And it is not widely spread enough to be out of the woods but it is certainly coming," Enderle said. "With any new technology there are always questions until it becomes ubiquitous. He says the number of stations has reached a critical mass. Rob Enderle is principal analyst with the Enderle Group, a technology consulting firm in San Jose, Calif. They're now available on 1,300 stations across the country, double the number from last summer. More and more people can hear high-definition signals these days. Consumers either didn't know what HD radio was, or they didn't believe it would ever catch on. I've had some real health issues within the last couple of years," Nail said.Īnother hurdle for the company was education. "I've probably cried more in the last three years than I have in my entire life. And just as the company prepared to unveil its latest radio, the president of the company, Jeff Garreans, died in an auto accident. Then, their overseas manufacturer backed out at the last minute. The high-definition radio pioneers encountered immediate and significant challenges.įirst, they were delayed in developing a receiver for high-definition signals. But that $500,000 – including the couple's life savings - didn't last long. Some friends, family and a few outside investors agreed that Billings and Nail had a good idea and they invested in the company. Radio stations were creating high-definition signals to compete with satellite radio, but existing radios could not receive them. In 2004, high-definition radios did not exist. She had worked at Gateway in the 1990s and could bring her public relations skills to the business. He had just left his job at computer-maker Gateway and thought putting his contacts in overseas manufacturing to work was a good idea. "I would not put her through that again."īut the couple thought it was a smart move three years ago when they formed Radiosophy. "It's been so hard on Sue," Billings said. "I just had no idea it would be this much work and this much of a challenge." "Would I do it again? No way," said Nail. But it hasn't exactly worked out that way. They thought they'd create their own business, building and selling lots of high-definition radios, and live happily ever after. But after suffering setback after setback, they say their story is something of a cautionary tale for entrepreneurs.īill Billings and Sue Nail struck out on their own with the goal of living the American dream. Radiosophy, a privately held company with operations in North Sioux City, South Dakota, is dedicated to developing innovative, high-quality, affordable receivers for the digital radio market.Three years ago in North Sioux City, South Dakota, a husband and wife launched the company Radiosophy to produce high definition radios. More information on the complete line of Radiosophy’s HD Radio products can be found online at or by calling 1-877-4HD-RADIO (443.7234). Radiosophy will be attending and giving away an HD100 radio as a door prize. Radio Guide’s Barry Mishkind is hosting a luncheon with the “Lunch Bunch” at the Riviera Hotel Buffet Restaurant on Tuesday, April 15th. until 6:00 p.m., the Radiosophy HD100 and MultiSteam will be displayed in conjunction with an HD Radio demo by Beasley Broadcasting just outside the main entrance to the convention center. Attendees can see it at the Nautel booth (N8111) and the Harris Corporation booth (N2502.) Radiosophy will be displaying the HD100 radio in two different locations at the NAB (National Association of Broadcasters) Expo in Las Vegas, April 14-19th. Additionally, the receiver allows for the connection of external AM and FM antennas. The HD100 has all the common clock radio functions - alarm, snooze, and sleep and users can select up to five FM station presets and five AM station presets. “It’s very easy to use and features everything HD Radio has to offer for a very affordable price.” “We’re excited to be shipping the HD100 radio in May,” stated Bill Billings, founder and Chief Technical Officer. A “scan all” feature lets users scan for both analog and HD stations. As soon as the radio detects a digital station, an indicator light blinks until the receiver locks on that station. Also, the receiver has a “scan HD” feature allowing the tuner to scan only for HD Radio stations in the listening area. The HD100 features a line-in input which allows users to play MP3 and other audio devices through the radio speakers. The HD100 radio can be purchased online at or by calling 1-877-4HD-RADIO (443-7234). To take advantage of this special offer, orders must be placed by June 30th, 2007. The HD100 is a fully-featured entry-level HD Radio which will retail for $119.95.įor a limited time only, Radiosophy is offering the HD100 at an introductory price of $99.95. Radiosophy, LLC, announced a new HD Radio receiver scheduled to begin shipping in May 2007. Low Cost HD Radio Announced Special Introductory Offer – $99.95 Sneak Peek at NAB in Las Vegas
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