14 DAY TRIAL // There was only one field that electronics giant Sony hadn't been exploring, but things had to change. Sony yesterday announced their new HD radio products, thus becoming one of the first major companies to manufacture such devices.
There are two models on today's order of business, one for home use and the other for car use. XDR-S3HD is a AM/FM/HD table radio with a simple and classic design, as Sony put it, that boasts a large back-lit blue LCD display set in a mesh-covered front panel and cabinet with rich cherry wood finish.
This model sports stereo speakers, which can simulate surround sound, and separate bass and treble controls. The XDR-S3HD radio has 20 AM and 20 FM presets that can be used to store favorite stations for quick access. Additional features include a wireless remote control and a built-in clock with sleep timer and alarm.
If you get bored with radio, even HD one, there's also an auxiliary input jack and a supplied cable to connect an external music device. This way, you can listen to mp3 files from your portable DAP. The XDR-S3HD radio has 20 AM and 20 FM presets that can be used to store favorite stations for quick access. Additional features include a wireless remote control and a built-in clock with sleep timer and alarm.
Sony estimates availability for July 2007, when it will have a price tag of around $200.
The XT-100HD is Sony's second model, this time designed for car use. The mobile HD Radio tuner is a hideaway module that connects through Sony head unit's bus interface. Sony doesn't provide too much information on it, only that it will be available in July 2007 for about $100.
For those who haven't heard of the concept, HD Radio represents a method through which digital audio is transmitted on the FM and AM radio bands. The technology was developed by iBiquity Digital Corporation. The Federal Communications Commission selected HD Radio (a hybrid system in which digital signals are sent along with the analog carrier) as the standard for local area broadcast of signals within the United States. One of the benefits of HD Radio is that sound quality is close to the CD, having reduced interference and being static.
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