In this letter to the editor, the author comments on the article “U.S. HD Radio by the Numbers.” Radio World welcomes letters to the editor on this or any story. Email [email protected].
The statistical data covering broadcaster adaption of HD Radio presents only half of the HD adoption picture, the missing half is audience adoption. That is quite dismal in my experience, and for good reason.
First of all, let’s state the obvious, AM HD Radio is dead on arrival. It is technically incompatible with a majority of AM receivers in the US. In its hybrid mode HD encroaches on adjacent channels significantly raising the noise floor for its neighbors. In the fully digital mode, it can only be heard by a small percentage of existing receivers.
The FM picture is somewhat brighter. The nature of an FM receiver mitigates some of the interference issues that the HD signal creates but the potential for interference still requires keeping the digital signal level at –10 dBc or lower. For the primary channel, reception is relatively seamless as it switches to analog rather than dropping out completely. The main channel HD signal is not noticeably better sounding in a typical moving vehicle due to road noise and it is only marginally better in a home receiver.
HD Radio subchannels present a poorer listening experience. If you live or travel close to the transmitter you will receive sub channels satisfactorily, but once you get a moderate distance away, the drop outs start happening more frequently and it becomes an extremely annoying experience. Additionally, HD has to be activated via the automotive infotainment system’s menu which few listeners do because they are satisfied with the quality of the FM signal. Wading through menus is not something that can be done easily or safely in a moving vehicle.
I own two vehicles with HD receivers and have listened to HD subchannels originating from several full power local stations with strong analog signals while driving around town. After two days of enduring dropouts and tweaking my parking location in increments of a few inches to maintain reception, I decided to turn HD off for good.
HD Radio is a proprietary technology that can only survive if force fed to the industry — by both broadcasters and receiver manufacturers — through regulatory fiat. The royalty structure is holding HD back as radio manufactures balk at adding cost to receivers for a feature that buyers aren’t asking for.
The market has resoundingly rejected HD Radio after 20 years; it’s time to take it off life support and move on.
— Paul Dobosz, Holland, Mich.
