Opinions of HD Radio?

[blessingx]

I have to pick between two car receivers. Most of the functionality is pretty similar, however the iPod/iPhone navigation is better on one and the other has a HD Radio tuner built in. I'm unlikely to buy the optional HD tuner for the former.

As I understand it, HD (Hybrid Digital) allows multiplexing, thus additional content channels and is mandated by the FCC to have at least one channel equal in sound quality to the analog broadcast. What I can't find is any commentary on how many stations multiplex (none of those I listen to appear to), nor even rough real sound quality comparisons. I can't even tell if HD Radio is catching on. Track metadata would be cool though.

I was a Sirius subscriber for a few years and I'm hoping HDs claim of "near CD-quality" at least isn't worse than FM, unlike Sirius.

Anyone have any experience with HD and opinions if I should choose the model which has it or the model I prefer? Or even a useful link?

Merci.

[grawk]

HD stands for high density. It's definitely worse than fm.

[Grahame]

HD Radio - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

According to iBiquity's website the "HD" is simply a brand name and has no meaning

Check out the "Criticisms" Section.

They could have picked an open standard (DAB/DAB+/DRM) and had global economies of scale,

but instead went with a non inter-operable proprietary solution

On the content side, are you going to be able to pick up anything other than ClearChannel stations?

Some old comments here

Is HD Radio Worth It? (by Jeremy Zawodny)

including this "gem"

HD radio is nothing more than polishing a turd. Any fidelity gain is crushed by the fact that they'll still compress the shit out of already over-compressed music to make it louder than the next station on the dial.

[grawk]

It doesn't have meaning now, but when it was being shopped early on, it was definitely high density

[skullguise]

Agree with all the talk here, it really hasn't seemed very special. That said, that little Sony HD Tuner that's getting decent press is a nice unit with decent sound quality. I have a cheap Rat Shack tabletop antenna on it, and it's getting great reception.

The HD quality is so-so, just another background music choice IMO. Adds to the options, but not worth critical listening in any way.

(EDIT: of course, I'm talking home audio here, but similar applies to car)

[Dusty Chalk]

You know that compression format that they use to store your voice mail digitally, that you can hear? It's like that, only not quite that bad.

That said, I'd still go for it, but for entirely different reasons -- content. They do have some pretty cool stuff on them. WTOP has this thing where they repeat the weather and the traffic all the time rather than every ten minutes. There actually have been times when 9 minutes from now was not soon enough.

So the thing to do would be to find out if any of your radio stations have any HD sister stations. Which you did, and they don't. So go iPod navigation.

[blessingx]

Thanks for the recommendations guys. Doesn't seem to be any additional content of the HD stations I listen to. And to be honest my local listening ends up being NPR mostly (was hoping for alt content like local PBS TV, but no). For music I'm usually streaming freeform WFMU from across the country off the iPhone. So iPhone navigation trumps.

Skullguise, as I understand it that Sony home receiver has no way to turn off the HD Radio reception (and opt instead for the analog signal). Is that correct?

[skullguise]

Skullguise, as I understand it that Sony home receiver has no way to turn off the HD Radio reception (and opt instead for the analog signal). Is that correct?

I believe you are correct, but some folks have mods that will allow this. THIS is one of the better sites I've seen on the tuner.