[Swprograms] BMW to have HD Radios

[Joel Rubin <jmrubin@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Thus, I suppose, giving a new reason for medium wave stations that eat
three channels

http://www.nynewsday.com/mynews/ny-swradio4191206mar27,0,4981746.story

RADIO
BMW drivers will receive a new signal
		
	
Everyday Hero
	
		
BY HERB SHULDINER
MOTOR MATTERS

March 27, 2005

Digital radio via satellite has become a big thing for drivers. XM and
Sirius have developed a pay-radio service that provides alternative
programming for motorists. The growing popularity of pay satellite
radio has even begun to alarm conventional broadcasters, who don't
want to lose their listeners.

Now conventional broadcasters have a new weapon in the arsenal to
compete with XM and Sirius. Some home listeners are already enjoying
free digital programming from conventional radio. Now drivers will
begin to enjoy this feature.

BMW, in a 2006 model that debuts this fall, will become the first
automaker to include an HD Radio receiver, which provides
digital-quality sound on the FM band and also improves AM reception
dramatically. BMW has not yet announced which model will carry HD
Radio.

With a new type of receiver, such as the one BMW will offer, drivers
will be able to get CD-quality music without the need to subscribe to
XM or Sirius. It will be free to listeners just like analog commercial
radio is.

HD Radio will be broadcast by conventional radio stations from
land-based towers. The programs will probably be identical to the
listening fare offered today. However, one of the promising features
of digital broadcasting is that compressed digital signals would allow
three or more stations within the bandwidth now used by one station,
if the Federal Communications Commission permits. This could open a
whole vista of programming.

Subscription digital radio broadcast from satellites has much of its
content developed exclusively, and much of it is commercial-free. But
XM and Sirius also offer broadcasts of conventional radio systems with
commercials.

HD Radio receivers will, for the near future, broadcast both digital
and analog programs. There are already hundreds of stations around the
country broadcasting digital programs and thousands of others are
converting to digital transmission.

BMW will use receivers manufactured by Visteon. The manufacturer used
to be the supply arm of Ford Motor Co. but is now an independent
company. It sells components to carmakers and is promoting HD Radio
because the technology promises to be the biggest thing in radio
reception since FM stereo was introduced. HD Radio is the trademark of
iBiquity Digital Corp. of Columbia, Md., the inventor of a digital
radio transmission system for existing stations.

Clear Channel, Cox and Infinity are among the giant radio broadcasters
that have licensed digital technology from iBiquity. A total of 21
radio chains are rushing to convert about 2,000 radio stations to
broadcast digital signals, about one-sixth of the more than 12,000
stations in the country.

HD Radio receivers have been on sale as aftermarket equipment for more
than a year. Panasonic, JVC and Kenwood already sell them. Boston
Acoustics, Onkyo and Yamaha will have their versions on the market
before the year ends.

Delphi, the world's biggest manufacturer of car radios, is also about
to announce that it will begin making digital receivers for carmakers.
A Delphi spokesman says that the company is negotiating with several
auto manufacturers and expects to make an announcement later this year
on signing a deal to supply the receivers.

The land-based high definition broadcasts will be resistant to the
loss of signals experienced when driving on roads with big trees,
buildings or other obstacles that sometimes interrupt satellite radio
reception.


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