HD Radio- Is it worth it? comments please

I am changing out my head unit to a Pioneer. here's the unit

http://www.crutchfield.com/p_130AVHP310/Pioneer-AVH-P3100DVD.html?tp=20217

I am thinking of adding HD Radio and dumping XM(would need another adapter). Can anyone tell me is it worth the investment in the equipment.
The equipment is not very expensive. Here are the two units I am looking at.
http://www.crutchfield.com/p_130GEXP10H/Pioneer-GEX-P10HD.html?tp=134

This unit has very low reviews and very high reviews on the crutchfield site. Reviewers either love it or hate it.


Here is the newest release;
http://www.crutchfield.com/p_130GEXP20H/Pioneer-GEX-P20HD.html?tp=134

there are no reviews for this unit. I guess because it is so new. I can't use the itune tagging since it is not compatible with my head unit, but it is the same price as the first unit and I would thing they would have made improvements.

If anyone has experience with one of these units, I would like to hear from you.

I would also like to hear from HD Radio owners of their thoughts?

If anyone has some links that I could read more, that would be great too.

Thanks;)

I bought my HD radio add on new and very inexpensively on ebay... I think you have seen my thread. http://www.ridgelineownersclub.com/forums/showthread.php?t=22978 (http://www.ridgelineownersclub.com/forums/showthread.php?t=22978) I have the main box installed in my glove box.

For me it is worth it. The radio stations I like to listen too are also broadcast in HD in my area. Along with my favorite stations, their substations tend to have very little to no commercial nonsense and are additional genres of music I enjoy that I could not receive without a HD receiver.

The sound quality is very close to CD quality and there is never static. HD AM stations are crystal clear and on the magnitude of FM...

Look here for more information about HD radio... http://www.hdradio.com/


Station selection guide by state... http://www.hdradio.com/find_an_hd_digital_radio_station.php

i got a Jensen VM8023HD and its pretty cool, shows the name of the station and songs in FM and AM, FM and AM sound clear almost CD quality

i say if you have the money go ahead and spend it
i bought the 2 year extended warranty with my Jensen altogether it was $397.72 with a Pac Jack from crutchfield.com (plus coupon code 3a825)

Pac Jack from crutchfield.com (plus coupon code 3a825)

How hard was this to install?:confused: I'm considering down the road. Waiting to see if I miss the steering wheel controls. I see they are half the price on ebay vs crutchfield. I have a sub, head unit, bluetooth and camera to install first, so this can wait. As well as the HD Radio until I know more about HD.

I think so.

I have limited experience with HD Radio. I got it for my wife per her request. We don't live in the city, but can pick up the analog version of all the AM and FM radio stations with no problems. Not so with HD. The signals dropped all the time... to the point you couldn't listen to it.

I'm told that the HD Radio digital signal has a range of only about 1/2 of the analog signal. If you live and travel in very strong signal areas I guess it'd be OK, but beyond that it's not much good.

I have commented to Honda that they should include an HD tuner in future models. From the reaction I don't look for it soon.

I just got the exact same unit for my accord. I havent added the xm or hd box yet but I will. Gotta do the ridge first. Also check on amazon before you go through crutchfield. They have alot better prices.

I have limited experience with HD Radio. I got it for my wife per her request. We don't live in the city, but can pick up the analog version of all the AM and FM radio stations with no problems. Not so with HD. The signals dropped all the time... to the point you couldn't listen to it.

I'm told that the HD Radio digital signal has a range of only about 1/2 of the analog signal. If you live and travel in very strong signal areas I guess it'd be OK, but beyond that it's not much good.

I have commented to Honda that they should include an HD tuner in future models. From the reaction I don't look for it soon.

that is my concern and I have read the same. I am about 45 miles from Tampa, so I wonder if I will drop the signal often?:confused:

Problem is with the reception, it fades in and out. Upgraded antennas help but it still is come and go sometimes.

Set the tuner to autoswitch.

Set the tuner to autoswitch.

Yes, but that only works for the simulcast of the analog signal. Most of what you really want to hear is not simulcast and autoswitch won't work. The benefit of HD Radio are the commercial free services... not the simulcast of the analog signal.

I disagree. The main benefit for me is not the subchannels but the audio quality. There's no comparison to analog FM.

I use it and love it, I use the Alpine cda-9887 HU with the TUA-T550HD HD Radio plugin.
I like the clarity and sound a lot better than regular radio..

Works for me.. :)

that is my concern and I have read the same. I am about 45 miles from Tampa, so I wonder if I will drop the signal often?:confused:

You may be okay for signal strength due to FL being very flat.... Where I live with large rolling hills to the beginning of true mountains, I can get full signal with no interruptions for about 20 miles in any direction with constant motion. After that half the stations tune out but some will still go strong for 30 miles. After 30 miles the stations tend to spend most of the time in analog. However when I am above the city elevation the HD signals come because I am in the line of sight of the towers.

Your best bet is to find someone with an HD Radio in their car. You could also go to an electronics store and listen to a HD radio. I know mine has a feature that shows the signal strength of the station. This would help you really decide if it is worth it. If the HD signal is not very strong you will get a lot of switching back and for the from HD to analog and back.

How hard was this to install?:confused: I'm considering down the road. Waiting to see if I miss the steering wheel controls. I see they are half the price on ebay vs crutchfield. I have a sub, head unit, bluetooth and camera to install first, so this can wait. As well as the HD Radio until I know more about HD.

pm'ed you back, i think the price from crutchfield might be worth it for a pac jack cause they should be able to help out installing

I check with best buy today. It looks like most of the channels I like in the tampa bay area have good reception in the Sarasota area. They didn't have any radios hooked up to listen to in the showroom, but the sales associate gave me a list of all the stations that he listens to on his HD radio. So it looks like I will be adding.;)

I voted today that I love it. I got the HD adapter off ebay. It's pioneer GEX-P10HD to go with my pioneer head unit. The sound quailty is outstanding compared to regular radio. AM sounds great too.
It was only $60 vs $100 from crutchfield. ;)

I have noticed that it seems to fall out of HD range more at night when I am driving home from work.
It flips back and forth between HD and regular radio. There are no long pauses between changes like some of the reviews I have read. It sounds more like a record skipping. But you can really hear the difference between the two.
I am still happy with the HD. Adapter was only $60, so was a small investment for better sounding radio. I am sure more stations will be added over time.;)