Anybody have this HD model?

[Alexander Svirsky]

> http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Insignia™+-+HD+Radio+Portable+Player/9375071.p?id=1218094581941&skuId=9375071&st=HD&contract_desc=null
>
> Curious if this is worth the bother ...
>
> The store has it for $40

The portable Insignia HD radio is useful. I've used mine for about  
three months. My thoughts and impressions:

Good:
- Reasonably good reception. Headphone cord is the antenna, so stretch it out.
- Behaves OK in an RF-dense environment (99.5, 92.1).
- Powered by USB cable, so I usually plug it into my computer to keep  
it charged when I use it. I treat it like my ipod, with the same  
permanent battery gotcha.
- Cheap. Got me into digital FM.
- Portable.

Bad:
- FM only. However, a device at this price point with AM coverage  
would not work very well.
- Included earpieces have low-quality audio.
- I'm not thrilled with how I perceive its ability to cleanly process  
digital audio. Maybe it's me, but I've heard better. I think I hear  
artifacts that I don't hear on other HD receivers.
- Buttons and UI are non-intuitive and I wish it was easier/quicker to  
just tune up and down the band.

Bottom line, it's really the only way to get portable digital FM at a  
reasonable price. At $40 you won't regret it at all, and you'll  
probably enjoy it a lot.

Also, heads up on a better deal:

Radio Shack is selling the Auvio HD AM/FM component tuner on clearance  
at $79.97. I've been using it for about a week. While appearances are  
that it has cheap guts, it behaves well and I'm impressed with its  
performance overall, especially FM adjacent channel rejection. Has a  
rotary tuning dial and simple interface. Also, it does AM HD. No joy  
for me yet, but I have general AM reception issues.

I don't know if RS is getting out of HD radio or if they have  
something better coming in, but they're unloading this Auvio tuner.