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Radio
Receivers for the Holidays
Consumer
electronics gadgets are some of the most popular holiday gifts,
and some of the most exciting include radio receivers! Below is
a sampling of some products available now which include HD Radio
or Radio Data System (RDS) technology:
 LG
PC12 – a 2008 CES Innovations Award Winner, the LG PC12
is a unique and full-featured tabletop stereo radio. In addition
to HD Radio capability, it includes a dock for an iPod, a vacuum-loading
CD slot, a USB connector for playing Windows Media Audio (WMA) or
MP3 format music from flash drives, MP3 players, or disc-based USB
storage devices, and it supports clock, alarm and sleep modes that
work with the radio, CD or portable audio players. Available online
for $179 from Beach Camera at www.beachcamera.com/shop/product.aspx?sku=LGPC12&omid=169&ref=ci.
 Coby
HDR-650 home receiver – another HD Radio home receiver
with an innovative design is the Coby HDR-650. It has a brushed
aluminum casing and comes with a full-featured remote control, a
power supply, stereo RCA-type connectors for use with home audio
systems, a 3.5mm headphone jack and an AM loop antenna. It has a
10-station preset memory and a high-contrast LCD display with backlight
which will display station information including song title and
artist. The Coby HDR-650 is available from a number of online retailers
including audiovideobargains.com where it sells for $89.99 (go to
www.audiovideobargains.com/0/13435406.html).
 Crutchfield
– Crutchfield (Charlottesville, VA, www.crutchfield.com)
is a well-known, mail-order catalog-based (and now Internet-based)
auto radio specialty retailer. In recent years, Crutchfield has
expanded their offerings to digital TVs and other digital consumer
electronics products like camcorders and navigation systems. The
2008 Crutchfield Holiday catalog is full of HD Radio receiver products
and information, including:
- an in-dash
auto receiver comparison chart listing 26 models (out of 49) with
HD Radio receiver capability (and one of four marine receivers
has HD Radio capability, as well). Brands with HD Radio capability
available from Crutchfield include Alpine, Dual, JVC, Kenwood,
Pioneer, and Sony, with prices starting at $99;
- a four-page
“HD Radio in your car” information section, providing
information to consumers about HD Radio technology along with
some featured HD Radio products. Other technologies featured in
a similar fashion in the catalog include USB in your car,”
“Bluetooth in your car,” and “iPod in your car.”
In addition to
the radios in the catalog, Crutchfield has twelve HD Radio home and
tabletop models, and additional marine radio models, available on
their Web site. Crutchfield is offering up to $70 instant rebates
when buying an add-on HD Radio tuner together with a compatible car
stereo on the same order—for more information go to www.crutchfield.com/hdradiorebate.
 Holiday
specials–
numerous special offers are listed on the HDRadio.com Web page at
www.hdradio.com/gift/,
including:
- “Send
a hint” – using the HD Radio buyer’s guide
included on this Web site, consumers can create what is essentially
an HD Radio wish list that can be easily emailed to potential
gift givers – this is available at www.hdradio.com/buyers_guide.php;
 iLuv
i68 HD Radio alarm clock – Walmart is selling this radio
for $89.88 – it includes an auxiliary input compatible with
MP3 players (available online at http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=10340878;- Sony XDR-S10HdiP
– a $30 discount is being offered on this tabletop HD Radio
receiver from Sony which also includes the popular iTunes tagging
feature. Available at Amazon.com at www.amazon.com/Sony-XDR-S10HDiP-Radio-Dock-iPhone/dp/B0014T4S86;
- Gift alerts
– consumers with cell phones that support text messaging
can text the word “SANTA” to 58011 to receive text message
announcements about HD Radio receiver specials.
 Microsoft
Zune –
while not an HD Radio product, the Microsoft Zune is a gift item
that incorporates the latest in song tagging technology, using
the FM subcarrier-based Radio Data System (RDS). The Zune is an
MP3 player that has a built-in FM radio receiver and supports
“RDS tagging” which is similar to the “iTunes tagging”
feature supported by a variety of HD Radio products. As shown
in the photo, there are a number of Zune models available. For
additional information on RDS tagging see the October
20, 2008 issue of Radio TechCheck.
 Total
Traffic Network-enabled navigation – a number of GPS
navigation devices have built-in FM receivers which use the RDS
subcarrier to receive traffic information from Clear Channel Radio’s
“Total Traffic Network.” One example of such a device
is the Navigon 2200T which is available on Amazon.com for $150
(www.amazon.com/dp/B001EJN2GA/?tag=googhydr-20&hvadid=2531331291&ref=pd_sl_13kauyw61t_e).
The Navigon device has free real-time traffic updates for the
life of the device, with no subscriptions or additional hardware
needed. Total Traffic Network now serves more than 125 metropolitan
markets in four countries, including the United States, Canada,
Mexico and New Zealand. Total Traffic Network delivers real-time
traffic data via in-car or portable navigation systems, broadcast
media, wireless and Internet-based services. For more information
visit the Total Traffic Network Web site at www.realtimetraffic.net.
The
December 8, 2008 Radio TechCheck is also available
in an Adobe Acrobat file.
Please
click
here to read the Adobe Acrobat version of Radio TechCheck.
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