owner feedback: HD Radio Impressions ?

[bushpilot]

Im wondering if any of yall have HD Radio (not xm or sirius),
and how what your thoughts are about the quality...is it worth
it ? how does the audio quality, signal & clarity compare to
conventional FM broadcast ?

Im not interested in subscribing to xm or sirius...call me old skool
but i wont pay for broadcast audio (im not a fan of subscrption based
licensing).

im thinking of adding the new GEX-P10HD to my Pioneer system (DEH-P980BT & CD-IB100II)

 

[CHPMustang]

I was in one of the big box stores recently and they had a HD unit powered up,it sounded crisp,clear with wide fidelity.Alot more roomy so to speak.
HD Digital Radio | DISCOVER IT! | HD Digital Radio
It's a pretty good market down there for HD. I'm thinking about picking up one of the HD units to have as another music option in the truck.
Here's what I found listed for your area.

Houston-Galveston, TX 88.7 KUHF-HD FM NPR/Clscl University of Houston
Houston-Galveston, TX 88.7 KUHF-HD2 FM Classical Music/Fine Arts University of Houston
Houston-Galveston, TX 88.7 KUHF-HD3 FM BBC Learning English University of Houston
Houston-Galveston, TX 89.3 KSBJ-HD FM ChrsContemp KSBJ Educational Foundation
Houston-Galveston, TX 90.1 KPFT-HD FM Ecltc/PubSv Pacifica Foundation
Houston-Galveston, TX 91.3 KPVU-HD FM NPR/SJz/Gsp Prairie View A&M University
Houston-Galveston, TX 92.1 KROI-HD FM Gospel Radio One Inc.
Houston-Galveston, TX 92.9 KKBQ-HD FM Country Cox Radio, Inc.
Houston-Galveston, TX 92.9 KKBQ-HD2 FM Country Cox Radio, Inc.
Houston-Galveston, TX 92.9 KKBQ-HD3 FM Country Legends 97.1 Cox Radio, Inc.
Houston-Galveston, TX 93.7 KKRW-HD FM Clsc Rock Clear Channel Radio
Houston-Galveston, TX 93.7 KKRW-HD2 FM Adult Alternative AAA Clear Channel Radio
Houston-Galveston, TX 94.5 KTBZ-HD FM Modern Rock Clear Channel Radio
Houston-Galveston, TX 94.5 KTBZ-HD2 FM Free Buzz Clear Channel Radio
Houston-Galveston, TX 95.7 KHJZ-HD FM Smooth Jazz CBS Radio
Houston-Galveston, TX 96.5 KHMX-HD FM Hot AC Clear Channel Radio
Houston-Galveston, TX 96.5 KHMX-HD2 FM New CHR Clear Channel Radio
Houston-Galveston, TX 97.5 KFNC-HD FM Sports Cumulus Media Partners
Houston-Galveston, TX 97.9 KBXX-HD FM R&BOd/HpHop Radio One Inc.
Houston-Galveston, TX 98.5 KTJM-HD FM Mexican Liberman
Houston-Galveston, TX 99.1 KODA-HD FM Soft AC Clear Channel Radio
Houston-Galveston, TX 99.1 KODA-HD2 FM AC Love Songs Clear Channel Radio
Houston-Galveston, TX 100.3 KILT-HD FM Country CBS Radio
Houston-Galveston, TX 101.1 KLOL-HD FM Span/Regat Clear Channel Radio
Houston-Galveston, TX 101.1 KLOL-HD2 FM In-Depth News Clear Channel Radio
Houston-Galveston, TX 102.1 KMJQ-HD FM Urban Radio One Inc.
Houston-Galveston, TX 102.9 KLTN-HD FM Mexican Univision Radio
Houston-Galveston, TX 103.7 KHJK-HD FM Rock Cumulus Broadcasting, Inc.
Houston-Galveston, TX 104.1 KRBE-HD FM CHR Cumulus Media Partners
Houston-Galveston, TX 104.1 KRBE-HD2 FM Classic Alternative - JACK Cumulus Media Partners
Houston-Galveston, TX 104.9 KPTY-HD FM Hip Hop Univision Radio
Houston-Galveston, TX 104.9 KPTY-HD2 FM Tejano - KRTX-AM Univision Radio
Houston-Galveston, TX 106.5 KOVE-HD FM Spn/Var/AHt Univision Radio
Houston-Galveston, TX 106.9 KHPT-HD FM 80s Hits Cox Radio, Inc.
Houston-Galveston, TX 106.9 KHPT-HD2 FM PAT Cox Radio, Inc.
Houston-Galveston, TX 107.5 KHTC-HD FM Clsc Hits Cox Radio, Inc.
Houston-Galveston, TX 107.5 KHTC-HD2 FM Oldies Cox Radio, Inc.
Houston-Galveston, TX 107.5 KHTC-HD3 FM Weather NOAA Cox Radio, Inc.
Houston-Galveston, TX 107.9 KQQK-HD FM Spanish AC Liberman
Houston-Galveston, TX 790 KBME-HD AM Sports Clear Channel Radio
Houston-Galveston, TX 950 KPRC-HD AM Talk Clear Channel Radio
Houston-Galveston, TX 1590 KMIC-HD AM Kids/Top40 ABC Radio
Market FrequencySorted by Call Sign Band Format Owner
There are 28 stations in broadcasting 42 HD Radio channels, more coming soon*

 

[Blue01F250]

I had it when I worked out of town and once I got close to OKC on my trip to work I could start receiving the signal -- its really cool.. MUCH clearer and more crisp and its FREE!! Plus HD allows stations to have 2 channels (HD1 and HD2) at the same dial position (ex 97.5)

I liked it and wished I lived closer to a big city with HD radio -- that was my only problem...

 

[bushpilot]

Clear Channel Communications (who owns just about every Radio Station)
broadcasts the HD signal from just about every one of there stations....
XM & Sirius is "stealing" the conventional radio stations listeners...so it
doesnt take an accountant to figure out why HD is important to
Clear Channel.

the pioneer GEX-P10HD will automatically switch
between the digital broadcast HD station and its parent analog
station signal...when the signal degrades.

one of the reasons i went w/ pioneer car audio was because as things
(devices) change its VERY easy to add the new "digital" source connection
(md-changer, cd-changer, ipod, sirius, xm, bluetooth, mp3/usb) using
pioneer's network "p-bus" connection.

You can run upto 3 digital P-Bus input sources (any combination of
same or different devices).... Pioneer P-BUS DEVICES

 

[Scot]

I've been curious also. It's great all these stations are in better quality and have more options. But, I think most people switch to XM/Sirius for the no commercials / more options / consistancy on long trips.

Are any of the side channels out there commercial free?
Are the side channels actually "different" or just a slightly larger play list?
Are the broadcast signals any stronger? I've noticed that since the change to HD the old radio signals are weaker.

I bought the Sirius about 5 years ago for the commercial free music, but have gradually stopped listening to the music stations in favor of MP3 discs and talk stations. (Does that mean I'm getting old??? ) The sirius stations may have more channels - but they do have the same short play lists the radio stations have. You still won't find many songs played that don't / didn't have air time on radio.

 

[bushpilot]

I've been curious also. It's great all these stations are in better quality and have more options. But, I think most people switch to XM/Sirius for the no commercials / more options / consistancy on long trips.

Are any of the side channels out there commercial free?
Are the side channels actually "different" or just a slightly larger play list?
Are the broadcast signals any stronger? I've noticed that since the change to HD the old radio signals are weaker.

I bought the Sirius about 5 years ago for the commercial free music, but have gradually stopped listening to the music stations in favor of MP3 discs and talk stations. (Does that mean I'm getting old??? ) The sirius stations may have more channels - but they do have the same short play lists the radio stations have. You still won't find many songs played that don't / didn't have air time on radio.

If you think about it....the broadcast of any kind HAS to be paid
for...either by subscribers (sat radio) or advertisers....60-100+ bucks
per year for advertisment free radio seems like a rip to me...'specially
when you consider you STILL have to buy the equipment (why they
havent been giving the equipment away is beyond my logic).

conventional radio broadcasts do pretty well @ continuous music...
but even sat radio has some commercials...the commercials i cant stand
are when the advert. is read like personal testimony by the disc jocks.

advertisment free radio has been around for YEARS...1st in the form
of 8track, then cassettes, cd's, cd-CHANGERS (6, 10 & 12 disc) and
now ipod & usb/mp3 based players.

 

[dpantazis]

bush-

i have a land based HD radio, sangean HDR-1. I LOVE it. i also have sirius. i listen to sirius in the car/truck and HD at home.

HD value- i think it all comes down to programming in your area, and no static. 'better' sound than FM- i can not tell.

what is annoying is that if i have an analog radio going on the same station somewhere in the house, there is a delay between the two outputs due to the decoding.

 

[Zookie400]

I had it when I worked out of town and once I got close to OKC on my trip to work I could start receiving the signal -- its really cool.. MUCH clearer and more crisp and its FREE!! Plus HD allows stations to have 2 channels (HD1 and HD2) at the same dial position (ex 97.5)

I liked it and wished I lived closer to a big city with HD radio -- that was my only problem...

ok now im interested too....

what is the diff between hd1 and 2 on the same channel????? what purpose does it serve?

 

[dpantazis]

its a completely different program slipstreamed on the digital carrier signal. i'll use bush's first three as an example-

88.7 KUHF-HD FM NPR/Clscl University of Houston
88.7 KUHF-HD2 FM Classical Music/Fine Arts University of
88.7 KUHF-HD3 FM BBC Learning English University of Houston.

theoretically, three separate concurrent programs on the same station on HD, HD2, HD3.

the purpose is each fcc licensee can get double or triple the airspace with the same license. digital vs. analog.

HD Digital Radio | DISCOVER IT! | HD Digital Radio

dp

 

[bushpilot]

TYPICALLY the broadcasts between "analog/conventional" am or fm
and their HD2 HD3 "child" broadcasts are the same...but they dont
have to be the same.

which brings up an interesting note...AM station also have
HD <digital> broadcast "mirror" stations too...talk about no
pop/crackle and fuzz/fading ! Finally AM-Talk radio that you
can actually LISTEN TO !