HD Radio? Anyone heard of it?

[RDKamikaze]

Ok, I have heard of this HD radio for some time now on radio ads (duh) and I'm getting curious about if it's worth it? Does anyone have it, or have tried it/heard it recently?

[briantek]

It's CD quality radio that is available to anyone who has a receiver for it. However, it is not broadcast in all areas. You would need to look up what stations provide it in your area. Also, there is no monthly fee. I do not think it will last much longer though. All of the high quality audio formats (Super Audio CDs, DVD-A) in the past have not survived or are just about to die. I believe compressed audio (SAT radio, mp3’s etc..) sucks in terms of quality but it looks like its' what people want for ease of use. I find it pretty sad we are going backwards in terms of audio technology.

[RDKamikaze]

That's so true, we learned all about that stuff in choir. Anyways, well what's the down side if it goes under? I'll still be able to listen to my normal radio right, and also have a pretty good looking stereo (not to mention better). It's one step closer to making my Solara like my old Saturn. I've got 2 12" subs and a nice amp to throw in the car, but I'm only gonna do it when I get a radio, but I'm still deciding. My old radio in my Saturn worked great, it was a Pioneer but then my dad gave it away to the Mexicans for labor before we sold my car . Back to the pawn shop I guess.

[MCOjerry]

^^ OK, that was a weird post.

HD radio isn't going to go anywhere. It's just FM's attempt to knock satellite radio out of the market. The problem is, HD radio is still going to have commercials, and satellite's main selling point is commercial free music, plus it has much more in the way of programming choice for almost no money.

From what I unerstand, HD radios are a bit expensive too, and you may not heven have any HD sations near you

Waste of money, stay way from it.

[mluu510]

i fully support HD radio. it's the next step like hdtv. i don't see anyone wanting hdtv to die. i don't like sat radio becuase i'll lose all my favorite channel and radio personality.

and, why do you guys hate compressed digital content? it's better than analog. so it's NOT backwards technology. yes, hdtv is also compressed digital content, especially signals from cable and sat tv.

but anways, is there ANYWAY to get a hd tuner that's compatible with solara oem stereo system? i will be FOREVER GREATFUL.

[MCOjerry]

i fully support HD radio. it's the next step like hdtv. i don't see anyone wanting hdtv to die. i don't like sat radio becuase i'll lose all my favorite channel and radio personality.

and, why do you guys hate compressed digital content? it's better than analog. so it's NOT backwards technology. yes, hdtv is also compressed digital content, especially signals from cable and sat tv.

but anways, is there ANYWAY to get a hd tuner that's compatible with solara oem stereo system? i will be FOREVER GREATFUL.

I have been wrong before (yes, I admit that ), but I really don't think HD radio will ever take off. It's too expensive right now, and there are no stations. Just because you have a reciever doesn't mean you can pull in the staions. You have to have stations broadcasting in HD.

As I said before, the main selling point of satellite is commercial free content. I have not listened to terrestrial readio since purchasing my satellite radio, and probably never will again (in my car).

I think we have quite a few HD stations in Orlando, or ones that will begin shortly, but they still play commercials and do not come anywhere near satellite for content.

[PXLpainter]

and, why do you guys hate compressed digital content? it's better than analog.

If you REALLY believe this then you're freakin' DEAF!

[DatSRBoi]

You still ne a reciever for HD radio which can cost an arm and a leg. Not to mention you still get the same channels.

[mluu510]

and, why do you guys hate compressed digital content? it's better than analog.

If you REALLY believe this then you're freakin' DEAF!

so you're telling me standard analog radio is better than hd radio? my god... you're ignorant.

i guess you prefer analog tv over hdtv.

btw; for music, i don't see why you would need super audio dvd. cd quality or 256kbps mp3 /acc is good enough and we don't need 5.1 surround for music. 5.1 is only good for movies and maybe orchestra music. but, who listens to that crap?

[mluu510]

You still ne a reciever for HD radio which can cost an arm and a leg. Not to mention you still get the same channels.

pricings on hd tuner are dropping very quickly. they cost about $200 now. and YES, i do want the same channel. it's the reason why i prefer hd radio over sat radio. i like my stations and radio personalities.

i also live in a metropolitan area where almost all of my radio stations are broadcast in HD. so you shouldn't cap on HD radio just becuase your stations are obselete. that's bias.

[MCOjerry]

and, why do you guys hate compressed digital content? it's better than analog.

If you REALLY believe this then you're freakin' DEAF!

so you're telling me standard analog radio is better than hd radio? my god... you're ignorant.

i guess you prefer analog tv over hdtv.

btw; for music, i don't see why you would need super audio dvd. cd quality or 256kbps mp3 /acc is good enough and we don't need 5.1 surround for music. 5.1 is only good for movies and maybe orchestra music. but, who listens to that crap?

I could be wrong, but I think PXL meant that you're crazy if you think anyone hates compressed digital signals.

What I am saying is that regular radio, HD or not, is full of commercials, which people are realizing sucks more and more every day. I'll never go back to terresrtial radio and all those commercials, especially when satellite only costs $13/mo!!

[MCOjerry]

You still ne a reciever for HD radio which can cost an arm and a leg. Not to mention you still get the same channels.

pricings on hd tuner are dropping very quickly. they cost about $200 now. and YES, i do want the same channel. it's the reason why i prefer hd radio over sat radio. i like my stations and radio personalities.

i also live in a metropolitan area where almost all of my radio stations are broadcast in HD. so you shouldn't cap on HD radio just becuase your stations are obselete. that's bias.

You can like HD radio if you want, but you are getting nothing from it. If you listen to personalities, I assume you mean talk radio. Why do you need HD for spoken word? As far as music goes, there's not enough of it on terrestrial radio to bother with HD.

We have quite a few HD stations here too, but they offer no variety. You keep your terrestrial radio, and I'll keep my one hundred something different channels of completely different content...and Howard Stern

[mluu510]

You still ne a reciever for HD radio which can cost an arm and a leg. Not to mention you still get the same channels.

pricings on hd tuner are dropping very quickly. they cost about $200 now. and YES, i do want the same channel. it's the reason why i prefer hd radio over sat radio. i like my stations and radio personalities.

i also live in a metropolitan area where almost all of my radio stations are broadcast in HD. so you shouldn't cap on HD radio just becuase your stations are obselete. that's bias.

You can like HD radio if you want, but you are getting nothing from it. If you listen to personalities, I assume you mean talk radio. Why do you need HD for spoken word? As far as music goes, there's not enough of it on terrestrial radio to bother with HD.

We have quite a few HD stations here too, but they offer no variety. You keep your terrestrial radio, and I'll keep my one hundred something different channels of completely different content...and Howard Stern

no, i don't listen to talk radio. i just like the dj and radio host. i actually like commercial breaks. the commercials are so interesting and funny sometimes. i don't like all contant music channels. it's so robotic.

[funboy102]

interesting topic, yeah, I got Sirius radio too and i like it, the biggest selling point being that there is no commercial. In addition, they DO play songs that terrestrial radio doesn't play, or sometimes, play songs weeks before terrestrial radio plays it. I'm don't regret paying 12.99 each month.

but to be fair to mluu510, eventhough I listen to Sirius 90% of the time, on my morning commute, I sometime tune to a local radio station cuz the morning personalities on this one station are pretty hilarious. So I listen to FM like... just once a day, but sirius most of the other time...

oh yeah, another plus for Sirius is that you get to listen to music no matter where your at (not in a cave or in a tunnel or anything like that though l ) but for someone that travel a lot, it's hella useful.. I mean, i've traveled to a lot of places with my car, and everywhere, I can rely on having a good station to listen too.... so anyways... back to topic

Unless it's free, NO, don't get HD radio... come on, if it's just for talk radio in the morning (like in my case) that FM quality is good enough. Go to sattelite radio for good quality music.