Negative Comment about HD Radio at Ejazznews

You can read a quick rant here. Funny comment about AM HD: "you could hear static in BOTH channels"! Anyway, there is no shortage of negativity about HD Radio on the Internet. We're just trying to cover the world of HD here because it has promise. Anything that makes more content available for consumers is a cool thing. And more and more radios seem to be available every day.

New Tivoli Radio

This new Tivoli Radio might just be what you're looking for in a tabletop version because not only does it get standard terrestrial radio and HD Radio, it can also play streaming content, and hook up with your iTunes to stream content (except for that purchased from iTunes store).

It is also upgradeable for the future, via wi-fi, so eventually it will be able to access Sirius and XM.

This is really a clever idea. I also wonder if Sirius and XM could make money on an IP version of their stations - instead of people accessing XM content via satellite and antenna, having some kind of pay-to-access streaming version online. The quality is certainly up to snuff now for that (anybody watched tv on a slingbox? - completely amazing). That way, you could, in your house, have one radio simple enough for the whole family to operate, that can access your mp3 collection, HD Radio, and Sirius or XM.

Keep in mind that Tivoli radios tend to be higher cost items - their design is very simple and elegant, so you see them in places like Nordstrom's and the Apple store. Their tiny Mono radio comes in colors and usually has a line-in for iPods, etc.

Anyway, just nice to see a device that, even if HD Radio ends up crapping out as a technology, you will still get a lot of use out of the radio.

JVC In-Dash

This looks like a good receiver from JVC - around 200 bucks, HD radio, MP3 CDs, CDs, and has an optional interface that will allow control of an iPod. Cnet Review.

Hands on Review of the Sony Tabletop HD Radio

Found a hands-on review of the Sony Tabletop HD Radio here. Not sure why they keep calling it a "tabletop" radio - kind of interesting marketing choice. Better than a clock radio, but not quite a stereo component? How about calling it a radio?

Get HD with Your Mini

Buyers of new Minis can how get HD radio installed as a factory option. Anyone who wants to send us a free Mini (with an HD Radio) can expect a full review here at the blog :)

More HD Radio News

Various things to report:

Another article about the SONY table radio. Also talks a bit about the car receiver too.

Yet Another

Orange County Register jokes about lack of HD Radio owners in an announcement about "Adult Standards" being aired on KKGO's third HD channel.

Not sure why the SONY radio keeps getting so much press attention, but it is probably because they are such a big seller of electronics. I have a small Sony Weather radio that also picks up AM/FM and two Television bands and it has been a great product. I use it to listen to television in the car - like when I'm heading to church and want to hear Meet the Press. It also has pretty amazing battery life, something I'll be interested to test in a portable HD Radio.

Cheaper Chips, Cheaper Radios

Arizona Daily Star reports that Texas Instruments and the Univeristy of Arizona are working to shrink the size of the chips and components needed for HD Radio. The goal is to make better sound and cheaper components. Says the editor of Radio magazine:

"Anything that can be done overall to bring the cost of an HD-enabled receiver down to what a consumer considers an affordable level, that is all part of the puzzle."

This is all pretty obvious, and hopefully it portends some cheaper radios. Another interesting quote from the article:

"Bridge Ratings has forecast that the number of HD users nationwide will grow from about 300,000 this year to 2.7 million by 2010."

That's pretty slow growth if you compare HD Radio adoption to something like... the DVD player, but still it looks sizeable enough to maybe get to some kind of tipping point.

The National Science Foundation is facilitating this cooperation between industry and universities.

Public Test of HD on AM

There was a public test of HD Radio on AM today in Mexico.