- Image via Wikipedia
You probably haven’t heard much about HD radio. Don’t worry, most people haven’t. It hasn’t been widely publicized, and as a result it has not been in high demand. But chances are that your favorite radio station is already broadcasting in HD, you just don’t know it yet. In fact, a great number of AM and FM stations have been simultaneously broadcasting analog and digital signals for a little while now. The problem is that you need an HD radio receiver in order to listen in. So what’s the big deal? Why should you even consider buying an HD radio receiver?
First of all, if you are a music lover, HD radio offers a cleaner, clearer sound than traditional analog radio. Similar to the difference between an analog and digital TV signal, HD radio improves the sound quality of the broadcast so that every note is clearer.
In addition to a cleaner signal, HD radio provides you with more music choices because it can carry multiple streams within the same signal. That means that one radio station could become two or three radio stations instantly. For example, lets say you have a favorite hip-hip radio station, 87.6. Potentially, 87.6 could broadcast three different audio programs on the same signal, giving you 87.6-1 (the station you already listen to), 87.6-2 (a new channel that only plays old-school hip-hop), and 87.6-3 (another new station that focuses on east-coast hip-hop). Suddenly, you have three times the music and three times the choices!
HD radio can also broadcast data, which means that you don’t have to wait for the DJ to come back on the air and tell you the name and artist of the song they just played. The name and artist will appear on the screen of your HD receiver automatically while the song is playing, which is much easier and more convenient for you.
So now that you’ve had a chance to look at some of the added bonuses HD radio can offer you, is it time to go out and get that new HD radio receiver?
