC. • IBOC: uses existing AM & FM spectrum. • “Hybrid” system of analog & digital. • Backwards-compatible with today’s radios. • All-Digital possible in future (not FCC auth. yet) • Allows for better-quality audio, data services, multicasting (FM only). See also : http://www.hdradio.com and http://www.dreinc.com

3. HD Radio: Hybrid Mode • Analog radios just ignore digital sidebands (white noise) • HD Radios tune to analog, detect digital, buffer for a few seconds, and blend from analog to digital audio. • Requires PRECISE delay of analog to match digital’s ~7sec delay • If digital signal is lost, blends back to analog. • For multicast channels, radio will mute (most radios will eventually switch back to main channel analog) See also : http://www.hdradio.com and http://www.dreinc.com

4. HD Radio: Kibbles and bits • AM HD = 36kbps hybrid / 40-60 digital • FM HD = 96-120kbps hybrid / 300 digital • Based on the HDC (AAC) codec – audio quality is comparable. • It’s all just bits, so partitioning is possible. Using the bits for things other than audio also possible. See also : http://www.hdradio.com and http://www.dreinc.com

5. Must my station install HD Radio? • Unlike DTV (Feb.2009) there is no FCC mandate for HD Radio. • Market-driven system = listeners may effectively demand it. • Competition with iPods, satradio, podcasts • HD Radio is the only “official” digital broadcast solution to receive the NRSC’s blessing. • BUT…technically there could be other IBOC solutions that are not HD Radio, but none exist as of now. See also : http://www.hdradio.com and http://www.dreinc.com

6. HD Radio’s benefits: FM & AM • Audio fidelity (not quality) • AM sounds like FM, FM sounds like CD (20kHz audio B/W) • Elimination of multipath interference • Audio sound is consistent across your broadcast range. • FM has multicasting – extra radio stations in one signal. • PSD (aka PAD) – Artist / Title & more • Data Services: Conditional Access, On-Demand Audio, iTunes Tagging (one-button purchasing), Downloads, Images/Video…what else? See also : http://www.hdradio.com and http://www.dreinc.com

7. HD Radio’s problems: FM & AM • HDC algorithm is lossy = Source material quality considerations / cascading algorithms. • AM digital sidebands = noisy band (nighttime, esp) • Also true for FM, but not as problematic • TIGHT tolerances = Requires GOOD Engineering • Initial costs are not cheap: $75,000 - $250,000 • Ongoing licensing fees to iBiquity (a different paradigm) • Getting in over your head: what exactly you going to do with those extra channels/features? • “Is the ROI really there for you?” vs. “Is your station’s mission/operation suddenly obsolete?” (eek!) See also : http://www.hdradio.com and http://www.dreinc.com

8. HD Radio’s problems: AM • Overall: Not recommended! • Severe adjacent-channel interference problems, audio fidelity is questionable, no multicast (data rate too low), Dir.Array questions • Extremely low adoption by comm. broadcasters. • Will HD Radio remain the NRSC standard for digital broadcasting on AM???? See also : http://www.hdradio.com and http://www.dreinc.com

9. HD Radio’s problems: Lic. Fees • iBiquity charges steep one-time licensing fees to buy & activate an HD xmitter. • Multicast channels have add’l fees: $1000/yr minimum or % of revenue. • Data services also have fees. • Paradigm Shift in broadcaster thinking! See also : http://www.hdradio.com and http://www.dreinc.com

10. HD Radio’s problems: -10 vs. -20 • IBOC digital sidebands are -20dB (1/100th) to the analog signal.(analog=1000 watts, digital=10 watts) • Controversy that this is not enough ERP. • Proposal & Studies for -10dB (1/10th) ERP. • Less efficient = much bigger transmitters ($) • More interference concerns. • NPR Labs study is a must-read. See also : http://www.hdradio.com and http://www.dreinc.com

11. What about my FM antenna? • Depends on implementation. • Hi-level combining uses existing antenna • Ensures equal coverage patterns • Separate antennas has benefits (redundancy, overall simplification) but may have unequal coverage (very bad!) and requires add’l tower space & weight. See also : http://www.hdradio.com and http://www.dreinc.com

12. Changing Perceptions • IBOC “breaks the norms” of radio. • Coverage only to ~60dBu = NO FRINGE! • The FCC’s warned us for years not to count on fringe!! • Digital = ON or OFF…no gradual fade to static • Old worries: multipath interference, stereo hiss, not sounding “loud enough”. • New worries: cascading algorithms, bad processing, poor antenna placement / receiver quality, PAD/PSD done right/wrong. See also : http://www.hdradio.com and http://www.dreinc.com

13. Upgrading your technical plant • You may need all-new ($$$) gear! • STL’s: HD data “bursts”, AES output • Monitoring: 7 sec delay, multicast channels, remotes, headphone processing • Audio Storage: MP3’s = Cascading algorithms • Processing: diff. for analog vs. HD • Extra Arbitron PPM’s (if you’re in a PPM market) • Extra webcasts of multicast channels? • HD not as battle-tested, requires more regular and $$$ maintenance. See also : http://www.hdradio.com and http://www.dreinc.com

14. Upgrading your schema • Adding multicast channels is like adding new stations: • Extra studios? Processors? Monitoring? Access control? Audio gear? Computers? • Extra staff??? Extra programming??? • It’s like having to fill 72 hours every single day. • Are you ready to handle this extra workload? See also : http://www.hdradio.com and http://www.dreinc.com

15. HD Radio benefits • Bragging rights! Getting late in the game for this, but you might still be able to claim first in your market. • Fitting in with ethos at your college (some are really into “digital media”) • Better teaching environment. • Digital Platform = Flexibility for new ideas • iTunes tagging! See also : http://www.hdradio.com and http://www.dreinc.com

16. Thinking outside the box • Rent out your HD2/HD3 channel for profit. • Rent someone else’s HD2/HD3 channel for a better signal range. • Offer to pay to install HD Radio = cheap rent. • Unusual formats on HD2/HD3 • 5 minute loop of headlines, weather, traffic & sports plus one or two sponsors. • Bring an underserved format to your market! NPR is a pioneer here: XpoNential Radio (AAA) Radio Ahora (Spanish), Classical24, etc. See also : http://www.hdradio.com and http://www.dreinc.com

17. Future Thinking: HD Radio • FCC doesn’t mandate it, but your listeners might! • Costs are high = Long term planning needed! • Probably longer than you will be at your college. • IBOC and/or Multicasting may effectively require substantial upgrades in automation / studios / STL / processor / xmitter plant • IBOC for AM – suddenly that squeaky chair is quite audible! • Very different processing vs. sound the same for analog-blend. • Despite greater B/W (~15kHz vs. 20kHz) & no pre-emphasis. • Professional Engineering Support is a MUST! See also : http://www.hdradio.com and http://www.dreinc.com

18. Shameless Self-PromotionThe IBOC Handbook : Understanding HD RadioTM Technology • Looking to really learn the engineering of IBOC / HD Radio? Read this book! • First & Only Overview of the Newly-Approved NRSC-5 (IBOC) Standard. • Authored by David Maxson • Illustrated by Aaron Read • Available on Amazon.com See also : http://www.hdradio.com and http://www.dreinc.com

19. Final Thoughts • Questions – and please no: • Rants, Screeds, Diatribes, Harangues, Raving, Tirades, Bullyragging, Vociferation, Bloviating, Railing, Objurgating, Badgering, Molestation, Nettling, Ruffling, Badgering, Pestering, Heckling or Persecution. • Tell us your situation, we’ll opine if HD Radio is right for you! Aaron Read can be reached via www.friedbagels.com/blog Need an engineer? www.sbe.org See also : http://www.hdradio.com and http://www.dreinc.com