[ozz]

if they had not compressed the heck out of it then it would
have been a big improvement.

 

[noseallinit]

lucky me, I got at least 2 killer radio stations with diverse programing to listen to http://www.wpvm.org/ and one is already broadcasting in HD Radio http://www.wncw.org/. plus a couple more I listen to for mostly news and talk radio. one is great for public broadcasting like NPR and BBC with Classical, Jazz, etc..http://www.wcqs.org/ and one of the talk is http://www.airamerica.com/ while the other talk station I get to listen to programs like http://www.coasttocoastam.com/ for the weird sh.. with a couple more public broadcast stations that I can pick up and from there on out it's pretty typical programing with music I like to listen to occasionally with one also being broadcast in HD Radio.

you can stream these if ever interested in it's programing. me two favorite for music broadcast and more.
http://www.wpvm.org/
http://www.wpvm.org/programming.php

http://www.wncw.org/
http://www.wncw.org/programming.html

http://www.wncw.org/HDRadio.html
WNCW Now Broadcasting in HD

A new, imperceptible change took place for WNCW on November 30 that you and I can't hear with our regular AM/FM radio receivers: It's the digital signal that is now part of WNCW's 88.7 frequency.
This digital technology will, over time, change the way we listen to radio.

"HD Radio technology is the most revolutionary change in our industry since the introduction of FM over 60 years ago," said WNCW Station Manager David Gordon. "WNCW is proud to be one of the radio stations leading the way in the switch to this exciting new way of serving its audience," Gordon said.

It's not a change that many of us will experience for several years since most of us don't have radio receivers with iBiquity Digital's HD Radio technology. They're not readily available in the marketplace yet, and when they begin to be sold, the price will be prohibitive for most of us to test-drive the technology early. The fact is, though, that HD Radio systems will become the standard for car installations, desktop radios, and portable models. Even the new alarm clock you'll buy in 2010 will have it. According to leading radio industry experts, HD Radio technology and receiver systems have the approval of the FCC, meaning that it is now the industry standard for broadcasting a digital signal. It will be the way all radio broadcasters utilize their signals in the future.

It won't make your favorite radio at home obsolete; even the one you picked up at grandma's house for its antique look will continue to be practical, if not cutting edge. All stations like WNCW will be broadcasting in both analog (FM) and digital (HD Radio).

There are several ways digital broadcasting will enhance the radio listening experience we'll have as these HD Radio systems make it into the marketplace: The quality of sound will improve, data and information eventually will be available on the HD Radio receiver's screen, and the ability for a station to offer more than one kind of programming service on the same frequency will mean a greater selection of content on the dial.

Listeners will be hearing music, interviews, news and everything else more clearly with HD Radio, without the fading, fuzz, pops and crackles found in traditional radio. This, coupled with the technology to carry more data over the air, is what produces the CD quality sound that everyone who enjoys clear, clean reception around the country is dying to get their hands on.
However, digital broadcasting also means that if a listener is on the fringe of a station's signal, the digital signal may not be heard at all; there won't be the fading in and out that is so commonly experienced by listeners as they drive in and out of range of one FM radio station signal to the next. The good news for listeners is that all HD Radio receivers will be equipped with AM/FM receivers, too; this dual functionality will allow listeners to continue to pick up an analog FM signal when the digital signal is too weak.

Data services eventually will be available on receivers with HD Radio technology. Examples of these services include artist and song title information, scrolling text, weather updates and school closings. For many WNCW listeners this will mean always knowing which artist they just heard by looking at the receiver's display.

Finally, just as digital cable has allowed cable companies to increase the number of channels they offer, HD Radio technology will provide the opportunity for stations like WNCW to offer multiple audio channels by dividing its digital signal's bandwidth. For instance, WNCW might appear on its primary digital channel as WNCW HD, broadcasting exactly what listeners hear on the FM signal. A second digital channel - let's call it WNCW HD2 - might offer alternative programming, such as additional news or music.

This new technology can be confusing to some because clear digital reception and data delivery services often are associated with satellite services like Sirius and XM. HD Radio is totally unrelated to satellite broadcasting because, unlike subscription satellite services, HD Radio is free, just like the radio you're listening to today.

WNCW's conversion to HD Radio broadcasting was made possible with the support of the station's members and with the help of a grant from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.

Facts about HD Radio and WNCW

WNCW began HD Radio broadcasting on Wednesday, November 30, 2005

WNCW's digital signal will only be available on its main frequency at 88.7. Translator locations in Boone at 92.9, Greenville, SC at 97.3 and Charlotte at 92.9 will continue to carry only analog FM signals.

WNCW is one of 12 stations in North Carolina broadcasting digitally and one of hundreds broadcasting nationally.

 

[Uncle Erik]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kipper /img/forum/go_quote.gif HD radio is not for me. I mean, this day and age, there is nobody who bothers trying to get "good sound" from radios. The people who want good sound go for CD Players, not radios, so why bother with a new format of radios that cost sooo much?

You're mostly right, but there are a few who take radio seriously. If you have a good tuner and a good antenna, analog FM sounds amazingly good. People who think FM sounds bad are the same types who think that vinyl is scratchy with too many pops and clicks. They just haven't heard a good setup.

Awhile back, I dropped about $250 on an all-tube Scott 350B FM multiplex (stereo) receiver. I added a good antenna, and the resolution and sound quality are so good that I can tell whether the jazz station is playing CDs or records. That's with a relatively inexpensive piece of gear made around 1961. It's just that no one has a good tuner these days and no one, aside from hams (and I am one) has good FM antennas. Speaking of which, Radio Shack sells an excellent one for $25.

Anyhow, if there are any stations you like, I highly recommend going for a good tuner and antenna. You don't have to get a tube rig, there were a lot of excellent solid state tuners made over the years. And an antenna is $25 or less, if you make your own. You can get into high-end FM for under $100. That's a steal, like getting $1 vinyl at the thrift store. FM is another great analog format that needs a comeback.

 

[RasmusseN]

Why do you need the Radio when you have a portable player you can plugin to your car and listen to the songs you want without commercials? that's just my opinon though.

 

[robm321]

And to add to what unle erik said, hearing a live performance from a radio station can have better sonics than vinyl.

 

[noseallinit]

radio broadcast can be a killer source to new music. on 103.5 last night I heard a track by a 70's band from Benin. "t.p. orchestre polyrhythmo, the kings of benin: urban groove 1972 - 1980" it just about blew me away. I emailed the station and he sent me info on the band with a link http://www.forcedexposure.com/artist...y.rhythmo.html and soon I will have a new CD to dig on.

I was lucky enough to grow up with a killer station back in the 70's. it was one of the top ten stations in the country, K99 Your Album Alternative. they played everything related to rock, not just hits but any track on an album, even full albums. I heard some of me first punk music on this station. then in the early 80's a friend received recordings on cassette of broadcast from WRAS 88.5 in Atlanta. we were turned on to some killer alternative bands in the day do to this station. these recordings sounded like hell(maybe not that bad) but I would not trade a thing for them. later when I got my first NAD receiver I was able to pick the staion up when they boosted their signal and the atmospheric conditions were right.

I think people that hate radio just do not have good stations in their area, ones that do just do not like the formats for their taste or do not even bother to ever look to take a listen. I reckon I'm pretty lucky to have the stations I have or have been exposed to. I dig on the chance to hear others taste in music like some of these stations offer for that's what opens doors to new music with sometimes hearing music long forgotten about. friends alone cannot always offer this. the stations I listen to now come in clear for where I lived at back home in the last years I was there reception was horrible and the better stations never came in at all so I mostly listened to me cassette recordings of vinyl. I use to eat at one Greek restaurant and the owner use to play short wave broadcast of Greek stations in his restaurant. I always thought that was cool!

FM doesn't need a comeback for it has not gone anywhere. In my opinion for my taste we could use more diverse stations than the typical broadcast that gives radio broadcast it's bad rap. HD Radio and it's multi channel formats just may do that or at least for some stations anyway.

103.5 does not come in as clear as I would like but 88.7 is clear as a bell. I'd say it's broadcast are of CD quality and I can easily hear detail in the recordings. I listen to the station often on me headphones. it's not even the least bit difficult to distinguish Vinyl from CD. vinyl has some dead give away characteristics when being played on broadcast. I can easily hear the album rotating and it's ticks and pops.

I do not hate vinyl, I grew up with it and 99 percent of me vinyl collection was alternative bands from the late 70's to early 80's that I really dug on with many albums not found on CD or is already out of issue. I use to think differently about it but I just do not believe vinyl is night and day superior in sound quality over CD's. each format has it's pluses and minuses. I think many that get into vinyl today are just being trendy, give me old school like the ones that don't want computers but prefer books, magazines and newspapers instead. the problem with vinyl is that it takes a really good setup for it to sound it's best and any good system is gonna sound best regardless if it's Vinyl, CD, FM or HD Radio. that's a given!

I have no complaints with decent FM broadcast. even a little bit of noise is okay but AM really bites with it's noise and especially with headphones. AM tends to sound best to me on a single mono speaker. what FM broadcast really needs to sound good is a strong signal and something HD Radio will hopefully give or not give but a bad FM signal will always sound bad and be frustrating to listen to just like a scratched, pop infested LP or even a bad CD.

I own a couple of dipole antennas that work rather well. http://www.magnumdynalab.com/x_sr100.htm http://www.ccrane.com/antennas/fm-an...t-antenna.aspx to me even the basic ribbon dipole antenna works better than a lot on the market offered as an upgrade until you get into some of the larger outside or attic antennas.

 

[noseallinit]

Quote:

Originally Posted by RasmusseN /img/forum/go_quote.gif Why do you need the Radio when you have a portable player you can plugin to your car and listen to the songs you want without commercials? that's just my opinon though.

I dig on the chance to hear others taste in music like some of these stations offer for that's what opens doors to new music with sometimes hearing music long forgotten about. friends alone cannot always offer this. on 103.5 last night I heard a track by a 70's band from Benin. "t.p. orchestre polyrhythmo, the kings of benin: urban groove 1972 - 1980" it just about blew me away. I emailed the station and he sent me info on the band with a link http://www.forcedexposure.com/artist...y.rhythmo.html and soon I will have a new CD to dig on.

 

[noseallinit]

Quote:

Originally Posted by robm321 /img/forum/go_quote.gif And to add to what unle erik said, hearing a live performance from a radio station can have better sonics than vinyl.

88.7 is forever having artist in the studio playing live sets and talking with the artist first hand. something I sometimes dig on depending on the artist. I need to be recording some of these broadcast..