Quote:
Originally Posted by majoco
You'll hear nothing intelligible now anyway.
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If the drivel I'm occasionally stuck having to hear going into them in public places is any indication, it doesn't seem like we're missing much...
I think it's going to be a long time yet for analog broadcasting, though, mainly because of the installed automotive base. Satellite radio is bleeding money badly right now, which shows how incestuously tied to automotive sales it is. No one's buying it for their homes.
I just think that it's an apples-to-oranges comparison. Just because people eventually rolled over and accepted paying for television doesn't automatically mean that they'll do the same for radio. Who sits on their sofa in their home at night listening to the radio these days? What's the advantage to digital audio in the accoustically horrible environment of a car interior or a portable radio? What's going to lead anyone to think "this is better, and worth paying for" when they compare it to the free analog radio that they have now? Have you been into a Target or Best Buy lately -- who is even buying radios any longer, apart from a car purchase? More stations and a wider variety of formats? How many at a time do any of us really care about?
I only see digital audio phasing out analog in a similar business model to current broadcasting -- free to listen to, with paid advertising or public grants -- the only similarity to the television situation being that the analog transmitters will eventually be shut off when they're sure that the fallout will be manageable.