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sat radio and sound quality

HMTKSteveHMTKSteve
in Technology
Is it me or does satellite radio broadcast the shittiest signal possible?

My car came with a three month trial subscription and the audio quality is piss poor. It sounds worse than shortwave.

I typically rip my music at the highest setting possible and it sounds fine (via mp3) in my car.

Also, is there an easy way to unlock the few songs I have purchased via iTunes? I copied a bunch of songs to a thumb drive and the stuff I bought from apple will not play.

Comments

  • Luke BurrageLuke Burrage
    Make sure you download a format that will play in your car. AAC and MP3 are different, I think, and not every player plays AAC.
  • AprecheApreche
    The things you copied from iTunes aren't failing to play because of DRM. They are failing because they are AAC, and the car probably only supports MP3.
  • Luke BurrageLuke Burrage
    You can convert a song to a different file format (and keep a copy of the original). For example, you can save a copy of a compressed song file such as MP3 or AAC in an uncompressed song format (AIFF or WAV).

    When converting from a compressed to uncompressed file format (for example, from MP3 to AIFF), you shouldn’t notice any reduction in sound quality. However, when converting between compressed formats (for example, MP3 and AAC), you might notice a reduction in the sound quality. For the best results, if you want your music encoded in a different file format, import the music again from the original source using the new encoding format.

    Important: You can convert iTunes Store purchases only if they’re iTunes Plus songs.

    Convert a song’s file format
    Choose iTunes > Preferences, click General, and click Import Settings.

    In the Import Using pop-up menu, choose the format you want to convert songs to, and click OK to save the settings.

    Select one or more songs in your library and choose File > Create New Version > Create [format] Version.

    The song in its original format and the newly converted song appear in your library.

  • HMTKSteveHMTKSteve
    Is it safe to assume purchases made after 2009 are iTunes plus?
  • Luke BurrageLuke Burrage
    I don't know what that is.
  • Luke BurrageLuke Burrage
    Ah, think those are the non-DRM songs.
  • HMTKSteveHMTKSteve
    Luke Burrage said:

    I don't know what that is.

    You used the term in your own post!
  • Luke BurrageLuke Burrage
    I copied and pasted from the iTunes help file.
  • Victor FrostVictor Frost
    edited January 2015
    HMTKSteve said:

    Is it me or does satellite radio broadcast the shittiest signal possible?

    Compared to MP3 and HD radio, yes. Here's why:
    Satellite radio has a VERY limited bandwidth in which to fit all those channels. As a result, what you get is a digital stream of anywhere from 50-120kbps, depending on the version of receiver you have (1.0 or 2.0) and whether you're in range of a 1.0 or 2.0 satellite or terrestrial repeater. If you have a car with a 1.0 reciever (which will be unable to connect to most transmitters come late 2015), you're probably at the low end of that bitrate range. Compared to mp3, or even HD radio (which is either at 96kbps or 120, depending on the mode) it will sound pretty bad.


    However, the advantage of satellite comes coverage. Either you're receiving it or you're not and, if you're above ground, you'll be receiving it 99% of the time. No stations fading in and out and you can drive Maine to Los Angeles listening to just one station the entire time if you want to.
    Post edited by Victor Frost on
  • HMTKSteveHMTKSteve
    I understand the coverage argument but what good is the coverage if everything sounds like shit?
  • AprecheApreche
    HMTKSteve said:

    I understand the coverage argument but what good is the coverage if everything sounds like shit?

    Satellite radio is not so useful for music in the first place. The primary feature it sports.
  • ChurbaChurba
    edited January 2015
    Apreche said:

    HMTKSteve said:

    I understand the coverage argument but what good is the coverage if everything sounds like shit?

    Satellite radio is not so useful for music in the first place. The primary feature it sports.
    Well, that, and for Howard Stern to slowly putter through his golden years by playing the same schtick he's always played.

    Post edited by Churba on
  • Dragonmaster LouDragonmaster Lou
    Victor Frost said:


    However, the advantage of satellite comes coverage. Either you're receiving it or you're not and, if you're above ground, you'll be receiving it 99% of the time. No stations fading in and out and you can drive Maine to Los Angeles listening to just one station the entire time if you want to.

    This is exactly the reason why satellite radio is supposedly very popular with long haul truckers.
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