HD Radio worth it?

[Neutron]

I'm considering buying a new head unit, mainly for Sirius so that I can get my Satellite Radio back.

Is HD Radio worth it? I know of a few stations around here that advertise their station as also broadcasting in HD.

I found a headunit from Kenwood that does both built in, for $299. The only thing that sucks about it is it only displays one line.

Does HD radio also stream the song name/artist like satellite radio does?

 

[fastxt]

Here is a very partial list of major cities with stations with HD Radio stations.
Albany-Schenectady-Troy
WGY-AM, WAMK-FM,WGNA-FMWPTR-FM, WPYX-FM, WTRY-FM

Atlanta, GA
WABE-FM, WALR-FM, WAMJ-FM, WBTS-FM, WBZY-FM, WCLK-FM, WFOX-FM, WHTA-FM, WKHX-FM, WKLS-FM, WLT-FM

Austin, TX
KASE-FM, KHFI-FM, KPEZ-FM

Baltimore
WCAO-AM, WWMX-FM, WPOC-FM, WQSR-FM, WSMJ-FM, WWI-FM

Boston
WBCN-FM, WBOS-FM, WBOT-FM, WBUR-FM, WBZ-AM, WJMN-FM, WKLB-FM

Chicago
WBB-AM, WBBM-FM, WBEZ-FM, WDRV-FM, WERV-FM, WJMK-FM, WNUA-FM, WOJO-FM, WPWX-FM, WRTO-AM, WSCR-AM

Cincinnati
WCKY-AM, WEBN-FZM, WGUC-FM, WKFS-FM, WKRQ-FM, WMOJ-FM, WMUB-FZM, WOFX-FM

Cleveland
WCLV-FM, WNCX-FM, WNWV-FM, WQAL-FM, WXTM-FM

Dallas
KDGE-FM , KDMX-FM, KEGL-FM, KESN-FM, KHKS-FM, KJKK-FM, KPX-FM

Denver/Boulder
KBCO-FM, KCFC-AM, KCFR-AM, KHOW-FM, KIMN-FM

Detroit
WCSX-FM, WDET-F, WDMK-FM, WDRQ-FM, WDTW-FM, WDVD-FM, WJLB-FM, WKQI-FM, WKRK-FM, WMGC-FM, WMUZ-FM, WOMC-FM, WVMV-FM

Houston-Galveston
KIOL-FM, KKRW-FM, KLDE-FM, KPVU-FM

Indianapolis
WFBQ-FM, WFMS-FM, WFYI-FM, WIBC-AM, WICR-FM, WISG-FM, WJJK-FM, WNDE-AM

Kansas City, MO
KCFX-FM, KCUR-FM, KQRC-FM, KRBZ-FM, KUDL-FM, KYYS-FM, WDAF-FM

Los Angeles
KCRW-FM, KCSN-FM, KISS-FM, KKBT-FM, KKGO-AM, KKJZ-FM, KMZT-FM, KMXE-AM, KNX-AM, KOST-FM, KPCC-FM, KWPR-FM, KROQ-FM, KSCA-FM, KTNQ-AM, KUSC-FM, KWVE-FM, KYSR-FM,

Miami
WDNA-FM, WEDR-FM, WFLC-FM, WHDR-FM, WHQT-FM, WHSR-AM, WHYI-FM, WKIS-FM, WLRN-FM, WLVE-FM, WMIB-FM

Memphis, TN
WEGR-FM, WHAL-FM, WHRK-FM

Milwaukee
WKKV-FM, WKLH-FM, WKSH-AM, WKTI-FM, WQBW-FM

Minneapolis-St. Paul
KFAN-AM, KFXN-AM, KJZI-FM, KQQL-FM, KSJN-FM, WCCO-FM,

Nashville
WLAC-AM , WNRQ-FM, WPLN-FM, WQZQ-FM

New York City
WADO-AM, WAXQ-FM. WBGO-FM, WCAA-FM, WCBS-FM, WFUV-FM, WHTZ-FM, WKTU-FM, WNEW-FM, WNYC-AM, WOR-AM, WPLJ-FM, WWPR-FM

Philadelphia
WBEN-FM, WDAS-AM, WIOQ-FM, WIP-AM, WJJZ-FM, WMGK-FM, WPEN-AM, WPPZ-FM, WRTI-FM, WSNI-FM, WUSL-FM, WWJZ-AM, WXTU-FM

Portland
KBOO-FM, KBPS-FM[, KEX-AM, KGON-FM, KKCW-FM, KKRZ-FM, KNRK-FM, KOPB-FM, KRSK-FM, KWJJ-FM

Phoenix
KFYI-FM, KPKX-FM

Pittsburg
WDUQ-FM, WWSW-FM

Raleigh-Durham
WRAL-FM

Sacramento, CA
KQEI-FM, KVMR-FM, KXJZ-FM,

Salt Lake City
KJMY-FM, KSL-AM

San Antonio
KQXT-FM, KTSA-AM, WOAI-AM

San Diego
KGB-FM, KOGO-AM, KPBS-FM

San Francisco
KALW-FM, KCBS-AM, KCSM-FM, KDFC-FM, KFOG-FM, KIOI-FM, KISQ-FM, KKSF-FM, KMEL-FM, KOIT-FM, KQED-FM, KSAN-FM, KSJO-FM, KYLD-FM, KZBR-FM

Seattle
KBKS-FM, KBSG-FM, KING-FM, KISW-FM, KJR-AM[, KJR-FM, KMTT-FM, KNDD-FM, KPLU-FM, KQBZ-FM, KUBE-FM, KUOW-FM, KZOK-FM

St. Louis
KFUO-AM, KMJM-FM, KSD-FM, WIL-FM, WVRV-FM

Syracuse
WBBS-FM, WOLF-AM,

Tampa-St. Petersburg
WFLA-AM, WPOI-FM, WSUN-FM;, WUSF-FM, WWRM-FM,

Washington, DC
WAMU-FM, WBIG-FM, WETA-FM, WGMS-FM, WHUR-FM, WIHT-FM, WKDL-AM, WMZQ-FM, WTEM-AM, WTOP-AM, WWDC-FM, WWZZ-FM

that some off the listed

 

[norman]

Dude you forgot Charlotte, NC.

WFAE-FM 90.7 & WDAV-FM 89.9 You have got to hear some Blues in HD)). You would love it.

Sir Norman

 

[kb7oeb]

I found a better list at http://www.hdradio.com/hd_digital_radio_format_list.php

It lists the stations broadcasting and any secondary channels they have

 

[buckspaul]

i dont think HD radio is worth it unless you live within 30 miles of the transmitter since the digital signals are operating at a fraction of the analog signal the digital signal is very limited.. trees, buildings and terrain cause the digital signal to go out even in the primary service area..... not worth it. sorry

 

[pro96]

I'm considering buying a new head unit, mainly for Sirius so that I can get my Satellite Radio back.

Is HD Radio worth it? I know of a few stations around here that advertise their station as also broadcasting in HD.

I found a headunit from Kenwood that does both built in, for $299. The only thing that sucks about it is it only displays one line.

Does HD radio also stream the song name/artist like satellite radio does?

Has anyone used the JVC KD-HDR1 which has built-in HD radio (receives multicasting content ) and retails for around $199.99?

Looks like a decent unit that plays both MP3 and WMA files and Ipod ready.

I might get one to see what the HD radio is all about here in Los Angeles..

 

[kb7oeb]

I just got that model about a week ago, I'm happy with it, I get good FM reception anyway so the digital sounds about the same to me (on one station the digital sounds worse) but I like several of the secondary channels and you get the song title and artist text. I haven't had any trouble with the signal dropping out.

The digital AM is dramatic when it works, there are two digital AM stations where I live. One comes is clear in analog but the radio won't lock digital for more than a few seconds at a time. The other station has an annoying hum and buzz but the digital works fine on that station.

It also can be connected to either sirrius or xm but I don't have either.

 

[koolaide4321]

jvc head unit

i have been using this head unit, and is definately good for its price, but i probably wouldn't recommend it. There are several options that i wish it had. The first is a scan feature. The second would be the ability to turn the hd function off. If a station does not have it's two streams synched, and you are coming in and out of hd, it is very annoying. The head unit will allow you to go through the functions and set it to analog, but as soon as you change the station, it resets to an "automatic" default. Automatically trying to pull in the hd. I have also found that the bass is better on the analog broadcast ( with my 1200w amp and sub).

 

[jamesalan9]

is HD radio goin to be mandated by the government? Are they going to shut down analog radio in the future?

 

[kb7oeb]

No but if a station wants to use digital they have to use this platform. A station can go digital only if they want but that is a long time away.

 

[johnson3720]

HD radio is worth it because its cheaper in cost than satellite because you dont have a subscription fee and its commerical free as well. More and More radio stations are starting to broadcast in HD so that should not be a problem with you getting reception. If you are looking into getting a HD Radio receiver then you should look into Dice Electronics they have receivers for your factory radio and you dont have buy another aftermarket radio for your car. It comes with instruction for you to install it yourself. I have one for my Toyota and I love it.