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Dear StJohn,
In the last paragraph, where you refer to "Software Designed Radio", did you mean "Software Defined Radio" ('SDR') where the demodulation of the signal whether AM, FM, DAB+ or DRM is carried out by software instead of physical components?
Thank you,
Anthony of exciting Belfield
I agree.
Remember however a lot of this problem is coming from the USA's Hybrid Digital radio.
Program stream identification is by frequency and by stream eg. ###.# FM HD4 as an example. There is also a delay after tuning the analog signal before the digital selection is available. HD Radio also has a tiny allocation for metadata for a station logo.
Where as with our DAB+ for capital cites and the wide area DRM, they both tune the radio by program stream name not frequency and have much greater ability to transmit images including logos.
The streamers don't use transmission frequencies so on digital radio we should not neither and we don't need to (Unlike the USA). Names are more easily remembered than numbers.
Remember that radio reception is more reliable than using wireless streaming as vehicles drive around particularly in the country. DAB+ & DRM receivers can use the Alternate Frequency Table lists the frequency and modulation by each broadcaster and if it is also transmitted on FM's radio data service and on AM, AMSS, receivers can select the best signal for that broadcaster as the receiver is driven around.
This much higher reliability means that the opening screen of all vehicles should contain a list of available radio programs and a radio button when streaming is selected. In addition the infotainment systems capable of DAB+, DRM, FM and AM, which can be easily achieved using Software Designed Radio designs so that live program can be heard anywhere.