HD radio, who has experience with it?

[number1alero]

After a local radio station gave a preview of it on friday night, with the type of music that is played, im intrigued enough to buy an in dash HD ready head unit...im looking at the JVC model for $130...

my question is, does anyone have any experience on the HD stuff, as I know its pretty new, so theres not a lot of feedback on the products available for it.

Lemme know ASAP, im ordering something tonight

[99ALERO]

http://www.crutchfieldadvisor.com/learningcenter/car/hdradio.html

click on that its all about HD Radio.....

Find stations in your local area that transmitt HD

http://www.ibiquity.com/hd_radio/hdradio_find_a_station

[zzyzzx]

Actually, when using Crutchfield's fit guide, it shows NO head units that will fit a 1999 Alero that have built in HD.

[surreal_awakening]

Plenty of HD channels in this market, but none broadcasting anything decent. I'll stick with Sirius.

[zzyzzx]

Plenty of HD channels in this market, but none broadcasting anything decent. I'll stick with Sirius.

So it's just like the regular FM dial?

Do you get more stations due to better reception, just like regular TV too?

Only thing I actually like in the local market is 102.7 (mostly for 80's weekends) and 103.5 (and then, only to get the traffic).

I can understand whay you'd want Sirius, to get Howard Stern and all, but I don't do anything with monthy fees if I can avoid it.

[misslindseysue]

I have HD radio. A lot of the local FM stations come in in HD when I'm close enough to them. HD quality is WAY better than FM or Satellite. It comes and goes, though, since I'm quite a ways from my favorite station, so I don't know if I'd pay for it just for that. If you like AM radio though, a lot of stations around here broadcast in HD now and there's a world of difference.
In addition to regular stations that broadcast HD (it's almost like it jumps between stereo and mono and the little HD shows up) a lot of them have an HD2 station that's HD only. I haven't found a great one yet, but I haven't really looked since I have Sirius, too. So it does give you more options but like any digital signal it's all or nothing, when you lose it you get dead air.

[Ryan from Ohio]

I have HD,I have the Directed HD add on unit. I used it coupled to my McIntoshMX4000 combo and it was pure bliss.

Well worth $100 for the box IMHO.

The HD part will fade and when it does fade back into regular FM you can get distortion. Which is what happens to HD unless your on an HD2 channel, then its either all or nothing. AM sounds like FM, FM moves to CD Quality without static, etc.

Again I would buy a stand alone unit because most units with HD built in are not that good of units. Furthermore the stand alones will work with any radio.either by FM modulation (antenna pass through) or by RCA inputs on the head unit.

http://www.crutchfield.com/App/Product/Item/Main.aspx?g=599&i=60744000&tp=17

I paid $100ish for mine through E bay.

[lonnie]

God I wish they had a better HD station selection around here, then I would buy one.

[Ryan from Ohio]

Its ok, but its not all that either. I have mixed opinions/feelings on it. Some days its great, other days its a waste of $.

One sure fire advantage, its free. Also you can get your local/normal stations in HD. Ive heard some satellite radios way back when and I hated it. The DJs are retarded.

[zzyzzx]

Its ok, but its not all that either. I have mixed opinions/feelings on it. Some days its great, other days its a waste of $.

One sure fire advantage, its free. Also you can get your local/normal stations in HD. Ive heard some satellite radios way back when and I hated it. The DJs are retarded.


If I'm replacing the head unit anyway, it's not a waste of money. Unless I'm somehow misunderstanding you.

[AtomicX]

I have a built in HD radio, I believe its the JVC KD-HDR1.

For HD radio, it sounds amazing, like mp3 quality. The bad part is when you loose the hd signal, which happens a lot to me so i get quite annoyed =\.

[Ryan from Ohio]

What Im saying is the radio's available with built in HD tuner's are not that great. Plus when you loose HD, you loose the station (at least thats what it sounds like by previous poster).

With the add on HD box you can use it with any cd player, even stock. Its just the smart choice IMO.

Unless you have a junk head unit get the same unit I got, dieted electronics.

[darksobsession]

i got the hd tuner for my kenwood deck. all the hd stations sound great except for the main one i listen to which has an echo effect once in awhile. some stations (only a few in hawaii so far) multicast, so you can get content that's otherwise inaccessible. if you listen to a lot of radio and live in an area with great HD coverage, go for it! otherwise don't.