Audio Video News

In a turnabout from the traditional consumer electronics paradigm in which the hardware is given away for free or at drastically reduced prices in order to entice potential subscribers to sign on the dotted line and pay juicy monthly fees to the content provider, the HD Radio Alliance is now promoting the availability of a pricey HD Radio add-on for car stereos that will enable users to access free HD Radio content and services.

Directed's DMHD-1000 is a $199.99 universal add-on HD Radio tuner that is said to be able to turn "virtually any factory or aftermarket radio into an HD Radio, simply by connecting it to the car's audio system." Why would anyone want to add this gizmo, with its own separate display screen, to an already crowded dash board or center console? Because the "large, backlit multiline display" provides artist and song title, as well as "previews for additional digital-only HD Radio channels."

If you're car stereo has auxiliary inputs, you'll be able to take advantage of the CD-like sound quality of HD Radio FM broadcasts directly from the DMHD-1000. An FM modulator is supplied for auxiliary-input challenged systems - although it's a bit of a mystery why someone would pay $200 to rebroadcast a digital signal via analog FM to their car stereo system.

I was a bit of a skeptic when the format was first announced, but after an extended experience listening to several stations using Polk's I-Sonic tabletop audio system I was quite impressed - despite the fact that not all the stations were broadcasting their signals properly. Unfortunately, I haven't met many consumers who really care. The HD Radio Alliance has quite a bit of educating (and enticing) to do to make the technology catch on. $200 add-ons are probably not the best approach.

The HD Radio Alliance says there are over 1,100 HD Radio stations on the air and more than 600 HD2 multicast channels in 85 markets. How many ears are actually listening to those channels is not available.