[AudioDwebe]

I just heard (I think anyway) on the radio that the Zune HD has the ability to get digital radio broadcasts. Is this so? And, if so, how does one go about finding out what stations are availabe in any given area before making a purchase of the Zune?

Thanks.

'Dwebe

 

[Ricardo Dawkins]

Hybrid Digital Radio coverage on USA
HD Digital Radio • IT’S TIME TO UPGRADE!

 

[anadin]

I wonder if its capable of picking up DAB radio here in the UK.

 

[Ricardo Dawkins]

when (if ever) Microsoft decides to release it in Europe, it shoud tune to DAB with a firmware update.

 

[AudioDwebe]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ricardo Dawkins /img/forum/go_quote.gif Hybrid Digital Radio coverage on USA HD Digital Radio • IT’S TIME TO UPGRADE!

Thanks.

I didn't realize there were so many HD radio stations. I'm considering picking up the Zune just for its HD radio abilities. It'd be nice to be able to listen to the radio at the office sometimes; however, I currently am unable to get any analog signals due to the building I work in. Would HD radio be any different, do you think?

 

[Arainach]

No. If the building blocks analog radio, digital radio will also be blocked, I'm afraid. In buildings/areas where you get reception, however, the HD Radio stations are definitely nice, here around Seattle at least.

 

[AudioDwebe]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Arainach /img/forum/go_quote.gif No. If the building blocks analog radio, digital radio will also be blocked, I'm afraid. In buildings/areas where you get reception, however, the HD Radio stations are definitely nice, here around Seattle at least.

Well, damn, that kinda bites!

I work in the City/County building in downtown Tacoma and for whatever reason, I get absolutely zero reception in my office. I guess maybe all signals come from the same location? Probably Seattle, which is not the direction my office faces.

Oh, well.

Thanks for the info.

 

[Hobohodou]

Quote:

Originally Posted by anadin /img/forum/go_quote.gif I wonder if its capable of picking up DAB radio here in the UK.

It's not...However I don't find that to be something wrong with it (I find the lack of a volume rocker more of a pain...), as the normal Radio works fine too and I generally don't use it too often...

I've heard that the HD Radio is quite a drain on battery though...can anyone confirm that? since well...I can't recieve HD Radio D:

 

[abellaw]

Well i haven't used the hd radio for an extended period of time. But from what i can tell it did not seem to drain the battery excessively.

 

[Ricardo Dawkins]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hobohodou /img/forum/go_quote.gif It's not...However I don't find that to be something wrong with it (I find the lack of a volume rocker more of a pain...), as the normal Radio works fine too and I generally don't use it too often... I've heard that the HD Radio is quite a drain on battery though...can anyone confirm that? since well...I can't recieve HD Radio D:

sorry, but the Siport chip inside the Zune HD disagrees...
SiPORT Products - SP1010
SiPort SP1010 HD Radio Chip Puts New Zip In Microsoft’s Zune
Quote:

SiPort’s SP1010 single-chip HD Radio solution is an RF receiver capable of analog FM as well as HD radio in the FM band, 88 to 108 MHz (Fig. 1). It also includes HD AM reception in the 530- to 1700-kHz range, and it can receive Europe’s Eureka 147 Digital Audio Broadcast (DAB) and Japan’s Digital Multimedia Broadcast (T-DMB) signals in the 174- to 240-MHz range

Like I said before: DAB depends if Microsoft releases it in Europe around 2015 and a future firmware update

 

[Hobohodou]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ricardo Dawkins /img/forum/go_quote.gif Like I said before: DAB depends if Microsoft releases it in Europe around 2015 and a future firmware update

Yes, but for now...there is nothing D:

I don't think Microsoft ever will give the zune an EU/UK release. As long as the players are still awesome (IMO)...i'll continue to buy them...

Though it'd be nice to see DAB in a firmware update, I'd rather see the zune pass available in the UK...