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View Full Version : FM Radio Goes Visual: Visual Radio


Filip Norrgard
01-25-2005, 02:00 PM
<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.esato.com/news/article.php/id=414' target='_blank'>http://www.esato.com/news/article.php/id=414</a><br /><br /></div><i>"Nokia has been working on a technology called Visual Radio, which takes an existing FM signal from a radio station and enables that station to add enhancements such as information and pictures. You will never again have to wonder WHO is playing WHAT on radio - now you can get detailed information on any piece that is being played. During the news you can SEE what they are talking about, weather reports can now show you the maps and tables of sports results can easily be viewed."</i><br /><br /><img src="http://www.digitalmediathoughts.com/images/VisualRadioInAction.jpg" /><br /><br />Who ever said "video killed the radio star"? :lol: <a href="http://www.visualradio.com/">Visual Radio</a> is an interesting concept which I believe will spread to more and more cellphones if the interactivity side proves successful and popular. We here in Finland will apparently be among the first to try this piece of technology out, so I guess that I'll have to report back on how it progresses. ;) <br /><br />By the way, would you be interested in using/having Visual Radio? Why or why not?

Felix Torres
01-25-2005, 02:47 PM
Am I missing something?
Isn't there already a standard being *deployed* for digital radio that does this *plus* provide CD-quality audio and local caching?
Either way, you'll need a new radio and the broadcasters so why go with a lower-fidelity solution? The only thing I see here is a way for cell-phone operators to add an extra charge for the internet-based data stream...
(They're not even doing what MS does with the SPOT watches and transmitting the digital data via FM...)

Ten years ago this would've been killer.
Today? A yawner.
So, no; I have no interest in this.

Filip Norrgard
01-25-2005, 03:45 PM
Isn't there already a standard being *deployed* for digital radio that does this *plus* provide CD-quality audio and local caching?
If you are talking about DAB (Digital Audio Broadcasting), then yes, it is being deployed in some countries: UK, Denmark, Norway and Iceland to name a few that I know. DAB can do the same as Visual Radio in the sense of showing extra info, as according to WorldDAB's website:
All DAB receivers will have digital displays (including some with large liquid crystal screens), and broadcasters will have the option to transmit additional programme-associated data (or PAD for short). This might include comprehensive information about a piece of music being played, such as the song title, composer, singer, album name and number and so on. The lyrics of an opera could be transmitted while it is in progress. And commercials could have accompanying text messages with more information about special offers, or contact phone numbers. Since DAB is digital, any information that can be digitised could be transmitted on DAB. Other services that might be implemented include text-based traffic and weather information, emergency warnings, paging services, financial services like stock market reports and exchange rate news. &lt;br> DAB offers exciting new possibilities – let your imagination run free

But, DAB does not seem to have any interactivity possibilities as Visual Radio is supposed to have. I wouldn't mind having DAB but currently the FM system is just far too cost efficient for any broadcaster considering switching to DAB around here currently. It might be otherwise in the countries where AM has had a stronger hold than FM, and where they are currently "jumping over FM" and moving straight to DAB.

I guess the US won't be using DAB but XM (the digital satellite "radio" thingy?) which might be more cost efficient for such a large country... ?

Felix Torres
01-25-2005, 09:07 PM
Nope. XM and Sirius are for-pay satellite radio systems. Kinda like the premium cable channels.

US broadcasters are supposed to be moving to ground-broadcast digital shortly.
The spec is supposed to include some WMA tech to provide near CD-quality over AM frequencies. This version of Digital radio is intended for advertising-supported free broadcasts.

I'll have to see if I can dig up some data on the name of the spec and the deployment schedule; the whole thing is being low-keyed in the tech media... I guess AM radio isn't sexy enough to report on. ;-)

Aha!
Found it!
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6789799/

http://www.ibiquity.com/

Its called HD radio and so far 2000 stations on both AM and FM have signed up for it, including most of the big guns.

sub_tex
01-26-2005, 12:44 AM
So this means that along with ads to look at on top of the billion ads that play during the regular radio anyway. . .

no thank you.

FM radio is dead.

If there were some serious stations that would showcase new artists then maybe. But as it is now, MP3/Ogg blogs along with podcasts are the new radio.

What? more than the same 12 songs played this hour? How can this be?? :lol: