[jackf1950]

newbie here, in Melbourne FL, got my 1.8SL caribbean blue, last Saturday..lovin it... but... tried a search here
it came w/ RDS, and from online, google, and the owners manual, not sure if I need to subscribe to a service for it to work?? or if it should just show artist names and stuff???
any info will be appreciated...
Jack

 

[fotomoto]

No subscription needed for the RDS only satellite radio if you want to keep that. RDS will show info on the radio display IF local radio stations are sending it. In my small market, no one does but when I drive to larger markets the info will come on.

 

[jackf1950]

ok, a lil' confused...no sub. needed for "satellite radio if you keep that"...
with no subscript, will it pull in stations OTHER than local??

 

[fotomoto]

Besides the CD, you have two digital radio systems: satellite and OTA (over the air). OTA is your age old am/fm bands but now can receive digital info via RDS (radio data system) transmissions from radio stations IF they provide that free service. Satellite radio will require a subscription fee after the free 3 month trial.

Hope that clarifies things.

 

[Square1]

RDS is primarily a European thing, not a lot of US stations transmit RDS. - Dan

 

[AyaRei]

And like FotoMoto said, It's primarily in larger markets.

 

[fotomoto]

And like FotoMoto said, It's primarily in larger markets.

I live in a small market and the only station currently sending out info is the public radio station but it's only their station identification. Larger market stations typically have songs/artists info along with the station ID.

 

[jackf1950]

thanks folks.... I guess just keep my eye open and see if any stations in my area do it..

 

[Square1]

Radio Data System, or RDS, is a communications protocol standard for embedding small amounts of digital information in conventional FM radio broadcasts. The RDS system standardises several types of information transmitted, including time, station identification and programme information.

Radio Broadcast Data System (RBDS) is the official name used for the U.S. version of RDS. The two standards are nearly identical, with only slight differences.

The standard began as a project of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), but has since become an international standard of the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC).

Both use a 57 kHz subcarrier to carry data at 1,187.5 bits per second. The 57 kHz frequency was chosen for being the third harmonic of the pilot tone for FM stereo, so it would not cause interference or intermodulation with it, or with the stereo difference signal at 38 kHz (the second harmonic). The data format utilizes error correction. RDS defines many features including how private (in-house) or other undefined features can be "packaged" in unused program groups. -Dan