HD Radio is the trademark for iBiquity's in-band on-channel (IBOC) digital radio technology used by AM and FM radio stations to transmit audio and data by using a digital signal embedded on-frequency within a station's standard analog signal, providing the means to listen to the same program in either HD (digital radio with less noise) or as a standard broadcast (analog radio with poorer sound quality). The HD format also provides the means for a single radio station to simultaneously broadcast one or more different programs in addition to the program being transmitted on the radio station's analog channel. It was selected by the United States Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in 2002 as a digital audio broadcasting method for the United States, and is the only digital system approved by the FCC for digital AM/FM broadcasts in the United States. It is officially known as NRSC-5, with the latest version being NRSC-5B. Other digital radio systems include FMeXtra, Digital Audio Broadcasting (DAB) (Eureka 147), Digital Radio Mondiale (DRM30 and DRM+ configurations), and Compatible AM-Digital (CAM-D).
As a standard practice, the kilohertz signal rate is written next to its corresponding data transfer rate kilobits/s or kbits/s in HD Radio documentation. While HD Radio does allow for an all-digital mode, this system currently is used by some AM and FM radio stations to simulcast both digital and analog audio within the same channel (a hybridized digital-analog signal) as well as to add new FM channels and text information. Although HD Radio broadcasting's content is currently subscription-free, listeners must purchase new receivers in order to receive the digital portion of the signal. As of May 2009, there were more stations in the world on the air with HD Radio technology than any other digital radio technology. More than 1,900 stations covering approximately 84% of the United States are broadcasting with this technology, and more than 1,000 HD2 and HD3 multicast channels are on the air. According to iBiquity's website, the "HD" is simply a brand name and has no meaning. There is no connection with high-definition television (HDTV), although like HDTV the HD Radio specification provides enhanced capabilities over the old analog format, such as 5.1 surround sound.
The FCC has not indicated any intent to force off analog radio broadcasts as it has with analog television broadcasts, as it would not result in the recovery of any radio spectrum rights which could be sold. Thus, there is no deadline by which consumers must buy an HD Radio receiver. In addition, there are many more analog AM/FM radio receivers than there were analog televisions, and many of these are car stereos or portable units that cannot be upgraded.
Read more about HD Radio: Overview, Programming
Other articles related to "radio, hd, hd radio":
... January Michael Smerconish, morning host at talk radio WPHT Philadelphia, begins syndication of his morning show to WHFS in Washington and WOR in New York City ... January 20 In a move related to Clear Channel's layoffs, Premiere-operated Fox Sports Radio merges programming with Los Angeles' KLAC, resulting in the dismissal of FSR personalities Andrew Siciliano ... February 2 Tom Kent joins ABC Radio ...
... Intel High Definition Audio Intel released this spec in 2004 that implements HD audio on PCs ... HD Radio HD Radio is a trademarked name for digital radio technology developed by iBiquity, but actually stands for ‘hybrid,’ not hi-def ... For both AM and FM, HD Radio transmits highly compressed audio with their proprietary codec called HDC ...
... Callsign Format City of License Notes 740 KVOR News/Talk Colorado Springs ABC News Radio affiliate (CBS News Radio from 1930s-2007), also available as HD Radio 1040 KCBR Christian Monument broadcasts ...
... Also on December 13, 2007 WTBI began an HD Radio simulcast on the frequency 91.5.1. ...
... Previously, portable HD Radio receivers were unavailable due to the early chipsets either being too large for a portable enclosure or needing too much power to be practical ... Two companies are currently making low-power chipsets for HD Radio receivers Samsung and SiPort ... The portable Coby HDR-700 unit receives AM HD and FM HD stations ...
Famous quotes containing the word radio:
“England has the most sordid literary scene Ive ever seen. They all meet in the same pub. This guys writing a foreword for this person. They all have to give radio programs, they have to do all this just in order to scrape by. Theyre all scratching each others backs.”
—William Burroughs (b. 1914)