Most consumers probably know that we are moving to a digital TV format called high-definition television, or HDTV. Few people know however that there is an audio counterpart, HD radio. As the name suggests, the format is designed to offer big improvements in quality and a host of new services. But, just as digital TV, the reality of high-definition radio is revealed far below expectations.
Like its cousins, digital XM satellite radio and Sirius satellite radio, HD radio relies on equipment to produce special sounds better than conventional analog broadcasts. The
Hdfm offers a quality almost as Cd, roughly comparable to that of American Xmo Sirius satellite broadcasters, while the HDAM should be close to normal FM broadcasts, according to its promoters.
But the only digital AM stations I could find did not offer anything but talk. So that those stations Am Fm are fortunately free of noise and hiss, but if the signal is weak, the sound breaks up like a conversation via phone from an area not covered.
Unlike XM and Sirius, HD radio is free and open to everyone with equipment capable of receiving. I tried two different sistemi, il Polkaudio I-Sonic, che è in grado di ricevere il ser
vizio Xm, e il più economico Radioshack Accurian Tabletop Hd radio. Come prevedibile, l'I-Sonic (599 dollari) offre un sound migliore ed è più efficace nel captare segnali deboli. Ma le persone vorranno spendere per questi costosi apparecchi, solo per una qualità del suono superiore? Ne dubito. Nel caso della radio satellitare, è la programmazione, non una migliore qualità audio, che giustifica una spesa di 12,95 dollari al mese. Ahimè, la radio ad alta definizione, almeno quella che esiste oggi, corrisponde per lo più a quel vasto deserto di quella tradizionale, con stazioni che propongono un repertorio piuttosto expressed in a few limited, repetitive formats.
As digital broadcasting uses the bandwidth much more efficiently than analogue broadcasting, the spectrum assigned to a single analogue radio station it is possible to spend two and sometimes three digital channels. But unfortunately there are few channels that are exploiting this opportunity. In Washington, there are 18 stations that broadcast in high definition and only half of these offers a second channel. I was happily surprised to see that American University has found a second home for American country music, he had banished from his WaMu-FM radio, but I was disappointed to discover that the Weta-fm radio (issuer of the region of Washington, ed) has not done the same for classical music.
stations, which are about to launch a major publicity campaign to promote HD radio, they promise for the future a variety of services, including real-time information about songs and singers, programming on demand, and the ability to record programs automatically. But to get these features already, you must subscribe to a satellite radio. Hd Radio
Like any other new entertainment technology, HD radio obviously faced some obstacles. It is difficult to attract listeners if you do not have a lot of content and cheap players, but without important audience no one wants to provide content or produce the radio. XME Sirius are spending liberally to the funds of their shareholders to create a market, but digital radio has no funds (...).
Stephen Wildstrom
(Copyright BusinessWeek) from 'The World' (Digital-sat.it) and "Giornaleradio" - Year 1, No 3, pg. 10
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