[Jimbert]

I have the HD radio option, and I have noticed that sometimes it gets HD and sometimes it doesn't. This is on stations that I KNOW are HD. One of the stations has HD-2 and HD-3, which, of course, I can't switch to when my radio doesn't detect that HD is being transmitted.

This is with i-drive and a May delivery, so I'm pretty sure I have Progman version 25.something.

Anyone else seeing this problem? Anyone else have HD radio? LOL

[jmonier]

This is a problem with HD broadcasting in general. If reception is marginal you'll lose the HD while the base analog signal is still there.

[Jimbert]

Originally Posted by jmonier

This is a problem with HD broadcasting in general. If reception is marginal you'll lose the HD while the base analog signal is still there.

That may be, but in this case, I don't think so. This happens on at least two stations, always at the same time. I either get HD on both of them or neither of them. One of them is a pretty strong local station. Do you still think that is it?

[David1]

Normal, mine does the same thing. It really a pain when the broadcast are about a 1 second appart. Sounds like an echo when it switches.

[jmonier]

Originally Posted by Jimbert

That may be, but in this case, I don't think so. This happens on at least two stations, always at the same time. I either get HD on both of them or neither of them. One of them is a pretty strong local station. Do you still think that is it?

It is perhaps at the same location that you pass at about the same time every day? FM reception is affected as much by obstacles in the way as by distance. Since it happens to two different stations at the same time I would think that there is an obstacle blocking both of them. This is the way it happens to me (and the obstacle may not be too obvious).

[Jimbert]

Originally Posted by jmonier

It is perhaps at the same location that you pass at about the same time every day? FM reception is affected as much by obstacles in the way as by distance. Since it happens to two different stations at the same time I would think that there is an obstacle blocking both of them. This is the way it happens to me (and the obstacle may not be too obvious).

Some days it works, some days it doesn't. Same times, same locations, the whole way between home and work which is about 7 miles. This is in a suburb, with no concentration of high buildings. Today it didn't work and I checked a third HD station - no HD there either. Yesterday it worked on the two stations I checked.

Almost forgot - I checked a 4th station today, an AM one, and it worked. It was a powerful clear channel station, but I didn't buy HD for AM channels.

[Jimbert]

I was reading some stuff on HD radio and found some interesting info. The FM digital HD signal is transmitted at only 1/100th of the power of the analog FM signal. So maybe the tuner in the BMW FM is not as sensitive as it should be. Here is an article that talks about that aspect, on some table-top HD radios.

http://www.mp3newswire.net/stories/7002/hd-radio2.html

[Jimbert]

Problem Solved! I found out that several local stations, including the ones I listen to, were transmitting from the same tower and they were working on that tower during the day. So during the day, they transmitted from an alternate location that did not support HD. They should be back to normal in a week to 10 days from now.

I found this out after the dealer spent two days with my car diagnosing the HD problem and finding nothing wrong, of course. I did consult with them first, before bringing it in, and one of their techs even ran a quick diagnostic scan on it. It was his recommendation that I schedule an appt for a full diagnostic test. I informed the dealer, in case anyone else complains about their HD not working.

[dinkoh]

I have the same problem, but its just a matter of how strong the HD signal is. I just wish HD reception was stronger, seems like a waste of $500 to me.