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No more FM via Cable? More Bandwidth?

12K views 41 replies 22 participants last post by  17671 
#1 ·
Full story here...

Cable wants to drop radio stations
May 12, 2005
OTTAWA – The Canadian Cable Telecommunications Association has asked the CRTC to let its members drop FM radio from their carriage requirements.

Specifically, the association wants the Commission to repeal section 22 of the Broadcasting Distribution Regulations, which currently require all cable systems to carry every local FM radio signal in their regions on their cable plant.

The CCTA says that so few people actually listen to the radio via cable that it’s a waste of bandwidth that could be put to better use… carrying high definition TV for example. MSOs could, if they wished, still carry the stations as digital services, if the stations desired – and deals were done.
 
#3 ·
57 said:
I listen to Cable FM all the time. Each morning and evening. I would miss it, although I could probably pick up a few stations with a dipole. Can't imagine it uses a lot of bandwidth...

I've moved this thread into the Cable Forum since it's not specific to Shaw.
I never have listend to cable FM. I don't have any radios that accept an external antenna input.

I would really like to have my local radio stations available on digital. I would definitely listen, since I get pretty bad reception where I am.

As for the bandwidth question, it the space used for the FM band take 16 Mhz, which is nearly three analog channels worth, or 30 or so digital, 6-9 HDTV. However, I imagine there would be interference problems with OTA FM signals.

Mark
 
#5 ·
A simple solution might be to add these channels as digital channels... I'm not sure how much bandwidth galaxie and max-trax use up. If it works for satellite... surely they can make it work for digital cable.
 
#6 ·
smallmj said:
However, I imagine there would be interference problems with OTA FM signals.
I've noticed no interference on Rogers FM, assuming the cable connection is good. They use almost all the frequencies, but there are a couple they don't use - like the major Toronto stations.

I may have been misreading this sentence and it may have been directed simply at using OTA instead of Cable. Sorry.
 
#7 ·
57 said:
I've noticed no interference on Rogers FM, assuming the cable connection is good. They use almost all the frequencies, but there are a couple they don't use - like the major Toronto stations.

I may have been misreading this sentence and it may have been directed simply at using OTA instead of Cable. Sorry.
What I was trying to say that if the cable companies tried to use the FM band (92-108 Mhz) for digital services, OTA FM signals might interfere.

Mark
 
#8 ·
When I had Shaw Cable, some of the FM frequencies couldn't be heard because of adjacent channel interference. At one time, the Spokane radio stations were clear because the cableco didn't filter the signal, now they all sound quiet and not very clear. Possibly due to the changeover from Cogeco to Shaw in 2000. So, now that I'm using BEV, I've noticed the clarity of the digital radio signals. So, really cable FM isn't a necessity for me anymore.
 
#9 ·
cgyclaytonmagnet said:
A simple solution might be to add these channels as digital channels... I'm not sure how much bandwidth galaxie and max-trax use up. If it works for satellite... surely they can make it work for digital cable.
They could provide "FM-like" quality with 128 kbps so you can fit about 150 digital FM radio channels in the 19.2 Mbps that is allocated to an HDTV channel.
 
#10 ·
It's times like this I'm glad I got my Sirius satellite radio, man what a good purchase. I used to listen to NPR sometimes on Cable FM, but if the cable companies like Shaw are going to drop it, and Satellite radio isn't officially approved in Canada, this merely reinforces in my mind what a good decision it was to go and buy a Sirius Satellite radio a few months ago.

They can drop the FM if they want, fortunately I'm not stuck listening to that crappy Galaxie/MaxTrax thing that the cable companies have either.
 
#11 ·
mcpish said:
It's times like this I'm glad I got my Sirius satellite radio, man what a good purchase. I used to listen to NPR sometimes on Cable FM, but if the cable companies like Shaw are going to drop it, and Satellite radio isn't officially approved in Canada, this merely reinforces in my mind what a good decision it was to go and buy a Sirius Satellite radio a few months ago.

They can drop the FM if they want, fortunately I'm not stuck listening to that crappy Galaxie/MaxTrax thing that the cable companies have either.
What's wrong with Galaxie/Trax? I think there music is excellent. There is also another way to get 100s of radio stations without having to pay a monthly fee - it is called the internet!
 
#13 ·
I wish Shaw carried all the Galaxiw/MT stations....They took at least 1 good one away a year or so ago (swingin' standards) and replaced it with an oldies French station (YECCH). They should give us all 80 or 60 or however many their are.
HOWEVER...I do listen to cable FM. Out sports talk station is available on it, so I listen to that alot. As are some descent Spokane stations, and the Calgary stations in Cable.
 
#14 · (Edited)
I've been listening to cable radio for years (Rogers - Toronto) and would miss it. When you live in a north-facing highrise in Toronto, it's not that easy to get a clean signal using an antenna.

I noticed that Rogers stopped publishing their Radio Guide a couple of years ago and wondered how long it would last.

Just fired off a complaint to the CRTC.

Shame!
 
#16 ·
Ex_Brit said:
I've been listening to cable radio for years (Rogers - Toronto) and would miss it. When you live in a north-facing highrise in Toronto, it's not that easy to get a clean signal using an antenna.

I noticed that Rogers stopped publishing their Radio Guide a couple of years ago and wondered how long it would last.

Just fired off a complaint to the CRTC.

Shame!
I forgot about people that can't get a proper radio signal. Makes me think the apartment should automatically have an OTA antenna on top of the building, so people like yourself can get FM clearly.
 
#17 ·
Thanks. Without the cable I would get some stations, but not very many. If they made the cable companies transfer them to the TV side OK, except it would mean a lot more button pressing to listen to TV on my audio system, an added inconvenience.

I can't believe that in these days of compression and fiberoptics that cable companies are running out of bandwidth.
 
#19 ·
It really doesn't matter up here in Fort Frances, there's no high rise buildings to block the signals. But the odd Toronto station doesn't hurt, but I would really like to have the local stationd broadcast through cable so that if your $5000 home theater doen't have an FM antenna attached, you could still listen in decent quality
 
#22 ·
Still out for me. Double checked everything, ran cable directly from the wall into the receiver, not a peep. It's like the cable FM stations have disappeared. I can still pick up crappy over the air AM and FM, so I know it's not my equipment.

Shaw tech support has no clue, which is Situation Normal.
 
#25 ·
I second what others have said earlier in this thread. If Cable FM is to go away, then these channels should be available on digital Cable. Especially for AM stations. But the CRTC should take this one step further and force cable ops to carry out of town stations from major markets as well. Not all, but the popular ones (like time shifting channels). The selection from starchoice appears fair.
 
#26 ·
Cable companies should be forced to continue carriage of the stations as a digital music service. *C and EV do this and it works well. Where I live, cable FM was a big feature for many years due lack of local FM stations and distance to major centers. Not everyone lives near big cities with 20 FM stations nearby. The CRTC has been trying to knock US FM stations off the air for 30 years. The CRTC does not want 'evil' US music corrupting our ears and Rogers would just rather not pay the cost of maintenance to keep carrying those distant stations. Either way it amounts to government and corporate censorship. Fight it while you can.

What's wrong with Galaxie/Trax?
CRTC regulations AKA government censorship. Music on the playlists are limited to songs supplied by large music corporations AKA corporate censorship. It adds up to short playlists top heavy with overplayed mediocre corporate promoted and Canadian talent.
 
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