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So What's Actually out there in HD Radio locally?

E

emo474

I saw where Walmart is going to sell HD recievers (about $190 ea). Now from time to time I hard scattered promos for HD radio in this and other areas. Can anyone enlighten us as to what's out there in this area?
I mean, who is going to go out and buy a $190 reciever just to see what's on? There has be be better promotion or a way to find out whats available in this area. The satellite recievers come with a listing of all the channels and at least you can weigh the cost vs. return on these.. but with HD radio, are there 3 channels locally, 10, 20 and what am I getting? Has anyone done some research on this?
 
Thanks Nigel.. the link says there are currently "ZERO" HD stations in this area, but 12 are on the way. What's up... buy a HD reciever and get nothing in return. I'm confused. How many of you think this expansion means more jobs... I don't... except to the automation pros. I expect more voice tracking and simulcasting in HD. Boy this expansion is really exciting isn't it?
 
Froggy 101 and KRZ 98.5 have both been HD for a while. All four Entercom music brands will be HD soon and side channels will be on the air shortly.
 
Not such a dumb question.. I wonder if you can go to a Walmart and they'll have a HD tuner set up like the SIRUS exhibits and let listners hear what's out there and the difference, if there is any.
 
emo said:
Not such a dumb question.. I wonder if you can go to a Walmart and they'll have a HD tuner set up like the SIRUS exhibits and let listners hear what's out there and the difference, if there is any.
Click to expand...

It's the same crappy songs over and over and over and over and over but now in CD quality. Just my opinion but I'm saving my money for something more important, say like - food. But I'm noticing quite a few stations are pushing the side channels. If the programming on side channels is going to be so great, why isn't it on the Main Channel instead? Put all the great variety of songs that "don't test well" on side channels. Yup, makes sense to me ? - ? - ?

Nope, just another way of scamming the public into spending cash on more cheap plastic crap from China...

EN
 
I think the multicast side channels are ideal to serve a niche that perhaps isn't mainstream enough to be on the main signal. As more move to multicasting and HD becomes prevalent, which IMO it will, multicasting will become a monetary decision as to formatics. For now, it is a great way to expand a format, protect a franchise, for line extention, or to experiment with a niche.
It sounds like CD.For me, hearing it for the first time was like hearing FM stereo for the first time.
Like a "Ster-eri-eri-o Island"..... remember that??
 
Like a "Ster-eri-eri-o Island"..... remember that??
Click to expand...

"Popular 104...Ster-eri-eri-o IIIIII-landdddd" Remember it? Hell, I loved it, mostly because it was WWDL that brought FM stereo to NE PA. Yeah, I know, others may have been FM, others may have been stereo, but WWDL was the first to market it and make it a player in this market. Sadly, although they pioneered FM stereo, they never really grew the numbers. The very first FM stereo receiver I had came from Sugerman's in Eynon, and the only station that actually lit up the "stereo indicator" on the tuner was WWDL. The sound was, in its time and place, magnificent, so different as to be startling. I'd listen to their strange music mix at the time simply because it was stereo. WWDL pretty much played cuts from freebie promotional LPs, with a few current hits here and there. So, HD is BS essentially, right?
 
Local Promotions are touting HD recievers at "your local SHARPER IMAGE stores"... The last Sharper Image I was at, was in the King of Prussia Mall. These recievers have to be made more available and I have to hear what's on before I decide if I'm in on this "new innovation". I agree, if the formats being offered are so good, why aren't they being offered on the standard FM channels. The way I see this. Sales is most likely using the HD option as a selling tool... Buy this new package on KRZ, and we'll throw in 3 HD channels for free! The problem is, no one has a tuner, no one knows what it sounds like or what's out there and there are no tuners available locally. Imagine running a contest on one of there channels... "Be my... ONLY Caller.. and you win!"
 
My opinion is that it truly sounds like CD quality. It doesn't extend the footprint but it fills in the holes.Like a digital cell phone versus analog. But the clarity is better than FM as we know it.
As to the BS...right now, in Philadelphia and New York, every FM is multicasting, so the number of free radio choices on FM is double. That's gotta have an upside for the consumer and for the journeyman broadcaster trying to keep it going! Even if it's voice tracked or simulcasted at first.
The HD alliance has the multicasting side channels commerce free for a while but by 2008 it should be up and running.
There is some talk that some broadcasters will try the public broadcasting approach with sponsored hours, or whole shows/dayparts at first.
I believe by 2010( 2 1/2 years) it will be a spot carrier just like commercial radio. FM/AM and HD-2, probably in that order.
 
Just got my Radiosophy HD 100 and am currently enjoying Smooth Jazz on 103.1 HD-2. Also checked out All Comedy Radio on 98.5 HD-2, the blues channel on 101.3 HD-2, and some live Rage Against The Machine on 102.3 "Channel 2" (It's like being there.... minus the 6-dollar beers ;D )

Now, all Ibiquity has to do is step up this technology so we can get 50 or 60 channels and start competing with the music choice on sat. radio. Or else, start using the sub-channel bandwidth to load radio formats onto a portable player, where listeners/(subscribers?) can skip/ban songs they don't like ...Similar to what Slacker Radio will eventually be doing, via Wi-Fi and satellite.
 
hows the smooth jazz sound on 103.1 HD2? pretty good playlist? i have some friends who are big into that format. how far away can you pick up the HD2 signal?
 
103.1 sounds pretty much like the typical Smooth Jazz station (which is fine by me). I'm in Plains Township, so I'm close enough that the signals are all strong.

Hopefully Citadel, Shamrock, and the others will get on the HD thing (and of course the multicasting thing) soon.
 
Hey, if anybody from Entercom is reading this.... The artist/title display for 103.1-HD2 has been stuck on Greg Adams "Burma Road" for a couple of weeks now.

I don't think it's just my radio, as I'm now on my second Radiosophy HD100 after the first one had a volume knob issue. Both radios have been displaying the same thing for a few weeks.
 
Hey, Entercom should go one better.. now that Corbett is on FM with no static.. why not bring back Fred Willimas and put him on HD? The voice of doom and dispair in High Definition!
 
Hey Citadel and Shamrock.... Any of you guys going HD yet? Can we get an update? Thanks :) I've been checking once a day to see if that little blue light lights up on any other freqs.

(BTW, whoever kicks the machine over at Entercom, please give the 103.1-HD2 computer a boot... Artist/Title display has been stuck on David Benoit "Rejoyce" for at least a few days now.)
 
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