the HK radio with the new 8.8" touchscreen/NAV doesn't have HD reception like the non touchscreen models. Wondering if we will see it when the CarPlay/Android Auto software comes out or if this is a head unit specific item?

 

What do you mean? The resolution hasn't changed between the older nav units and the touchscreen models (1280x480)

 

hd radio reception, not screen resolution

 

Read in another forum that HD is not turned on by default in the US market. Go check settings and let us know

 

Ah gotcha.

It should, though sometimes it gets switched off from the factory or someone plays around with the settings...

Easy to switch on though... Go into Radio and hit the OPTION button the controller, scroll down and make sure the box for HD Radio is checked.

 

Thanks,

I'll have to check it when I get my car back.

 

Thanks for the info, I'll check it when I get my car back. I'll let you know.

 

Do all the 8.8" screen iDrive HK Tech package systems on the new Clubmans (mines a June 2016) have HD that can be turned on? I swear I looked...but I'll look again!

 

Yep. HD radio has been standard across the board for MINI since at least 2013 in the US.

 

Finally found it. What a ridiculous place to turn it on. Basically, you have to go to a station that HAS HD, then activate it there. Then it is active for all HD stations. Not at all where one would expect it to be. I might never have found it without the hints from you guys here. What a difference in audio performance, plus all the extra sub HD digital stations, and many have album art as well! Thank you all!

 

All the loaner mini's I have driven switch to HD automatically when listening to an AM station and HD is available. As HD reception fades AM kicks back in. This radio does not seem to do that. ALthough HD is working great on FM. Is there some kind of set up or scan I need to do to make it work like the loaner cars?

 

Took me forever to find the HD Radio option as you actually need to press the "Options" button on the iDrive. I thought I could find it using the scroll wheel. Guess I was wrong...

 

I'll tell you one thing that doesn't have HD radio and that's SiriusXM. I got a "free" year of that with my car and the sound sucked. I'm spoiled though, I mostly listen to HD Tracks downloads or rips to Apple lossless.

 

I guess it's been 15 years or so since I listened to broadcast radio. But I'd rather listen to mp3s or Sirius than even one second of commercials.

 

New problem: Why does the audio unit try to play Pandora every time I get in the car? I running audio through an iPod in the storage compartment. Anyone else have that happen?