I haven't seen it mentioned here yet, but Radio Shack's own Accurian model HD Radio is now in stores at well under $200 after rebate.

Product Link (http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2460834&cp=2032057&f=Taxonomy%2FRSK%2F2032057&categoryId=2032057&kwCatId=2032057&kw=accurian&parentPage=search)

Yeah, this product isn't on their website anymore. Meaningful?

Hi,everybody

I'm interesting to Radio Shack's Accurian HD Radio, it's cheap cost but I'd like to know what its performances

Who know that ?

I live from 40 to 60 miles from most HD stations, but I get the analog signals of a number of them with full quieting. Would I also get them in HD (using an indoor amplified antenna like a Terk) on the Accurian radio?

Anyone have any experience with "rural" reception on this radio?

I live from 40 to 60 miles from most HD stations, but I get the analog signals of a number of them with full quieting. Would I also get them in HD (using an indoor amplified antenna like a Terk) on the Accurian radio?

Anyone have any experience with "rural" reception on this radio?



The model number is 12-1686 called "HD tabletop Radio" you have it on hand ?
it has a T-type FM antenna which can make good reception

If sound output muted, push the Mode key for one circle or reboot your tabletop radio.

sorry

Just picked up one of the new "Accurian" HD table radios from Radio Shack. $175 after rebate.

Sound is good for a table radio.. not quite up to the sound of the more expensive "Boston" HD-Radio

The Am-HD worked right out of box with supplied (Cheep Plastic) antenna after some tweaking of direction. The FM-HD worked ok with supplied dipole-again required some tweaking of antenna direction. All this in the basement

AM-HD sounds as good as regular FM on this radio...Ultra critical listeners will hear a very slight harshness on the high end.

Now if they can get the price down to $59.95 they would have a winner

Just picked up one of the new "Accurian" HD table radios from Radio Shack. $175 after rebate.

Sound is good for a table radio.. not quite up to the sound of the more expensive "Boston" HD-Radio

The Am-HD worked right out of box with supplied (Cheep Plastic) antenna after some tweaking of direction. The FM-HD worked ok with supplied dipole-again required some tweaking of antenna direction. All this in the basement

AM-HD sounds as good as regular FM on this radio...Ultra critical listeners will hear a very slight harshness on the high end.

Now if they can get the price down to $59.95 they would have a winner


How many AM/FM HD stations you can pick-up ?
More experiences in enjoying the HD Tabletop share with us...

Anybody heard an Accurian HD Radio in a rural area?

How many AM/FM HD stations you can pick-up ?
More experiences in enjoying the HD Tabletop share with us...


Well I am just outside NYC on long Island .. so I can pick up all the stations broadcasting a HD signal..with supplied antennas. To get a lock on FM-HD stations I had to move the "T" antenna around a little. Same for the AM-HD, but I quickly got reception on both bands. With my Boston acoustics HD radio I had to esclate the antenna situation quite a bit to get reliable reception. Once I got the BA radio working, I would have to say it sounded a bit better then the radio shack especially in the low end, but then again it cost much more.

I can't really hear much difference when ether radio switches from analog to digital on the main FM channel...the HD 2 and 3 stations sound much like the FM you are used to hearing.

The extra formats avalable on the "Multi stream" channels are the big plus for me. Any improvement in sonic quility is minimal at best.

AM-HD sounds MUCH better...it's a shame the AM-HD he is not on after dark.

Still think all the HD radios are a bit pricey for "regular" people, but I am a radio junky, So I just had to have one or 2 with a third on on the way. When the Radiosophy radio finally shows up I will report back.

Thanks K2koq, but I'm talking RURAL...50 or more miles from an Urban center, not suburban (25 or so). I REALLY want to buy the Accurian (or Boston Acoustics), but a storm took down my roof antenna and rotor, and I want to be reasonably certain of getting SOMETHING in HD.

Thanks for responding. Anybody else? Anybody REALLY "out in the sticks" able to receive HD? Wouldn't it be great if the AM system actually worked for nighttime "skip"? It probably won't, but I'd REALLY love hearing the "Opry" on WSM Saturday nights with a solid digital signal (in stereo!) The last time I was in Nashville (1999), I took a Sony AM Stereo radio with me, and WSM sounded AMAZING! Perhaps the best am sound I've ever heard.

I just read on another forum that the Accurian HD radio will be available for $99.99 after rebate on Black Friday, and for a few days afterwards. So it seems this will be the first one to break under the $100 price point, if only by one cent.

So it seems this will be the first one to break under the $100 price point, if only by one cent.
If I get my rebate, my net cost for a JVC KD-HDR1 will have been US$120 including shipping, no tax. It was a bargain!

If that's actually true Carnovore, then I'm buying one (on Black Friday). WDAV Davidson (NC) (the only classical public radio station left around here) puts a monster signal into my area, and they're multicasting! Surely I'll be able to get them, if only them. I MUST hear what they sound like!

BTW this radio will be $99 with Rebate on Friday at RadioShack.

The Accurian HD's 2" speakers must sound awesome ! I hear it too, comes with loop and dipole antennas - no wonder, HD radios are selling like hotcakes ! :D

Why haven't you posted a scathing review of it on Radio Shack's web site? I know those jerks at Crutchfield wouldn't let you post a bad review of the Recepter on their site just because you never owned one, but Radio Shack isn't that picky about online reviews on their web site.

Pssst SaynotoIBOC...IT"S A TABLE RADIO! By the way, the Tivoli PAL has a SINGLE 2" speaker, and is perhaps the best sounding portable radio made! Sorry, didn't want to confuse you with facts. But here's one. IT (the Accurian) has a HEADPHONE JACK! I plan to use headphones for serious music listening. For the news, weather, etc. a 2" speaker is just fine!

Henry Kloss (with the Tivoli and Cambridge Soundworks lines) certainly proved that size doesn't matter that much. 2" can go a long way! Or, sadly for SaynotoIBOC's wife...a short one! ;)

This forum is for people who are fans of, or at least interested in the success of digital radio. If that ain't you, why exactly are you here??? Got legitimate criticism? Fire away. (I sure have some issues with IBOC, particularly on the AM band). But this "all IBOC is crap" is, well, CRAP!

Like the Recepter, the Accurian would be a better receiver it it had line outs as well as a headphone jack. Of course SayNo isn't saying that because that wouldn't jibe with his agenda of "putting doubt into people's minds" about HD Radio. Our own technical discussions here have done a better job of that.

I haven't heard the Accurian, but the Recepter's tiny speakers have an unbelievably powerful sound. The bass filled my large living room and sounded like it was coming out of 8" woofers. I don't know how it does this. It seems to break the laws of physics.

Lots has been made of the "lack of a line out" on the Accurian. HEY, you can use the headphone jack as a line out! In fact, if it's well made (as in low in noise and distortion), there's no real disadvantage to doing this. Problem solved!

My Tivoli PAL has no 'line out'. That hasn't kept me from making many great recordings from it, and using it as a component tuner on many occasions.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

I picked one up this morning.

For the future of radio this thing has a way to go.

I thought there would be song and artist information on the screen, for most there is not just the station call letters. For the ones that have the info whats shown on the screen is not whats playing on the radio.

You dont really hear much of a difference when going from regular FM to HD with the speakers on this unit. However with headphones on there is a clear difference. However its not CD Quality.

The subcarriers are odd, here in Hartford one is a Gay Dance Station (I am not kidding), one hip hop station has spanish music on its subcarier, WTIC FM has WTIC AM on its subcarrier (and its the Internet feed of WTIC AM), One station simulcasts itself on its subcarrier with a 10 second delay (thats odd), on the classic rock station the subcarrier is more classic rock, but with a deeper playlist.

Not sure if I am going to keep it or not.

Wall all HD stations "simulcast themself" on one of their channels (the proper term...not "subcarrier"). Auxiliary (HD2, HD3, etc.) channels were kind of "late to the party". The original purpose of "HD" (IBOC, or in band, on channel as it was called until some marketing genius came up with the term "HD) was to provide better audio quality for existing stations. It was NPR that first proposed (through it's "Tomorrow Radio" project) the possibility of adding additional "channels" to FM HD stations.

While you may not be interested in "gay dance music", etc...the advantage of extra channels is the ability to serve small niche audiences.

How is the PERFORMANCE of the Accurian? I ordered one today online (living in a small town, none were available at my local Radio Shack stores). I'll be interested to see what I get (being 60 miles from the nearest HD tower!)

I bought one of these this morning and I think it's FANTASTIC. The unit is so light I thought it was going to be a POS. In fact I almost didn't buy because of the weight. Well, I decided to pull the trigger and I'm glad that I did. It sounds REALLY good. The bass response took me by surprise in fact when the first station tuned in.

My radio correctly displays the Song Title and Artist every time so far. I'm guessing that other stations in the US may be having a technical problem perhaps?

I'm a little stunned to see negative reviews on this unit. So far I'm loving it.

atrac,
How far are you from your HD stations?

atrac,
How far are you from your HD stations?

Admittedly I have an advantage because I live in the Los Angeles area, specifically the San Gabriel valley. If I'm not mistaken the HD Radio transmitters are up on Mt. Wilson, which is less than 10 miles away from me. I could be incorrect about this though since I haven't researched it.

In fact I picked up a lot of HD Radio Signal without even plugging in the antenna.

I don't know how well others in rural areas will do with this radio.

Still blown away by the sound from this little thing!

How is the PERFORMANCE of the Accurian? I ordered one today online (living in a small town, none were available at my local Radio Shack stores). I'll be interested to see what I get (being 60 miles from the nearest HD tower!) It performs ok, as I said sounds very good with headphones. But had company a little while ago and it did good for backround music. (Although the adds for HD radio which the local clear channel is running is a little too much)

I know the artist title issue is not a problem with the radio, its with the local station (almost all of the HD Radio broadcasts here come from the same place, even the same building)

I am not having ANY luck picking up AM IBOC, I am about 20 miles from the WTIC 50,000 Watt Transmitters. Maybe someone forgot to hit the switch today or something.

Is there an antenna jack on the back of it? If so, is it Co-Ax or 300 ohm (two screws).

When listening to analog, does the reciever overload at all (eg, a station on 89.9 is audible on other frequency slots like 104.1 or something). I'm just wondering, because I have a huge (200") FM antenna which will mounted on the top of a hill where you can physically see the 1500' tower which houses (among other things) 100kw and 94kw FM stations, and I will be trying to receive HD stations from 75 miles (I've got a good signal, but the tuner is just going to choke if it overloads).

Scott Greczkowski,
dumb question, but is your AM loop plugged in and is it aimed in the right direction. Also, tune 10khz above or below the broadcast. Do you hear the digital hash (a harsh sounding hissssss)? If you don't, they are not broadcasting in IBOC.

Yup, I dont hear the hash (I even checked my other radio where I can always here the hash and and none today)

As I said I think because of the holiday someone forgot to hit the switch.

The FM Antenna input on the back is Coaxial.

Once the radio tunes in the HD signal I don't hear any kind of overload or bleed. I think the technology specifically prevents that since it is a digital signal that is being decoded?

Direct Link to Adobe Acrobat PDF of User Manual (http://rsk.imageg.net/graphics/uc/rsk/Support/ProductManuals/1201686_PM_EN.pdf)

I thought there would be song and artist information on the screen, for most there is not just the station call letters. For the ones that have the info whats shown on the screen is not whats playing on the radio.
That's the untrained station engineers misprogramming the encoder or screwing up something else. Welcome to HDTV seven years ago. It did have a long way to go. :)

You dont really hear much of a difference when going from regular FM to HD with the speakers on this unit. However with headphones on there is a clear difference. However its not CD Quality.
Definitely not. There's a huge difference between analog FM and CD quality and HD Radio falls somewhere in that range.

The subcarriers are odd,
You mean subchannels?

It performs ok, as I said sounds very good with headphones. But had company a little while ago and it did good for backround music. (Although the adds for HD radio which the local clear channel is running is a little too much)

I know the artist title issue is not a problem with the radio, its with the local station (almost all of the HD Radio broadcasts here come from the same place, even the same building)

I am not having ANY luck picking up AM IBOC, I am about 20 miles from the WTIC 50,000 Watt Transmitters. Maybe someone forgot to hit the switch today or something.

WTIC AM is not in HD yet. They were testing before and now they are waiting for some part to finish according to their engineer.

I also couldn't help myself yesterday and found a Radio Shack away from the malls!

I was in NYC for the holiday so I plugged it in and searched for stations I found enough on the FM dial to fill up the presets, some stations gave artists info or song titles, some did not
to my surprise when I found a station with multiple sub channels (as many as 2) some of the alternate music was totally different then the main channel, again some had artist info and some did not.

About the radio itself, it is not worth $200, but a fair price would be $50-$80 it doesn't have a lot of flexibility (features) and the sound is fair (for a table top) I also tried a pair of headphones the sound was very clean. The eq presets are okay (they should have added a few more).

When I returned home I scanned the local channels (Philadelphia market) I also found enough stations to fill up the presets. I didn't have any luck with the AM.

To improve the features it could use, auto scan, more eq's larger speakers.

When the station goes into the HD mode I could hear a change in the sound (more of an open sound) it was nothing to write home about but there is a difference.

Would I recommend this?
For less than $100 it isn't bad.

WTIC AM is not in HD yet. They were testing before and now they are waiting for some part to finish according to their engineer.

Ahh that would be it.

I have a SuperRadio III in my bathroom and listen to WTIC AM in the morning when I shower and it would piss me off to hear the hash.

It was one of the reasons why I wanted a HD radio.

Listing to WTIC AM via WTIC FM is kind of strange just because they are not airing the commercials, its just stuff for WTIC.COM

Hello,

I bought one of these on Thursday. I was more willing to pay $100 for it than $200. I did a AM and FM scan and found a number of AM and FM HD stations. I also connected the output of my computer to aux in to play computer streams on it. HD seems like a waste on AM stations that are only news and information stations. This radio seems to have decent adjacent channel. One interesting observation is that it does not output analog FM stereo.

Has anyone figured out how to disable the explosive charges protecting the IP :D and take this thing apart? I have seen inside pictures of the WII and the Zune but not HD Radio. I did take a flashlight and looked through the vents. There is an interesting header block with a jumper on it.

73 Eric

Hello,

I was mistaken. The unit will decode Analog FM Stereo. My signal input was not strong enough. I wish this unit has more indicators for analog modes. With all that screen they could put a stereo indicator on it.

73 Eric

I have a SuperRadio III in my bathroom and listen to WTIC AM in the morning when I shower and it would piss me off to hear the hash.
My local AM HD Radio station seems to have two empty 2 Khz guard bands between their crummy 5 Khz analog signal and the swooshing digital signals around it.

Doesn't the SuperRadio have a selectivity switch?

Hello,

I finally had the courage to open up the radio and look inside (Hint: some screws are hidden under the speaker grilles).

There is a Samsung module that plugs into a PCB named "Table-Top Version 2.2". The Main PCB contains the Power Supply, Amplifier, and connectors for the display, speakers, keypad, etc. The Samsung HDRMDVM0101 module contains the heart of the radio. The module has a 20 pin and a 50 pin connector to interface to the Main PCB. The module also has a JTAG connector for the ATMEL Processor.

ICs on the module include:
ATMEL Mega128L Low Power AVR RISC Processor with 128K Flash
TI TMS320DRI350AZTS5 DSP for HD Radio Baseband and Analog Decoding
TI DRI8201 Intergrated AFE
Spansion S29GL032M90TFIR4 3.3V 32Mb Flash x8/x16 Bottom Boot Sector
ESMT M12L128324A 3.3V 4MBx32 SDRam
1803A 24bit 96K Stereo Audio ADC
1782 24bit 96K Stereo Audio DAC
LM833 Dual Op Amp

This is a Software Defined Radio where the AM or FM signal is converted to a 10.7 MHz IF and then digitized. The digitized IF gets downconverted and fed to the DSP where either AM, FM or HD signals are decoded and sent to the Stereo Audio DAC. It appears even the Aux Input is digitized.

Several companies offer modules based on the HD reference design so I would not be surprised if most HD radios use the same scheme. Plug a module into a I/O board and put a custom user interface/configuration in flash.

73 Eric

It appears even the Aux Input is digitized.
I think this is true of the Recepter too. It has a "secret menu" that includes a digital equalizer (why it's in a hidden menu, I have no idea). The digital EQ also changes the Aux sound.

This radio is back down to it's Black Friday weekend price, if anyone is remotely interested. ;)

I am tempted, but "we have a problem, Houston". There are two rebates to get the low price, and both ask for the original UPC symbol from the box!

I hate stupid $%^&#@@!! rebates.

I am tempted, but "we have a problem, Houston". There are two rebates to get the low price, and both ask for the original UPC symbol from the box!
It's a mistake. The rebate receipt that prints at B&M stores only asks for a copy of the UPC, so there shouldn't be a problem.

edit:
I'll probably end up keeping this thing, but I'm not very impressed with it. The sound quality is not good. But even more importantly (to me), this thing is weak. I bought this to replace a cheap Emerson knockoff of the Tivoli Model Two, and the Acurrian has maybe ~40% of the volume of that thing. But I need to replace that Emerson radio for various reasons, and I don't know of anywhere locally that I can audition Sangean radios, so I guess I'll probably keep the Accurian. It is very noticeable when switching to/from digital/analog on our NPR station, but the sound of the HD signal with this radio is nothing to brag about.

LISTEN THROUGH HEADPHONES, or run the sound through your stereo system, using the headphone jack as a line out (the level is actually pretty low at the headphone jack, it's more of a "line out" with volume control anyway). The sound is dynamite on HD when used this wey. The little speakers are just table radio quality. But the radio is capable of much more!

I have mine patched both into the stereo system in my bedroom, and to the line input on a Tivoli PAL, which I use as a headphone amplifier. "NOW WE'RE TALKIN'!" Excellent sound, plenty of volume on headphones, what's not to like? Just ignore the dsp tone presets. What the hell were they thinking? If they wanted tone contouring, they should have included bass and treble controls.

Ironically what the Accurian is worst at is what it's being promoted as...a table radio. Forget that, and use it as a component tuner. Used that way, it's shockingly good for a hundred bucks. VERY sensitive too, pulling in HD stations from 70+ miles away with just rabbit ears! (sadly, the rabbit wants 'em back!)

If I wanted a component tuner, I would have happily paid $65 more for the HDT-1 component tuner. It seems fair to evaluate this as a tabletop radio, since that's what it is. Personally, when I buy a radio like this, I intend to use the speakers. It's not very convenient to wear headphones when I'm cooking, eating, showering, shaving, etc. I just bought this one to put in my bathroom, and I suppose it is serviceable for that. The price is right, I guess. I just hoped it would sound a little better and be a little more powerful--especially for when I'm using the aux input. Maybe I'll warm up to this a little when I've had it for more than a day. I'm pretty sure that I'm going to keep it.

I was going to ask if anyone has used the Accurian as a "tuner". I thought about doing it but I thought the headphone jack would feed too much signal, as opposed to a line out, and produce distortion, so I haven't tried it yet. Will now!

If the Accurian HD Radio has a new feature of Apple i-Pod docking is added, do you like it more ?

When I bought it as a component tuner, there were no component tuners (the Sangean has just come to market). The "headphone" out is actually closer to a line out, and it makes a great component tuner. The idea that a hundred dollar radio should have a)-a sensitive tuner, b)-properly functioning hd reception, and c)-high fidelity speakers is kind of silly. To paraphrase the old saying "you can pick two". The designers picked the first two. Since better quality amplification and speakers can be "strapped on", but a better tuner cannot, I think they chose wisely.

I may well buy a Sangean for my "big" component system eventually. But I'll continue to use the Accurian as an HD tuner in my bedroom system. So there :)-

How many antennas come with the Accurian?

How many antennas come with the Accurian?
There are 2 types of antenna, Use the “T” shaped antenna for FM, use the AM loop antenna for AM
To avoid interference, keep the power supply away from the radio system and antenna while in use.

The idea that a hundred dollar radio should have a)-a sensitive tuner, b)-properly functioning hd reception, and c)-high fidelity speakers is kind of silly.
Well, thanks for your input, but I didn't say that the price was unreasonable, did I? And I kept it, as I indicated earlier that I probably would, so I obviously don't believe that I could do a lot better for $100. I simply expressed that I'm underwhelmed by it. Personally, I think it is "silly" to expect everyone who buys a tabletop radio to use external amplification and speakers or to listen through headphones. Anyhow, I was giving my initial reaction to the radio, not conducting a poll of how many people thought I should stop using it as a tabletop radio and start using it for a purpose for which it is ill-suited and for which I have absolutely no desire of using it.

Well the speakers are as good as most any other table radio (and I have quite a few). Plus when HD "locks in", and the noise vanishes, these are events that happen primarily in the midrange and treble...so they are just as clearly audible through the built-in speakers as a really good hi-fi system (human hearing is heavily weighted toward the midrange...which makes sense, that's where voices "live". Our hearing is very sensitive to noise in the midrange and treble, and EXTREMELY insensitive to low frequency noise (anyone who's been into hi-fi as long as I have has at least a time or two seen woofers flopping about wildly while playing a record, but heard non low frequency noise at all...just the popping, crackling, and "whooshing" friction sound IN THE MIDRANGE of stylus against vinyl).

If you don't want the radio, don't buy it. But it's an "early adopter" product by any measure. In general I agree that most people won't hook up a table radio to external speakers (although I suspect headphone listening is much higher than you think!). But we "early adopters" hook up equipment in all kinds of weird ways. I've read lots of posts from people who have wired digital outs in their XM Sky-Fi units, for instance...certainly not something the manufacturer envisioned...but they wanted access to the data stream in order to use better d/a converters.

The fact that I use my radio this way kind of shoots holes in the idea that "nobody will do it". I agree that most won't. But most also won't buy an HD radio now. It hasn't "gotten through" to the public consciousness yet. But it will...in time.

I'll bet most people with portable radios never connect them to their stereo systems via a line output. But enough do that Eton/Grundig, Sangean, and others put these jacks on their radios...just in case.

I was connecting the audio from the tv to my stereo system in the mid-70s (in fact I wouldn't buy a tv if it didn't have a line out, or at least an earphone jack...more than a decade before stereo tv!). That's right..."I invented home theater" (not really, but it sounds cool). Hey, I'm a rebel!

Well the speakers are as good as most any other table radio (and I have quite a few)...
The speakers/enclosure aren't producing bass very well. And the amplifier is much weaker than some other radios, including a radio I own that once sold for as little as $5 at Target. I don't think it's being unfair or unrealistic to say that this radio could have been a "little better." It's fine, but I was hoping to be more impressed; especially after hearing the praise from that Fleishman guy.

it's an "early adopter" product by any measure.
It's a radio. There is no reason that it shouldn't be compared to other radios, as far as I'm concerned. Not everyone bought this to sit around listening to HD Radio through headphones all the time. I'm going to listen to a lot of regular AM radio on mine, and I'm going to use the aux-in a lot. Having HD is nice, but it's just an "extra" thing for me.

Fair enough. The sound quality of the "regular AM" is pretty good, but the sensitivity is nothin' to write home about. Me, I'll listen to "regular AM" on my Drake SW-8 with outdoor longwire, Eton E5 "nekkid and unashamed" (internal ferrite rod), and my Grundig S350 (later model, WITH "frequency lock"). All of these run cyrcles around any regular table radio for analog am reception. Just a note on some models you may want to consider if analog am, particularly from a distance, is of particular interest.

Ho, ho, ho!

hi. i just went to check out the accurian at my local radioshack and i have to say i was not impressed. my primary reason for wanting to buy the radio is because here in chicago there is not a hard rock station, except on a hd radio extra station. however, that particular station kept losing its signal completely like every 10 sec. is that what is normal of an hd radio? the "regular, no-hd required" stations seemed fine.

...that particular station kept losing its signal completely like every 10 sec. is that what is normal of an hd radio? the "regular, no-hd required" stations seemed fine.
There are 3 HD stations in my area, and I've only been able to receive two of them so far. I'm not sure if I'll find a way to get the other one or not. I was surprised, because that station seems pretty proud of the fact that they are in HD. I can get the other two HD stations, but they will cut out if the radio isn't getting good reception. Our NPR station is the easiest one for me to get, and it is the only one that I could hear when I listened to the Accurian in Radio Shack with the included dipole hanging on the ground. I'm about to try a new antenna, so I'll soon know how much that helps.

hi. i just went to check out the accurian at my local radioshack and i have to say i was not impressed. my primary reason for wanting to buy the radio is because here in chicago there is not a hard rock station, except on a hd radio extra station. however, that particular station kept losing its signal completely like every 10 sec. is that what is normal of an hd radio? the "regular, no-hd required" stations seemed fine.

TwistedRiffster-

Where in Chicago are you? I'm in Joliet/Plainfield, and I can easily get 97.9-2 and 95.9-2. If you can't get 97.9-2, try 95.9-2, it's a similar format.

I just bought the Accurian yesterday, and I can get most, if not all Chicagoland radio stations from here in Joliet/Plainfield.

.nine

I'm actually pleasantly impressed with the Accur:an. I purchased it so as to get a feel for the IBOC digital radio transmissions.

As with any receiver the antennas are important. A proper external FM band antenna would be the best, but the supplied simple "T" will bring in most local stations if some thought is put into the best mounting location.

The Accur:an passed my AM selectivity test, using an old Radio Shack small tuned loop, by receiving analog CHWO Toronto 740kHz (702 miles away) in the evening hours at my Roswell location which is 16 miles away from the strong signal adjacent channel WSB 750kHz transmitter site.

TwistedRiffster-

Where in Chicago are you? I'm in Joliet/Plainfield, and I can easily get 97.9-2 and 95.9-2. If you can't get 97.9-2, try 95.9-2, it's a similar format.

I just bought the Accurian yesterday, and I can get most, if not all Chicagoland radio stations from here in Joliet/Plainfield.

.nine

i live in the nw part of the city. does yours lose the signal often too?

You won't get great reception inside a Radio Shack store, especially if it's in a mall. At home, if your home's walls are wooden (rather than steel), and especially if you're not 'in a hole', you'll get good reception. You may want to spend a bit more and buy something like the Magnum Dynalab SR100 antenna. That's what it took to 'stabilize' my reception on all available HD stations.

Remember...digital packets are an all or nothing proposition. You've got to get a clean, though not necessarily strong, signal into the radio.

i live in the nw part of the city. does yours lose the signal often too?

I don't lose signal much, but I use my old TV antenna from 2001, which might a reason why. Try replacing your antenna, that might help.

Anyone know of an inexpensive learning remote control which could be used for Wake/Sleep of the Accurian HD radio?

I'm using a RCA RC807 (about $35) which does control all of the radios keys, has macros and timers... and, it works.

The problem is that the timers are one time only. So, every day I need to reprogram the wake time - which gets to be a pain. (The timer can also be used the same way, for 'sleep'). I also don't want to spend $100+ for a remote for a $100 radio! Especially when a $7 clock radio has sleep and wake functions!

Any other hacks or workarounds for anything else?

Any recommendations to 'dim' the LCD screen? Maybe an overhead projector transparency?

I spent about 30 minutes refining a post regarding the radio, overall... When I went to post it, it told me I was no longer logged in... and I lost the entire thing! Well, I'm not re-posting that now...

Thanks

Dzr,

Here's my solution to the Accurian's extremely bright screen display: hang a black sock over it at night! The LCD runs very cool, so there seems to be no danger of combustion.

I just read this entire thread, and I'm pleased to see a generally favorable consensus about the Accurian. I agree, after enjoying mine for a couple of months. I'm impressed by the sensitivity and selectivity of the FM section; in some ways it outperforms my Magnum Dynalab MD108 on analogue reception. (This also is true of the Boston Acoustics HD, which seems to have the same "guts" as the Accurian.)

Two problems to report. Please respond if you're found solutions:

(1) My Accurian is extremely susceptible to static discharges, which cause the display to go blank. Sometimes turning it OFF and ON will restore the display; other times I have to reboot by unplugging the line cord. Has anyone else experienced this problem and found a solution? (Aside from grounding oneself before touching the unit?)

(2) Has anyone found a way to defeat HD (lock the radio in analogue mode) when an HD signal is unstable? The Boston Acoustics HD can be locked in analogue mode if you press the Alarm 1 and Alarm 2 buttons simultaneously. I learned this secret from a broadcast engineer who handles three HD stations. (Wonder why BA didn't mention it in the manual?) Has anyone found a similar trick for the Accurian?

To those who have complained about irregular program data: blame the stations, not the radio manufacturers or iBiquity. In Denver, I receive 18 HD FMs, 12 with HD2 streams. Some of them have never activated their program data capability; a few don't even bother to synch up their analogue and digital streams! Rarely do I hear the 18 stations broadcasting all the streams of which they are capable. You might ask, "Why didn't they wait until the bugs were worked out?" Answer: satellite radio, Internet radio and the approaching WiFi revolution don't give them luxury to wait.

Indeed, we early adopters must help resolve glitches. Overall, however, I am delighted with HD (which means "Hybrid Digital", not "High Definition"), and I'm doing my part to talk it up with anyone who will listen.

Brad

P.S. I'd be interested to read your entire post if you reconstruct it.

Dzr,
Here's my solution to the Accurian's extremely bright screen display: hang a black sock over it at night!


I put a piece of cardboard in front of mine... I'd rather be able to make the display seeable, but dimmer....


(1) My Accurian is extremely susceptible to static discharges,

Personally, I haven't had this issue...



(Wonder why BA didn't mention it in the manual?) Has anyone found a similar trick for the Accurian?


I haven't seen anyone post one (the BA workaround has been posted before).
I have a feeling they don't post the workaround, as it would be admitting that HD isn't perfect and you may want to turn it off :-) Many radios (including my Mazda 6's car radio) have hidden hacks.


To those who have complained about irregular program data: blame the stations, not the radio manufacturers or iBiquity.


Even in analog, most radio stations in the US don't use RDS and those that do, frequently have it messed up with typos...

P.S. I'd be interested to read your entire post if you reconstruct it. Eventually :-)

I haven't had any static issues in my carpeted bedroom, but have also wondered about "locking" in analog mode. It doesn't happen often, but once in a great while the radio will bounce back and forth between analog and digital when a station is "on the edge". Usually tweaking the antenna will fix this. Still, being able to lock it would be great.

I haven't noticed any static issues either. Every once in a while, when I hit the large knob under the display to change bands, the radio freezes/locks up. I power it off and then turn it back on and that fixes the problem. I guess all of these new electronics need to be "rebooted' once in a while.

I do have an AM station, KLZ 560, that fades in and out between analog and digital. Luckily, there isn't any lag between the two signals on this station, so all I hear is sound quality fading in and out. It really isn't aggravating, but I guess being able to lock in in analog mode would be helpful.

I went to my local RS store when they had the radio on sale. the sales rep., tried to talk me into the Boston Acoustics - but was fumbleing for words when I pointed out that the RS radio was picking up 3 HD radio stations and the Sirrius FM modulator fee, but the BA one was picking up no HD Radio signals and not even the Sirrius FM mod feed. I pointed out to him that both had the same wireline ant. and they were only about a foot from eachother. Even though I was impressed the RS radio cuould pick up a signal when the BA one couldn't, I choose to wait. As luck would have it, my I told my friend about the radio, and he was at the RS clearence center - AKA outlet sote - and was looking at the radio, when a sales rep told him they had some in the back marked down to $99 because of box damage, and they are eligable for the $50 combined rebates! My friend asked me if that was a good deal - I told him to get 2 :) :) I hooked up the radio and I get every HD radio station listed for San Antonio - both FM and AM. I could even pick up - without HD several Austin area FM stations with included FM ant. I can tell a definate difference btwn analogue and digital FM, with the digital FM having a bigger dynamic range and no hiss. So for me, you can't beat the radio for the price.

I purchased the Accurian on 12/23 and yesterday I went back to purchased the $10.99 "Budget" antenna at Radio Shack. I must say I am very pleased with the final results. I live seven miles east of the Empire State Building, where all the FM's in NYC originate... You might think that would be great, unfortunately its a first floor apartment building and there's a brick building in my way. Both antennas that came with the receiver were adequate, but for only $11, I figured I buy the antenna (NPR recommended it, after all). The room the radio is in is not where reception in my home is at its best, so I hooked up a 30-foot coax cable to the receiver and purchased a $2 male-male F adapter and put the antenna in another room. Now I get almost all NYC FM HD's, though I still have to move it around, despite the fact that all FM's broadcast from the Empire State Building.I haven't noticed any static issues either. Every once in a while, when I hit the large knob under the display to change bands, the radio freezes/locks up. I power it off and then turn it back on and that fixes the problem. I guess all of these new electronics need to be "rebooted' once in a while.I get this exact same problem when hitthing the Mode button on the remote too quickly (which does the same as pushing the knob) and thought it was a faulty receiver. I guess it's just a bit buggy.

Hello,

I did a band scan of AM back when I bought it and thought I heard some stereo on a couple of non-HD stations. Well a buddy mentioned last night that the Accurian and the HDT-1 will do AM analog stereo. Sure enough I looked at a listing of AM Stereo stations, tuned in a local AM stereo station, and got stereo.

This is a nice surprise. One minor thing I do not like about the radio is it does not display FM Analog or AM Analog Stereo status. I know it is a HD radio but I would like more information.

73 Eric

Yeah a stereo indicator would be great, as would the ability to lock it in analog mode when you're right on the threshold, and hd won't quite lock in. THAT is a real weakness, but fortunately it doesn't happen that often.

You won't get great reception inside a Radio Shack store, especially if it's in a mall. At home, if your home's walls are wooden (rather than steel), and especially if you're not 'in a hole', you'll get good reception. You may want to spend a bit more and buy something like the Magnum Dynalab SR100 antenna. That's what it took to 'stabilize' my reception on all available HD stations.

Remember...digital packets are an all or nothing proposition. You've got to get a clean, though not necessarily strong, signal into the radio.

Mike,

When I go to Magnum Dynalab's site it is stated that the SR100 is for stations a maximum of 20 miles away, yet in an earlier post you state that the stations you are tuning to are 60 miles away. So why did you even try it? My guess is that with all the radio equipment you had you just had one sitting around. :)

What do you use for an AM antenna?

Yep...the reception capabilities of the SR100, WITH HD SIGNALS are far better than is claimed by the manufacturer, or than they have any right to be. It does work as I claim...at least in my case.

Remember, high end audio companies like Magnum Dynalab tend to be very conservative in their claims. A 10" piece of wire hanging from your antenna terminal would pull in stations from 20 miles! The SR100 does a lot better than that!

There's a rumor on my local radio board that newer models of the Accurian have had the C-QUAM AM stereo feature disabled!

There's a rumor on my local radio board that newer models of the Accurian have had the C-QUAM AM stereo feature disabled!


This is very interesting...however this begs the notion if it's disabled how would you enable it???

I've had some radios in the past that have had features not exactly written in the documentation. Kaito/degens for example on the 1103's can go below 3mhz for longwave and there's a odd thing that I guess goes above 30Mhz...

I wouldn't be totally surprised if there's something to be found....

I recently purchased a Polk i-Sonic unit.. I installed 50 feet of high quality RG-6 coax routed into my attic fed to a cheap set of rabbit ears plus a Channel Master model 7777 preamp attached to them.

I regularly and reliably receive a number of HD stations from the Greenville SC market (those transmitters are approx 85 miles as measured using a GPS unit), and I'm also pulling in one station from Columbia SC (this one is at the 90 mile range).. I live on average ground, not in a hole but not high up either. I find that there is a bit of thinking involved here.. Also some amount of effort to get the antenna sorted out. Doing so offers these sort of results. An outside directional antenna would surely yield even better reception.

Just remember that the radio is only as good as the antenna system attached to it! :)

Regards,
Steve

As for how C-Quam would be disabled, it is enabled in software (firmware, actually)...as the Accurian is a "software defined radio". So it could be disabled with a firmware update. If in fact some have C-Quam and others don't, it's far more likely that it's the early ones that don't, and that C-Quam was added later (than that it was taken away! Most manufacturers don't take away features with updates...an exception being Creative Labs who wants to defeat the fm recording capability in my Zen Nano Plus with a firmware update. NO THANKS, GUYS!)

It seems that Accurian radios made before September can decode C-QUAM while the ones made after that can't. Check your radios.

Manufacturers sure do take away features in firmware updates. It could be that the engineers slipped the feature in (you don't find it in any manual, do you?) and "forgot" to negotiate an agreement with Motorola who still own the patents or possibly Ibiquity heard about it and felt people would get confused by hearing AM stereo that isn't HD Radio.

And Creative disabling recording FM in their Zen products is a great example of a manufacturer removing a feature just to appease another organization.

It seems that Accurian radios made before September can decode C-QUAM while the ones made after that can't. Check your radios.

Manufacturers sure do take away features in firmware updates. It could be that the engineers slipped the feature in (you don't find it in any manual, do you?) and "forgot" to negotiate an agreement with Motorola who still own the patents or possibly Ibiquity heard about it and felt people would get confused by hearing AM stereo that isn't HD Radio.

And Creative disabling recording FM in their Zen products is a great example of a manufacturer removing a feature just to appease another organization.

Hello,

My radio has a date code of 09A06 and does decode C-QUAM.

It is common for integrated circuits with processors to have reference software/firmware as well. The baseband processor used to decode HD, C-QUAM, etc,... is just a TI DSP with iBiquity/TI firmware that turns it into a baseband processor. iBiquity provides source code and tools for the reference hardware. Likely Samsung provides a modified version for their module.
http://www.ibiquity.com/manufacturers/receiver_manufacturers/tools_for_building_radios

It is possible that iBiquity or TI removed C-QUAM decoding from the current DSP firmware. In my mind it is more likely that Radio Shack disabled C-QUAM decoding because it is not part of their product specification. If recent HDT-1 tuners can still decode C-QUAM then it is likely Radio Shack doing any C-QUAM disabling.

73 Eric

While all of that is possible Eric, one would have to be a bit of a conspiracy theorist to consider it likely. I still say the most likely explanation is that a)-all Accurians are C-Quam capable...if you ain't gettin' it, your station has dropped C-Quam or b)-C-Quam was ADDED, not taken away.

Hello,

Near the bottom of the url mentioned below the person mentions a lockup problem and tests with a C-QUAM generator did not produce stereo on a September 2006 radio. I suppose it is possible the pilot was mistakenly left off so the radio did not switch into stereo mode. I also noticed on mine that it can take 25 seconds or more for it to switch into C-QUAM stereo.
http://meduci.com/

There needs to be a few more data points with radios before and after 09A06 date codes to see if or when this occurred. I found of the several AM Stereo stations in my area, a couple only have stereo on the backup, one seems to have dropped it, and one music station is using it.
740 WJIB in Cambridge, MA is using it but only during the daytime.

73 Eric

I still say the most likely explanation is that a)-all Accurians are C-Quam capable...if you ain't gettin' it, your station has dropped C-Quam or b)-C-Quam was ADDED, not taken away.
Some people are testing the newer Accurians with professional C-QUAM signal generators and aren't getting any stereo out of them.

Well assuming their generators are putting out a 25hz pilot tone, then I could be wrong. Hey, stranger things have happened :)

Hello,

From information over on the HDT-1 thread, the AM Stereo pilot tone has to be present at the right level for the radio to decode AM Stereo. The HDT-1 and Accurian both use the DRI350 Baseband Decoder so that may explain the problem. AM Stereo receivers only use the pilot tone to turn on the AM Stereo light. I suspect the DRI350 uses it to switch from HD mode to AM Stereo mode. HD and AM Stereo both use a form of QAM so the signal characteristics are used to determine the mode.

73 Eric

Linuxsteeple you're right that AM stereo doesn't need the pilot tone for decoding. But most AM stereo radios I've used wouldn't switch to stereo without it. The exception was the Sony SRF-A100. It didn't even have a stereo pilot light for AM.

I receive one AM station that shows the call letters when I tune it but it rarely changes over to HD on my Accurian. It seems like it can decode the call letters OK but can't take it to the next step. Has anyone else experienced this or might it just be an issue with borderline reception?

I bought the Accurian HD radio from Radio Shack at the end of October 2006. I am reasonably satisfied with it. Since I live only 8 miles or so from the Empire State Building, I get HD reception with the antennas that came with the radio. My only complaint is that I never got the rebate from Ibiquity. I am not going to file a lawsuit over $25, but they never sent it to me.

You could if you wanted to, the constitution set the lower limit at $ 20. :D :D

Does anybody know how sensitive the Accurian is on analog FM? I am thinking about getting one for my barn for BOTH HD reception and analog reception from my Panaxis low-power FM transmitter. My only standards for comparison are the GE Superadio and the CCrane. The CCrane hears the transmiter okay, but the GE Superadio III hears it better and has the provision for an external antenna.

The Accurian is reasonably sensitive. My Eton E5 is more sensitive on analog FM, as is my GE SuperRadio III. I've never found the CC Radio to be anything but average on FM. But mine is miscalibrated (about 1khz off) on AM as well. Certainly not the "Best AM Available Today". Far from it!

Radio Shack has a $50 gift card remate (I think a Mastercard) for purchases of the Accurian HD Radio going on until (I think) next week.

If I didn't hate credit card gift cards, I might have gone for the offer myself and gotten another one.

Richard

I bought the Accurian HD radio from Radio Shack at the end of October 2006. I am reasonably satisfied with it. Since I live only 8 miles or so from the Empire State Building, I get HD reception with the antennas that came with the radio. My only complaint is that I never got the rebate from Ibiquity. I am not going to file a lawsuit over $25, but they never sent it to me.
Send them a letter explaining your predicament along with a copy of your receipt and take it from there.
Richard

Doxy's right. I got my rebate, as did most people. If you didn't, raise some hell! The squeaky wheel DOES get the grease!

I don't even bother with rebates any more. I've had to call and beg and demand to get every single one in the past three years. The companies they subcontract the rebate process to simply do not intend to give everyone their rebate, and why should they?

I received my Accurian rebate timely. However, that was the exception rather than the rule. Yesterday, I received 4 rebates totalling $60 from D-link for some wireless networking stuff I bought on sale the day after Thanksgiving. Almost six months. And that's after I called them about two months ago asking about them.

You might want to contact your state's Attorney General office. It's not the $25 is a great sum of money, but the principle is that you are entitled to a rebate and you should receive it, no matter the amount.

Canon owed me over $300 in rebates for a ton of camera equipment I bought last year. I got it all right... in $25-$35 checks spread out over several months of being a constant thorn in their side. You don't get rebates... you earn them. Unfortunately I don't enjoy being a jackass but you have to be to win in the rebate game they'll make you play.

There's a reason they want you to cut the UPS codes out of the boxes -- so they can say you forgot to include them. Then what do you do, pal? They'll just laugh at any other so-called "proof of purchase" you offer to send them. Sale receipts? Warrantee cards? Don't waste their time. You're just trying to rip them off.

After about 4 months of owning the accurian HD radio, the display has become garbled, and most time blank, but it can still pickup the stations. Not sure it is static discharge as someone stated earlier in this thread. Wouldn't you know the warranty is 90 days. :mad:

After about 4 months of owning the accurian HD radio, the display has become garbled, and most time blank, but it can still pickup the stations. Not sure it is static discharge as someone stated earlier in this thread. Wouldn't you know the warranty is 90 days. :mad:
I'd take it back to Radio Shack and try to see if they will replace it or fix it anyway. They are usually pretty good at doing this. Of course it all depends on the store manager.

Good Luck!

I've had my Accurian since late last year. I used to move it around a lot - room to room - but I've settled it in my den the past couple of months. What I've noticed is the clock loses time. I last set it about a month ago and it's already 3 minutes slow. I guess there isn't much I can do about it. It certainly doesn't affect the operation of the radio itself.

Clock? It has a clock? Kidding! But I've had mine since November, and have never even set the clock. I have a BIG LED clock in my bedroom, so it never even occured to me to use the Accurian's clock. I guess I'm weird (DUH!)

Pssst SaynotoIBOC...IT"S A TABLE RADIO! By the way, the Tivoli PAL has a SINGLE 2" speaker, and is perhaps the best sounding portable radio made! Sorry, didn't want to confuse you with facts. But here's one. IT (the Accurian) has a HEADPHONE JACK! I plan to use headphones for serious music listening. For the news, weather, etc. a 2" speaker is just fine!

Henry Kloss (with the Tivoli and Cambridge Soundworks lines) certainly proved that size doesn't matter that much. 2" can go a long way! Or, sadly for SaynotoIBOC's wife...a short one! ;)



I got the Accurian on the Black Friday sale in Nov. 2006.

Even with headphones, the 5 pre-sets deliver too much bass for my tastes! I would have preferred a separate Bass & Treble control, or, the option to Customize a USER preset.
I DO NOT have the problem with Bass while listening with the headphones, from --any-- source on the computer, so I know the problem is NOT the headphones I use. :)

Listening to most HD FM Music stations over the Acuurian speakers, at --any-- Loud listening level is not cool, with the extra Bass that comes in.

For News, Talk, and Sports.... It's A-OK.

As engineers become more adept at tweaking the HD signal for Music, and as coporations back off from the Loudness Wars, perhaps, the HD sound at Loud levels from a table top like the Accurian will be better.

I picked up my Accurian at Goodwill for $6. :D Not a bad radio, on either the analog side or the HD side. That display is indeed bright!

I picked up my Accurian at Goodwill for $6. :D Not a bad radio, on either the analog side or the HD side. That display is indeed bright!

I just got one on ebay for $28.00. There is a seller called Dyscern selling returned open box models starting at $0.01 but they seem to end up going for around $30. It works quite well. I live about 40 miles E. of Phoenix and can get all the FM and AM HD stations great in the daytime using outside antennas. At night though I can only get the Disney channel reliably on AM in HD when stations cut the power. I wanted to be able to receive KFYI at night but it's just too weak and tends to drop in and out of HD but I found that KNIX HD2 carries KFYI so I can listen on FM now and it comes in good all the time.

I just got one on ebay for $28.00. There is a seller called Dyscern selling returned open box models starting at $0.01 but they seem to end up going for around $30. It works quite well. I live about 40 miles E. of Phoenix and can get all the FM and AM HD stations great in the daytime using outside antennas. At night though I can only get the Disney channel reliably on AM in HD when stations cut the power. I wanted to be able to receive KFYI at night but it's just too weak and tends to drop in and out of HD but I found that KNIX HD2 carries KFYI so I can listen on FM now and it comes in good all the time.

Indeed many stations have found out that carrying the AM as an FM subchannel offers more relaible coverage, especially at night.

As far as getting yours on eBay, that is still a good deal - plus yours probably has a remote. Mine was missing.

Yeah but it's only a little credit card sized remote that's not much good unlike the nice big full size remotes with real buttons that you get with a Sony or Sangean but the price was right. The R/S radio works great so far, the only problem I have with it is the display is really bright and can't be dimmed. It's a beautiful display though with bright white text on a blue background. Also the clock doesn't keep very good time and always drifts off by a couple of minutes.

Yeah but it's only a little credit card sized remote that's not much good unlike the nice big full size remotes with real buttons that you get with a Sony or Sangean but the price was right. The R/S radio works great so far, the only problem I have with it is the display is really bright and can't be dimmed. It's a beautiful display though with bright white text on a blue background. Also the clock doesn't keep very good time and always drifts off by a couple of minutes.

Steve - Thanks for the info on the remote, I knew that it couldn't be too big as the cradle for it wasn't that huge. Wonder if a universal remote would work? Has anyone tried?

My granddaughter was the first to spot it at Goodwill, last Spring. I took it to the "power strip"/test area and it worked (no sparks flew out of it)! The only other HD radio's that I have seen at GW were some new in the box head units that looked cheap in quality. Wonder if a Sony or Sangean will make it to GW? GW has been very good to me. I bought an early 80's model GE Superadio for $5, a few months back.

A universal remote would probably work if you could train it. Most of those little credit card remotes seem to be the same except for the arrangement of buttons. The remote for my IR-168 internet radio works some of the functions of the Accurian and vice-versa.

I have the Accurian HD Radio from Radio Shack, it came with 2 different FM Antennas, but they don't reach out far enough to get any HD Radio Stations. Is there a much better FM HD Radio Antenna that will go over 20 miles from where i am. Does the TERK HDR-I - HD radio antenna work and is it compatiable with the Accurian HD Radio. Right now I can't get any HD Radio stations on FM.

I have the Accurian HD Radio from Radio Shack, it came with 2 different FM Antennas, but they don't reach out far enough to get any HD Radio Stations. Is there a much better FM HD Radio Antenna that will go over 20 miles from where i am. Does the TERK HDR-I - HD radio antenna work and is it compatiable with the Accurian HD Radio. Right now I can't get any HD Radio stations on FM.
The antennas that come with the radio aren't worth much because they are both for indoor use. It would help to know where you are and what you are are trying to receive but an ordinary car radio or CB whip should work fine to get all the FM stations in HD in the area as long as you mount it outside on the roof, the higher the better.
I can get all the FM HD stations from Phoenix quite strong that are 40 miles away with just a whip. I can also get most of the FM stations from Tucson 100 miles away well enough to listen to but they are too weak for HD.
If there's one station that is particularly weak and needs a little more gain or you have a station that has interference from another station in a different direction you need a directional antenna like a yagi. Radio Shack used to sell an FM yagi that looked similar to a single channel TV antenna that worked well. I don't know if they still sell them but you can also use a VHF TV antenna and get good reception as long as all the stations you want to get are in the same direction since it only picks up from the front and to a lesser extent from the rear.
The same whip antenna I use for FM also picks up AM stations in HD from Phoenix but presents a problem connecting to the radio since it has 2 separate inputs. You can use 2 different antennas or just solder the two inputs together inside the radio underneath the bottom cover.

Does anyone have any luck with the TERK AM / FM Tower, i have the Accurian HD Radio I need to get out 60-175 miles from where I live to get any HD Radio signal. Does the TERK AM / FM Tower reach out 60-175 miles?

You aren't going to get any AM HD stations from that far away or any FM stations in HD either unless they are really strong 50Kw ones. You will need a really high gain, directional antenna on a tower at least 50' high to have a chance of getting anything as long as there are no hills or anything in the way. Or you could move closer.

Does anyone have any luck with the TERK AM / FM Tower, i have the Accurian HD Radio I need to get out 60-175 miles from where I live to get any HD Radio signal. Does the TERK AM / FM Tower reach out 60-175 miles?

If not in mobile home ? Try taking Your T strap antenna... Put in a vertical position near a window... I have got HD at Night this way on the FM HD... I use Tune a tenna for AM. 50 KW Night stations may lock in for a min. But is hard to do. More AM stations are trying HD at Night if not causing interference. Dallas is one with 50Kw & a 5,000 Watt station on 24 Hrs a Day.. WOAI, KMOX, & others is doing 24 Hrs a Day HD Day... AM can on HD car radio do 75 Miles with 50 Kw station Night 25 Miles. Remember better chance for FM HD at Night, Day better for AM. Sky wave makes it hard for HD to lock in & stay.

I found myself near a local RS yesterday and decided to stop in to see if there was anything good on clearance (since you can usually get pretty good deals on clearance stuff), and as I was walking by the radio section I saw a yellow tag that made me do a double take...

"Accurian HD Radio, Reg. $149.99, Now $14.97...!!!" :eek: [emphasis added... :D ]

I thought that had to be a mistake. There was nothing on the shelf, but I just had to find out if the tag was true. I had a salesperson come over and sure enough, that is the current price. I asked her if she could check other RS's to see if anybody had it in stock. The one a few miles up the road had 2. Not having the chance to stop by yesterday, I went today and they were both reserved/sold... to none other than RS managers from other stores! The salesperson there was nice enough to check outside of his district (something most salespeople will claim they cannot do), and he located 2 in the next district over. He conned... er... sweet-talked them into mailing it to his store (apparently they are not supposed to ship stuff between districts, only within them... weird!). It should arrive Monday.

I don't know if I am going to be getting any decent signal being so far from Mt. Wilson, but we'll see. For $15, I couldn't resist. Well, I should say $22, since he also conned me into buying the ext warranty. I don't usually go for those, but the idea of having it replaced with a comparable unit if it should up and die or somehow fail was too big of a carrot to pass up for 12.5¢/month (comparable to the MSRP, not the sale price).

So, if you always wanted one, just not at that $175 list price, or if you have one and need a replacement/want a backup, now is the time.

BTW, the salesperson today told me that the reason they are being clearanced is because RS is switching from the Accurian label to the new Auveo (?) label. Weird reason for a 90% markdown, but ok.

It was discontinued a LONG time ago; I'm really surprised they had any left. But it is a nice radio. The sound is surprisingly pleasant.

That's interesting. I hadn't seen it there before and the salesperson at the first store told me that the price only dropped the week before.

I didn't have a chance to swing by to pick up my radio until today and... the bastages in the other store sent their demo!!! :mad: They had 2 in stock, and the salesperson here verified that one was new and I was buying the new one, and they shipped the display instead, and sold the new one in store to someone else! To add insult to injury, it was missing the remote, and more importantly the FM antenna! Words cannot express my disdain, so:

:mad: &%@^P($#!t)&*(&!*($&(*#!!!!!!!!1111!!!!1!!1 :mad:

Anyway, I stood there for 45 minutes while the guy (who turns out to be the manager incognito) called all over hell and back trying to find a NIB one. I left with their display since they had not yet shipped it to the other manager and it was in much better condition (i.e., it wasn't dented!), and had the remote and antenna. Before packing it up, he told me that he just got off the phone with a store in New Mexico, but that person was the only one in the store and was going to check the back once he cleared the floor.

OK, now that I vented: "serenity now... serenity now..."

Now I am glad that I bought the service plan, since it was the demo and all, since if it does go bad at least I have the ability to get it replaced with its replacement... provided there will be one. Who knows, since it has been discontinued "a LONG time ago." Oh, well... whatcha gonna do?

I think I bought one (a second one) when they discontinued them, and if memory serves right it was almost a year ago.

Thanks for the tip on the price reduction...that's pretty insane for this unit. Like I said somewhere before (either in this thread or another one), it sounds very very good for its size and weight (and the weight is very minimal, which originally had me worried).

I found a store locally that had their demo unit left -- missing the a/c adapter. The one I already own was an eBay reject unit that, oddly enough, was also missing the a/c adapter. I managed to find out the specs of it and am still shocked to this day -- 12 V, 5 A. 5 A????? That's insane! Does the radio really require that much, or did they overshoot that amount???

Also, does anyone happen to know how to open one of these units??? The AM reception on my first radio is horrible...I'm sure there is an adjustment inside, but I couldn't get very far the last time I tried to disassemble it. I got the bottom off and was able to access FM offset controls, but couldn't reach what I believe the be the AM ones.

Thanks!

No problem. Glad to pass on some usable info. ;)

As for me, I went back to the store last week, and the manager (still incognito) told me that the New Mexico shop did have a NIB one left, and they were supposedly shipping it to him. He told me to check in early this week, so I will call tomorrow.

As far as the display model that I took, I haven't had the chance to fire it up, yet, so I still can't comment on how it sounds (it wasn't getting reception in the store since the antenna wasn't hooked up). With the new NM info, I may just wait to return it, anyway. However, I did take a moment to pull it out of the box and take the vacuum to it (I had bought two pair of Sony speakers on clearance there for ~$19 a piece, and one pair was the dusty display set), so it will be nice and clean when I return it.

Can you tell I am a little on the optimistic side? :D Still crossing my fingers that this new NIB one is actually NIB!

Oh, and good luck getting to the AM controls. BTW, did you pick up the demo that you saw?

BTW, did you pick up the demo that you saw?

Yep, sure did! :)

Hello,

I finally had the courage to open up the radio and look inside (Hint: some screws are hidden under the speaker grilles).



Dang, if only I had seen your post earlier. It took me way too long to figure out about the screws behind the grills. ;)

I did a search for the Samsung HD board inside and it brought me back to this thread. LOL

I see jumper settings for KG, SN, OI, NR, and VV. Ours is set for KG. Have no idea what the others are for, but I am of the adventurous type. ;)