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Taking an abbreviation from high-definition TV, HD Radio offers significantly better sound quality than both existing analog FM and AM radio bands. High definition digital radio allows radio stations to add additional programming through several additional channels that can be broadcast “alongside” a radio station’s main frequency. Stations often use these “muti-cast” channels to provide weather or traffic information, or unique music content.
And just like regular existing AM and FM radio, once you have a HD compatible radio, there are no monthly subscription fees needed for the service. As of the spring of 2008 there are over 1,500 HD Radio stations across the US, providing coverage to 85 percent of the U.S. population.
Radio stations that support HD Radio simultaneously broadcast both digital HD and analog versions of the same programming over the same frequency. With a regular, existing radio technology, you’ll hear the usual analog version. However, with a HD-compatible radio, the radio automatically locks on to the digital programming on HD stations.
If a HD Radio signal becomes too weak for the radio to acquire, the system will automatically switch over to the parallel analog signal.
Here is more on what was discovered during our review of HD Radio and how it compares to regular analog radio:
It offers better sound quality. In the Consumer Report reviews, HD Radio lived up to its promise of improved quality sound. The HD Radio sound quality delivered higher treble, deeper bass, more stereo separation, as well as a greater dynamic range (which is the difference between the loudest and quietest sounds).
HD Radio pushes FM sound quality closer to that of CDs and HD Radio makes AM broadcasts resemble those of existing analog FM. Both of which are major improvements.
Also, the HD signal from AM stations is broadcast in stereo, and there is no background noise. No “hisses” or crackle you may occasionally hear with standard radio.
Programming is more diverse. Of the more than 1,500 stations that have converted to HD Radio technology, over 750 of these have added a second (or sometimes a third) subchannel with different programming than the station’s main frequency. This is called HD multicasting. For example, they offer different styles of music, or more diverse programming. You can easily tune into the subchannels with a tap of a toggle or a slight turn of the tuning knob.
The subchannels often times carry programming of a different music genre than the main radio channel service. As an example, Chicago-based WVAZ (102.7 FM) offers adult album alternative music on its HD1 broadcasts, but on its HD@ subchannel, you will hear gospel! Also, WKTU, which is a New York station that plays hip-hop and rap on its main channel, uses its HD2 multicast service to play country music—a type of music that is all but absent from the New York radio landscape.
Still, don’t expect anywhere near the huge variety you now get with satellite radio. Another benefit though is that most HD Radio stations carry no commercials on the multicast subchannels, but the main channels carry the usual commercials.
You get more information on your HD Radio. As with satellite radio, HD Radio stations show you the artist, song title, and other data on a LCD display. Some stations even use the display to provide weather, local traffic, stock prices, news alerts, and more. And this feature will continue to evolve.
For example, in the future, using this technology to identify specific receivers, a radio unit could receive designated signals, such as additional audio channels (sports or concerts, as an example) or they could receive specialized services, like “closed-caption” text broadcasts for the hearing impaired. The additional services would be broadcast by a station along with its main channels.
Tag and buy. Some HD stations now enable “tagging,” which is supported by Apple and lets you flag a song for later, easy purchase through iTunes. However, it does requires an iPod with a dock and a radio with tagging capability.
A downside. Expect some service interruptions. In a review of the testing performed around the New York area, there was little trouble tuning in many New York-area HD Radio stations. With certain stations, however, the only signal received was an analog signal but not the digital one. When the digital HD signal for the main service channel was not strong enough, the radio quickly and efficiently switched to the analog broadcast.
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