[firehawk618]

Am I missing something or did GM not include HD radio in our cars?

I have the Navigation if that even matters.

I can't believe HD isn't standard on these things.

I read through the My Link manual and it just mentions HD radio *if equipped*.

The whole radio manual is very generic and vague.

 

[Jmaj]

Seems that the only Chevys with HD are the Tahoe and Suburban.

 

[BAZINGA]

GM is so dysfunctional, my 2014 Stingray had HD radio but from 2015 and beyond they eliminated it. My 2017 Volt Permier doesn't have HD radio, but our 2017 GMC Acadia does.

I alternate between XM and FM-HD, the audio quality is superior to XM/MP3's and about equal to a CD and the alternate programming is awesome (at least here in St Louis) by my count I found 22 HD stations "hidden" in my FM tuner.

 

[viking79]

What's HD radio? Just joking, I know. It is a format created by iBiquity that hardly anyone cares exists. Obviously if you use it, it might be important to you, but seems to me manufacturers don't want to pay the fees to have a tuner. Much like Homelink, I think they are into extorting unreasonable sums from manufacturers.

 

[telveer]

I too wish they had HD radio. I would prefer that over, or at least in addition to, the XM crap. I think they get money back from XM for every unit they sell, which is why everyone is including XM now.

 

[Loboc]

ELR has HD+XM.

HD allows the station to split their broadcast into 3 streams. So my favorite station, KLUV, has normal ‘70s and ‘80s content on channel 1. ‘60s content on 2. ‘50s content on 3. These can all be presets.

The difference between analog and HD is amazing. HD has way better fidelity.

The downside is if you get into a fringe area, the radio will flip between analog and HD which is really annoying.

XM is really dead sounding compared to even analog. I use it rarely like when on trips. Keep the same station for the whole trip.

 

[siai47]

We got a useless wireless phone charger instead of Homelink or HD Radio. Lucky us.

I like HD radio as the dynamic range is greater for music and many stations that have an AM feed rebroadcast it on one of the digital HD channels so you can actually listen to it without all the background noise. You can add just about anything to your radio system with aftermarket upgrades. I contacted a company called MVI who is found on the web as gm-navigation.com and had my radio upgraded to HD. They provide a VIN coded receiver for you car and you just swap it out with the existing unit and you now have HD radio (or other options if you want them). It does mess up your Sirius-XM subscription (if you have one) as the new receiver will have a different ID for the satellite part of the receiver so you need to change it with them. Other than that, it is plug and play.

 

[srmarti]

I don't even use the xM unless they're offering a free demo. My understanding is HD is also more terrain sensitive than plain old analog. What good is the fidelity if it cuts out more from terrain and multipath?

 

[mikem132]

Hate to burst your bubble, but HD radio is narrowband digital COMPRESSED audio. A good FM signal sounds better than any HD radio signal. HD has no noise, no flutter, and if multi-path affects the signal you lose it instead of flutter and hiss on analog FM. I have a portable HD radio. It's fine. However, HD radio has mandated low power signal and range is very limited. It was raised a few years ago, but range is still far less than an analog station. I wish it was available in GM cars just for the variety of stations. However, I read some time ago that all the problems in receptions of HD signals caused GM not not want to deal with it. And "HD" does NOT (and never did, although the intent to deceive is clear) stand for "high definition". It stood for "hybrid digital" (how convenient it is to attempt to confuse buyers).

 

[somms]

And "HD" does NOT (and never did, although the intent to deceive is clear) stand for "high definition". It stood for "hybrid digital" (how convenient it is to attempt to confuse buyers).

What!? HD is just always better, right!

 

[mikem132]

Absolutely! Whether it meant "heavy duty" or "high definition", HD is the "new and improved" version for your imaginary upgrade.

 

[firehawk618]

Typical GM garbage. I made the assumption this would include Heavy Duty radio. So dumb.

I do use it as in my area there are a few sub stations that are worth listening to.

I have a feeling that swapping in a new Tahoe radio tuner *I don't know what GM calls them anymore* wouldn't work.

I have access to Pass thru pro tool, can subscribe to ACDelco TDS for a couple days etc etc so coding it isn't the issue.

I'll need to dig and see exactly what all that tuner unit does and if it's an option.

For example, if the unit that tunes FM only dealt with FM, AM and XM then the chances are high it would work.

If that unit did the radios + nav, energy, car settings etc etc then the chances it would work are very low.

 

[joe_u]

In my opinion better audio quality is obtained via streaming radio through services like Tune-In, iHeart Radio, CBS Radio App, SteamS, My Tuner Pro, etc.. All of these are usable through Apple Car Play and Android Auto.

HD radio has alway been a controversal service since its introduction in the early 2000s. The HD signals are lower power than the Analog FM equivalent, often sync in and out between Analog FM and HD for the primary channel and just drops out for the secondary channels. A typical big city FM signal has a 50 mile radius range from the transmitting site, the equivalent HD signal has about 20 to 25 miles of radius coverage in comparison.

The Lower power for the HD signals on FM is due to co-channel interface between existing analog signals in operation. This is all due to the fact that the broadcast industry never wanted to kill the existing analog FM spectrum off like the TV broadcasters did with HDTV vs the old analog RCA transmission format that existed for over 50 years.

HD radio exists for AM radio also but causes co-channel interface on ether side of the center frequency which is noticeable with a loud audible hiss on either side of the main carrier frequency. The AM HD signals are lower in power as well and effect the modulation (audio level) on the standard AM signal. The non HD AM signals have more audio punch than the AM signals with the HD signals attached to them. There are no HD sub-channels on AM.

The broadcast industry as a whole does not provide unique programing for the HD sub channels on FM. Occasionally you may find a interesting music only format on a sub channel. Your more likely to find an HD transmission of an AM sister station or a time brokered foreign language broadcast. There are almost zero HD sub station channels with dedicated air staff and unique formats. In short, HD radio is a bust as the programmers are not serious about it and it doesn't generate revenue which is the most important factor.

GM does not take HD radio as a serious option due to how the broadcast industry treats the technology itself which is pretty much as a after-thought.

 

[firehawk618]

In my opinion better audio quality is obtained via streaming radio through services like Tune-In, iHeart Radio, CBS Radio App, SteamS, My Tuner Pro, etc.. All of these are usable through Apple Car Play and Android Auto.

HD radio has alway been a controversal service since its introduction in the early 2000s. The HD signals are lower power than the Analog FM equivalent, often sync in and out between Analog FM and HD for the primary channel and just drops out for the secondary channels. A typical big city FM signal has a 50 mile radius range from the transmitting site, the equivalent HD signal has about 20 to 25 miles of radius coverage in comparison.

The Lower power for the HD signals on FM is due to co-channel interface between existing analog signals in operation. This is all due to the fact that the broadcast industry never wanted to kill the existing analog FM spectrum off like the TV broadcasters did with HDTV vs the old analog RCA transmission format that existed for over 50 years.

HD radio exists for AM radio also but causes co-channel interface on ether side of the center frequency which is noticeable with a loud audible hiss on either side of the main carrier frequency. The AM HD signals are lower in power as well and effect the modulation (audio level) on the standard AM signal. The non HD AM signals have more audio punch than the AM signals with the HD signals attached to them. There are no HD sub-channels on AM.

The broadcast industry as a whole does not provide unique programing for the HD sub channels on FM. Occasionally you may find a interesting music only format on a sub channel. Your more likely to find an HD transmission of an AM sister station or a time brokered foreign language broadcast. There are almost zero HD sub station channels with dedicated air staff and unique formats. In short, HD radio is a bust as the programmers are not serious about it and it doesn't generate revenue which is the most important factor.

GM does not take HD radio as a serious option due to how the broadcast industry treats the technology itself which is pretty much as a after-thought.

*shrugs* All I know is I enjoy it and there are 3-4 stations I listen to regularly in this area and they come in pretty good most of the time.

I mean after all, the tuner is almost certainly already in the hardware and if it weren't I can't see it costing more than a few bucks.......