Insignia NS-HD01: first-ever portable HD Radio on sale at Best Buy
By Darren Murph 
posted Jul 12th 2009 12:01AM
posted Jul 12th 2009 12:01AM
Best Buy® Releases First-Ever Portable HD Radio Receiver
Insignia™ HD Radio™ Portable Player Provides Digital HD Radio Broadcasting On the Go
MINNEAPOLIS – Today, Best Buy announced the launch of the Insignia™ HD Radio Portable Player, a first-of-its-kind product innovation, which will be available exclusively at Best Buy on July 12.
HD Radio technology is transforming the radio experience in ways never thought possible. It enables FM radio stations to broadcast their programs digitally, ensuring that listeners will experience clear reception with no audio distortion. Digital broadcasting allows listeners to access – for free – new HD Radio channels and more programming than ever before.
As the first-ever portable HD Radio player, the Insignia HD Radio Portable Player will make it easy for listeners to take the exceptional HD Radio experience on the go. The player offers new and extra FM HD Radio channels with crystal-clear, static-free sound, allowing listeners to take
the ultimate sound experience to the gym or for a jog anywhere there is an HD Radio signal.
"The sound quality and LCD screen features of the Insignia HD Radio portable are phenomenal," said Mike Dahnert, Insignia Portable HD Radio product manager. "Best Buy is proud to be the first to bring such a unique and quality product to our customers."
"We applaud Best Buy for setting a precedent in the audio entertainment marketplace by offering the first-ever portable HD Radio receiver," said Bob Struble, President and CEO of iBiquity Digital Corporation, the developer of digital HD Radio technology for AM/FM audio and data broadcasting. "With new HD2/HD3 digital channels, crystal-clear sound, no subscription
fees, and now, thanks to Best Buy, the ability to take digital radio on the go, it's a total win for the consumer and one more indication that the HD Radio momentum is continuing."
The built-in, rechargeable Lithium-ion battery on the Insignia HD Radio Portable Player ensures long periods of continuous listening and entertainment, and a full-color LCD screen makes it simple to program your favorite preset stations at any time. A stylish armband and a 3.5 mm jack output make it easy to use the player on the go or in your car. Set up to 10 user-selectable preset memory channels to save and enjoy your favorite stations wherever you go. For a full list of HD Radio stations, visit http://www.hdradio.com.
MSRP – $49.99
Features:
- 10 station presets
- Built-in rechargeable lithium-ion battery (up to 10 hours of playing time)
- 3.5mm output (can be used with car stereo [cable not included])
- Full color display
- Displays radio station, artist, and song
- 1.5" LCD screen
Accessories included:
Earphones, Armband, USB cable for charging
Package contents:
Earphones, Armband, USB cable, User guide and Quick Set Up Guide
I have a portable HD radio in my garage and another in my house. Ones from Sony, the other from Memorex. I bought both of them at Best Buy during there fathers day sale.
Thanks for the commercial though.
the gloss-effect-to-sell-more is so attractive
Although, when you see it in person, it'll be a piece of shit matte black product that was built by an 8 year old employee at Best Buy.
That is one of the worst professional photoshops I have ever had the displeasure of beholding!
just came to comment on the n00bish glass effect. damn you've hired some real 'shoppin professionals Insignia.
I bit the bullet and picked one up. It's actually not bad looking, though the shiny plastic was immediately covered in fingerprints.
http://www.zatznotfunny.com/2009-07/best-buy-launches-first-portable-hd-radio-i-gots/
I thought the armband was the selling point... looks like one of those blood pressure readers.
I think it's fairly safe for me to predict that no one's gonna comment about the Zune HD being ugly after seeing THOSE pictures.
Omg!1!!1!@ its so pretty i must buy!!! ZOMG
If I'm not mistaken, the Zune HD has an HD radio in it....
I don't think anyone said the Zune HD was ugly per se, just that engadget posted some hurried and unflattering pictures..you know because they were working on that anti-MS bomb.
damn. meant for the above comment.
True, but it's not for sale until the fall.
At best 'HD Radio' is a feature left to the back sections of your portable device, and not worth getting a dedicated product. What, you think those annoying 'back and forth arguing couple' commercials will sound better with an equalizer effect over it?
Exactly! HD radio is an add on (not a stand alone device). And a lame, commercial filled one at that! MEH!!
My computer plays HD radio fine. And so do the 3 old ones I have. No need for an appliance style one.
You keep using that word (HD). I do not think it means what you think it means.
hello circa 2001 rio mp3 player
AWSOME ... now I can get 40 minutes of commercials ever hour in HD Clarity.
I can hardly wait.YAWN.....
Apparently you don't listen to the radio very often.
Radio? You mean that thing in my car which hasn't been turned on since i ran an rca cable from the back of cd player to my ipod?
If you knew jack $h1t about HD Radio, you would know that there are actually commercial-free, cost-free stations.
@Karl
I think you're confusing HD radio with Satellite (XM. etc) radio in your ill-informed rant. HD radio on my local stations are just better sounding versions of regular programming, morning show, music, AND commercials. Look before you leap into asshat canyon....
@hecklez
Actually, the secondary HD stations are commercial free so far(aka 93.2-2, 93.2-3, etc). So Karl is totally right.
HD Radio is cool, but so far they really need to up the power of the signal as being more than 20 miles from the tower makes the station impossible to listen to with the digital cliff where an analog station might just have a little fuzz. I know there is talk to make the analog/digital power ratio 90/10 instead of 99/1 on the towers. It needs it bad.
@hecklerz:
One of the HD channels of one of my local stations is all stand-up comedy, all the time. Uncensored, usually, it seems, as well.
This will be AWESOME when I decide to drive 90 mins to Knoxville which has maybe 2 stations broadcasting HD! It will be well worth the um... oh yeah, never mind. waste of money to listen to shit I don't want to hear in the first place... doesn't matter if it's in HD or not. Radio plays a bunch of sucky ass music anyways!
oh yeah, I love the fake ass glare they put on it... looks like they used the same layer for both the front and back! it's a shame you have to photoshop your own product to make it look better, but only failing miserably.
You love it? I think it's quite tacky.
You might want to google "define:sarcasm"
I think that might help you understand my comment a bit more this time around than your first go at it.
Ditto.
This will be a great way to add in CH2 and CH3 of NPR to my outdated and non-replaceable car radio. Thanks!
I wish HD really meant hi def in this case. Oh well, back to my sinking Sirius XM.
actually event though it means Hybrid Digital instead of High Definition the quality difference is amazing. I have a Pioneer HD Radio in my car and the quality from regular FM to HD is amazing. HD-Radio is easily CD quality for all songs. It's almost like listening to songs off my Zune/USB drive.
This will be purrrfect for my DISCO STICK>
hahahahaha
I don't know much about the new HD radio format. I realize the motivation to have a clean digital signal, but what happens when you have a spotty signal? If you live somewhere with mountains, stations go in and out a lot, but just momentarily and they get static-y. With this, will the station just not work at all unless you have a perfect clean signal?
>> "I realize the motivation to have a clean digital signal, but what happens when you have a spotty signal?"
At that point you would plug in your iPod or other digital music player.
YOU choose what to listen to... not some corporate radio station!
Michael,
I do agree with you in terms of content. I don't listen to the radio for much beyond NPR.
I guess we're years and years from a possible transition to digital-only radio, so its really a non-issue, but radio provides public safety information for severe weather alerts and communications in disaster-struck areas, etc.
With HD Radio, if the digital signal is too weak, it will switch to analog. One problem with this is the fact that many times, the analog signal is out of sync with the digital signal. Stations have to properly configure a delay for the analog signal in order to avoid this, and many times they just don't bother. So if you're in a fringe signal area, it can get pretty annoying.
@Jeremy W
interesting, thanks for the insight.
I have a tabletop HD radio, with a strong antenna, not far from the broadcast transmitters of most New York City HD stations. Reception is, at best, spotty. I can only imagine what it will be like with a portable unit, with a cheap built-in antenna. And as a previous post noted, HD radio does not mean "high definition." The sound suffers greatly when compared to a good FM analog signal.
To Brian Rose HDradio does mean High Definition.Hd radio provides CD quality audio,and analog signal can never compare to that.If you live in a metropolitan area the more HD stations you will find.Most HD channels are the same as analog but in CD quality,and some channels are completely new,available only in HD signal.
My first HD radio will be a Zune...not this thing.
Although, I just looked into HD radio...and found out that where I live, their is only 2 HD radio stations...and their both classical. :(
I dunno, I think I'm gonna get one tomorrow, I have $50 in BB gift cards, and nothing to do with them before now. It can't be that bad, Insignia is an awful brand, but meh, the only other things I could get at BB for $50 would be DVDs.
I won a desktop HD radio recently but still haven't unpacked it because none of my local stations do HD.
This thing makes the first gen Slacker portable look like a work of art.
I'm slightly upset that the Zune HD will not be the first HD-Radio player anymore. But this is a good deal for $50 and anyone who wants a portable radio should go for it. Glad to see it actually come out and with good battery life as well. Guess with 10 hours in this thing won't have to be too worried about the HD-radio in the ZuneHD with the tegra and OLED screen helping the battery life.
that tegra chip should actually help the battery life of the ZuneHD.
ok...so what?
what's the point of a player if the content isn't there?
Especially in the SF Bay Area where there's too many f*cking Clear Channel stations and they keep changing stations to bullcrap (because they said "market research" says they should).
In fact, if KKSF was still playing jazz instead of "Classic Rock," then I would have been tempted but no....the thugs at CC thought that the area didn't have enough classic rock stations (there were 2-3 in place and KKSF was the only jazz station...clearly a monopoly wasn't good enough)
...USB cable? For what, charging? Something like this should include a wall adapter, not depend on a computer's power.
You are kidding right!!!! USB charging is the only thing I will buy now! All I need is one more proprietary plug in transformer, NOT!!!!!!! Besides they have wall plug in adapters that have a usb cable charger available. It is all about STANDARDS. Be gone with all the different connectors! Sorry for the rant but I've been hoping for the day we don't need a different cable for every friggin electronic device I own, and that is a lot.....
You know what?... That makes sense, and I completely agree with you. Things that can be charged off of low-current/voltage USB should use that connector. There should also be a second _standardized_ charging adapter for devices which require much higher current/voltage (i.e. power tools).
holy fuck, has a passionate disagreement just been defused by openness and reasoning? /on Engadget??/
Plenty of HD stations in DFW. I'll get this, bad photoshop be damned!!!
Rush Limbaugh in FM quality, and All Things Considered in CD quality.
The Sanza slotradio has a HD radio in it. Thats what they say on the website anyway.
I guess by "available today" they mean through bestbuy.com. Which, by the way, does not even have a picture of the device. I put in several zip codes into the product locator, and it comes back with bupkis.
no memory slot for my music? no thank you!
The prototype had a micro SD slot for media playback but this function appears to have been dropped from the retail model. Probably to keep the cost under $50, I assume...
I agree with TRAFFICBLOWS (lol nice name btw)
this should have doubled as an mp3 p[layer and provided a slot for a miniSD card..
I think dedicated radio devices, even in HD, are outdated.
Radio? it still exists? wow! Thanks but I have every song ever made on my pmp! Why would anyone need radio? :P
I don't understand why they didn't include a gig or memory and add mp3 playback functionality. It would have been much more useful of a device with that added.
FM Tuner only? Some of us do liek AM radio you know. An AM tuner would be nice too!
What ever happened to portable stereos (or whatever they're called)? They're stuck in the '90s, with the only update being the ability to play mp3 CDs. Why aren't there portable stereos with HD radio receivers and hard drives (or flash RAM) in 'em?
I want one so I can get FM at home through my pc and then I can plug it in my car stereo and get it on the road.
Radio staions are what made many musicians and bands well-known if not famous, Ipod's? They are just a very small part (nothing) of a worldwide phenomenon known as "the local radio stations", which have been around since KCBS first started broadcasting audio in 1910.
Remove them all and you are left holding your dick in your hands, not your ipod. Go stick a pc or tv in your ear and see how that works for ya.
My only concern is the amplifier, and of course, Insignia's site is just short of a bag of garbage sold daily in santi alley. They also sell one for twice the price which looks similar to a standard home receiver. The only difference is the optical/coax ability and more presets ??
Why are ipods about the only handheld devices I know of (that do anything) which also have decent amps??
I think perhaps the world is changing. IMO for the better. I truly do not believe that teh folks choosing what songs get played on todays music sations have the same motivation that they had in the past.
The world of radios driving music sales is slowly disappearing just as the "album" model is being replaced by iTunes singles.
While I don't doubt that most of today's music had its origins in radios broadcasting it for us to hear I don't foresee that as the future.
Just look at the way Radios are in homes. Growing up we had a Stereo which regularly played radio stations in our living room.
Today I have clock radios which wake me up and then from then on it's a radio-free house.
I am afraid the days of a radio-free car are not too far in the future as well.
Pretty cool if you ask me.
Let's see if it matches it's hype.
http://www.renogeek.com
bhsx @ May 14th 2009 12:16AM
Insignia at Best Buy....
You heard it here first!
What do i win?
Above was posted by me on the linked Portable HD Radio Prototype...
So, uh, what do i win?
Nowadays I can stream almost ANY radio to my i910 Omnia.
Wunder Radio
Resco Pocket Radio
Pandora
All through my (truly) all you can eat data plan.
I don't really rove out of data areas so it works out great for me.
I Just bought one. The antenna is week. I wish it had a built in transmitter for the car
HD radio? I'll stick with the casette to 1/8" adapter with my iPhone for now thanks...oh yeah and the regular radio.
Does it have a speaker or ONLY earbuds??
After placing an order locally, I found the NS-HD01 at
ONE Best Buy. I have been trying it out this morning and
have to say this is one little wonderful gadget. The color
screen gets high marks. Tuning is absolutely simple — you
seek tune and then can use the UP/DWN buttons to scroll
through the available HD subchannels. Reception sensitivity
here in the DC area is superb — playing it through my home
multi-speaker setup yields excellent sound, great volume.
I have experienced no fading or breakup of local HD channels.
Now — for my purposes, I would make this recommendation
to Best Buy/Insignia — put an audio output on the radio — this
would enable recording of signals in addition to just being able
to listen. And the next obvious step would be to incorporate a
solid state recording capability, with say a 2 GB minimum capacity.
If they are really smart they would design the next version of this
along the lines of the CC Witness which enables use of both internal
and SDHC card recording as well as a multi-event timer.
But that’s for the future — the Insignia just shows that you don’t
really need to get a large HD receiver if you want to take advantage
of the new technology.
I hope this is not a bad sign but mine seems to have died today after only a week and a half. When I plugged it in to recharge it the screen came on for a few moments and then nothing. It will not turn on and it will not charge. I am very disappointed because it is not in stock at my local Best Buy. Has anyone else had this happen?
Yes. Mine is dead too. The screen is lit but nothing displays, it's just black. Doesn't charge and hitting reset doesn't do anything. Bringing it back to Best Buy tomorrow.
I don't know if anyone mentioned this yet, but the Insignia model is NOT the first portable HD radio. The author is incorrect.
The first portable HD radio was the Coby HDR-700, which came out around 1 year ago.
The Insignia model is FM HD only. It does not provide AM HD (or even AM analog). The Coby model, however feature both FM HD and AM HD. Therefore, the Coby HDR-700 is still the only portable FM HD and AM HD radio.
I would not be so quick to ditch this little Portable HD radio.
When I head the adds for the Zune HD I became all excited.
When I found out it wasn't out yet and it was going to cost me as much as an iTouch I was disappointed.
So yesterday I bought the little HD radio.
For what I paid for it it is very nice.
Reception of HD stations are limited inside of a building.
But when the power for HD is increased from 1% things will probably get better.
My main reason for getting is not the sound quality.
I just want to know the name of the song and the artiest.
I like to guess. Now I know I'm not as good as I thought that I was.
And now I will have money for my Verizon iPhone.
I picked up one of these last weekend, took it for a spin and was disappointed. I didn't pick up a single HD station in Annapolis, MD. I know there are some around here. Maybe closer to DC or Baltimore, but if they're transmitting with the same wattage as their analog counterparts, I should have picked up something.
I made sure the headphones were plugged in and held my hand up in the air and all that.
If you live in an area where you can get a signal, then this is probably a great unit. I had to take mine back, though. Guess I need to just get a proper car stereo with HD and hope my car's antenna does a better job with reception.