Astonishing Sony XDRF1HD Tuner

Progress Report

The HD (I2S) to TOSLINK or S/PDIF has proved troublesome. Random clicking in left channel will not go away. Tried various MCLCK sources, no change. Still pursuing this.

OTOH the outboard I2S DAC to analog works perfectly and sounds very good. HD content completely bypasses all the XDR's DSP/DAC section, gets 24-bit over sampling and jitter elimination, and sounds better for it.
 
:rockon:

am converting the I2S data to TOSLINK optical out, for processing by an outboard DAC

I would like to know the method or chips used (schematic pls :)?
The DAC was again a _?
 
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Is anyone making a similar tuner any more. There are a few of the Sony's around for crazy prices, and I see Sangean doesn't make theirs anymore. Any suggestions? I regret selling the modded Sony I had.
 
Last I checked, US commercial stations were backing away from HD. With a failed initiative and low customer acceptance, why bother.

One can still do a DSP tuner without HD but it would be a small market. I think the Accuphase T-1000 was the first and it didn't have HD. I don't know of any others.
 
I'd use mine for a boat anchor if it still didn't work perfectly, because I never use it. And if I had a boat. Okay, it's light, so make that a paper-weight. If I had paper lying around.
 
Can't believe this thread is still kicking. I still have my little Sony on the bedroom dresser and it has worked great since when 2008? Yes I too endure the frustration with there being no HD tuners out there which I think is a load of it but what can you do. It's nuts because we have so many HD stations here. I half wonder if the cars are HD but not advertised as such. My Accord sounds gorgeous on an HD station.

Anyway, I hope this tuner never dies on me that will be a very bad day.
 
Can't believe this thread is still kicking. I still have my little Sony on the bedroom dresser and it has worked great since when 2008? Yes I too endure the frustration with there being no HD tuners out there which I think is a load of it but what can you do. It's nuts because we have so many HD stations here. I half wonder if the cars are HD but not advertised as such. My Accord sounds gorgeous on an HD station.

Anyway, I hope this tuner never dies on me that will be a very bad day.

BMW is including HD in many (all?) their new car ICEs and have since at least 2009 if not before.

Every time I take mine in for service and get a loaner, or have my car's software updated, HD is disabled. I bet most of the owners out there don't even know that their car has the capability. I wouldn't have if I hadn't a) RTFM and b) test drove one back in the day that had a savvy owner and I noticed the "HD" indication pop up on the screen.
 
BMW is including HD in many (all?) their new car ICEs and have since at least 2009 if not before.

Every time I take mine in for service and get a loaner, or have my car's software updated, HD is disabled. I bet most of the owners out there don't even know that their car has the capability. I wouldn't have if I hadn't a) RTFM and b) test drove one back in the day that had a savvy owner and I noticed the "HD" indication pop up on the screen.

In my 2010 Accord the radio always has the "RTS" indicator on the screen and never any RTS to see. It sure sounds like beautiful HD but there is no HD indicator of any kind. Odd...
 
Maine Public Radio has broadcast via HD for years. They recently added a new music channel on HD. Primarily classical with jazz on Friday nights. There's a very strong signal pointed at me here in Southern Maine.
 
Is anyone making a similar tuner any more. There are a few of the Sony's around for crazy prices, and I see Sangean doesn't make theirs anymore. Any suggestions? I regret selling the modded Sony I had.

Yeah. Pickins are slim for home use. I wanted to set something up to get the sub channels on my favorite low power college station.

As mentioned, lots of good options in automotive heads though. I went with a nice little Sony with RCA pre outs powered with a 12v monitor brick. Those are good for 6A and more than enough if you're just using the radio as a tuner. The radio's plugged into a tape loop on the receiver.

Only tricky part was the antenna. I ended up making my own adapter that has the Motorola plug for the radio, and a standard F connector at the other end for connection to an external antenna.

The results are excellent ...

hd-radio-wgvu.jpg


Plan was to eventually build a case for the thing to pretty it up, but not a real priority as it's tucked into the rack and you really gotta look to notice the industrial look of the chassis. I just slapped some stick on rubber feet to the bottom to keep it from sliding around.

PS ... mine is a Sony CDX GT710HD, but it's discontinued.
 
Our public radio station seriously short changes Austin music lovers. They (KUT 90.5 FM) have 3 HD signals. The first is a simulcast of the PBS news feed (mostly) and is allocated 1/2 of the total bandwidth. The second is a simulcast of their KUTX station which is 24 hr rock and "eclectic" music. The third is a broadcast of Hispanic music. The second two share the remaining half of the bandwidth. Both are sent out in Mono.

The regular (non HD) 90.5 FM comes in nice and strong throughout most of the city. KUTX (music) comes in not nearly as well due to transmitter and signal shortcomings. Bottom line is, if one is looking for news, you're covered. Music - not so much.

Thanks a lot KUT.
 
I feel yer pain, eh.
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The one I was going for with my little project does a couple real nice subs ... one is all goldie oldies, and the other is killer jazz, both 24/7 ...

Where it got to be fun, is it's low power over a major metro and over 20 air miles away. Took a pretty good antenna AND a magnum amp to drag it in ...

fm-antenna-stack.jpg


The vertical whip is omni, and the FM6 yagi is pointed right at their tower. Both are ganged into a single downfeed.
 
Progress Report

The HD (I2S) to TOSLINK or S/PDIF has proved troublesome. Random clicking in left channel will not go away. Tried various MCLCK sources, no change. Still pursuing this.

OTOH the outboard I2S DAC to analog works perfectly and sounds very good. HD content completely bypasses all the XDR's DSP/DAC section, gets 24-bit over sampling and jitter elimination, and sounds better for it.

I've been working on this again, I2S to S/PDIF for HD only. It's working well enough to maybe send out a prototype for evaluation. It sounds like listening through to the source. CDs sound great, mp3s and such not so much since they've been decimated by compression compared to CDs. No surprising news there.
 
I put the Sony HD back in service today. Pulls in a lot of stations with simple rabbit ears by a window. I'd forgotten just how good it does that. Still did nothing to improve local FM fare - was hoping to find an HD alternate program gem. Maybe the night will bring in better programming; one can hope. So keeping my fingers crossed for the widely scattered darkness forecast for tonight (a nod to George Carlin).
 
I was fortunate to pick up a spare (#3) Sony here on BT recently. I did the extended HF mod (remove some DMD caps) and will probably set it up with n one of the systems soon.
The only problem I find is that after leaving it on for several months straight I have to reboot it.
I'm fortunate that Boston has some desirable FM and HD stations.
 
Still hunting for one of these, modded, preferably. But like musichal, not many options here, tho there is a fantastic jazz station out of Nashville.
 
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