HD radio question for Saturn/GM Tech folks

[TechnoSky]

With the impending demise of Analog radio transmissions coming in the next few years, I am a little surprised that the inclusion of an HD or digital tuner in the factory radio is not standard or even offered. So my question is for those of you GM/Saturn tech people, is HD / Digital tuning going to be included in future factory radio systems and do you think an upgraded radio will be available to those of us with 07-08 Sky's?
I realize I could change the radio out for an aftermarket unit, but I would prefer to keep the looks and the integration of the factory system. Add-on HD tuners use FM modulation to input the signal to the factory radio and this seems to defeat the purpose of the superior sound quality of the digital signal.
Any thoughts and/or comments would be appreciated.
Thanks.

[BLK GXP]

I have an HD radio tuner included with the iPod interface I got from Integration Solutions. It works the same way as the GM PAL unit. It emulates the XM signal. It is not an FM modulator. It's not perfect, but it works. I agree with you that more manufacturers should be jumping on this. I really like the aesthetics and ergonomics of the factory radio. Most aftermarket radios really suffer in these areas. Although even the aftermarket seems to be slow in implementing this. I hear commercials all the time touting HD radio, but the hardware options are still rather limited. Most of the aftermarket offerings are just HD ready and you have to have an add on module. If GM were to offer this I would like to have it.

[Mandi]

GM has no offical bulletin out reffering to HD radio..............I wasn't aware that analog radio was being phased out like TV.

I suspect there will be some converter out for non-HD radios when the time comes so you can keep the factory radio. Just like there are converter boxes out so you can still keep your tube type TV.

[MidniteBlues]

I sorta disagree that FM/AM broadcasting will end up on the technology Heep. As of today you can get HD off the internet and internet only far as I know, AND you need a hardwire type connection to receive the ones & zeros. Then you have XM/Serius which is of course digital, granted satellite digital, never-the-less it is a digi sig transmitted over the air. There are a lot of myths about XM, so lets clear them up. XM Radios are exactly like normal radios in that they receive electromagnetic waves and translate them into information. XM receives its signal from 2 satellites (named Rock & Roll) and, in heavily populated areas, ground-based broadcasters. Normal Radio simply have ground- based broadcasters. The info in a normal radio signal is analog and encoded using AM or FM. The info in XM is in digital form, compressed to allow better quality in less space, and the signal is encoded using a proprietary encryption scheme. Just like normal radios, XM has an antenna, which receives the signal. You must have an antenna capable of receiving the signal to even get it. You tune to different frequencies to hear different stations on normal radio; all of the XM Channels are on one range of frequencies. Think of XM as simply one radio station, with lots of programs. Your XM Radio then takes the entire stream of channels and extracts the one channel you want to listen and decoded/decompresses it.

I doubt that the old analog radio signals will be forced off the airways for many many more years. You have the other options that will become available, and ways to integrate it, but pure HD radio? Only if done like Xm/Serius. Not likely any time soon, and even so, it will have be transmitted some how some way, in an analog way, then decoded digitally... IF you have info or proof of this fact, that AM/FM is history, please post your source, otherwise, it is all pure speculation on your part..