# Digital radio?



## FurryOne (Apr 19, 2019)

I take it that the Model 3 uses digital streaming instead of an actual FM radio?


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## MelindaV (Apr 2, 2016)

FurryOne said:


> I take it that the Model 3 uses digital streaming instead of an actual FM radio?


it does have a terrestrial FM radio antenna, if that is what you mean. (streaming I think of as acquired by the cell signal)


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## Stach (Mar 27, 2019)

The Model 3 has a standard FM Radio that can receive both the older analog FM radio signals and the newer HD Radio digitally encoded radio stations as well.


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## FurryOne (Apr 19, 2019)

Hmmm, I must have mine set to Internet Radio because I experienced digital breakup listening to a local station. I'll have to play around with it to see where it's set.


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## garsh (Apr 4, 2016)

FurryOne said:


> Hmmm, I must have mine set to Internet Radio because I experienced digital breakup listening to a local station. I'll have to play around with it to see where it's set.


More likely, you were listening to the HD version of your FM station.
HD Radio is a thing now, similar to how TV broadcasts switched to digital several years ago. 
If there's a dash and number following the usual frequency designation on the screen (ex, 102.5-1 instead of 102.5), then you're listening to a broadcast HD signal.

You can read more about it here, as well as look up what stations are available in your area:
https://hdradio.com/why-hd-radio/

The Tesla is the first car (and so far, only car) I've owned that is able to receive HD stations. I haven't used it much (since I prefer Slacker), but I had been looking forward to it, given how much better HD TV broadcasts are compared to the old Analog broadcasts.


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## Long Ranger (Jun 1, 2018)

garsh said:


> More likely, you were listening to the HD version of your FM station.
> HD Radio is a thing now, similar to how TV broadcasts switched to digital several years ago.
> If there's a dash and number following the usual frequency designation on the screen (ex, 102.5-1 instead of 102.5), then you're listening to a broadcast HD signal.
> 
> ...


I agree, almost certainly this was HD radio. I had it in my previous vehicle and while it does sound better in most situations, in fringe reception areas it can sound worse. A bit of static sounds better to my ears than the HD echo, dropouts, and digital artifacts. I do leave it on by default since those occurrences are rare for me.

To toggle HD off, there's an HD) icon on the radio screen.

Also, I don't think Tesla displays the stations with dash numbers, it just shows 102.5 (with choices of HD1 or HD2) instead of showing 102.5-1 and 102.5-2.


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## garsh (Apr 4, 2016)

Long Ranger said:


> in fringe reception areas it can sound worse.


I know that HDTV can still be watched perfectly at distances where the old analog signal would be way too snowy to be enjoyable. When the signal is weak enough to cause dropouts, the equivalent analog signal would have been nothing more than snow with a hint of a picture peeking through if you stared hard enough.

I was expecting HD radio to be similar. There's one town in particular that I visit regularly where reception of my favorite FM stations is pretty bad. I'll have to remember to try the HD versions the next time I go there and see how it compares.


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## mswlogo (Oct 8, 2018)

You can also stream 90% of FM stations via TuneIn App in the Radio. Which tends to work way better.


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## lance.bailey (Apr 1, 2019)

the HD FM channels also give you a way to listen to AM sister channels. For example up here in Vancouver AM1130 is the sister to CJAX (Jack) FM. so 96.9-1 is Jack and 96.9-2 is AM1130

the digital version of AM1130 is a few minutes behind in the broadcast which matters to me on a traffic station.


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## mswlogo (Oct 8, 2018)

garsh said:


> I know that HDTV can still be watched perfectly at distances where the old analog signal would be way too snowy to be enjoyable. When the signal is weak enough to cause dropouts, the equivalent analog signal would have been nothing more than snow with a hint of a picture peeking through if you stared hard enough.
> 
> I was expecting HD radio to be similar. There's one town in particular that I visit regularly where reception of my favorite FM stations is pretty bad. I'll have to remember to try the HD versions the next time I go there and see how it compares.


I find HD radio usually falls off a cliff while Analog will still be OK for a while longer as I travel. It's pretty seamless.
TV wasn't quite the same because the digital won't automatically fall back to analog. I've never compared analog once I had HD OTA. (moved from Cable to OTA HD).
My gut feeling is that if I had as good an Analog Antenna as I do HD Digital (UHF Antenna), the analog would be fine.
And I'm a good ways from Antenna (at least 30 miles). And was on the fringe in early years until power was boosted and HD tuners got better.


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## FurryOne (Apr 19, 2019)

Thanks for your responses! Being new to the platform has its downside.


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## garsh (Apr 4, 2016)

FurryOne said:


> Thanks for your responses! Being new to the platform has its downside.


No worries! I'm sure there are others out there with the same question, and now they'll be able to find this thread and get the same answers.


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## SimonMatthews (Apr 20, 2018)

Note that the "HD" in HD-Radio does not stand for "High Definition". It originally stood for "Hybrid Digital", but now I believe the official position is that it doesn't stand for anything. 

Some years ago, when buying an aftermarket radio for a car, I got one that supported HD. The only advantage appeared to be that some public radio stations broadcast a delayed version of their programming on the HD "channel". 

It's nice that the radios in Teslas support it, but, having owned one, I would not pay anything extra for it.


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## TomT (Apr 1, 2019)

Here's a little more info: https://hdradio.com/why-hd-radio/

BTW, HD AM is all but useless and almost non-existent at night (due to skywave interference)...


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## mswlogo (Oct 8, 2018)

SimonMatthews said:


> Note that the "HD" in HD-Radio does not stand for "High Definition". It originally stood for "Hybrid Digital", but now I believe the official position is that it doesn't stand for anything.
> 
> Some years ago, when buying an aftermarket radio for a car, I got one that supported HD. The only advantage appeared to be that some public radio stations broadcast a delayed version of their programming on the HD "channel".
> 
> It's nice that the radios in Teslas support it, but, having owned one, I would not pay anything extra for it.


I've had HD radio since 2013 and never found the HD flavor ever delaying. It pretty seamlessly switch back and forth. The HD when it locks is always clearer. Quite a few stations offer it now.

Like the OP getting different levels a station could have time shift difference which would very bad. Since it's very common to switch back and forth as you drive.


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## Vidya (Aug 13, 2018)

lance.bailey said:


> the HD FM channels also give you a way to listen to AM sister channels. For example up here in Vancouver AM1130 is the sister to CJAX (Jack) FM. so 96.9-1 is Jack and 96.9-2 is AM1130
> 
> the digital version of AM1130 is a few minutes behind in the broadcast which matters to me on a traffic station.


This is good info. How do I know sister channels for all FM channels?. I want to listed to AM800 in Windsor Ontario, but Dont how. Except TuneIn streaming which is pretty slow most of the times


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## lance.bailey (Apr 1, 2019)

CIMX-FM is the sister of AM800 - tune into CIMX via "Direct Tune" to 88.7 on your M3 and you should see a couple of HD stations listed. "-1" should be CIMX and "-2" or "-3" will be the AM station.


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## Vidya (Aug 13, 2018)

lance.bailey said:


> CIMX-FM is the sister of AM800 - tune into CIMX via "Direct Tune" to 88.7 on your M3 and you should see a couple of HD stations listed. "-1" should be CIMX and "-2" or "-3" will be the AM station.


Thanks a lot for your info. I am wondering how you are getting the equivalent FM stations? Any reference?

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## lance.bailey (Apr 1, 2019)

wikipedia or i just try HD-2, HD-3 and so on. 

One of our local Praise stations here has a second (previously unknown to my wife and I) FM station. The classical KING-FM station here has a couple of channels (one is called "evergreen") that it broadcasts. 

Experiment and have fun! On the streaming side, my wife discovered an all-time classics hit station that had me bopping to ELO the other day.


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