The cost of receiving digital AM and FM signals will drop
next week as Radiosophy releases its HD100 receiver for less than $60 with a rebate. The HD100 pulls in HD Radio signals, a digital format that is broadcast alongside standard radio by more than 1,200 stations in this country. The next least expensive digital receiver is $160 with a rebate; most start at $300.
Available at www.radiosophy.com, the HD100 is a 2.2-pound compact receiver with built-in speakers. It has a play-through auxiliary input, a headphone jack and an alarm clock. AC power is required.
The radio has an internal AM antenna and a pull-out FM antenna. Both can be replaced with external antennas. Because digital signals are limited to 1 percent of the power of a station?s analog transmission, HD receivers often need external antennas for clear sound on far-off signals.
A display screen
shows station call letters, song and artist details and ? depending on the station ? brief updates on traffic, weather, news and sports.
With its low weight, telescoping antenna and ability to play music from devices like iPods, the HD100 might have a place on the beach ? as long as there is a cord long enough to reach it."
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Chet adds:
Looks like there's enuf stations in NYC now too
Check your market here:
What's holding me back from ordering IMMEDIATELY?
See this March 07 Review of the HD scene by MP3 Newwire (The writer is based in NJ...
"HD Radio Effort Undermined by Weak Tuners in Expensive Radios"
I fear Radiosophy's offering may have the same problem!
He concluded:
"...Early adopters of HD Radio are only getting a fraction of the stations they should. This is a big problem, because word-of-mouth on HD Radio starts with them. Already there are signs of consumer indifference to HD Radio, suggesting the early adopters are not exactly singing the virtues of the technology. When you spend a few hundred dollars for an HD radio just to get one or two HD2 stations and mediocre analog reception you
quickly question the value of your purchase. Outdoor aerials will correct this issue, but at added expense and effort.
The interesting part is it is not the fault of the HD technology itself. This flaw resides in the choice of tuners inserted into these radios by the companies building them, tuners which all have weak sensitivity. Sensitivity that is so weak their analog reception is inferior to that found in a cheap shower radio and a vintage tube radio. This is inexcusable considering the price point of these radios. Ultimately, this misstep is undermining the aggressive effort to launch this new technology.
The good news is that the solution is an easy one. Manufacturers just need to put more sensitive tuners into these radios.
For the three HD radios we only recommend them with the purchase and installation of an outdoor aerial or some other antenna set up that is superior to
the few lengths of wire enclosed in the box. One HD radio owner I spoke with in my area installed an antenna that resides in his attic. He purchased the Boston Acoustics Recepter HD and he too was disappointed in the initial results. He told me the addition of a better antenna dramatically improved reception and he is now very happy with all the new content he is able to receive on the airwaves. He is quite pleased with the HD2 offerings, particularly WPLJ in New York, which is broadcasting two HD2 channels along side its HD1/analog offering. That he finds the new channels compelling is the best news for HD radio and why the Alliance needs to correct this issue immediately."