HD Radio.....

[kwinrich]

Since you all are a bunch of technology geeks like me, I thought I would bring up a topic that may even need a new forum for...HD Radio  :OnAir: (also known as IBOC).

HD Radio is digital radio.  Presently four stations in Milwaukee are broadcasting in HD with more on the way very soon.

I have just installed two of these transmitters, have a receiver and have been listening for about a month.

If you have any questions about HD Radio, I will do my best to answer them.  Please allow me some time as I will try to work in answers after my 12-16 hour days   :bang:  :bang:

YA YA... just what you needed...another excuse to spend more money we all dont have.

Kent Winrich
Clear Channel - Milwaukee
WISN    WOKY    WRIT    WQBW(THE BREW) :rock:     WKKV    WMIL

[picopir8]

I had some friends look at that but then they settled on sirus for the time being.  Most HD Radio tuners start at around $400 compared to under $100 for sirus.  Sounds prommising but the price has to come way down and a lot more stations have to pop up before it becomes cost effective.  Ill probably look for one when Im ready for my next car.  I cant justify paying monthly fees for sirus/XM so HD Radio will be nice for the car. However, the home is another story.  There I only listen to shoutcast stations (namely Virgin Radio out of the UK).

[summerfun]

I was in a freinds car the other day and the radio showed the station name, the song name and some other info on an FM station just like you would see on XM or Sirius.

Is this what you are talking about?

[kwinrich]

I was in a freinds car the other day and the radio showed the station name, the song name and some other info on an FM station just like you would see on XM or Sirius.

Is this what you are talking about?

Nope, the stations are broadcasting in true digital.  You need an HD receiver to get them.  Yes they are pricey right now, but that will come down.  Same as HDTV.

What you are seeing is called RDS.  Most local FMs are doing that right now.

There is a boom box/receiver box boing for $250 at //www.radiosophy.com.

The sound of the HD Radio is about CD quality.  Better than XM.  This will also give stations the ability to broadcast more than one station from the same frequency, with different formats.

There will be quite a few more stations going HD by the end of the summer.  The engineers are working feverously to get the equipment in.

I can tell you, that listening to HD Radio then going back to FM is disappointing.  HD sounds that good.  And you should hear AM HD!  It sounds as good or better than FM.

More info can be had at //www.hdradio.com

[Bebop]

I read about the technology few years back and thinking how great it will be, but there were not as many listening options as today. The iPod just replaced  listening habit in the car.

I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm just not that excited about HD radio. There is just no compelling reason ($250+) to upgrade. Maybe I'm just a minority. I'll probably will not experience it till HD radio becomes standard in cars. I think it just came at the wrong time.
{fart}

[kevbeck122]

I'm not too excited either... local radio is too repetitive with song selection.  It gets quite annoying.  Unless there will be a huge boost in stations/content, I won't upgrade.

[kwinrich]

I'm not too excited either... local radio is too repetitive with song selection.  It gets quite annoying.  Unless there will be a huge boost in stations/content, I won't upgrade.

The FM stations will double as HD Radio allows for more than 2 stations per channel.  Just like HDTV.  Also beginnign 2006 cars will have the radios available.

[Bluto]

Kent,

Which local channels currently broadcast in HD?  And which ones, that you know of, are coming soon?

Call me old-fashioned, but I still listen to radio.

[StarvingForHDTV]

What type of music is currently being broadcast in HD?

Thanks in advance.

[Tom Snyder]

Looks like Kent may be onto something cool...

If this thread gets enough interest, and the new HD Radio stations begin to multiply, maybe we can start a separate forum...

[kwinrich]

Kent,

Which local channels currently broadcast in HD?  And which ones, that you know of, are coming soon?

Call me old-fashioned, but I still listen to radio.

Presently the following stations are broadcasting in HD:

WQBW (The Brew) 97.3
WKKV 100.7
WKTI 94.5
WKSH (Radio Disney) 1640 (BTW you should hear AM HD!! It is awesome!!)
WTMJ WAS broadcasting in HD but they stopped.  I think they are having troubles with the HD Transmitter.
WBBM - AM 780 Chicago.  I can get them up here in HD.

I know the following are supposed to be up by the end of summer (or so) and the engineers are working hard to get these station up and running:

WMYX 99.1
WXSS (KISS FM) 103.7
WKLH 96.5
WLZR 102.9
WJYI 1340
WMIL 106.1

Next year the following:
WISN 1130
WRIT 95.7

I am not sure how many will be "Multicasting"... in other words offering more channels (Like  HDTV).

A great little radio we have purchased is the Radiosophy //www.radiosophy.com.  They are supposed to be delivered early September.  It handles regular analog AM and FM, in addition to the multicasting.  It even has a USB port for updating.

We are going to have an HD Radio demo at State Fair.  I am not sure where it will be located yet.

[Tom Snyder]

So how does HD radio effect the range of a station... especially an AM station?

I have areas I'm frquently in where WISN becomes so full of static that the Signal to Noise ratio makes it unlistenable... what happens to a digital signal when that happens?

[Bluto]

Thanks for that info, Kent.  As you get updates, please pass them along.  I can see eventually getting an HD tuner for the home system and the vehicle.

Funny I haven't heard of Best Buys and Circuit City's selling the hardware.  Maybe I just haven't been playing close enough attention.

[kwinrich]

So how does HD radio effect the range of a station... especially an AM station?

I have areas I'm frquently in where WISN becomes so full of static that the Signal to Noise ratio makes it unlistenable... what happens to a digital signal when that happens?

Good question, and to be honest with you, I am still checking this out.  

For AM, from WHAT I HAVE HEARD (in other words, no first hand knowledge), HD Radio will fill in some of the nulls of a directional pattern like WISNs (which is quite directional).  So it MAY help in some of those areas.  As far as distance goes, I dont see the HD Radio signal carrying as far as the analog signal.  I only have 2 AM stations to work with:  WKSH and WBBM, and both are non-idrectional.  As I do more testing I will let you all know.

As far as signal to noise, I have seen some MAJOR power line noise take out the HD signal, but it also taking out the analog.  I think I am going to have to have a discussion with WE Energies about some of the leaking power lines they have.  And tackle them one at a time.

Does that answer your question?

[kwinrich]

Thanks for that info, Kent.  As you get updates, please pass them along.  I can see eventually getting an HD tuner for the home system and the vehicle.

Funny I haven't heard of Best Buys and Circuit City's selling the hardware.  Maybe I just haven't been playing close enough attention.

You are correct you havent seen anything out there.  I am a one man band to educate these folks.  They have a lot of HD READY radios.  I have heard that there was a delay in getting chips together for HD Radio.  There should be a good number of them in a month or so... They are on the ships from the Far East already.

Another reason that you have not heard much, is that these retailers get a SPIFF from the satellite companies for every SAT receiver they sell.

Thirdly, in Milwaukee there hasnt been much "software" to listen to, so the retailers kind of ignored it.

Things will begin to change.... I spent some time at the Best Buy Brookfield over the weekend and educated a few sales guys there.  When I walked in they had not even heard of HD Radio.  I gave them a demo and they said that "it sounds better than XM".  When I demo HD AM, everybodies eyes pop open, it is that much of a difference.