ARCHIVED FORUM -- March 2012 to February 2022READ ONLY FORUM
This is the second Archived Forum which was active between 1st March 2012 and 23rd February 2022
Is internet radio going to completely replace FM and DAB broadcasting at some point? Obviously cars need some sort of radio system, but domestically once you've got a router you have got access to thousands of broadcasters around the world.
B&O started life as a leading radio innovator. Should it now have a better focus on N Radio? Why, for example, doesn't the BV11 have a radio network streaming facility?
I expect there will be lots of references to Playmaker, BS5, Encore, maybe 'Moment', but why no real marketing focus on network radio? The public would better understand something marketed as a network radio.
Graham
Prediction is difficult. Where should I go if they actually have the temerity to close FM? Where I live, the web is not an option because it’s still to costly for most people to get unlimited bandwidth, but it may be for others. Indeed what to do with my portable gear, car radio…Domestic radio and Internet radio will live side by side for a long period.
I don't think we need to worry too much about FM radio being turned-off. It may never happen, unless the transmitters become unmaintainable. Is FM radio not a matter of general interest in most countries, and in many countries required by law, at least for national broadcasts. In my country it is.
Maybe we will get N-Radio at a later stage to BV11, V1,… its already on the new Avant. To this day I am going to make use of the many other radio applications that are out there, the one being better than the other. And best of all, most are free.
"Believe nothing you read and only half of what you see, let your ears tell you the truth."
Chris: ....Domestic radio and Internet radio will live side by side for a long period......
....Domestic radio and Internet radio will live side by side for a long period......
True, but.....
......in Denmark the FM radio is 'planned' to close down in 5 years time.
I guess they want to 'force' people to switch to DAB (or rather DAB+) instead.
Personally I would prefer the Netradio option. I already use that most of the time (via AirPlay).
I had hoped for it to come for my V1 now too - makes the use of it easier.
Things are evolving fast nowadays (bandwidth increasing too). Soon Internetradio will be very common - just look at the hundreds of small networked audio devices (with speakers), that are on the market already. And think of all the Smartphones!
Still we need a possibility for our cars for a while - but there will be adapters sending DAB (or Internetradio) to the FM band in the radios in the cars as an interim solution.
So - I am not expecting any 'old school radio' from B&O for the future!
MM
There is a tv - and there is a BV
Really cool post this guys! I've worked in radio and radio management for most of my career so I really know the UK scene AND it's really bizarre and totally unstable!
Over the last 10 years we've LOST over 250 local commercial radio stations to the two big business fat cats Global & Bauer who simply use their london studio.
DAB is very much a year 2000 format hated by most radio owners. It's plagued by poor signal strength and the majority are now brooding in mono at 80kbps! Shocking isn't it. The radio bosses argue that DAB radio listeners only listen on a single speaker radio! Jazz FM has even pulled out of DAB apart from London and simply focus on streaming, apps & Sky/Freesat.
There's still no decision in the UK as to when FM will be switched off.
The majority of radio stations now see Apps for example the iPhone as the way to listen to radio now. It's capable of hi res audio broadcasting plus it's of value to the station because of its interactive side along with 'buy this now' on iTunes! Personally, I love it as it allows me to listen to Ibiza Sonica and many other cool stations from around the world instead of the ghastly drivel that comes out of the FM dial in my area! I'm sure Heart and Capital only have 10 cheap tracks on their iPod! And they wonder why the youngsters have left radio all together and stuck with Spotify!
I was really suggesting that B&O might be better to focus on the availability of high quality N Radio as a marketing tool. I agree that other forms of radio will be with us for some time.
Someone unfamiliar with B&O would not have the faintest idea what a Playmaker, (or its latest reincarnation) or Essence was, but if these devices had an N Radio focus and capability explanation then I am sure more would sell to new customers.
I'm not sure what the demand would Vikinger. I guess it depends on who B&Os target market is and even me as a Marketing guy, I honestly don't know who the B&O customer is.
With B&O being especially bad at software, this may be even more unstable. Just like that new Moment will probably be a little horror due to horrific software bugs!
I think a lot of Internet radio listeners do as we do in the radio industry and simply push our content from our iPhones and iPad MINIs to whatever system we use. The Apple route is certainly rock solid!
Has anyone noticed the BeoPlayer app won't work? It's been four weeks since i've been able to listen to internet radio on it!
vikinger: Someone unfamiliar with B&O would not have the faintest idea what a Playmaker, (or its latest reincarnation) or Essence was, but if these devices had an N Radio focus and capability explanation then I am sure more would sell to new customers. Graham
The Essence is the most expensive 'radio' that B&O ever sold.
If you don't want - or want to pay for - Spotify Premium and/or don't have any idea of DLNA, it does nothing but play Netradio.
It might even in some cases be used for just one station - which then easily can be turned on/off via the 'remote wheel'.
And maybe for AirPlay'ing once in a while??
I think they had too much focus on Netradio with that - because it was supposed to be easy-peasy to use, cut down to the essential.
Bose has at the moment (no pun intended) an interesting concept with their small devices.
Not that I am in for Bose (NOT at all).
But the 6 free programable buttons on the front makes these boxes very user friendly - you don't have to pick up (or find) your phone to choose something else to hear.
No need for B&O to focus too much on radio - some people never even listen to radio.
Problem is: who are the new B&O costumers/the target market? (But this question perhaps really deserve a separate thread.)
Paul W: Has anyone noticed the BeoPlayer app won't work? It's been four weeks since i've been able to listen to internet radio on it!
Mine is working - at least my three favorites.
Paul W:The Apple route is certainly rock solid!
Millemissen:Problem is: who are the new B&O costumers/the target market? (But this question perhaps really deserve a separate thread.)
Hey Millemissen, mine says 'No more available streams' and when I hit the favourites button, it just crashes!
Gutted as there was a French disco station on it that I loved! NRJ I think it was called :)
The Beoplayer app on my iPhone, iPod & iPad works as always here. But I must admire that SQ is a lot better when I stream radio from within iTunes directly to my listening equipment.
Paul W:Hey Millemissen, mine says 'No more available streams' and when I hit the favourites button, it just crashes! Gutted as there was a French disco station on it that I loved! NRJ I think it was called :)
Hi BeoGreg sorry I got it wrong its NJoy Radio I believe.
Its with the latest update that caused it! My iPhone is on auto update.
I tried deleting the app and redownloaded. The app now won't appear on my iPhone so I've just deleted the damn thing!
Works for me in the US, without fail.
Now working again for me. Thanks guys. Had to remove & reinstall & restart my iPhone. The radio station that I loved has gone so it looks as though it's closed down :( Hard times in the radio industry these days - no money! :(
I would have thought netradio will be the future - problem in London, even with a proper outdoor aerial where I live is that the signal isnt strong enough on the BBC channels - and too much pirate interference - DAB I dont have so internet radio is great, no adverts, crystal clear and so much choice and all through Apple TV along with my music and films and stuff.
It's the same in the countryside - we have a large loft mounted aerial - and still poor FM reception on another B&O receiver - it's almost as if the authorities are purposefully making the signal bad so that you give up and listen on DAB or internet - then they can sell the frequencies.
In the car its not so much of a problem as I just listen to my iPhone music through bluetooth.
And to think that the BBC once belonged to the greatest pioneers in radio
we tend to forget there is more to design than designing.