Is it worth the effort to install a HD tuner?

[theedudenator 10+ year member]

I am looking at a head unit that supports a HD receiver.

Looks like it is $100.

Is it worth it? Does everyone else get this option?

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[azimuth 5,000+ posts]

hd radio is kinda cool

 

[Lil Poot 5,000+ posts]

from what i heard, it's just higher frequency fm, is that right?

 

[ebrunn 10+ year member]

Its just higher quality sounding fm, same old songs played 300 times a day and commercials after every 2 songs.

 

[darkhunter139 10+ year member]

I like it

I listen to sports radio a lot and it makes it much clearer

If you like listening to music on the radio (I dont) that is much clearer as well.

I got my JVC head unit with a build in tuner for $115

 

[Lil Poot 5,000+ posts]

Its just higher quality sounding fm, same old songs played 300 times a day and commercials after every 2 songs.

bleh... i DESPISE that about the radio. there's a local classic rock station, plays good stuff, but the same 50 songs everyday, in different orders. they have the balls to relentlessly remind you of their huge selection of music and how they have so much variety. makes me want to stomp on my radio.

 

[theedudenator 10+ year member]

I actually have a few stations that I like and listen to...

So I will be getting one of these HD units.

But I do agree, most stations are the same songs..

 

[profundus-sanus 10+ year member]

hope hd radio sounds better than xm(see

 

[Maven 10+ year member]

hope hd radio sounds better than xm(see
It doesnt.

AM-HD has a maximum bit rate of 60kbps, the most commonly used HIGH speed rate is 40kbps, and it defaults to 20kbps under many circumsatances.

FM-HD has a maximum bit rate of 300kbps in theory(once the analog carier wave is no longer required to be supported). The highest I believe used thus far is 150kbs, with 100-112kbps being the most commonly used stream. However just like with the AM stream under many circumstances the data stream can become as low quality as 25kbps. The more HD channels a station uses the lower the bit rate they transmit in. And since the digital broadcasts require less power to transmit you can be sure that the stations take advantage of this is only transmit at the lower required power, mea ning HD signals are usually weak, and the receivers for some reason dont seem to be very sensitive, so you drop out of HD a lot. And if the HD station youre listening to is different content than the analog station carrying it(My local religious station transmits an Old School Alt Rock HD signal) when you lose the HD signal you revert back to the analog broadcast.....So when I am rocking out to some Howard Jones or Duran Duran and I lose signal....I switch over to whatever questionable Born Again Evangelism program is currenly playing....Sh!tty. I love XM.