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  3. 1080425272

AM/FM Analog Broadcast Future

Would like to know if anyone knows what's the future for
am/fm analog broadcasts. Last week I met a gentleman who owns an fm radio station, he told me that withing a few years they must broadcast their programing in a didgital format. That there will be a transition period where they
will send both, the analog and the digital signals. Unfortunately the conversation was interrupted and I couldn't ask him any further questions.

Does any one know when this is going to happen? How long will the FCC allow them to send both signals?

I do enjoy listening to fm radio, mostly programs by the National Public Radio that feature classical and jazz music. At the present my tunner is a Linn Kudos, was thinking of replacing it with a Linn Kremnlin (used) or a Magnun Dynalab. Would like to know more about this because either one of my tunner choises are in the 2K range and don't want to end up with a converstion piece in a few years. Thanks.
hepl
avguygeorge
2,300 posts
 
As a subscriber to Sound & Vision I read about this near a year ago. ( I assume they have web info/back issues) In some markets the transition has begun. ---If you have the proper radio you get song info ect. like Sat. radio. As I understand;big buck cars come with,already.
brooks
55 posts
 
I've never heard of such a thing but I wouldn't worry too much. Public Radio is always underfunded. Because they don't have the money to buy compressors and such, the sound quality is almost always better than commercial radio. They will wait until the last possible moment to buy equipment. I can't imagine they are doing away with analog broadcasts though.
Steve
apollo
11 posts
 
I don't recall reading ANYWHERE about ANY sunset rules for analog AM and FM radio. The FM station owner may have misunderstood what with all the talk about sunset rules for analog TV in 2006 (which will probably be extended) and the IBOC (In Band On Channel) digital signals presently being tested on some FM stations. As far as I have read, there has not been any format selected for a stand alone digital radio signal. (That itself will probably take a few years.)

Analog radio IS safe for now, but the audio quality decline is already well on its way with all the low bit and lossy compression digital audio studio equipment in stations right now bringing down many analog radio stations to XM radio level. If only it was as simple as heavy use of compression!
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