How many in Dallas is buying into the HD radio bit?

[radiopilot]

Really how many bought HD radio and is listening to the HD didgtal broadcasts... especially Hispanics on this board... do you know first hand who bought one of the HD radios and is satisfied with your listening purchase?

Radiopilot

 

[War Of Attrition]

Really how many bought HD radio and is listening to the HD didgtal broadcasts... especially Hispanics on this board... do you know first hand who bought one of the HD radios and is satisfied with your listening purchase?

Are you pulling the ole "Man On The Street" gag to call David's bluff? Good luck bro.

P.S. I have a JVC aftermarket unit and listen to all of the digital sub-channels. I am very happy with my purchase. Thanks for asking.

 

[arnoldevns]

I've talked about this on the HD radio board before. I'm very disappointed in HD radio.
Radio sales are awful. There are some studies suggesting that more than a million HD radios have been sold, but the reality is that it's probably a tenth of that at best. The radios are too expensive and the sales people at stores I've been in have little knowledge of the technology and are much more interested in selling satellite radio.

The public has a false awareness of it. I saw one survey that said something like 30% of the public think they're getting HD now. They don't understand that you've got to buy a special radio for several hundred dollars. (or at least more than 100 dollars)

The bottom line on HD radio: It's not helping at all.

 

[txchipk]

I've talked about this on the HD radio board before. I'm very disappointed in HD radio.
Radio sales are awful. There are some studies suggesting that more than a million HD radios have been sold, but the reality is that it's probably a tenth of that at best. The radios are too expensive and the sales people at stores I've been in have little knowledge of the technology and are much more interested in selling satellite radio.

The public has a false awareness of it. I saw one survey that said something like 30% of the public think they're getting HD now. They don't understand that you've got to buy a special radio for several hundred dollars. (or at least more than 100 dollars)

The bottom line on HD radio: It's not helping at all.

I always find it amazing that "media professionals" often aren't media saavy. This is one of those cases...they cannot explain HD radio to people (if you can't sell your own product...?!?!?!). The only ones that seem to do a good job of that is KTCK...they have periodic spots explaining what it is, that you need a HD radio to get it, etc. They are about the only ones. The CC stations all have liners along the lines of "Mix 102.9, now in HD..." but don't really explain you need a HD radio. So, is it any wonder people think they already have HD radio (and since it sounds the same, "what is the big deal?" must be what they are thinking).

More odd is there is little promotion as to what you would get. There are some spots that talk about "stations between the stations" but there never is any example of what that means. Seems like if you were KZPS you would periodically mention the existence of its side channel "Lone Star 92-5" for example...

 

[blowtorch]

Not sure where I heard this figure, but someone in programming somewhere told me there 800 HD receivers at any time in D/FW.

 

[EasyPeazy]

Not sure where I heard this figure, but someone in programming somewhere told me there 800 HD receivers at any time in D/FW.

That number would have to be low. Even if there were only 100,000 radios sold so far there would have to be more out there in market #5.

 

[arnoldevns]

Not sure where I heard this figure, but someone in programming somewhere told me there 800 HD receivers at any time in D/FW.

That number would have to be low. Even if there were only 100,000 radios sold so far there would have to be more out there in market #5.

No, I think I can believe there are only 800 HD sets in the DFW area. In fact, I'd count on it being lower than that. Honestly, I doubt even 100,000 radios have been sold nationwide. The fact that the HD radio folks can't seem to nail down the number tells me they know it's real low. I believe the 1.5 million number I've seen quoted in one report was based on a survey asking if people had purchased HD radio sets. Considering how confused the public is over HD radio, I'm sure that sales figure is grossly inflated.

 

[BBontheRadio]

I'd like to be able to afford an HD radio but I can't justify the cost. And people who know me consider me a "gadget guy."

 

[Steve Eberhart]

I bought the JVC and had it installed, $250 start to finish.
I actually like it. The HD on AM is a vast improvement in quality. Is it perfect, no, but yes an improvement.
We listen to the HD-2 of KPLX a lot. Our kids like the music and there are no DJ's or spots...just music and sweepers.
It would be fun to see 570 offer "classic cliff" on their HD-2...maybe 103.7 could do "classic kvil"...kluv could put "classic k-news"...ok, i'm dreaming again.

 

[SmokeRing]

Re: How many in Dallas are buying into the HD radio bit?

The HD on AM is a vast improvement in quality. Is it perfect, no, but yes an improvement.

The "improvement" is highly subjective. It comes down to which faults in the audio are more appealing to you personally. If you don't mind some pops and crackles here and there, then you probably like wideband analog better. If you don't mind the tinny sound of an Internet stream, then HD is your preference.

I don't think either has an audio fidelity edge over the other. The difference is price, and how each technology affects the other's audio. Analog obviously doesn't harm HD. HD clearly harms analog.

Both apparently require good antennas. Although I hear some people are having problems receiving all of DFW's AM HD's--even when using good antennas (i.e. not the antennas that came in the box).

 

[Robert Bass]

It would be fun to see 570 offer "classic cliff" on their HD-2

Steve,

As far as I know, AM stations are only able to offer their main programming in HD. It's a technical limitation.

R

 

[War Of Attrition]

It would be fun to see 570 offer "classic cliff" on their HD-2...maybe 103.7 could do "classic kvil"...kluv could put "classic k-news"...ok, i'm dreaming again.

HD Radio does not offer multicasting for AM. Only FM. So KLIF HD-2 is impossible unless Cumulus moved KLIF to one of their FM frequencies, which is highly unlikely.

 

[War Of Attrition]

Re: How many in Dallas are buying into the HD radio bit?

The "improvement" is highly subjective. It comes down to which faults in the audio are more appealing to you personally. If you don't mind some pops and crackles here and there, then you probably like wideband analog better. If you don't mind the tinny sound of an Internet stream, then HD is your preference.

Not all AM HD implementations are created equal. Many are lacking. For example KTCK's has never sounded particularly clear. There seems to be a lot of digital artifacts. Whereas KFLC's is the best I have heard anywhere including New York City. Take a listen.

I don't think either has an audio fidelity edge over the other. The difference is price, and how each technology affects the other's audio. Analog obviously doesn't harm HD. HD clearly harms analog.

Your anti-HD bias is showing right through. Have you actually heard HD? Do you own an HD Radio? Or are you just another dxer who is mad because your hobby is going away? Your talking points sound like they came right off of usenet.

 

[SmokeRing]

Your anti-HD bias is showing right through. Have you actually heard HD? Do you own an HD Radio? Or are you just another dxer who is mad because your hobby is going away? Your talking points sound like they came right off of usenet.

No I don't own an HD Radio. My exposure to HD AM has been through air checks posted online.

I've tried listening to HD AM at two different Radio Shacks and at Fry's. I couldn't get a single HD AM to come in. I was in East Dallas, so I assume KRLD and KAAM should have been my best bets. But neither locked in. One Radio Shack had the Accurian. All my other attempts were made on the BA. Didn't matter. I hear the Accurian is supposed to be the better unit, but it's speakers are, what, 4 inches apart? Talk about a lousy stereo field!

I'm doing what most smart consumers do before buying an expensive new technology. I'm reading reviews online. I've tried testing the equipment at stores. I've listened to online air checks. And I'm not impressed.

I did manage to hear some FM HD-2's on the Accurian--never on the BA. And they sounded like medium-grade Internet streams. Again, not impressed.

My conclusion is that the anti-HD Radio crowd has some good reasons to be against HD Radio. And, while I can certainly understand why some people won't care one way or the other, I really don't understand how anyone would be passionately for HD Radio. Either they're easily impressed, or they just aren't very descriminating when it comes to audio quality.

So, no, I'm not simply repeating talking points.

 

[Robert Bass]

I see two potential flaws with your testing experiments.

First, the HD demos you found from the net, and second is Radio Shack.

The later fault is very common, so I’ll focus on the first one. Were the download samples you obtained MP3’s or true PCM wav files? If they were MP3’s, you might as well throw out those experiments with the bathwater.

R

 

[KPLEXCOMPLEX]

Robert: There's nothing truly wrong with radio shack. They have gone a long way to have well known brands,not just company brands on site.

 

[SmokeRing]

First, the HD demos you found from the net, and second is Radio Shack.

The later fault is very common, so I’ll focus on the first one. Were the download samples you obtained MP3’s or true PCM wav files? If they were MP3’s, you might as well throw out those experiments with the bathwater.

That's funny. Weren't you admitting that you played a lot of MP3's on KEOM pretty recently?

I'm more familiar than most people with the differences in sound quality among mp3, .wav, and mp4 formats. I've heard many different samples in many different formats.

And let's slow down a moment here. I've worked harder than any consumer should reasonably be expected to. If HD advocates want to convince people, then it's time for them to post files and do the work. I don't think HD Radio deserves their well-intentioned effort. But be my guest. By all means!

 

[Robert Bass]

Robert: There's nothing truly wrong with radio shack. They have gone a long way to have well known brands,not just company brands on site.

The problem with RS is, their careless attitude towards HD. They don't have external antennas hooked up at many of their stores where HD is on display, to actually pick up HD signals. That's been discussed around here quite a bit.

R

 

[Robert Bass]

First, the HD demos you found from the net, and second is Radio Shack.

The later fault is very common, so I’ll focus on the first one. Were the download samples you obtained MP3’s or true PCM wav files? If they were MP3’s, you might as well throw out those experiments with the bathwater.

That's funny. Weren't you admitting that you played a lot of MP3's on KEOM pretty recently?

We use 320K MP3's, which is a very high quality sample rate. However, I've started converting to the .wav format, in part because of HD and also because the music sounds more natural.

R

 

[SmokeRing]

We use 320K MP3's, which is a very high quality sample rate. However, I've started converting to the .wav format, in part because of HD and also because the music sounds more natural.

Good move. With the cheap prices on hard drives these days, there's no reason for anyone to compress on-air audio.

But commercial radio stations should never compress their audio files. Spend the money on good audio! If you aspire to be in pro radio, pony up the minimum costs of doing business!

Non-profits get a pass on this, Robert. You do what you can when you can.