2. digital
  3. 1139454047

"Streaming Audio' vs. HDRadio

Here's an interesting question: I can now get my local FM Radio station on my computer using 'streaming audio' and I can also get the feed from a conventional tuner and also on an HDRadio receiver. So far, HDRadio receivers can be found for car stereos and just a few are available for home use. Might it be possible that so few home HDRadio receivers are available because we can get just as good a signal on our computer? I do assume the 'streaming audio' signal is digital...?
unclejeff
pabelson
344 posts
 
The determining factor is not just bitrate. It's also the choice of codec. 48kbps AAC+ will sound significantly better than 64kbps MP3. XM, I believe, uses the former.

All things being equal, of course, more bits is better. And I'd certainly expect 320kbps anything to outperform over-the-air radio.
armstrod
620 posts
 
Pabelson,

While I agree the choice of codec makes a difference, the problem is we rarely get to make that choice in the streaming radio world. I agree that at the same bitrate, AAC beats MP3 - Ogg Vorbis probably beats both. But I'm not aware of any free Internet stations (or even pay ones) that use AAC. Generally they use one of either MP3, Real, or Windows Media - occasionally they'll offer two of the three. KWVA used to offer 192Kb MP3 and 192Kb Real, but the Real stream sounded so much better that all their users (including me) flocked to it, so they reallocated their bandwidth as 64Kb MP3 and 320Kb Real.

The biggest problem with Internet stations is they tend to be run on a shoestring, so they come and go at a pretty rapid rate. Maybe we should call that the biterate. :-)
unclejeff OP
1,313 posts
 
Interesting. I would have thought that an OTA HD feed would be better. It seems that I just saved some money on buying an in-house HD Radio receiver.
armstrod
620 posts
 
Unclejeff,

I see you've posted to other HD radio threads in the past. If some of the posters in those threads are correct in their assumption that HD radio is at most 96Kb, I think that explains why HD radio is inferior to a good Internet stream. At a much lower bitrate, there's just not the same fidelity.

Satellite and HD radio make sense for moving targets like vehicles or walker/runners, but will have a tough time competing, at least on sound quality, at fixed installations, where you have a lot more options.
unclejeff OP
1,313 posts
 
I live in an area where I can get really fantastic HD picture quality using an antenna mounted on my roof. The local PBS feed as well as Monday Night Football equal the picture quality of my Dish Satellite HD receiver.

I was sort of hoping that since most all music coming from FM stations begins with a CD, a local HD Radio feed might equal what I get on my NEC Plasma.

Still, much of the above convinces me that streaming audio on DSL will be the way to go.
More to discover