An HD Radio station can also offer multicasting, meaning it can broadcast separate programming on a sub-frequency of its allotted spot on the dial, which can only be picked up by an HD tuner. Most stations use the sub-frequencies to broadcast largely commercial-free programming that's much like satellite radio. For example, a country station in Portland, Oregon provides a subfrequency that broadcasts blues programming, whereas a smooth jazz station in Miami offers classical music as its multicasting option.
Another advantage of HD Radio is that information such as artist name and song title as well as weather and traffic alerts and even stock quotes can be sent with a signal and shown on the radio's display. And HD Radio promises to provide many other features in the future, including
- Real-time traffic reports
- Surround sound
- Store-and-replay functions that allow rewinding a song or even recording an entire program to play back later
- On-demand news and information
- Buy buttons that allow purchasing everything from music to products advertised on a station
Where you can get it
HD Radio is available in the top 100 media markets in the U.S. and in 188 markets altogether. For a listing of the stations that carry HD programming, go to www.hdradio.com on the Web.
How you can get it
Alpine, Eclipse, JVC, Kenwood, Panasonic, and Sony offer aftermarket HD Radio products. Some have HD Radio built into their head units, whereas others allow you to add it to a head unit with the addition of an extra-cost tuner box. Directed Electronics' Car Connect HD Radio is a tuner and display/controller with an FM modulator that can be added to any vehicle. Automotive electronics supplier Visteon also offers two add-on options. So far, only BMW offers HD Radio as a factory-installed option on the OEM side, but Jaguar, Mini, and Hyundai will offer it on 2008 models.