Thread: HD radio

So basically it's an FM signal that's broadcast digitally with the same crap music and commericals but with data that you can display on a screen that you shouldn't be reading while driving anyway.

Totally worth the $200-$400 reciever.

Issue 1) iBiquity.
This is the Sole propitor of HD Radio technology and all things That deal with that technology must pass through their door.
Issue 2) iBiquity.
Technically only one company makes HD Radio compatable RF tuners. iBiquity has recently signed up with 4 new firms to make more RF tuners so that the devices will be in more places. Until those companies are up to speed no extra Tuners will be availible, even then they will all have to go through iBiquity.

Unless someone find out how to hack an add on box this will not be happening with any ease. It is not impossible but I think a system much like the sirius hacked boxes will be the best way to handle this. Now who wants to drop 500$ to hack something most people won't use or will just get XM instead.

Its a fantastic idea. However, one controlling company, expensive equipment and some other crap will stand in the way of HD Radio technology taking off.

Originally Posted by 3onDubs

- FM broadcasts have CD-quality sound.

If you think MP3s have CD-quality sound then yes, HD radio will have CD-quality sound. However, it is compressed just like satelite radio and there is a level of fidelity that is lost. I've heard XM radio and was not impressed so I doubt HD will be much better sounding (using actual CDs as a reference that is). But if you are going to listen to the radio anyway, I'm sure it is an improvement.

Originally Posted by 3onDubs

- Static-free without pops, hiss and fades.

Pops, hiss, and fades are caused by one of two things: reflections or poor signal strength. HD radio has the capability to handle reflections to some extent but if the signal fades, the receiver will switch over to analog and you will get pops, his and fades until signal strenth returns. The change over will be similar to standard radios which switch between stereo and mono when the signal fades. So if the channels you listen to don't come in very well, HD radio is not going to help you.

Originally Posted by 3onDubs

- New data services, such as scrolling text displayed on a radio screen with song titles, artist names, traffic updates, weather forecasts, sports scores and more.

Some of this is already available without HD radio. If you have an RDS deck (Radio Data Service) then you are already getting station call names, song titles, and artist names depending on what channel you listen to and what song is playing. My local station will broad cast the artist/title of any song that is new enough to be encoded with CD text. If an older song is played the station call name will be displayed instead.

One issue I have with all this "data" is that it takes away from the fidelity of the audio signal. There is only so much bandwidth you can send over the airwaves and streaming data and alternate digital channels only takes away from the music people want to listen to. People can obviously tell the difference between HD and non HD televisions. I think the market should put a little faith in the ears of listeners and give them some decent tunes. From a sales perspective it wouldn't be that hard to sell if you could show the customer a deck and switch on the fly between HD and non HD for their favorite station. If the HD signal actually sounded like a CD it would be like night and day to them and they would be sold.