HD Musings

[Mike Sheridan]

I noticed that WNOW HD 2 is Christian Contemporary. WKQC is not in HD as I write this. Might be something wrong with the equipment over there. I noticed yesterday HD-1 was on but HD-2 was gone.

Didn't WPEG have HD? They don't now.

I only have one HD tuner so I don't always get a chance to listen. For me there isn't much to listen to even though I like the smooth jazz on V-101.9 HD2 and the '70's Oldies on WKQC HD2. Format change around a lot so I don;t think I'd invest in a HD capable car radio.

I keep wondering if most people are willing to actually wait 5 seconds when they select a station for the HD signal to sync. Did they think of that when they developed this system? Not that it matters, I still don't see HD radios out there.

 

[yugoidar]

I don't understand why the radio industry continues to promote HD with commercials (currently running on WBT for example) when so few of the stations are actually providing any HD programming. So they convince people to head for Best Buy or Wal-Mart and pick up an HD radio. Then they get home and realize there's not much to listen to.

It's been several years now, and research done a few months ago, and the majority of radio listeners still don't know what HD radio is.

HD seemed to be "dead on arrival" and, so far, it shows little sign of coming back(?) to life.

 

[test123]

I am getting 97.9 in HD in Mooresville on my deaf as a post Boston Acoustics radio. 104.7 appears to be off. I was told a week ago they were having exporter issues.

I do wish Greater Media would put 1110 on 107.9 HD-2.

hh

 

[hschutte]

Another problem with HD Radio is that there are only a few radios to select from and the quality is not that reliable. The price for those radios is way too high.. Especially when I can get a basic FM radio at the dollar store for alot cheaper.

I wonder if the program manager at K104.7 sees his HD2 60s and 70s broadcast is invisible to most listeners..

Hopefully it'll mean a switch soon..

 

[jwmarsh]

A lot of groups are not putting anything on HD-2 due to the fact that they think they are competing with themselves. I know my group thinks that way. Too bad ppm wouldn't give credit to the main channel for listening to the HD channels. If they did I think you would see a lot more of HD programming

 

[jtudor]

A lot of groups are not putting anything on HD-2 due to the fact that they think they are competing with themselves. I know my group thinks that way.

But aren't most groups already competing with themselves already? Especially the groups that have multiple outlets in the same town/market.

 

[tylerSC]

I have a Sony HD table radio and a Sony HD component tuner. Both are excellent with good reception for analog and digital signals. With rabbit ears, I can lock in the HD signal for 107.9 here in Greenville, SC. With my attic antenna connected, I also lock in the HD for 96.1, 99.3, 97.9, 101.9, 105.3, 106.9, and 107.9. Sometimes 102.9. Analog only for 96.9, 99.7, and 104.7. I also get 95.1 and 103.7 analog, but as of now, they do not yet broadcast a HD signal. Supposedly, this summer, 96.1 has plans to increase the power of their HD signal. It would help reception if all HD radio signals could increase their power. For some reason, the 96.1 HD signal was stronger in my area before they replaced their antenna in December, as I could get it with just rabbit ears before. Somehow, their new antenna pattern is a bit different.

 

[tylerSC]

I am getting 97.9 in HD in Mooresville on my deaf as a post Boston Acoustics radio. 104.7 appears to be off. I was told a week ago they were having exporter issues.

I do wish Greater Media would put 1110 on 107.9 HD-2.

hh

If you are in Mooresville, I guess you can't get WBT on 99.3, either analog or HD. Here in Greenville, SC, I get 99.3 good with my rabbit ears pointed a certain way to block a Ga station on the same frequency. My attic antenna locks onto their HD signal easily. Car reception of 99.3 is spotty because of the Ga station. And on AM, 1110 blocks their signal after sunset, but it comes in good during the day. It would be nice if they would add an HD version on 1110AM, but looks like they gave up on that. And yes, it would be nice if they would simulcast WBT on 107.9-2. They tried it once briefly, but it didn't last.

 

[tylerSC]

One more thought on the subject - Did CBS Radio abandon plans to add an HD Radio signal for 95.1 and 103.7? They keep putting it off. If they do add HD, hopefully it won't change their analog antennas, as both stations have very good signals. 95.1 is very strong at my GVL SC location, and 103.7 comes in surprisingly well at my house.

 

[vchimpanzee]

I keep wondering if most people are willing to actually wait 5 seconds when they select a station for the HD signal to sync. Did they think of that when they developed this system? Not that it matters, I still don't see HD radios out there.

Well, you also have to wait just as long for the DTV channel to change. You don't just click and there it is.

 

[Mike Sheridan]

I keep wondering if most people are willing to actually wait 5 seconds when they select a station for the HD signal to sync. Did they think of that when they developed this system? Not that it matters, I still don't see HD radios out there.

Well, you also have to wait just as long for the DTV channel to change. You don't just click and there it is.

Really? My little Zenith converter boxes are really quick.

 

[Mike Sheridan]

I am getting 97.9 in HD in Mooresville on my deaf as a post Boston Acoustics radio. 104.7 appears to be off. I was told a week ago they were having exporter issues.

I do wish Greater Media would put 1110 on 107.9 HD-2.

hh

If you are in Mooresville, I guess you can't get WBT on 99.3, either analog or HD. Here in Greenville, SC, I get 99.3 good with my rabbit ears pointed a certain way to block a Ga station on the same frequency. My attic antenna locks onto their HD signal easily. Car reception of 99.3 is spotty because of the Ga station. And on AM, 1110 blocks their signal after sunset, but it comes in good during the day. It would be nice if they would add an HD version on 1110AM, but looks like they gave up on that. And yes, it would be nice if they would simulcast WBT on 107.9-2. They tried it once briefly, but it didn't last.

WBT only turned on HD while the NAB Radio convention was going on here a few years ago. I don't know what's up with that.

 

[Mike Sheridan]

One more thought on the subject - Did CBS Radio abandon plans to add an HD Radio signal for 95.1 and 103.7? They keep putting it off. If they do add HD, hopefully it won't change their analog antennas, as both stations have very good signals. 95.1 is very strong at my GVL SC location, and 103.7 comes in surprisingly well at my house.

While I was there the story I heard about WSOC-FM was the power going to the antenna was higher than most and somehow they couldn't combine the HD signal with it as it's set up now. I don't think they are likely to change it anytime soon.

 

[mp3RadioGuy]

While I was there the story I heard about WSOC-FM was the power going to the antenna was higher than most and somehow they couldn't combine the HD signal with it as it's set up now. I don't think they are likely to change it anytime soon.

You are correct. They are running two 35kW transmitters in parallel. Very high TPO.

 

[quadraphonic]

I am getting 97.9 in HD in Mooresville on my deaf as a post Boston Acoustics radio. 104.7 appears to be off. I was told a week ago they were having exporter issues.

I do wish Greater Media would put 1110 on 107.9 HD-2.

hh

If you are in Mooresville, I guess you can't get WBT on 99.3, either analog or HD. Here in Greenville, SC, I get 99.3 good with my rabbit ears pointed a certain way to block a Ga station on the same frequency. My attic antenna locks onto their HD signal easily. Car reception of 99.3 is spotty because of the Ga station. And on AM, 1110 blocks their signal after sunset, but it comes in good during the day. It would be nice if they would add an HD version on 1110AM, but looks like they gave up on that. And yes, it would be nice if they would simulcast WBT on 107.9-2. They tried it once briefly, but it didn't last.

WBT only turned on HD while the NAB Radio convention was going on here a few years ago. I don't know what's up with that.

Right after the convention, they realized only radio insiders would be impressed by it?

 

[tylerSC]

One more thought on the subject - Did CBS Radio abandon plans to add an HD Radio signal for 95.1 and 103.7? They keep putting it off. If they do add HD, hopefully it won't change their analog antennas, as both stations have very good signals. 95.1 is very strong at my GVL SC location, and 103.7 comes in surprisingly well at my house.

While I was there the story I heard about WSOC-FM was the power going to the antenna was higher than most and somehow they couldn't combine the HD signal with it as it's set up now. I don't think they are likely to change it anytime soon.

I get a good signal from 103.7 just using rabbit ears, so I would rather them maintain that strong analog signal rather than add HD. And 95.1 has a very good signal as well, but maybe at some point they could add HD without changing their analog signal.

 

[jtudor]

I am getting 97.9 in HD in Mooresville on my deaf as a post Boston Acoustics radio. 104.7 appears to be off. I was told a week ago they were having exporter issues.

I do wish Greater Media would put 1110 on 107.9 HD-2.

hh

If you are in Mooresville, I guess you can't get WBT on 99.3, either analog or HD. Here in Greenville, SC, I get 99.3 good with my rabbit ears pointed a certain way to block a Ga station on the same frequency. My attic antenna locks onto their HD signal easily. Car reception of 99.3 is spotty because of the Ga station. And on AM, 1110 blocks their signal after sunset, but it comes in good during the day. It would be nice if they would add an HD version on 1110AM, but looks like they gave up on that. And yes, it would be nice if they would simulcast WBT on 107.9-2. They tried it once briefly, but it didn't last.

WBT only turned on HD while the NAB Radio convention was going on here a few years ago. I don't know what's up with that.

Right after the convention, they realized only radio insiders would be impressed by it?

Maybe they were being paid to run the HD Signal during the convention as a promotional tool for HD???

 

[vchimpanzee]

I keep wondering if most people are willing to actually wait 5 seconds when they select a station for the HD signal to sync. Did they think of that when they developed this system? Not that it matters, I still don't see HD radios out there.

Well, you also have to wait just as long for the DTV channel to change. You don't just click and there it is.

Really? My little Zenith converter boxes are really quick.

Well, with Magnavox, which I used my coupons for, the channel number appears in the upper right corner, then it converts to the proper format, and you wait and see if a picture comes up.

 

[hschutte]

I have one of those Insignia HD portables and this is my experience:

1) Quality of the HD2 and HD2 stations seems to be heavily compressed {Sounds like a 96 Kbps mp3 file}.
2) The formats of these stations must be changing constantly. There seems to be no website that accurately displays what the current format of the station are as of today..
For example:
K104.7 currently broadcasts it's HD2 as Super 70s
99.7 The Fox broadcasts HD2 as Classic hits {not Vinyl Vinyard}, playing artists from the 70s and 80s {like Andy Gibb}.
3) The signals constantly drop on the HD2 and HD3 station which becomes really annoying..

Has anyone actually found a business or restaurant in Charlotte playing any of these HD2 or HD3 stations?

 

[vchimpanzee]

I have a question. I was just updating the Wikipedia article on WTIX. I can remember hearing that WAVO was also on the HD-3 channel of WOLS. WTIX was airing the same programming. But I assume WTIX is not on an HD channel.