And they chose Radio Shack for the big HD Radio rollout !

[700WLW]

"In the last few months, because of their internal problems, they are doing a massive revamping, which will focus on new televisions and cell phones...everything else is secondary."

"LOL! They were good back in the day but they have sucked for years now. I wouldn't mind seeing them take the pipe. They sell junk now. I'm amazed they're still around..."

"Complete with obscenly over-priced chinese made RS branded product that is utter complete junk just 2 steps above Dollar Store merchandise."

http://groups.google.com/group/rec....426eae0c89b5d?lnk=raot&hl=en#f63426eae0c89b5d

No wonder, HD radios are not showing up in Radio Shack's Christmas fliers, or TV commercials !

 

[CTListener]

They're not showing up in all the stores, either, at least here in central Connecticut. I went looking for one on Nov. 28 and got "We'll be getting them after the first of the year, but I can order one for you if you want" at one store (Meriden) and "They're only available online" at another (Wallingford) before finally finding a couple on display in Middletown.

 

[clouseau]

Slow news day, Crosley guy?

"In the last few months, because of their internal problems, they are doing a massive revamping, which will focus on new televisions and cell phones...everything else is secondary."

"LOL! They were good back in the day but they have sucked for years now. I wouldn't mind seeing them take the pipe. They sell junk now. I'm amazed they're still around..."

"Complete with obscenly over-priced chinese made RS branded product that is utter complete junk just 2 steps above Dollar Store merchandise."

http://groups.google.com/group/rec....426eae0c89b5d?lnk=raot&hl=en#f63426eae0c89b5d

No wonder, HD radios are not showing up in Radio Shack's Christmas fliers, or TV commercials !

The best headline you could find against HD radio today was a thread posted in a shortwave newsgroup about how one store where HD radios are sold sucks?

Don't forget to post a copy of this in alt.remote.control.cars.

Mods... forgive me, but how long do we have to put up with this tripe???

Clouseau

 

[700WLW]

Well, you all have been putting up with this tripe for many months, but we still have a long way to go !

 

[calstymes]

Inspector clouseau observed and questioned:

The best headline you could find against HD radio today was a thread posted in a shortwave newsgroup about how one store where HD radios are sold sucks?

Don't forget to post a copy of this in alt.remote.control.cars.

Mods... forgive me, but how long do we have to put up with this tripe???

He has toned himself down considerably since he used to post using the SayNoToIBOC moniker. Look at the archived threads in this topic and you'll see what I mean. It is an incredible waste of bandwidth.

And I am extremely anti-IBOC like he is. But it's possible to chase anyone away with all these URLs that point to meaningless opinion pieces. Fortunately, he's learned a bit about how to coexist with other individuals who have differing opinions from his since he used to be SayNoToIBOC and now he is somewhat more tolerable than he used to be.

 

[700WLW]

Boy Cal, looks like some things never change - back for yet another dig ?

 

[700WLW]

"There has to be a better push towards the stores"

"I went to the mall today and what I found wasn't totally good. First I found a radio shack....found the Accurian! OK...I turn the knob on...nothing happens....now there's no real antenna that I can see (it's near xm and sirus)....so I turn it around..... the power cord is cut!!! OK so I go into circuit city....they didn't even have Boston Acoustics setup...infact the regular radios there don't all work...I cranked a grundig emergancy one and it didn't work!!! This is something that is @%#%^ if I can go into a Target and see a analog Tivoli why isn't there a bigger push if you get more channels and sounds better? I also went into the car audio one and didn't see the JVC one...but I saw ones that danced around it in price and features....I dunno I figure the push will continue for awhile... I have to wonder, if the stores aren't trying to sabotage the products that do "free" radio and TV, since they make a killing on subscripion services."

Good guess !

 

[SUPERCASTER]

My local Radio Shack has their Accurian carefully under lock and key in the display cabinet right below the cash register and the alarm. No you can not hear it. If you want it, you have to buy it on looks alone.
In my opinion, the Accurian looks like a cheap set of auxiliary 2 inch speakers for a CD Walkman.

 

[MotoMuzak]

Re Supercaster 11 December 2006, 10:30:45~

On the appearance of the Accurian, that's what I thought too. In fact I thought the Boston Receptor they had on display next to the Accurian looked like an over-developed alarm clock!

At the Vancouver Mall (Washington) Radio Shack they had the two on display and fully functional (somewhat, without a remote control anyways) on a shelf in the middle of the store. They don't let you play with product there, rather they *encourage* it. (And I don't work there by the way, have no desire to even apply with Tandy or Radio Shack, especially given recent, well, "developments".......just been shopping there for eons)

Needless to say it powers on and analogue FM reception is excellent on the Accurian, and that entails connecting a pair of rabbit ears to the antenna socket on the back. Ultimately, the IBAC tuner in the box is *very slow* (even on the "Linking Up..." stage) and the quote-unquote "HD" tuner sounds like someone's lingling a bunch of chimes whenever sounds are produced.

True, while I think the station I tested that radio out with was playing Christmas music (as that may have had something to do with it... *laughs*) the local Jazz transponder on KOPB 91.5 (NPR) sounded similarly bad.

As I have stated before here and elsewhere, Ibiquity IBAC *may* have a remote possibility of catching on on FM but I am not gonna hold my breath. (So far as I can tell, it won't stand a chance on AM.)

And then again, there's the largely ignored "FMeXtra" system but that's another time...........

Just my $2.00 worth.

 

[Tom Wells]

While in Houston today, I stopped at RS for solder. Amazingly, the owner/manager was electrically savvy, and has sold his entire stock of 7 HD radios. There was one on the shelf, but he had no 12v power module to power it with. He admitted it does not work in the store,
but claims he had no problem moving the 7 out the door. He said it took 6 weeks to move them out.


So I still haven't heard HD on FM.
I would not be likely to buy any radio with that package/format.
Why can't a radio look like a radio? Is is just modern design that a radio must try to look like a computer?
I have enough cheesy plastic crap, thank you. How about a BOX, made of something like WOOD?
How about solid METAL? These HD radios remind me of toys from a "kids meal" at a fast food joint.

Apparently, they are selling some of these in Houston, at least at his RS.

 

[MotoMuzak]

Tom, that's exactly how I feel about the design of electronics myself.

Just once I would like to go to an electronic store and see a stereo system that doesn't look like some gadget off of the original "Star Trek"! (Yes you little all-in-one bookshelf stereo systems, I'm talkin' bout YOU!!)

I referenced today in another thread my acquisition of a 1970s-era Marantz quad receiver. Solid wood and metal Thing even has quite a bit of "heft" to it, and took some muscle power carrying it up two flights of stairs.

Truly a solidly-built piece of equipment. It's a shame companies don't seem to be able to do that nowdays (more like, don't want to *apply* themselves to doing that nowdays.)

I picked up the Accurian and couldn't help thinking "So where's the RADIO???" All plastic.
(Can't comment on the Boston because, as it was their higher-priced radio, it was unfortunately bolted down to the shelf in an attempt to somehow prevent shrink.)

In conclusion:
"Why can't a radio look like a radio? Is is just modern design that a radio must try to look like a computer?"

Apparently. And I'm even having trouble trying to find a TV set that actually looks and operates like a normal TV set as well. So what does that tell you?

 

[Tom Wells]

A real radio can work for decades, and looks the part. The Accurian (sp?) looks like it might make it to 2008.

Any meaningful radio can fall down two flights of stairs and still work, at least after one puts the tubes back in....
Or be made of such parts as to repairable.
If std AM is expanded to 1800, will I be able to retune the upper end on these as I have done with all my old radios?
When IBAC dies, will I be able to broadband the IFs and take out the brickwall 5khz filter? I thought not.
It would be interesting to see which, if any of the parts used in IBAC radios are available as service/repair parts.

If a technology is not made to be repairable, it is obsolescent in its birth.
Are ibiquity-licensed chips available for repairs? Does the cost for these repair parts also include licensing fees?
Or are the things just throwaways like most modern design?

I wish they looked as strong as the gadgets on the original Star Trek.
They could have fire and smoke coming out from under a console on the bridge, and a minute later everything would be OK.
Where did they keep all the spares on the Enterprise?

 

[700WLW]

I would not be likely to buy any radio with that package/format.
Why can't a radio look like a radio? Is is just modern design that a radio must try to look like a computer?
I have enough cheesy plastic crap, thank you. How about a BOX, made of something like WOOD?
How about solid METAL? These HD radios remind me of toys from a "kids meal" at a fast food joint.

All of the HD radios are ugly and clunky - on looks alone, these radios will not sell in any great numbers; add to that, the ugly and clunky antennas. The Receptor HD is boxy and looks like something out of the 1960's; the Accurian HD is just plain ugly and cheesy looking, along with its massive 2" speakers (my $10 Sony hand-held ICF-S10MK2 has a 2 1/4" speaker, so I can guess, what the Accurian HD sounds like). I grew up with 1960's transistor radios and use the Sony exclusively, with its excellent analog tuner, so my digital PLL radios are now sitting on the shelf.

 

[clouseau]

Any meaningful radio can fall down two flights of stairs and still work, at least after one puts the tubes back in....

While "I" own several vintage models that have tubes... NEWS FLASH. Radois no longer have tubes.

Or be made of such parts as to repairable.

Most things aren't repairable today. It's not a good thing, but it is so.

If std AM is expanded to 1800, will I be able to retune the upper end on these as I have done with all my old radios?

No. And congratulations. I belong to SBE and still you are the first person I've ever heard of to do that. Most of "The Fellas" like to keep their old radios stock.

When IBAC dies, will I be able to broadband the IFs and take out the brickwall 5khz filter?

Nope. It's going to work as well as connecting that mechanical adding machinne to the Internet.

It would be interesting to see which, if any of the parts used in IBAC radios are available as service/repair parts.

Just about as many as in a calculator or a wall wart. (Sure you could FIX the wall wart, but they're $2.99 if you know where to look.) Is it worth it to crack open the molded case for that?

If a technology is not made to be repairable, it is obsolescent in its birth.

Tell that to your Wi-Fi card.

Are ibiquity-licensed chips available for repairs? Does the cost for these repair parts also include licensing fees?
Or are the things just throwaways like most modern design?

You've answered you own question.

Clouseau

 

[hipporadio]

Tom, that's exactly how I feel about the design of electronics myself.

Just once I would like to go to an electronic store and see a stereo system that doesn't look like some gadget off of the original "Star Trek"! (Yes you little all-in-one bookshelf stereo systems, I'm talkin' bout YOU!!)

I referenced today in another thread my acquisition of a 1970s-era Marantz quad receiver. Solid wood and metal Thing even has quite a bit of "heft" to it, and took some muscle power carrying it up two flights of stairs.

Truly a solidly-built piece of equipment. It's a shame companies don't seem to be able to do that nowdays (more like, don't want to *apply* themselves to doing that nowdays.)

I picked up the Accurian and couldn't help thinking "So where's the RADIO???" All plastic.
(Can't comment on the Boston because, as it was their higher-priced radio, it was unfortunately bolted down to the shelf in an attempt to somehow prevent shrink.)

In conclusion:
"Why can't a radio look like a radio? Is is just modern design that a radio must try to look like a computer?"

Apparently. And I'm even having trouble trying to find a TV set that actually looks and operates like a normal TV set as well. So what does that tell you?

Moto... Check this radio out (MANY others have)!

http://www.amazon.com/Tivoli-Audio-...r_1/105-9269408-1167640?ie=UTF8&s=electronics

I received one as a Christmas gift a few years back and I adore it. The operation CAN'T be more simple, and I love the tuning mechanism--it's accurate and tactile. In the past, I would have never purchased an audio product without so much as a "tone" control--you DON'T need one on this radio--its sound is rewarding without one.

FM reception is very good. AM could use some help--I set a Terk "AM Advantage" loop atop its case and that spices up the reception nicely. There is a very positive quality about analog AM tuning that yields superior sound--you'll find it in this radio.

 

[MotoMuzak]

I have seen those radios in catalogues before, and I have yet to read an unfavourable report about their operation and sound quality.

Can't really comment on them myself right now as I haven't heard one, but I know of an electronics store downtown who carries them........might just "pop in for a moment" this weekend!

What I would like to know, however, is if these rigs can easily be set up with an SCA adaptor like the Elf-2a from FM atlas.........that would be the big thing for me as I tend to do quite a bit of "SCA Chasing" around Oregon & Washington.........

Tom Wells:
"The Accurian (sp?) looks like it might make it to 2008."

That, I am assuming, is factoring in that it never gets used! (shelf-steble until 2008, maybe??)
Listened to and otherwise used then, I would probably say like, mid-2007 tops. *laughs*

I know if I was to set an Accurian up on my bike, assuming they can be battery-powered, it wouldn't even last an entire day of riding much less an entire season. My handlebars are actually from a dirt bike, and they have a cross-bar upon which is clamped my *practically indestructable* 1980s Sharp radio with tape recorder/player. Crashed the bike out several times, with the radio still mounted (even landed on the radio a couple times) and she still plays like the day I first got her. So what does THAT tell you about product quality?

"If a technology is not made to be repairable, it is obsolescent in its birth."

Amen. Couldn't say it better meself.