Public Radio Market

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HD Radios

HD Radio

HD Radio is an exciting new technology that allows radio stations to broadcast digitally in CD-like sound. Even better, it also enables stations to "multicast" additional channels on a single frequency. This means more options for listeners with HD-capable radios, and more options for stations to explore new and innovative content.

As the technology continues to improve and stations across the country add HD content to their services, HD-capable radios are becoming widely available and increasingly affordable. We’ve tested several ourselves.

For tabletop radios, this Sony XDR-S10HDiP HD Radio is currently our top-performing pick.

Featured HD Radio: Sony XDR-S3HD

For HD tuners, (i.e., not a radio or a receiver, a tuner requires an amplifier and speakers to work), we recommend the Sony XDRF1HD HD Radio Tuner. It is so good that the Minnesota Public Radio engineering department uses it to monitor its HD stations. Small and relatively inexpensive, it hooks up easily to any home hi-fi system or any radio, including table-top radios, that have an auxiliary input jack

Sony XDRF1HD HD Radio Tuner

View other HD & Web Radio products.

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~ Public Radio Market Staff

HD Radio Resources

HD Radio

Also known as net radio, streaming radio, and e-radio, webcasting is an audio broadcasting service transmitted via the Internet.

Internet radio services are accessible from anywhere in the world—for example, one could listen to an Australian radio station from Europe or from America, so long as the station is streaming over the Internet. This means you have access to, literally, thousands of internet radio services and hundreds of formats from around the world. Internet Radio is truly a global medium!

Listening to Internet Radio with your computer

You can receive webcasts through your computer if the computer has audio streaming software (e.g., Windows Media Player, RealAudio, Quick Time etc.). However, you may want to upgrade from your existing computer speakers, especially if you plan to listen to music online. The following computer speakers have garnered especially good reviews and are priced to make them good values:

Logitech Z-2300 THX-Certified 200-Watt 2.1 Speaker System Harman Kardon SoundSticks II 2.1 Plug and Play Multimedia Speaker System Creative Labs GigaWorks T40 Premium 2.0 Multimedia Speaker System with BasXPort Technology Altec Lansing FX4021 2.1 Powered Audio Speaker System
Logitech Z-2300 THX-Certified 200-Watt 2.1 Speaker System Harman Kardon SoundSticks II 2.1 Plug and Play Multimedia Speaker System Creative Labs GigaWorks T40 Premium 2.0 Multimedia Speaker System with BasXPort Technology Altec Lansing FX4021 2.1 Powered Audio Speaker System

View other computer speakers

Listening to Internet Radio without a home computer

If you are in a location that has wireless connection to the Internet (such as a home wireless network), you can also use a radio-like device that is set up to receive webcasts and bypass your home computer altogether. This device is known as a Web Radio. We recommend the Roku SoundBridge Web radio. View other HD & Web Radio products.

Featured Web Radio: Roku Highbridge

Web Radio Resources

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