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About HD Radio in SDRadio.net's comlumn this week...

G

Garrett

Everyone? I'm gonna save you some money!

There were some good comments by Chris in his article this week (http://www.sdradio.net), but I want to add something that yawl (that's an actual word down here) might not consider, being in a top 20 market and all. HD Radio is in its wee early stages. Think FM radio in the 1940's. Here in markets # 183-191, HD Radio is not even on the radar screen, and certainly not on your radio dial. Out here, your lucky to get a station even identifying itself on an RDS display, and forget about artist information. Sure, you may get digital service in LA, San Diego, Chicago, San Antonio, etc . . . But if, for any reason, you have to move to Lincoln Nebraska, Amarillo Texas, or El Centro CA, (reconsider), and forget about HD radio, it's not there and won't be for at least another decade. The broadcast owners in these places are not even worrying about HD Radio. My advice? Save your money and get a regular radio or an .mp3 player (or a satellite radio, if you so desire).

(Imho, Opinions expressed not necessarily those of sane radio professionals, mileage may vary, use as directed)
 
Yes HD radio is a joke: most stations can't do one channel right, so how could they do two? I listen to the best radio from around the worl now on my Treo 700P phone which sits in a cradle in the car and feeds audio through the car stereo system. This lets me drive around listening to streaming internet radio and now that I've got EVDO data service I can listen to high quality streams pretty much wherever I go in San Diego County (driving from Oceanside to Escondido, every regular FM station fades in and out, but the internet radio is rock steady). One of my big treats in the last week was to find the live stream from KKFI, a Kansas City station that has incredible blues, jazz and rockabilly programming. The Pocket Tunes Player on the Treo even has dozens of pre-sets I can choose from and I can choose from thousands of internet-only stations through Shoutcast. It beats the heck out of satellite, where everything really is programmed according to one corporate philosophy or good old FM loaded with ads and lackluster programming.

Garrett said:
Everyone? I'm gonna save you some money!

There were some good comments by Chris in his article this week (http://www.sdradio.net), but I want to add something that yawl (that's an actual word down here) might not consider, being in a top 20 market and all. HD Radio is in its wee early stages. Think FM radio in the 1940's. Here in markets # 183-191, HD Radio is not even on the radar screen, and certainly not on your radio dial. Out here, your lucky to get a station even identifying itself on an RDS display, and forget about artist information. Sure, you may get digital service in LA, San Diego, Chicago, San Antonio, etc . . . But if, for any reason, you have to move to Lincoln Nebraska, Amarillo Texas, or El Centro CA, (reconsider), and forget about HD radio, it's not there and won't be for at least another decade. The broadcast owners in these places are not even worrying about HD Radio. My advice? Save your money and get a regular radio or an .mp3 player (or a satellite radio, if you so desire).

(Imho, Opinions expressed not necessarily those of sane radio professionals, mileage may vary, use as directed)
Click to expand...
 
Re: About HD Radio

HDRadio receivers are over priced, under performing, and are a waste of money. That's why I led the story with "When is the last time your bought a radio?".

I saw a 'fridge at Worst Buy that had 'net and an FM radio it it. Great with oatmeal.
 
I agree. After spending beaucoup bucks for a new HD receiver just to try it out, I find that from my location in a major Eastern market, I can only get 2 HD stations. I live WELL within the MSA and in a reasonably good signal area. I agree that HD radio is a joke, but after spending all that money, I'm having a hard time laughing.
 
Part of the problem is that with digital (assumning it works the same ways HD TV) you have to get the total signal, or it will not work, since it is receiving bits of infromation, as apposed to pure sound waves, whereas with analogue, it's a percentage of signal that determines clarity, and you don't need a full signal to get something.

So, if you were in Boston, where The Pru and the 128 towers were are in sepearte locations, you may be in shot of the Pru, but if you live or drive near the 128 towers, the radio waves from 128 will get in the way, and block any chance of a digital signal. (This was aproblem for me when I was in Boston, because every time I got near 128, I could get Mix985, but would lose Oldies 1033, becuse it was off the Pru).
 
All I know is that I'm supposed to get about 8 streams, but I can only get 2 at my house. When I put the unit in my car, and drive around, the signals come in spottily and no signal covers the entire MSA. The MSA! It really sucks and other people I know who have purchased a unit are disappointed with the results, too.

San Diego dreamin,

Rocco
 
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