Consumer reports Sangean HDT-1 review

[R.F. Burns]

http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/...-1-hd-radio-tuner-4-07/overview/0407sang0.htm

 

[Tom Wells]

It seems Consumer Reports has only been talking to HD promoters.
There is no mention that AM HD stations have lowered the quality of their signal for the other 99.9% of listeners.

This would be analogous to reviewing a car with a new "stability control" if the new technology made all
other vehicles without it harder to control.

Consumer's Union will eventually learn the truth. They already seem to have noticed HD droputs.

 

[Mike Walker]

Seems to be a fair review. Consumer Reports wasn't reviewing all the ins and outs of the technology, etc. Their readers won't be choosing a standard. It's already been chosen (for better or worse). They were doing what Consumer Reports does, REVIEWING A PRODUCT, and a damn fine one.

There are certainly technical limitations to HD Radio. But, addressing specifically the FM system...I'm still undecided on AM, I believe the problems with analog FM are FAR more severe.

 

[PocketRadio]

http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/...-1-hd-radio-tuner-4-07/overview/0407sang0.htm

This is an interesting quote:

"No analog-only setting. With digital broadcasts, if the signal is too weak, the HDT-1 will automatically switch to the analog version of the broadcast. That can result in frequent switches back and forth in areas where the strength of the digital radio signal is marginal. An analog-only setting would lock you into the regular version of the broadcast if switching back and forth became annoying."

Just wait, until complaints start being posted on Autoblog and the like, when in-dash HD starts dropping out and madly switching between analog and HD. HD Radio is in a Catch-22, where the digital saddlebags can only be broadcast at 1/100th the level of the analog, so poor reception will always be a major issue. Digital radio serves no purpose and is only a solution in search of a problem. So, HD radios should have a lock switch for analog - what a farce !

 

[Mike Walker]

Well PocketRadio, you only think the power limitation on HD is important if you don't understand how digital works. The most important factor at VHF and UHF frequencies is TOWER HEIGHT, anyway...now power. But while power CAN inprove s/n ratio, s/n ratio is far less important in a digital datastream than an analog broadcast. All that's necessary is to be able to tell the difference between a one and a zero. That's it. "Noise" in the received signal is all but meaningless. A 5db s/n ratio, horrid for analog...you literally wouldn't be able to understand a lot of what was being said, works just fine for digital.

If all analog were turned off tomorrow (which won't happen, of course), digital power levels would still be a fraction of what analog had been. That's also true of HDTV broadcasts.

 

[R.F. Burns]

http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/...-1-hd-radio-tuner-4-07/overview/0407sang0.htm

This is an interesting quote:

"No analog-only setting. With digital broadcasts, if the signal is too weak, the HDT-1 will automatically switch to the analog version of the broadcast. That can result in frequent switches back and forth in areas where the strength of the digital radio signal is marginal. An analog-only setting would lock you into the regular version of the broadcast if switching back and forth became annoying."

Just wait, until complaints start being posted on Autoblog and the like, when in-dash HD starts dropping out and madly switching between analog and HD. HD Radio is in a Catch-22, where the digital saddlebags can only be broadcast at 1/100th the level of the analog, so poor reception will always be a major issue. Digital radio serves no purpose and is only a solution in search of a problem. So, HD radios should have a lock switch for analog - what a farce !

If you knew anything about the topic you are writing about you might be dangerous. The next generation of Sangean receivers (which some believe might be released in very early Summer) will have a spidif output and a you'll be able to turn off the display when the unit is turned off. The remote control will be bigger, and you will be able to select digital or analog only modes. You quoted Master Theasus in another thread. Haven't you read any of his comments other then the one you misquoted? TheLooks like you're batting 1,000 pocket. Wrong on every count. That corner you are backing yourself into is getting closer and closer.

 

[Chuck]

Seems to be a fair review. Consumer Reports wasn't reviewing all the ins and outs of the technology, etc. Their readers won't be choosing a standard. It's already been chosen (for better or worse). They were doing what Consumer Reports does, REVIEWING A PRODUCT, and a damn fine one.

Since I have one of these tuners, I'd have to say that it is a fair and accurate review of the radio.