"Mini Cooper offering factory-installed HD Radio"

[PocketRadio]

"Mini Cooper offering factory-installed HD Radio"

"The HD Radio option can be ordered stand-alone for a whopping $500 MSRP pricetag..."

http://www.orbitcast.com/archives/mini-cooper-offering-factoryinstalled-hd-radio.html

"2007 Mini Cooper Prices"

http://www.automobilemag.com/am/2007/mini/cooper/prices.html

2007 Mini Cooper MSRP $18,000 - $25,400 - how many consumers are going to spend a "whopping" $500 on HD Radio for a budget BMW ? :

 

[davideduardo]

2007 Mini Cooper MSRP $18,000 - $25,400 - how many consumers are going to spend a "whopping" $500 on HD Radio for a budget BMW ? :

With tax and title, this is a $30 k car. Many have them as second cars for fun and weekends. $500 on a lease is pennies a month.

 

[SUPERCASTER]

2007 Mini Cooper MSRP $18,000 - $25,400 - how many consumers are going to spend a "whopping" $500 on HD Radio for a budget BMW ? :

With tax and title, this is a $30 k car. Many have them as second cars for fun and weekends. $500 on a lease is pennies a month.

I see the standard audio/radio system includes true full CD quality sound:

-RDS audio system with AM/FM and CD player CD player reads MP3

and the top of the line system includes:

Sirius Satellite Radio with a lifetime subscription.

All for just, as you say, "pennies a month."

It seems the additional HD radio tuner is sort of an "oh, by the way" addition for those few who might be mildly curious, and in to early adopter experimentation.

 

[wgliradio]

It needs to be included in either the stock or upgraded stereo, not an optional 3rd piece of gear. People aren't going to go out of their way for it.

 

[davideduardo]

It needs to be included in either the stock or upgraded stereo, not an optional 3rd piece of gear. People aren't going to go out of their way for it.

In BMW's and the Mini, the audio and electronics are all part of a computer console that includes the iDrive on the BMW. Things that are optional are plug in's to the computer "bus" which comes with places for all kinds of things, from keyless entry to HD.

For a BMW buyer $500 for HD is not a lot of money when you consider that the audio upgrade from basic to premium is $1800.

 

[Mike Walker]

I agree that 500 dollars is not a lot of money. But I've got to say, it's too much for HD. Radios can be sold now, presumably at a profit, for 100 dollars. For an existing car radio there's no reason for the user interface (it's part of the existing stereo), amplifier (also already in the existing system), speakers (ditto), etc. We're talking about a few ic chips...maybe 50 dollars of parts, for 500 dollars. It's too damn much. Even if you can afford it, it's too damn much! Even if it's worth it (probably is...would be for me), IT'S TOO DAMN MUCH!

 

[PocketRadio]

2007 Mini Cooper MSRP $18,000 - $25,400 - how many consumers are going to spend a "whopping" $500 on HD Radio for a budget BMW ? :

With tax and title, this is a $30 k car. Many have them as second cars for fun and weekends. $500 on a lease is pennies a month.

So, 25K for a top-end Mini Cooper + tax/tags = 30K ?

 

[davideduardo]

With tax and title, this is a $30 k car. Many have them as second cars for fun and weekends. $500 on a lease is pennies a month.

So, 25K for a top-end Mini Cooper + tax/tags = 30K ?

In CA, the Cooper, delivered, is between $29 and $30.

And the HD sounds good in it.

 

[PocketRadio]

With tax and title, this is a $30 k car. Many have them as second cars for fun and weekends. $500 on a lease is pennies a month.

So, 25K for a top-end Mini Cooper + tax/tags = 30K ?

In CA, the Cooper, delivered, is between $29 and $30.

And the HD sounds good in it.

Retail for Mini Coopers is $18,000 - $25,400 - looks like folks are getting ripped off, since dealer invoice is certainly less that retail. So, you are saying that because Mini Coopers are $30K in Ca, then consumers are going to be more willing to purchase in-dash HD Radio ? In-dash HD Radio doesn't even work:

"HD-railed"

Comment: "Anonymous said...

"We cannot hear our own HD stations in our building. Our GM has one in his car and has signal problems too. We are only a few miles from our stick. It is a scam that "corporate" made us buy into."

http://gormanmediablog.blogspot.com/2007/06/hd-railed.html

Scam ?

 

[davideduardo]

In-dash HD Radio doesn't even work:

"

Mine works beautifully.

 

[PocketRadio]

In-dash HD Radio doesn't even work:

"

Mine works beautifully.

"UNIVISION AND REGENT CHOOSE BE AT NAB"

"May 2nd, 2007 - Broadcast Electronics (BE) returned from the NAB convention with a record number of transmitter sales, counting Univision and Regent Communications among the broadcasters that took advantage of the show's format to choose BE HD Radio technology."

http://www.bdcast.com/news/?o=full&news_id=129

Of course, your HD radio works beautifully !

 

[clouseau]

http://www.bdcast.com/news/?o=full&news_id=129

Of course, your HD radio works beautifully !

David, You should understand that, As someone who actually has a stake in HD's success or failure and actually may have profitability accountability, you are totally unqualified to make a value judgement on it. While you may have read virtually every brochure, talked to numerous people actually USING the technology, analyzed the short term cost and profitability as well as the long term, "you are biased."

First off, you have way to much FACTUAL information. You are way too geared for profitability and ratings success and way too far away just from playing your favorite songs. Let's face it. You're a "Radio Guy".

Second, you actually have used the technology. It should be obvious that those who have "Played with a unit in a store" and formed an opinion are more accurately reflecting end consumer use.

Third, you are part of big corporate radio and big corporate radio is bad.

You should realize that people who read a release about two groups buying HD equipment from BE and respond with..

Of course, your HD radio works beautifully !

need to be listened to...

C'mon David... Get with the program...

Clouseau

 

[davideduardo]

"UNIVISION AND REGENT CHOOSE BE AT NAB"

"May 2nd, 2007 - Broadcast Electronics (BE) returned from the NAB convention with a record number of transmitter sales, counting Univision and Regent Communications among the broadcasters that took advantage of the show's format to choose BE HD Radio technology."

Of course, your HD radio works beautifully !

Nearly all our stations were in HD already... the BE purchases were for smaller markets or additional equipment at already operating HD stations. The entire group had singned HD licenses years ago.

And in any case, what does extending HD to our final group of stations have to do with whether the HD radio in my car works well or not?

 

[wgliradio]

In BMW's and the Mini, the audio and electronics are all part of a computer console that includes the iDrive on the BMW. Things that are optional are plug in's to the computer "bus" which comes with places for all kinds of things, from keyless entry to HD.

For a BMW buyer $500 for HD is not a lot of money when you consider that the audio upgrade from basic to premium is $1800.

The upgrade from premium for $1800 should be enough to include the HD... If I read this correctly, the total HD upgrade for a BMW is $2300?

 

[wgliradio]

Let's face it. You're a "Radio Guy".

No he's not, he's gone to some other platform when your love for the industry is clouded by corporate America. What can you do?

Second, you actually have used the technology. It should be obvious that those who have "Played with a unit in a store" and formed an opinion are more accurately reflecting end consumer use.

I play with it everyday... on a 50kw AM station in Market #1. Let's just say this, I don't let iBiquity's nonsense cloud my judgement of the system. I can realistically see what can work, and what is a pipe dream of those who pray it makes money.

C'mon David... Get with the program...

Waiting.........

 

[wgliradio]

And in any case, what does extending HD to our final group of stations have to do with whether the HD radio in my car works well or not?

If it didn't, which it may, because I hear people complain about dropouts all the time, what would you say?

I can tell you the HD-100 cannot snag AM HD signals, even though the display says the signal is practically full strength and the analog is almost immaculate.

 

[davideduardo]

In BMW's and the Mini, the audio and electronics are all part of a computer console that includes the iDrive on the BMW. Things that are optional are plug in's to the computer "bus" which comes with places for all kinds of things, from keyless entry to HD.

For a BMW buyer $500 for HD is not a lot of money when you consider that the audio upgrade from basic to premium is $1800.

The upgrade from premium for $1800 should be enough to include the HD... If I read this correctly, the total HD upgrade for a BMW is $2300?

No, the premium sound (more speakers, CD changer, bigger amp module) is $1800, HD is $500, Sirius is $500.

I only used the audio upgrade as an example that any upgrade in a high end vehicle is pricy. If you want cheap, get a Hundai... just as good JD Powers ratings as the Bimmer, 1/4 the price. But it is not a BMW.

 

[wgliradio]

But I'd rather spend that $500 for something else. The radio itself should have the HD included and it shouldn't be a module at this point. It's like adding an MPX decoder. It shouldn't have to be seperate.

 

[R.F. Burns]

But I'd rather spend that $500 for something else. The radio itself should have the HD included and it shouldn't be a module at this point. It's like adding an MPX decoder. It shouldn't have to be seperate.

C'mon, this is silly and I know you know better. This system was finally accepted in March and still not written into law. Who's going to produce all of these radios for experimental technology? Since the FCC adopted Iboc, Sony has come on board and Samsung is about to announce a low power consumption chip making HD portables possible. FM was developed in the 30's and post war moved to its current spectrum and yet, in the 1970's I was able to buy a FM car adaptor. Why? Because 40 years later, FM wasn't the standard, Am was. Well, let's give IBOC more than a couple of months as a licensed technology before we send it to the scrap heap. I know many in our society have a short attention span but this is rediculous.

 

[wgliradio]

There is no reason why, with JVC producing a car stereo with a built in HD receiver for well over a year now, that any HD receiver for an $1800 car stereo system has to be an additional $500 plug in. Not ready for prime time in this particular case.

And I totally disagree with the mindset that all of the sudden the odometer is rolled back to zero on HD when Kenwood, JVC, Panasonic, Sanyo, BA, Radio Shack, Cambridge, Sangean, Yamaha, Onkyo have been participating.

Let's go back to this post from July 2006, when everyone's favorite, David Eduardo, who wants to turn the clock back more than anyone said.....

http://www.radio-info.com/smf/index.php/topic,40571.msg288764.html#msg288764

A couple of months ago... that would place us back in May 2006... which would be 13 months ago. But when the market doesn't react as everyone had hoped, we get to reset the trip odometer and forget it. I am sure that it will launch again when AM's go 24/7 within the next month or so... then again when My First Sony HD is offered. As far as I'm concerned, this forum is 73 pages long. We weren't talking about rainbows and butterflies.

I'm not sending it to the scrap heap, but to say that it is viable in a car when you have an $1800 unit that needs an additional $500 add on. That is not a viable option, I don't care what the price of the car is. There are better options to spend $500 on for that vehicle. It needs to be THERE, like FM stereo, standard.

Did I scream loud enough?