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Another failure for HD Radio

Uh-huh. Before we break out the champagne, RF, let's just see how many of these actually get sold. (Making the very large assumption iBiquity can be persuaded to disgorge real sales numbers, which has yet to happen with ANY HD receiver products thus far.) 80 bucks for a doodad just to get HD? Oh, yeah. Undeniably appealing.

As long as we're on the subject - remember the much-hyped wonderful Best Buy Insignia portable that sold out tout d'suite? Had a conversation with a reliable source last week - somebody in the electronics sales industry in a position to know. Guess what the initial production run on the Insignia portable was?

If you guessed 5000 pieces - congrats. Take the rest of the day off as a reward.

(I'd bet about 3000 or more of those sales were to radio industry people, interested in the performance of the Insignia, one way or the other.)
 
R.F. Burns said:
I guess the anti IBOC people were correct when they said all along that HD Radio would disappear due to lack of interest;

http://www.insideradio.com/Article.asp?id=1580560&spid=32060
Click to expand...

The fact that a manufacturer creates an add-on for the iPhone (an $80 add on, at that) that will tune HD somehow equals "interest?"

I want some of what you're smoking.
 
*YAWN* Sure, I'll add one of those unsightly, expensive dongles to my iPhone so I can experience drop outs from LOCAL stations. Sure beats the hell out of installing tuner apps which allow me to reliably play stations from all over the world!
 
scanman1 said:
*YAWN* Sure, I'll add one of those unsightly, expensive dongles to my iPhone so I can experience drop outs from LOCAL stations. Sure beats the hell out of installing tuner apps which allow me to reliably play stations from all over the world!
Click to expand...

And note that the ONLY place you can get the thing is at Radio Shack.
 
Dongle A = 200 stations, works everywhere.

Dongle B = 1 sorta-reliable signal per station, plus in some cases: one or two additional signals, limited quality, very limited reception. Programming often frozen, off-air, repetitive, low audio level, or just plain stupid (as in indistiguishable from main channel.)

In some cases you might be able to, after plunking down $80, plug in your dongle, interconnect with your i-something, fiddle with the antenna to get receiver to lock, step through tuning procedure to an HD sub, and get the local News-Talk AM.

Or you could just poke the AM button on your car radio - and get the programming instantly.

DUH!
 
dismuke said:
scanman1 said:
*YAWN* Sure, I'll add one of those unsightly, expensive dongles to my iPhone so I can experience drop outs from LOCAL stations. Sure beats the hell out of installing tuner apps which allow me to reliably play stations from all over the world!
Click to expand...

And note that the ONLY place you can get the thing is at Radio Shack.
Click to expand...



VERY soon to be just "The Shack"! The new signage inside the stores is already sans Radio!
 
Before there is a massive write off on this, I believe this device does have potential, IF some basic changes are made. First of all, Apple is selling the I-touch model at a substantial rate, particularly to the younger generation who has a major influence on marketing. ( I own one, I might add, even though I admit I am not part of the younger generation). This device will offer those users access to standard FM & HD FM broadcasts where they normally would not be able to access it (outside Wi-Fi range or access). I am not sure if AM reception is included yet. The I-phone does not have this limitation, since it has cellular connection & usually with a data plan. However with that said, this device potential could only be substantially realized if the price is reduced somewhat, and HD signal reliablility is improved. Price productions will come as competitions increase, but it will not succeed if reliability becomes a factor. JohnEB
 
johneb2johneb2 said:
Before there is a massive write off on this, I believe this device does have potential, IF some basic changes are made. First of all, Apple is selling the I-touch model at a substantial rate, particularly to the younger generation who has a major influence on marketing. ( I own one, I might add, even though I admit I am not part of the younger generation). This device will offer those users access to standard FM & HD FM broadcasts where they normally would not be able to access it (outside Wi-Fi range or access). I am not sure if AM reception is included yet. The I-phone does not have this limitation, since it has cellular connection & usually with a data plan. However with that said, this device potential could only be substantially realized if the price is reduced somewhat, and HD signal reliablility is improved. Price productions will come as competitions increase, but it will not succeed if reliability becomes a factor. JohnEB
Click to expand...

The cost is prohibitive. There is one HD-2 stream here I am semi-interested in. But I can get that format on 500 streams for free on the iPhone. Pay $80 for one HD-2. Pay nothing for 500 free streams. Decisions decisions -----
 
OK an exclusive media within an exclusive piece of technology. Wow why dont they just set up requirements similar to a country club? Those who refused to buy into satellite radio are also likely to refuse to buy ibiquity radio. Narrow those who do into those who prefer Mac and iPhones,then divide by the number of seagulls blocking the HD signals to the 10th power of those who have become disgusted with radio that uses analog OR digital broadcast. I was considering buying HD radio because my 2 former favorite FM'ers are now on subchannels but then again with what I read about it maybe I'll just get another pack of lithium batteries for my MP3.
 
They sold a $50 FM radio tuner add-on for the iPod, that wasn't so successful. Hopefully someone buys this and tells everyone how bad the quality is.
 
Nick said:
They sold a $50 FM radio tuner add-on for the iPod, that wasn't so successful. Hopefully someone buys this and tells everyone how bad the quality is.
Click to expand...

Good observation. That old iPod tuner "dongle" included an analog FM receiver with RDS capability, but it was cumbersome to use. I had considered buying one until I went to the local Apple store and saw what was involved. The new iPod Nano with built-in FM receiver is a much better approach, and allows tagging of songs for purchase without use of a "docking station".

The iPhone is a convenience device -- it integrates the cell phone, PDA, MP3 player, etc. into one handy package small enough to fit in a pocket or purse. Few users will bother to mess around with a plug-in dongle cable just to hear HD Radio if reception of content is easier and more reliable through a wireless internet connection.
 
Play Freebird said:
Here's the video of Bob Struble demonstrating the iPhone dongle in New York. This must have been within a couple of miles of Empire to get indoor reception of WCBS-FM's digital signal.

http://www.appleiphoneschool.com/2009/11/09/gigaware-hd-radio-receiver/
Click to expand...

I love Bob's quote at the end - all the great free radio - well last time I checked the HD-2 streams were no better than analog format wise. They are the home of previous formats on stations that flipped, so the previous format can die a slow death from lack of interest.

$80 is very steep for a radio that plugs into an iPhone. It is kludgey at best - it reminds me of my walkman days when I shuffled a cassette deck, a walkman style TV, an AM FM radio, and even a graphic equalizer. When you get two or more of these devices plugged together - like my old graphic equalizer - it is cumbersome at best, one cable or the other will come loose when you jog, and you have to stop and reconnect your mini-system. Not to mention it takes up more room in the pocket, another pouch on your belt, whatever.

In the case of the iPhone, the interface connector, frankly, scares me. Those pins are very small, and I am always afraid of breaking the whole connector or flexing the pins where they don't make contact. So I use docks as little as possible, because once that connector is shot, the whole iPod / iPhone goes back for an expensive repair. Oh and you lose your songs and settings and have to start over by syncing with iTunes. It isn't like a battery that can be easily hacked and replaced. The connector is much more integrated into the system. I am not sure what happens to your apps with an iPhone when you get it serviced, but my guess is they are gone and you get a default factory configuration. It happened to my daughter with another type of phone on another carrier - $200 worth of downloaded songs GONE. I'm bailing on that stinkin' carrier that did that the moment my two year contract is up. Maybe sooner depending on how PO'ed I am as I pass a competitor's store.
 
Couldn't they have at least tried to make the thing resemble an iPhone? Red and black. Not trendy iPhone use would be caught dead with that.

I've never seen anyone actually wearing one of those silly twisted wire with balls on the ends bracelets. Why is a man, who is supposed to be tech savvy, wearing an item that is in the old snake oil tradition? And comb your hair before going on camera, Bob.
 
What's wrong with tousled hair and a wire bracelet?? I saw a RW photo of Glynn Walden at an NAB, carrying/wearing something that appeared to be a purse.

Such is the parade of HD Radio Girly Men....
 
Savage said:
What's wrong with tousled hair and a wire bracelet?? I saw a RW photo of Glynn Walden at an NAB, carrying/wearing something that appeared to be a purse.

Such is the parade of HD Radio Girly Men....
Click to expand...





You saw his portable HD radio power supply!
 
Good thought, Ken, except there weren't any quad-ought arc-welder cables snaking out of Walden's "purse."

I didn't see any cooling fans or sheet-metal ductwork either. (Just the usual cloud of BS that's always present around HD people.)
 
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