At least 21 HD Radios for the home will be available from 14 brands by November, according to HD Radio patent holder, iBiquity Digital.

The FCC selected the proprietary HD Radio system which works on the same frequencies allocated to analog (FM and AM) radio stations in the United States. Supporters claim CD quality sound and reduced interference. In hybrid mode, the AM version can carry 36 kilobits per second of data for the main audio channel, while FM stations can carry information at 96 kbit/s (on a subcarrier). It can provide multiple radio programs on one channel or datacast news and information (such as traffic maps) to millions.

The latest home products — all supporting HD Radio multicasting — include tabletop radios, component tuners and the industry’s first three-piece CD shelf system with HD Radio. That model, the HDX3, will be sold exclusively through RadioShack at $299 with two-way speakers.

Companies already shipping home HD Radio include Boston Acoustics, Day Sequerra, Polk, Radiosophy, and Audio Design Associates, whose tuner car fits into four custom-install products.

Here’s an update of what’s new:

• Cambridge SoundWorks: The company plans November shipments of its first two HD Radios, the $299 SoundWorks Radio 820HD stereo table radio and the $299 component SoundWorks Tuner 850HD. Both will be available direct to consumers from the company through its Web site as well as retailers as Fry’s Electronics, J&R Music and Computer World and Amazon.com.
• Denon: The new DRA-697CI A/V receiver at $599 accommodates an optional $300 HD Radio tuner card that can be installed as an upgrade at the factory. It will be available in November.
• Integra: The brand’s first HD Radio device is a $300-suggested tuner card that supports analog-FM RDS and is XM-ready. It or a $100 analog-AM/FM tuner card slips into the $250 TUN-3.7 tuner. The radio modules also fit into Integra’s modular DTR-10.5 A/V receiver, which starts at $3,800, and with the Integra Research RDC-7 preamp processor.
• Niles: The custom-install supplier plans November shipments of a $399-sugggested HD Radio tuner module for its receiver-based IntelliControl ICS multiroom audio system, whose two-way RF remote and in-wall controls display HD Radio metadata, including . Niles also offers Sirius and XM modules for the system.
• RadioShack : The retailer plans to offer two new models, both exclusively. One is the Accurian-branded tabletop radio at $199 and the HDX3 three-piece shelf system with CD, two-way speakers, and aux input at $299. The chain already offers the $299 Boston Acoustics Recepter HD table radio.
• Rotel : A long-awaited component tuner had been delayed but will ship this year, possibly as soon as November, the company said. Pricing hasn’t been determined.
• Sangean America : The Taiwan-based maker of tabletop, portable, pocket and shortwave radios plans mid-November shipments of its first two HD Radios. They are the HDT-1 component tuner priced less than $200 and the HDR-1 Tabletop Radio, which will be priced for less than $250.

Currently, 3,000 U.S. radio stations have committed to offering HD Radio, and more than 900 stations are broadcasting primary signals in HD Digital, reaching 75 percent of the U.S. population. That number is expected to expand to 1,200 stations and 90 percent of the population by the end of this year. At that time, the number of stations broadcasting two or more multicast channels simultaneously (multicasting) is expected to grow to 450, covering the top 68 radio markets.

In addition to better audio quality on the AM and FM band, HD Radio allows broadcasters to offer an ever-expanding range of new digital information and entertainment services.

They include:

• Electronic Program Guide (EPG) is a list of stations, services, programs and detailed program information delivered by an HD Radio Station to support identification, program selection and simplified tuning. The EPG will also provide a framework for more advanced consumer features including program reminder notifications and program store and replay (recordings).
• Conditional Access (CA) is an encryption/decryption scheme that will enable HD Radio stations to deliver subscription-based and opt-in supplemental audio and data content.
• Large Object Transfer (LOT) will enable the transfer of data files. Typical uses for file transfer will include text (HTML or plain), audio files in any format, and images (e.g. JPEG) including support of ID3 tagged APIC files.

Many broadcasters are using multicasting:

• Clear Channel has been one of the most aggressive HD2 multicasters. More than 100 of the group’s FM stations now offer HD2 programming, featuring a range of diverse formats. Examples include: WKTU-FM’s HD2 channel features the only country music station in New York City; WMXD-FM’s HD2 Channel offers Detroit listeners Gospel music; and Albuquerque’s KABQ-FM HD2 Channel plays Spanish Oldies.
• CBS Radio’s 97.1 “Free FM” is airing Los Angeles Dodgers baseball games from sister station KFWB News 980 AM on its HD2 channel. KFWB has been the radio home of the Dodgers since 2003 and continues to broadcast games, meaning HD Radio receiver owners in LA now have the option of listening to the hometown team on either side of the dial.
• Greater Media has launched three multicast channels in Detroit, including Riff2, a multicast channel of it legendary rock station WRIF-FM that features a steady diet of local music. As an example of its commitment to local music, Riff2 featured an all White Stripes Weekend to celebrate the band’s series of hometown concerts.
• Beasley Broadcast Group’s WKIS-FM in Miami offers Gretchen 99.9 HD2, inspired by country music sensation Gretchen Wilson. The southern rock-flavored format on ‘Gretchen’ complements the mainstream country programming on WKIS’s main channel. The station also features an HD3 channel that streams weather information from the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
• National Public Radio is offering its member stations programmed music formats for their multicasting channels, including classical, jazz, electronica, triple-A and folk. Nearly 400 NPR member stations are in the process of upgrading to HD Radio technology.

Free terrestrial HD radio stations and pay satellite radio companies like Sirius and XM, may soon have a new rival - Mobile TV.

MediaFLO, HiWire, Modeo and Mobile WiMAX using 700 Mhz, 1.6 GHz and 2.5 GHz frequencies respectively, promise to multicast dozens of audio/visual channels to millions of mobile devices - often integrated into cell phones.

Related DailyWireless articles include; In Car Video/Traffic, Clear Channel Gets Internet, Clear Channel Goes Digital and Radio Datacasting Traffic.

Posted by Sam Churchill on Monday, September 25th, 2006 at 4:13 am.