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eccerr0r Champion Author Fort Collins Posts:1,032 Points:617,335 Joined:Apr 2011	Message Posted: Jan 25, 2013 12:40:15 PM Ignore eccerr0r Report Abuse Do people have "HD" radio? Do you like it? Is it any better than analog FM? Does it drop back to analog if the signal can't be decoded for few seconds (though I thought HD radio is broadcast at the same frequency on a side band so likely both would get affected...)? I wonder if it's worth it to get HD radio or not. My factory radio is starting to get a bit weak on a station that used to come in strongly (and other radios have no problem with the same station so it isn't the station getting weaker)... I just don't like the fact that HD radio is patent encumbered.

eccerr0r

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Fort Collins

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Message Posted: Jan 25, 2013 12:40:15 PM

Ignore eccerr0r Report Abuse

Do people have "HD" radio? Do you like it? Is it any better than analog FM?

Does it drop back to analog if the signal can't be decoded for few seconds (though I thought HD radio is broadcast at the same frequency on a side band so likely both would get affected...)?

I wonder if it's worth it to get HD radio or not. My factory radio is starting to get a bit weak on a station that used to come in strongly (and other radios have no problem with the same station so it isn't the station getting weaker)...

I just don't like the fact that HD radio is patent encumbered.

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MudNutZ All-Star Author Mississippi Posts:925 Points:652,115 Joined:Nov 2010	Message Posted: Feb 5, 2013 9:18:06 AM Ignore MudNutZ Report Abuse to me, no.
eccerr0r Champion Author Fort Collins Posts:1,032 Points:617,335 Joined:Apr 2011	Message Posted: Feb 4, 2013 7:41:45 PM Ignore eccerr0r Report Abuse >You must be part of that (IMHO) fringe element that wants to use only patent-free technology while you would certainly object if somebody wanted you to give away the fruits of your labor free of charge. Compact Disc used to be patented (it was a nickel a disc to get rights to all the salient intellectual property rights) but those patents have since expired. However, the Philips "Compact Disc" trademark mark is still licensed as trademarks remain enforceable as long as they're still in use. Not at all, aren't we allowed to learn how things are made for personal enhancement? This should fall under fair use as it's educational. It would be a totally different issue if someone were to duplicate and start selling cheaper, now that is really underhanded. There is definitely a fine line here of course, but really when radio transmitters are sold, the product is not the transmitter, but the listeners - the CONSUMER listening to the radio, ready to BUY products being advertised over the air... I actually had no desire to reverse engineer a CD drive, those actually are simple enough to decode, minus the servo and mechanical aspect to keep the disc spinning at a constant rate - now that's the complicated part of CD's. Same goes with DVD's - those are encrypted even, but no desire to decrypt... don't want that crappy content...
Toonces2013 Veteran Author Illinois Posts:257 Points:14,700 Joined:Jan 2013	Message Posted: Jan 28, 2013 8:46:31 PM Ignore Toonces2013 Report Abuse Yep.
weddy11 Champion Author Phoenix Posts:1,872 Points:459,225 Joined:Dec 2011	Message Posted: Jan 27, 2013 5:12:48 PM Ignore weddy11 Report Abuse not to me.
Sneakers55 Champion Author Houston Posts:51,854 Points:2,169,375 Joined:Nov 2005	Message Posted: Jan 27, 2013 4:51:35 PM Ignore Sneakers55 Report Abuse On Jan 25, 2013 11:40:15 AM, eccerr0r wrote: >Do people have "HD" radio? It sounds attractive to me, but as of yet I do not have an HD radio. It will be a long time before I buy my next vehicle unless my current one gets totaled like its immediate predecessor. >Does it drop back to analog if the signal can't be decoded for few seconds >(though I thought HD radio is broadcast at the same frequency on a side >band so likely both would get affected...)? It can drop back to analog on the HD-1 signal, but not on the HD-2 or HD-3 signal. >I wonder if it's worth it to get HD radio or not. It supposedly improves music to CD quality, but then my tin ears find FM quality to be fine and HD does use a proprietary lossy coding method. >I just don't like the fact that HD radio is patent encumbered. You must be part of that (IMHO) fringe element that wants to use only patent-free technology while you would certainly object if somebody wanted you to give away the fruits of your labor free of charge. Compact Disc used to be patented (it was a nickel a disc to get rights to all the salient intellectual property rights) but those patents have since expired. However, the Philips "Compact Disc" trademark mark is still licensed as trademarks remain enforceable as long as they're still in use.
Maintroll Champion Author Lexington Posts:8,774 Points:1,730,835 Joined:Aug 2008	Message Posted: Jan 27, 2013 8:14:25 AM Ignore Maintroll Report Abuse High Definition was primarily designed only for TVs, and I do not have it in my vehicle, but I have XM satellite which is stereo and very clear if you have a decent radio and stereo system in your vehicle.
WEPSMAN Champion Author South Dakota Posts:10,609 Points:2,049,025 Joined:Mar 2005	Message Posted: Jan 26, 2013 10:03:59 PM Ignore WEPSMAN Report Abuse do not know about HD radio, but I like my XM raadio.
eccerr0r Champion Author Fort Collins Posts:1,032 Points:617,335 Joined:Apr 2011	Message Posted: Jan 26, 2013 2:29:34 PM Ignore eccerr0r Report Abuse For those not familiar with it, HD Radio is a digital signal radio broadcast along with the standard FM station, and here's the kicker it should be on the same frequency but different sideband. It's broadcast in compressed digital format, so interference shouldn't be an issue. The thing about HD radio is that it's broadcast free of charge to the consumers who have an HD radio, much like how ATSC digital television is broadcast to viewers off the air which is also free to receive (unlike satellite). I just dislike the extra royalty charge that's needed to decode the digital signals. I was tempted to try to build a HD radio receiver just to see what was out there but it seems like I need to buy a chip or license decoding information to play it... Granted this is not an issue with most listeners who would just buy an HD radio and use it.
planetmail Champion Author Calgary Posts:6,632 Points:1,305,685 Joined:Jan 2009	Message Posted: Jan 26, 2013 1:51:48 PM Ignore planetmail Report Abuse No
FuelPump Champion Author Los Angeles Posts:21,609 Points:3,442,700 Joined:Apr 2003	Message Posted: Jan 26, 2013 12:40:17 PM Ignore FuelPump Report Abuse No, not to me, at least not now.
Greenrancher All-Star Author Indianapolis Posts:648 Points:253,190 Joined:Apr 2007	Message Posted: Jan 26, 2013 12:16:32 PM Ignore Greenrancher Report Abuse No HD, but I have Sirius/XM. I don't travel as much as I used to and don't use sat radio as much. Doubt I'd take advantage of HD either.
Dale Jr. Champion Author Illinois Posts:16,369 Points:3,264,750 Joined:May 2004	Message Posted: Jan 26, 2013 11:50:14 AM Ignore Dale Jr. Report Abuse Never heard of it.
PatAZ Champion Author Tucson Posts:9,285 Points:123,500 Joined:May 2008	Message Posted: Jan 26, 2013 10:27:14 AM Ignore PatAZ Report Abuse Don't have it and wouldn't use it.
kellyoneal Champion Author Louisville Posts:2,544 Points:731,840 Joined:Mar 2011	Message Posted: Jan 26, 2013 10:20:45 AM Ignore kellyoneal Report Abuse I do not have it
toms1120 Champion Author Maryland Posts:8,758 Points:1,835,720 Joined:Jun 2004	Message Posted: Jan 26, 2013 10:08:36 AM Ignore toms1120 Report Abuse Don't have it.
probedude2 Champion Author Akron Posts:12,693 Points:2,407,905 Joined:Jun 2003	Message Posted: Jan 26, 2013 1:02:49 AM Ignore probedude2 Report Abuse I can't get any HD stations where I live
noblegiant Champion Author Philadelphia Posts:2,190 Points:966,370 Joined:Nov 2007	Message Posted: Jan 26, 2013 12:18:59 AM Ignore noblegiant Report Abuse Never Heard Or Tried It
OceanArcher Champion Author Mississippi Posts:5,843 Points:1,355,100 Joined:May 2004	Message Posted: Jan 26, 2013 12:09:10 AM Ignore OceanArcher Report Abuse HD radio does not yet impress me ...
eccerr0r Champion Author Fort Collins Posts:1,032 Points:617,335 Joined:Apr 2011	Message Posted: Jan 25, 2013 10:45:21 PM Ignore eccerr0r Report Abuse Odd, I thought that HD radio was simulcast with the FM signal - same frequency but on a sideband. Not sure however... I really don't think it's worth it unless it's cheap, but not sure how pervasive this will end up being...
14smoke Champion Author Birmingham Posts:13,322 Points:1,945,040 Joined:May 2005	Message Posted: Jan 25, 2013 2:11:06 PM Ignore 14smoke Report Abuse HD Radio does not drop back into analog, as there is no analog signal to drop back to. If the signal is not strong enough, you just get nothing, or the strongest thing on that frequency. Is it worth it is another question entirely. I'm in the radio business and there are only about half a dozen HD stations in my city. That varies from place to place though. If you can get a real good price on an HD Radio, might not be bad, but, I wouldn't pay a price premium just to get it.