Chris Gohlke
09-20-2006, 11:00 AM
<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.engadget.com/2006/09/17/cambridge-soundworks-820hd-radio-premieres-at-cedia/' target='_blank'>http://www.engadget.com/2006/09/17/cambridge-soundworks-820hd-radio-premieres-at-cedia/</a><br /><br /></div><i>"Cambridge SoundWorks has thrown its hat into the HD Radio ring with its 820HD, which debuted last week at CEDIA. HD Radio, the new digital radio format, for those of you keeping score at home, is now available from about 1,000 stations who are simulcasting in HD and in traditional formats -- which is still less than 10 percent of all American radio. Furthermore, the price of a new HD radio still remains significantly higher than a pocket or tabletop analog radio. How much higher? Well, this newest offering will set you back $300 when it becomes available in November -- and that little $20 "transistor" radio your Mom gave you in 1987 still works great, doesn't it? So yes, we're still listening to National Public Radio and baseball games in analog, thank you very much."</i><br /><br />I've not heard much about HD radio, probably because the closest station offering it is well out of range from my home. This is certainly an alternative to satellite radio and theoretically already has a cost advantage since there is no subscription fee. Conversely, it won't offer anything beyond the normal content already broadcast today.