[JLM]

Please read this quick story:  http://www.npr.org/features/feature.php?wfId=1587772

Participation will be voluntary, station cost estimated at $100,000, no forced conversion from analog.  Optional text labeling like XM.  Reportedly Kenwood already has a digital tuner.

As internet speeds and access improve and digital memory continues to get cheaper we may be looking at a whole new set of high quality source options.

[Rob Babcock]

That could ultimately leave XM and Sirius out in the cold, at least in their present form.  They could still compete with better content, but as I understand it digital radio would be free, with very good SQ.  I'd like to see it, although one wonders how long it would continue to coexist alongside FM.  FM is very entrenched, much as NTSC TV is- even with an FCC mandate the broadcasters are dragging their feet on the transition to digital.  

I guess it's not terribly expensive to inplement, but I wonder how much a reciever will cost?  You'd need some installed base, or at least the perception of financial potential, before it'd be worth it to broadcasters.  Of course, there's a chicken-and-the-egg factor there; consumers would want some content before buying a digi-tuner.

[Carlman]

When I was a salesman at Circuit City about 8 years ago, there was a lot of 'talk' about digital radio and TV.  The radio thing was very far out but, the TV thing was 'supposed to be' right around the corner... hence the big push for digital televisions.  Now it's getting somewhat difficult to find a 2:3 aspect ratio analog television... with good technology applied to it.  People always asked me if the TV would last into the 'digital age'... and would it be 'useless' in a few years... That always gave me a laugh.  But, it's funny how much hype there was/is for the big cutover to digital.  

[JLM]

The radio spot I heard mentioned a Kenwood digital receiver (maybe just a tuner) was recently introduced for $350.

Hopefully we'll learn something from CES.