So, I wore out another car and it was time to get a new one. Unexpectedly, the new car came with one of these fancy gizmos:
This is not the first HD radio I have owned, the Jeep Cherokee had one that I install myself. This is the first time it came with the car and I didn’t even mention it to the sales guy.
A few observations:
- Many stations’ HD1 channels don’t sound very good, they are either shrill and tinny, or not synced with their analog counterpart.
- There still aren’t very many stations transmitting HD Radio; FM stations are either NPR affiliates or belong to a few larger corporate owners. The AM stations are few and far between.
- AM HD Radio still has numerous problems in the mobile listening environment.
- Many of the HD 2/3 don’t sound very good; low audio levels, muffled modulation, low bit rate audio, etc. The only exception that I have found so far is Vermont Public Radio’s classical format, transmitted on the HD2 of WVPS, Burlington.
- HD2/3 channels mainly serve as “translator loophole” stations, AKA “Metro Stations”
As far as the new ownership by DTS goes; I will reserve judgment until they do something with it.