If You're Trying To Unseat An Entrenched Technology, You Need To Offer Some Significant Improvements
from the but-I've-already-got-one dept
Despite the technological advances that constantly turn our heads, plenty of old technologies just keep hanging on, because they do a more than acceptable job, while their would-be replacements don't offer enough improvement to justify additional expense or hassle. A case in point is FM radio. It's ubiquitous, it's effective, and it's pretty cheap. The quality of the content it carries may be another matter, but the technology itself remains sound and in wide use, despite its age. But many countries are trying to supplant or replace analog radio with digital technology; in Europe, the DAB standard is popular, while in the US, there's a format called HD Radio. Neither has really caught on with consumers, though, but it's not hard to understand why: they don't offer enough improvement over good ol' FM. A big justification for HD Radio is the ability for broadcasters to charge listeners for access to their content, which isn't exactly a strong user benefit.But in the case of DAB, or at least its implementation in the UK, it sounds like digital radio is actually a step backwards from FM. Over at The Guardian's technology blog, Jack Schofield compares the merits of DAB against internet radio, and comes down firmly on the internet radio side. It's not hard to understand why, when he points out that the UK's DAB system offers worse sound quality than FM, thanks to an inefficient codec, and from the sounds of things, fewer choices of stations. Leaving the digital-vs.-internet radio argument aside, why would people pony up for a new radio to replace their FM ones when it offers them a lesser experience? Technologies don't get replaced in the market solely because they're old, they get replaced when something that offers real improvements at a reasonable price comes along.
![Hide This Hide this](https://ii.techdirt.com/s/t/i/topclose.png)
Thank you for reading this Techdirt post. With so many things competing for everyone’s attention these days, we really appreciate you giving us your time. We work hard every day to put quality content out there for our community.
Techdirt is one of the few remaining truly independent media outlets. We do not have a giant corporation behind us, and we rely heavily on our community to support us, in an age when advertisers are increasingly uninterested in sponsoring small, independent sites — especially a site like ours that is unwilling to pull punches in its reporting and analysis.
While other websites have resorted to paywalls, registration requirements, and increasingly annoying/intrusive advertising, we have always kept Techdirt open and available to anyone. But in order to continue doing so, we need your support. We offer a variety of ways for our readers to support us, from direct donations to special subscriptions and cool merchandise — and every little bit helps. Thank you.
–The Techdirt Team
Filed Under: digital radio, fm radio, hd radio
Reader Comments
Subscribe: RSS
View by: Time | Thread
I've been waiting for this!
Now if we can only convince Apple to put a radio tuner into an iPod, my life would be complete.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
But if you leave it to the market, most anything can happen. Even inferior technologies can win (e.g. VCR format).
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Re:
On the actual topic of "If You're Trying To Unseat An Entrenched Technology, You Need To Offer Some Significant Improvements", I'm not sure that the premise actually holds up to scrutiny.
Indeed, wasn't the whole point of Clayton Christensen's book, "The Innovator's Dilemma" that you can unseat entrenched technologies by offering inferior features?
[ link to this | view in thread ]
welcom to sellcopy
Our on-line shop of replica watches & replica handbags(www.sellcopy.com) offers the visitors a wide range of exclusive timepieces of top quality.
We supply watches like Omega,Rolex,Rado,Breitling,Longines,Bvlgari,Patek Philippe,IWC,Tudor,Cartier,A.Lange&Sohne,Oris,Vacheron Constantin,Audemars Piguet,Tag Heuer, Jaeger Lecoultre,Breguet,Panerai,Piaget,Montblanc,Chopard,Chanel,Louis vuitton, Glashutte original.
Here you are sure to discover watches featuring numerous designs, styles,innovative functions and complications.
The modern style of replica watches usually creates a great demand among younger customers. Still, these watches are really appealing for people of any age. They will add to your life style more excitement, the spirit of adventure, and will fill you with unflagging energy flow. A fashionable watch is an easy way to make you look special.
you also will find the handbags are fashionable.
we supply handbags Louis Vuitton handbags,and other designer handbags like Coach, Burberry, Hermes, Chanel, Chloe,Fendi,Prada Gucci and so on are available at our site.All replica handbags sold by sellcopy.com Cheap designer hand bags you can find at our site, although their price is low, but the quality is not low at all. People can afford more than one designer handbags, which is great, especially to the ladies.We are fully confident you will be pleased with your product and quality of customer service.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
And those silly dolts over at the Linux forms can not understand why no self respecting engineer or accountant uses desktop Linux.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Oh oh, I want that! Paying for the same crappy and insipid narrow set lists of music played over and over again.
And best of all it's in "HD," which everyone admits has nothing to do with a higher sound quality as it's still crappy CD quality, and that "HD is purely a marketing term, er, a deceptive marketing term.
Wow, I hope I get the chance to pay a lot.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
UK DAB
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Don't buy DAB, it just gives them hope
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Re:
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Re: Re:
I don't know, how about SACD or DVD-A?!
The people and companies behind digital radio are calling it "HD." Currently the "HD" video found on Blu-ray discs is significantly better than the quality found on DVDs and VHS tapes.
However, this so called "HD" used by digital radio is the exact same quality that we've had since 1982, nearly 30 years ago!
If the audio quality has not improved after about three decades, exactly why are they calling it "HD"? Well, I already answered that. They're being deceptive. They're trying to associate the higher quality that High Definition video content has to make people falsely believe that HD radio is also at a higher quality. Which it is not true.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Digital Radio is a Farce!
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Re: I've been waiting for this!
"And what's peculiar about that is that such gadgets are indeed on the market. But they aren't manufactured by Apple and they don't have 75% of the mp3 player market, the way the iPod does... Thus there is no chance - none whatsoever - that Apple computer will ever in a million years add an FM (or HD) radio to their shiny little miracle child."
http://www.hear2.com/2006/08/will_radio_ever.html
Will never happen!
[ link to this | view in thread ]
It's all relative
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Re: It's all relative
It's still based upon a quality that's been around for nearly 30 years. And I highly doubt that the vast majority of people could tell the difference between a CD and an FM radio anyway. In other words, even it is is better than FM, it is not sufficiently better for anyone to notice.
"(just like HDTV)."
It's like HDTV in that you can have multiple sub broadcasts. It is not like HDTV in relation to quality as there is no noticeable increase in quality. That's what we're discussing here. Quality.
"did you know you can have HD radio on the AM band too? huh uh. How's that for a nice improvement in quality."
Exactly how does putting "HD radio on the AM band" improve quality? You're just writing conclusions without any arguments to back them up.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
HD Radio in the US is PROPRIETARY
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Stupid commercials
[ link to this | view in thread ]