"Struble Says 2012 Was A Big Year For HD"

[DToTheJ]

Of course, the key words here are, "Struble says..."
http://www.radioink.com/Article.asp?id=2592388&spid=24698

 

[landtuna]

Hyundai's Genesis (and I assume Equus) luxo-cars both come with HD radios but from my recent experience here in the Phoenix metro area they will be seldom used. Neither signal quality, reliable of signal nor content are worth the price of admission.

I would never, ever pay extra for HD radio in any new car. It is about as useful as an electric ashtray. And for what it's worth my negative assessment has been forwarded to Hyundai's engineers and marketing staff.

 

[local oscillator]

Notice that Struble's lengthy list of HD Radio's "accomplishments" studiously avoids any mention of LISTENING -- because there isn't much. Whatever exists is inconsequential. HD Radio's biggest claim to fame is justifying analog translators which, quite often, DO have significant listening. All of the fees and equipment costs to put an HD2 on the air are really, in many cases, under-the-table payments to the iBiquity mafia -- a necessary first step in licensing a new commercial 250 watt "Class A1" FM station -- possibly in a large market. And all this goes on with the able assistance of the FCC!

 

[Darth_vader]

I would, if it was paired with a decent aerial; same goes for analogue radio. They're good DX machines.

Given the current aerial you appear to have on that car, it's a wonder you'd get any reception at all, Ibiquity or otherwise. Often times, the weakest link of a radio receiver system is its undersized aerial. Go back and reread Tom Wells' replies in the other thread. This is a design problem on Honda's part, but it's solvable by the user, so you might just have to break down and drill holes in the car's back end!

Otherwise, don't complain.

 

[landtuna]

I would, if it was paired with a decent aerial; same goes for analogue radio. They're good DX machines.

Given the current aerial you appear to have on that car, it's a wonder you'd get any reception at all, Ibiquity or otherwise. Often times, the weakest link of a radio receiver system is its undersized aerial. Go back and reread Tom Wells' replies in the other thread. This is a design problem on Honda's part, but it's solvable by the user, so you might just have to break down and drill holes in the car's back end!

Otherwise, don't complain.

You didn't specify so I'll assume this was directed at me.

I WILL complain! And vigorously. I object to paying even a nominal amount of money for a device that does not work. In this case there are three things that apparently "don't work":

1. The HD radio (including its inferior antenna) in the vehicle.
2. The HD radio technology - a digital system that does not have any appreciable advantage over its analog ancestor moreover has reduced range and inferior reliability of signal.
3. The lack of HD content. Similar to TV offerings which are generally useless retro programs, weather loops and/or huckster shows.

The inclusion of HD radio in the Genesis was not enough to get me to consider another vehicle but I would certainly never spend a dime on HD radio technology after having such a useless display of it in this car.

 

[TheBigA]

3. The lack of HD content. Similar to TV offerings which are generally useless retro programs, weather loops and/or huckster shows.

Do you blame the AM/FM radio when your market lacks formats you want?

 

[landtuna]

3. The lack of HD content. Similar to TV offerings which are generally useless retro programs, weather loops and/or huckster shows.

Do you blame the AM/FM radio when your market lacks formats you want?

No, and I didn't blame HD radio for that either. I said the content, what there was of it, was a waste. So even if the technology worked the content make it not worth listening.

 

[Savage]

I heard Kim Jong Un thinks 2012's been a pretty good year, too...

 

[local oscillator]

Hmmm . . . I bet Outstanding Leader could get HD Radio to work . . . at least in North Korea . . . just by issuing a decree. I guess HD Radio can work . . . under certain circumstances! ;D

 

[Chuck]

Hmmm . . . I bet Outstanding Leader could get HD Radio to work . . . at least in North Korea . . . just by issuing a decree. I guess HD Radio can work . . . under certain circumstances! ;D

With only a couple of government operated stations to chose from, it should work quite well...

 

[diymedia]

Do you blame the AM/FM radio when your market lacks formats you want?

Nope, I blame the market.

 

[DToTheJ]

Notice that Struble's lengthy list of HD Radio's "accomplishments" studiously avoids any mention of LISTENING -- because there isn't much.

Long list of things, yet he still sounds like he has something to hide...

 

[iyiyi]

Well... Classical and Alternative radio have returned to a number of markets thanks to HD2s. Other formats like Smooth Jazz are remaining in some markets thanks to HD2s.

National Viet Radio has expanded into Philadelphia and remains in D.C. on HDs. The Voice of Russia Radio is on a HD2 in Miami and you just KNOW they will be expanding into other markets soon via HD! My guess is that the host stations are receiving a good sized bag of nickels for leasing those "worthless" HD outlets...

Only a measly 29 automakers are wasting time installing HD in new cars. A scanty 5+ million HD radios are out there which probably can't even provide enough ears to prove that HD could or would make a sound if it fell...

Not to worry! I feel certain that when those uninformed broadcasters leasing these HDs realize the carnage their signals wreak to first adjacent stations; they'll abandon HD radio in droves!

-

 

[benale]

The HD subchannels are at their best when they provide a format that used to be heard on the main signal or they do a tightly niched format like Comedy. In New York WLTW's HD runs Country, a format that used to be in New York and may come back. WPLJ's HD channel runs Scott Shannon's True Oldies channel that plays songs CBS-FM used to play. In Washington DC, WMZQ runs a Classic Country format and WJFK runs the feeds of the CBS sports stations in Baltimore,Philly and New York.

Only problem is these are the exceptions. Most HD subchannels run feeds of other clustermates main stations or they run CHR and AC formats that can be found on countless other main channels.

I have one of Insignia's portable HD radios and I take it with me on my travels to see what the stations are offering. I was just in Philly and it was nice to hear WDAS Soul oldies format on WDAS FM HD 2 in stereo. WOGL runs a 70's format on their channel.

I wish HD radio would gain acceptance. It's a nice alternative to the usual formats one finds on terrestrial radio.

 

[nd2023]

There might be 5 million HD radios out there, but how many are actually being used? What about the people who don't like their car's HD radio and force it into analog. What about several stations in market 1 leaving their HD off for weeks or months, and no one complains. What about the decline in AM HD signons?

I admit that HD radio has been a net positive for me as a DXer. Sure, it added interference to adjacents, but the Sony XDRF1HD is an excellent receiver only made because of HD radio. I've also caught many IDs in HD. Plus I like some of the HD2s.

 

[landtuna]

Plus I like some of the HD2s.

I might too.....if they would come in and stay locked.

 

[diymedia]

Only a measly 29 automakers are wasting time installing HD in new cars. A scanty 5+ million HD radios are out there which probably can't even provide enough ears to prove that HD could or would make a sound if it fell...

In the interest of context: BMW, Mini, Scion, and Volvo have committed to offering HD as standard equipment across their entire fleet; the rest have it in particular models and/or particular trim package levels. I think more automakers will add HD just to have another piece of "bling" in their gobsmacking glass dashboards that increasingly revolve around wireless broadband.

The receiver-figure is number of units sold, not number of units in circulation. This is why the push to get into phones is so huge - just imagine what that'll do to the perceived base of potential listeners.

I think multicasting is the best new feature of FM-HD from a radio-extending perspective, but if you don't invest in the content it's hard to see how it can fly. The exceptions being ultra-niche formats and rented subchannels.

 

[ABQRADIO]

Chuck up the thread mentioned that in North Korea there might be only a couple of government radio stations. Well..... in many markets the only HD stations are government... uh, excuse me, PUBLIC radio stations. They have been flooded with government-purchased equipment. Here in Albuquerque the government stations KANW and KUNM have extreme, excessive amounts of equipment.

 

[Ai4i]

Here in Albuquerque the government stations...have extreme, excessive amounts of equipment.

What does that mean ???

 

[mmnassour]

Maybe it's time for a lesson on how NPR funding operates and how it is distributed.


In another thread.