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How well is HD Radio doing around here?

J

jras20

How well is HD Radio doing around here? I like to check out Mega on 103.5 HD-2 every once and a while. I see KHFI has no HD Running right now. A lot of stations in Austin still has not upgraded to HD yet.
 
Honestly, I haven't invested in an HD radio. Very few stations put any effort into it and that's not going to change anytime soon since people aren't buying into it. No listeners = no money.

However, if I lived in Austin, having Mega 103.5 HD2 would tempt me to buy one.
 
Its ashamed that Cox never put a HD-2 channel yet.
 
The problems with HD are pretty simple: the technology is a pain in the butt to keep running, it really doesn't sound any better than standard FM (as opposed to HDTV which is much better then the old standard TV) and nobody has figured out how to make money off of it. Clear Channel made a major investment in Ibiquity, the company that owns the format, so they have forced all their stations to put in HD systems. Many of the other companies out there don't want to spend the hundreds of thousands of dollars until somebody proves that they can make money with it or that people will buy the radios. Some companies are putting effort into the 2nd channel formats but others are just throwing a computer in a closet or taking a satellite type format that's in many other cities. More choices? Not really.
 
Radio Hound said:
No commercials.
Click to expand...
Those two words right there explain why it is not sustainable.

Another sign that it's failing? Stations rarely promote it anymore. Every station I know of in SA gives more air time to promos for online streaming than for HD. Online streams actually have advertising, and in some cases CUSTOM advertsing. I look for most stations in the US that have it now to completely drop HD within 5 years.
 
KHFI was running a pretty heavy rotation of ads for its HD2, but they disappeared ... along with the signal, apparently.
 
Indeed....someone there decided that if you can't make money on it, why waste the electricity?

Best Buy has the one or two radios that all its stores carry.

Fry's has HD radios that literally have dust on them.

Has any HD-2 signal ever made it into an Austin book?

Sounds like it's in the same sorry shape it is nationwide. I may drag out my old Recepter tonight...see if anyone besides KUT is still bothering.
 
i like the idea of hd radio but just wish they could make it work. i love hdtv. houston has the worst selection in hd radio. 2 smooth jazz statiions? give me a brake.
 
anthonydt06 said:
Honestly, I haven't invested in an HD radio. Very few stations put any effort into it and that's not going to change anytime soon since people aren't buying into it. No listeners = no money.

However, if I lived in Austin, having Mega 103.5 HD2 would tempt me to buy one.
Click to expand...

You don't need an HD radio to listen to MEGA HD2 in fact I think most of the listeners either listen through the internet or Mega's Android and Blackberry apps, I believe they are finishing up the iPhone app as well. I listen to Mega a lot and I listen with their Android app.
 
JDawg512 said:
anthonydt06 said:
Honestly, I haven't invested in an HD radio. Very few stations put any effort into it and that's not going to change anytime soon since people aren't buying into it. No listeners = no money.

However, if I lived in Austin, having Mega 103.5 HD2 would tempt me to buy one.
Click to expand...

You don't need an HD radio to listen to MEGA HD2 in fact I think most of the listeners either listen through the internet or Mega's Android and Blackberry apps, I believe they are finishing up the iPhone app as well. I listen to Mega a lot and I listen with their Android app.
Click to expand...

Or you can just use the TuneIn Radio app to listen on your iPhone or Android.
 
Folks have forgotten that FM used to be the band for foreign language and niche formats back in the 60s. HD Radio could do that again except that it's much cheaper now for these niche services to reach their audience on their smart phones.
 
KevanGC said:
JDawg512 said:
anthonydt06 said:
Honestly, I haven't invested in an HD radio. Very few stations put any effort into it and that's not going to change anytime soon since people aren't buying into it. No listeners = no money.

However, if I lived in Austin, having Mega 103.5 HD2 would tempt me to buy one.
Click to expand...

You don't need an HD radio to listen to MEGA HD2 in fact I think most of the listeners either listen through the internet or Mega's Android and Blackberry apps, I believe they are finishing up the iPhone app as well. I listen to Mega a lot and I listen with their Android app.
Click to expand...

I like Tunein a lot and use it to listen to other Dance stations, but their signal band is very weak if you listen to Mega HD2 on Tunein. its like 32K and sounds like an AM station. I recommend using MEGA HD2 app instead it comes in perfectly clear and great sound quality.

Or you can just use the TuneIn Radio app to listen on your iPhone or Android.
Click to expand...
 
After seeing this thread, I started listening to Mega again. And it does sound really good! I give Emmis props for being fairly consistent with all their signals. Although I wish Hot 933 was still around.
 
beaun said:
After seeing this thread, I started listening to Mega again. And it does sound really good! I give Emmis props for being fairly consistent with all their signals. Although I wish Hot 933 was still around.
Click to expand...

I'm telling you, Mega should be on an analog signal!
 
I don't think Mega will ever be on a analog signal. As much as I would like it to be, I don't think it will. Even if it would, they might turn into like the Party 97.7.

Just buy a HD radio.
 
jras20 said:
I don't think Mega will ever be on a analog signal. As much as I would like it to be, I don't think it will. Even if it would, they might turn into like the Party 97.7.

Just buy a HD radio.
Click to expand...

Check out the sound of Jelli 96.7 in Las Vegas(Top 40 Dance).
 
That station has a tough row to hoe. I read it rimshots Las Vegas from the northeast with better coverage of St. George, Utah than Las Vegas. The format is taking over a station that is #41 in the Vegas ratings. Essentially they're starting from zero.
 
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