HD Radio is a fairly new technology that broadcasts local digital radio stations over AM or FM without the static, crackle and pop that are often found in analog AM and FM broadcasts. While the volume of available programming is more hit-and-miss than XM or Sirius satellite radio, HD Radio is totally free, with no subscription fees.
Until recently, most HD Radio tuners have either been stand-alone stereos or designed to be put into your car. Now there’s a way to add HD radio tuning capability to any home stereo system. At roughly the size of a DVD player, the $199 Sangean HDT-1 HD Radio Tuner fits in nicely with most home entertainment systems. It adds CD quality digital versions of FM stations in most metropolitan areas, and its LCD display can show artist, track and title information in many cases.
In addition, the HDT-1 can receive traditional analog AM/FM signals and adds RDS information when available. The tuner comes with a compact remote control and can store up to 40 preset stations. The only real downside to the HDT-1 is that it only features analog RCA outputs, negating some of the quality enhancement that you’d expect from a digital signal. Oh well.
