Good News! Lower Cost HD Radios Are Here
Here’s good news for HD radio fans.
There are now two lower-cost home (tabletop) HD radios on the market.
RadioShack and Sangeon HD Radios
The first of these new, lower cost HD radios is the Accurian HD radio from RadioShack.
This new HD radio just about blows the doors off the $200 barrier with a price of just $174.99 after a $25 rebate.
The RadioShack Accurian HD Radio may be low-priced, but according to one source (Jonathan Takiff in the Philadelphia Inquirer) it does deliver excellent sound. The Accurian measures a svelte 12″ by 6.97″ x 6.61″, and includes an easy-to-read text display that can show helpful information such as station and song name, band, frequency and more. It can also handle expanded programming options, including data services, traffic, weather and sports.
If you scan up and down the dial of the RadioShack Accurian HD radio, it will lock first into a standard FM or AM signal. Then, if the station broadcasts in HD, it will automatically switch to the station’s digital signal in about five seconds.
When you push the scan button, the Accurian will first display an HD station’s primary signal – for example as 101.2-1. If you touch the scan dial again, and the station is broadcasting an HD2 channel, it will show up as 101.2-2 and so forth.
The Accurian comes complete with the remote control with battery, power adapter, FM T-shaped antenna, AM loop-style antenna and a user guide.
The Sangeon HDR-1 HD Radio
The Sangeon is a bit more pricey at $242,47 but offers a lot of radio for the price. It has a clock and alarm and a fully functioning credit-card remote? You can also plug in your favorite MP3 player in to the unit. The HDR-1 also features Auto Tuning System (ATS), Auto Preset System, 20 Memory Presets (10 FM, 10 AM), a Backlit LCD Display, Automatic Multiplex Re-configuration, Tone & Bass Control. EQ Pre-sets and a “humane” wake-up system.
More lower-cost HD radio are expected to begin arriving soon – maybe even in time for holiday giving – as more manufacturers gear up to take advantage of this exciting, new technology.
As they say on the radio, stay tuned for more information.
