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U.K. Pirate Broadcasters Steal Car Radio Listeners

Posted by Roblimo on from the d00d-we-own-your-car-radio dept.

Ant sent it: A BBC News story about how illegal stations in the U.K. are exploiting the new Radio Data System (RDS) standard that is now used in Europe and South Africa, and is coming soon to Australia, China and the US, by using RDS signals to force nearby motorists's car radios to tune automatically to their stations instead of legitimate ones.

5 of 261 comments (clear)

  1. Is this already happening in the US? by Shoeboy · · Score: 4

    Every time I turn on the radio, within 5 minutes I'm listening to an old navy ad.
    --Shoeboy

  2. I'm surprised this hasn't happened sooner by linuxci · · Score: 4

    If this thing is possible with RDS I'm surprised it hasn't happened sooner but I thought it was only the RDS signals from the station you were listening to that could change the frequency.

    For those of you unfamiliar with RDS it is a feature built into most european car radios that allow additional data to be broadcast along with the audio. Most stations broadcast the stations name so if for example you were listening to Metro FM the display would say that rather than it's frequency. It also can transmit other data such as the type of music the station plays and alternate frequencies for the station so if it goes to a weak signal it can try for a better signal as well as the frequencies for related neighbouring stations. It can also interrupt tape or CS's when a traffic announcement is broadcast.

  3. Just hilarous. by Inoshiro · · Score: 4

    Step 1: Come out with closed specifications for a "revolutionary" protocol that will allow people to have their radios jump to any "bulliten."
    Step 2: Include no authentication, "ignore traffic broadcasts" buttons, or common sense auto-ignore if > N requests per time slot are made.
    Step 3: Go after "evil radio pirates" who are abusing your "security, what security?" technology.

    Yes, Viriginia, there are stupid beurocrats.
    ---

    --
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    Internet Explorer (n): Another bug -- that is, a feature that can't be turned off -- in Windows.
  4. That would be funny... by Greyfox · · Score: 4
    That would be funny if it wasn't so damn true. And as bad as the Old Navy ads are, the Foley's ones are worse (If you don't have Foley's in your area, be happy.) I need a vehicular MP3 CD player so I can fit a reasonable amount of music in my vehicle and don't have to listen to the damned annoying adverts OR the damned annoying homogenous Dave Mathews Band playing CRAP that defines the FM radio spectrum from one coast to the other these days.

    I woke up to my clock radio today and the DJ's were talking about some list of the top 100 songs this century and complaining about some of the selections of artists in various places, but that same radio station would not deviate from their play list if you beat them with a fucking stick (I know, I've tried.) Talk about the pot calling the kettle black. At least there's one radio station around here that has some semblance of personality. Unfortunately even on that one there's no escape from the Old Navy ads.

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    I'm trying to teach myself to set people on fire with my mind... Is it hot in here?

  5. There's even a WEB interface for it, too... by Pig+Hogger · · Score: 5

    Just tune in at Radio Data System(RDS) WWW interface website and enjoy...
    -- ----------------------------------------------
    Vive le logiciel... Libre!!!