HD Radio is officially dead

[nd2023]

iBiquity recently announced that it's pulling all support for HD Radio, as it is going bankrupt after missing a debt payment. When the HD exciters die, iBiquity will not replace or repair them. No more HD radios will be manufactured, so better keep your HD radio if you had it, it's an antique now.

99% of the public will not notice anything, besides not hearing HD Alliance commercials.

 

[JohnW]

Would that be morally or financially bankrupt?

 

[Len14043]

April Fools!

 

[KB1OKL]

That's probably not far from the truth.

 

[Carmine5]

Not to spoil the hoax but here is Struble's latest column:

http://www.ibiquity.com/about_us/bobs_column_thoughts_on_radios_digital_future

Says Bob:

"Not only are there more automakers offering the product, more consumers are taking it, as we move from a standalone option to having HD Radio technology included in popular option packages or, in the best case, being offered as standard equipment. Our factory auto sales have soared [or does he mean soured], and we expect significant additional launch announcements soon. The car side of the barbell is getting heavy."

If HD Radio is dead, someone please tell this man.

C5

 

[SUPERCASTER]

Not to spoil the hoax but here is Struble's latest column:

http://www.ibiquity.com/about_us/bobs_column_thoughts_on_radios_digital_future

Says Bob:

"Not only are there more automakers offering the product, more consumers are taking it, as we move from a standalone option to having HD Radio technology included in popular option packages or, in the best case, being offered as standard equipment. Our factory auto sales have soared [or does he mean soured], and we expect significant additional launch announcements soon. The car side of the barbell is getting heavy."

If HD Radio is dead, someone please tell this man.

C5

Somebody better break the bad news to Struble, most of the car companies offering his product, HD Radio, (standard or optional) are on the brink of bankruptcy. Barbells would probably be the more popular choice then HD Radio if dead weight in a new car is somehow desired.

 

[Savage]

Excuse me, "Baghdad Bob" Struble: "The car side of the DUMBbell is getting heavy."

I spent several weeks during the winter researching a new car to buy, eventually settling on a 2009 Jeep Patriot. (I did limit my search to American marques.) Nobody in any car dealership I visited knew anything about HD Radio. Nor did I see a single factory HD-equipped car. XM/Sirius and iPod interfaces were everywhere.

And as I have noted elsewhere on this board, fewer and fewer car buyers are willing to potentially void new-vehicle warranties by fitting aftermarket audio. The nav/comm/entertainment options are increasingly integrated with factory controls, steering wheel paddles and VOX. Aftermarket car stereo is more and more the kind of thing you install in your rusty 1992 pickup truck (think KRACO, HD fans.)

And as we have seen, Detroit is increasingly sitting the HD tug-of-war out on the sidelines.

 

[Carmine5]

Interesting article on a brand new 50 Kw flamethrower out of Fargo, ND, WZFG 1100.

http://www.rwonline.com/article/77478

But of particular interest to this board is what's missing from the equipment list, (hint: NO HD).

C5

 

[Tom Wells]

HD ( at least on AM ) is like a virus, it never really is alive and never was. It is only viable when there is a carrier to infect.

The FM could be twice as far along if the AM version had not been draining valuable resources and creating so much irritation
with listeners and broadcast engineers. There are minor issues with the FM, but they are 50db down compared to AM HD,
which is RIGHT UP IN YOUR FACE with its bad attitude.

 

[scanman1]

AM HD reception is sketchy as well and, especially lately, very raspy sounding!