Hear 2.0

"HD Radio technology company iBiquity Digital estimates about 200,000 HD radios were sold last year [2006]..."

"Finally some hard numbers on HD radio sales: 330,000 sold in 2007, up from 40,000 receivers in 2006."

So, which is it - 200,000 HD radios sold in 2006, or 40,000? What's needed are a couple of well-respected independent auditors to get a "real" count of the actual number of HD radios sold, where money actually changed hands, and not counting "trade" purchases, returns, and HD radio giveaways by stations and car dealerships - the actual number of "Joe Blow" consumers that bought and kept HD radios. No doubt, the number would be much lower. Do we remember the HD/QVC sales fiasco, where only 200 HD radios were reportedly sold - I bet, that half were returned. Could this be a count of HD Radio chipsets produced and HD radios manufactured? Is it realistic to assume, that retailers are still reporting back the dismal sales numbers?

Finally, here is proof to the contrary:

"DEAD AIR: Radio's great leap forward stalling in the Valley"

"Retailers say no one is buying HD radios in South Texas despite scattered attempts by broadcasters to promote the digital signal technology..."

http://www.themonitor.com/news/radio_7098___article.html/digital_new.html

"HD Radio Has Yet To Take Off"

"But the technology hasn't taken off as expected. NBC 5 could not find one person who owns a hi-def radio and neither could KISS FM's program director. I don't know anybody that has one yet, Davis said."

http://www.nbc5i.com/technology/14878368/detail.html

"High-def radio is here, but is anyone listening?"

"But 19 Utah stations are broadcasting 31 high-definition radio channels with six more coming soon... It seems the stations are investing in technology the public isn't quite ready to embrace.... Some have heard it referred to but never had cause to get one. Unless you are a gadget person, few of these radios have sold."

http://www.sltrib.com/technology/ci_7852904

"HD's here. Who's listening?"

"But consumers haven't exactly been stampeding to electronics stores for the new HD Radio sets that are required to tune in the digital signals."

http://www.twincities.com/business/ci_7991990?nclick_check=1#recent_comm

By this time next year there will be more HD radios than ham radios? And? Is there more to that or are we supposed to guess?

Sounds like another meaningless HD promo pitch if you ask me.

Millions of ham radios manufactured over the decades are still in existence and run quite well. And no, I'm not a ham.

Perhaps it would be more accurate to say that by this time next year, there will be more HD radios in operation than Hupmobiles.

False comparatives for a product founded upon the lie that slopping digital hash over analog won't interfere.

The public rejected HD, yet those who stand to reap billions from it won't quit.

What a waste of resources.

Paul Vincent Zecchino
Manasota Key, Florida
02 February, 2008

This is for anyone who believes anything anyone says from either the IBOC Cartel or from ibiquity: I have a bridge I'll sell you cheap. I'm just wondering when these clowns are going to run out of money and/or BS, will probably be simultaneous.

Where can I find the tech specs on HD? I'm curious just how bad the compression is. Thanks,
Joe

Remember, HD doesn't stand for High Definition. It...actually doesnt stand for anything. It was hybrid-digital for awhile...

I've listened to both and cannot tell the difference between the two. It is just a modulation technique to get more channels on the air....

More HD radios than Ham radios? I'm a ham and own two transmitters, one transceiver, and more than 20 receivers. The number of licensed amateur radio operators is around 656,000 in this country at this time but that doesn't accurately reflect the number of amateur radios owned by these hams as most hams I know collect them. Incidentally most hams that I've talked to also think IBOC is a destructive useless technology as I do. There was a very long IBOC thread in one of the ham forums I belong to and out of the many hams who posted in it three of them got so angry about the general negativity toward IBOC and that they caused the thread to be pulled, one of them worked for ibiquity. It was not just plain IBOC bashing either as most hams understand different transmitting modes.

There has been a frenzied push here to become the first HD radio station in our market. Commercial stations owned by Cumulus and smaller companies have no apparent interest in going down the HD path as yet. Still, my gm is determined, even to the point of betting the farm on HD. He would even borrow the money to match the grants awarded for the conversion. Already, he is altering our programming to reflect the direction he intends for our main channel. Cooler heads are needed here. I'd appreciate any further insights and advice from your cooler heads.

http://radioworld.com/pages/s.0054/t.10984.html
has some answers to some of the questions posed. The most recent batch of HD radio spots still does nothing to clarify the technology in the listeners' mind. It's just pointing out the shortcomings of the analog channels. Choice is far and away the number 2 reason people migrate to other media for their entertainment. ENTERTAINMENT is still #1. Can anyone disagree?

The HD radio alliance has spun this as "the most successful launch in consumer electronics history". Right, compared to Circuit City's DIVX fiasco.

HD radio is a dead end. It's the same poor programming on more channels.