February 27, 2007
Radiosophy Radio Ships
About a year and a half after the first shipping date was announced, Radiosophy ships their portable unit: The $270 radio and speaker set allows the radio part to be removed and used in, say, a car with an optional inverter.
February 19, 2007
Sirius, XM Merge
The two satellite radio providers can't go it alone: XM and Sirius will merge as "equals," the press release says, with a combined value of $13b and net debt of $1.6b. The FCC chairman Kevin Martin has previously signaled that the existing licenses precluded this sort of merger. However, presented with a fait accompli and the potential for two spectacular bankruptcies, coupled with the robust competition of Internet radio, the future HD Radio challenges, and iPods--the FCC will likely give in, with conditions.
What this merger does is stop the crazy race to the bottom in which both companies bid huge premiums to obtain exclusive programming from the National Football League and Howard Stern. Future deals are much more likely to be made at market rates comparable to those provided on exclusive deals among terrestrial broadcasters.
The two firms combined have $1.5b in revenue (in 2006), and 14m subscribers, and it's unlikely there will be many overlaps between the two companies. It's not clear at all what programming will look like in a combined entity, in that it's possible receivers could be redesigned to handle all XM and all Sirius channels, with overlapping programming reduced, and more regional channels introduced.
February 12, 2007
Regional Stations Add HD Radio
The Seattle Times reports on smaller stations adding digital signals: The Washington State round-up notes that KRKO in burgeoning Snohomish County north of Seattle--and increasingly populous suburb/exurb region--will add HD Radio to its AM offering. This is one of the few stations in the country to opt for it. The timing is coincident with an upgrade to its analog signal from 5,000 to 50,000 watts. AM radio could see a big boost from HD Radio, with signals not just being much higher fidelity, but with the typical woo-woo sounds of AM and the loss in tunnels and under bridges disappearing as problems. AM has a harder sell on the costs, though, since multiple channels aren't possible.
Directed's Strange Method of Adding Auto HD Radio
For $200, you can add HD Radio to your car--and an extra faceplate: Okay, this is a little weird, when you can buy an entire car radio for $200 that includes an integral HD Radio tuner. Crutchfield is selling Directed Electronics DMHD-1000, which is an add-on for car radios that uses an existing antenna and stereo system--and a separate faceplate. Crutchfield's site notes that you just put the "control panel in a convenient spot on your dash," which is, I don't know--nowhere? I can't see where most cars have the room to add a second faceplate, and having a non-integrated AM/FM radio with HD seems rather strange, too.
Since you'd need to install the Directed unit, buying the Panasonic CQ-CB8901U from Crutchfield for $200 ($500 list!) would offer integration and simplicity.
February 7, 2007
Sharper Image Carries HD Radio Receivers
The national chain of 188 Sharper Image stores will carry several models: The retail and online stores will feature the Boston Acoustics Receptor Radio HD starting immediately; Sangean's radio can be purchased online and will be sold in stores starting in April.