JVC KT-HDP1 now $9.97 at Radio Shack on line

[badjef]

Tell me more about this "software - defined radio"! Is code readily available to decode various items such as C-Quam, RDS, SCA, and DSP noise-blanking?
Of course, no encoding of the 'top-secret' iBiquity!
Is there an in-dash unit, or do you need a laptop to 'feed it'?

"Software defined" is a phrase I heard here, first. The radio I have is one of those of which they were referring. It is a model number NTG-4 and it is an all in one with navigation, backup camera, Sirius, and RDS. It does not have HD. I do not think it is a hardware item for this radio. I believe it is a software upgrade. The technology appears to be heading into the direction of the computer where software will determine what the box will do.

Welcome to the future.

Jeff in Sa-ra-so-ta!

 

[spunker88]

I'd much rather see a USB jack or a 3.5mm AUX in jack in cars than the proprietary and useless (to me) iPod connector as the only option.

Same here the 3.5mm jack has become the standard for headphone plugs. About the only other thing out there is the smaller 2.5mm jack which isn't as common, but since both jacks are laid out the same and both carry analog audio its pretty easy to adapt.

Most cell companies are moving to a standard micro-USB charger which means they can all be charged from USB's 5v. And MP3 players that sync via a USB cable also charge as well. Cars that include a ipod connector are useless since it only allows you one brand of device and it may break future compatibility when software changes.

 

[arnoldevns]

I've posted many times about my difficulty and finding HD radios for sale. Now it is nearly impossible. I will look into this one as a toy since it's only 10 bucks.. but really.. folks.. HD is dead. Internet streaming is much better. An example:

I heard a caller to 1310 The Ticket in Dallas this week say that she just did a cross-country drive and "streamed the Ticket the whole way" and couldn't have done the trip without them. She's a regular listener who lives in Nebraska. She listens all the time - presumably she's got either a phone app or an internet radio device for her car.

I just got a new HTC Incredible 2 and downloaded the Pandora app. It works very well. I can also do I heart Radio if I want. It does have a decent FM radio built in too that I use quite a bit. Regardless, I have so many possible options on my small phone that the need for an HD radio simply does not exist. The radio industry needs to accept that fact and move on from the HD radio debacle.

 

[ddsparxx]

My local Best Buy store has no HD radio at all...

 

[tomservo]

I'd like to know what carrier that Ticket woman had, because I can't keep a stream going for more than a few minutes on my carrier's sorry 3G service. I can drive about 30 minutes in any direction and hit 1x/RTT where nothing streams at all. The carrier before that didn't have 3G at all for hundreds of miles and still doesn't, while Verizon is busy upgrading to faux-fast 4G in the neighboring metro areas.

 

[Chuck]

I'd like to know what carrier that Ticket woman had, because I can't keep a stream going for more than a few minutes on my carrier's sorry 3G service. I can drive about 30 minutes in any direction and hit 1x/RTT where nothing streams at all. The carrier before that didn't have 3G at all for hundreds of miles and still doesn't, while Verizon is busy upgrading to faux-fast 4G in the neighboring metro areas.

I don't know about the "Ticket Lady's" carrier, but using Verizon, I can listen to my station's audio stream from Longview, TX to anywhere in the DFW market, usually with only one drop out. That's traveling along IH 20 for about 135 miles. The drop out is consistent, and coincidentally occurs right about where the area code changes. I don't know if the area code is really the issue, but it might be.

If you get very far off major highways, your experience will be significantly worse. Just like my overall experience with cell phones, this "almost works."

 

[tomservo]

If you get very far off major highways, your experience will be significantly worse. Just like my overall experience with cell phones, this "almost works."

That explains it. I'm between two moderate sized cities, far from the interstate. And before this, I lived right on an interstate but in a town of about 15,000 people, a hundred miles from any real city. It can be argued that the future is now in major cities (even my nearby cities of Mobile & Pensacola have Verizon 4G active) but outside those blessed places, we're really suffering. For example, no one here offers cable internet. It's slow DSL or dialup. Futuristic stuff like HDTV? Meh, here's 20 channels now stop bothering us. (No view through the trees for satellite.) Cable here doesn't even do VOD or interactive services, and while most of the carriers offer 3G it's not very fast.

Oddly enough — and to get back to radio — the local stations that broadcast in HD pick up OK here, even when moving. I get about the same amount of dropouts in HD as I do streaming.

 

[KE4KLS_Radio]

I bought one of these HD Radios by JVC a few weeks ago. Had planned to install it in my Nissan Frontier but required tearing apart the dash to get to the back of the radio to add the interface box. Too much trouble (for me, anyway) so decided to make it a home unit. Hooked an old computer laptop power supply to it, added a dipole FM antenna and patch cable audio to my Pioneer receiver aux... Works pretty good, receives all the HD stations in my market. For $9.97 an ok gadget but I believe my Insignia HD-002 works better in terms of user interface (particular since the JVC is always in scan mode). Also, could not pick up any AM HD signals (even some of the 50KW HD blowtouches at night). However, your mileage may vary...