Just as it has revolutionized the television industry, high definition technology is now changing the way we listen to the radio. High definition radio (HD-radio) makes tuning into your favorite station a whole new experience. Using high definition technology, any station in the country can deliver super, CD-like sound to its audience. High definition technology also makes it possible for listeners to receive information services such as traffic and weather alerts and stock information on their radios.
Pioneered by a company called iBiquity Digital, HD-radio was created in response to satellite radio, which, in the mid-90s, posed a real threat to traditional, or analog, radio. HD-radio mixes digital signals and analog signals, a combination that has made it possible for traditional stations to embark on the inevitable conversion to digital. In 2002, iBiquity made its HD-radio technology available to networks around the nation, and many of them jumped at it.
HD-radio offers a host of enhancements to traditional stations, and iBiquity says the following improvements are possible:
-In terms of sound quality, AM radio will sound like FM radio.
- FM radio will have crystal clear, CD-like sound
- Reception will be free of static, free of white noise, and station loss will no longer be a problem.
- Special services like On-Demand radio will be possible for listeners with HD-Radio. Wireless services will deliver news and traffic updates.
These upgrades are available to networks for about 0,000. Now, about 300 broadcasters are utilizing HD-radio. Thousands more should follow in the next few years. When they do go high def, they'll still be able to broadcast in traditional, analog fashion. The ability to transmit digital signals is a big step for networks, but one that seems inevitable, given the improvements that result. Thanks to HD technology, some stations are now providing different kinds of programming from a single spot on the radio dial.
Fans of traditional radio should embrace HD technology because it delivers better audio quality and more options for listening. HD-radio is also free. Listeners don't have to go through a subscription service to get it, and they won't have to worry about receiving upgrades from their providers. However, listeners will need to purchase special components for HD-radio and find stations that are broadcasting in HD.
Added bonuses with HD broadcasting include the display of weather, news and song info on the screen of the radio. Listeners can also buy music through their HD systems, and they'll have access to special recording options for music. High definition radios are becoming more and more common. They're currently priced at about 0. Automobile manufacturers have started to install them in new cars. Plans are even in the works to apply high definition technology to MP3 players and cell phones. What will they think of next?
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