Dab radio

[chillyuk]

We live in a DAB/FM/TV/mobile phone dead spot. Nothing works down here! 50 yards up the road everything comes back to life.

 

[MontyVeda]

I bought a dab radio about 4 years ago and have since bought another two so I can have it on in all rooms as i potter about. Love it, esp 6music.

Do you get good battery time, for rechargeable?

My Roberts DAB radio recharges the batteries when switched off and plugged in... so it goes into the bathroom/yard/cellar when needed too. I guess it's down to the quality of the batteries as to how long they'll last. But I do know they do drain more power than a standard FM radio.

 

[jdtate101]

My missus had worked in DAB radio for the last 6yrs, so I know a fair bit about it. The coverage is much better now than it once was and the radio's are getting cheaper and better, so it's defiantly worth it. The Gov will eventually turn off the FM freq, but if your that worried get a set with both DAB and FM, then you can have the best of both.

 

[Cheddar George]

The choice of stations is superb and as i don't sit down just to listen to the radio the quality is not noticable. Although test match special in crisp clear stereo takes some getting used to after a lifetime of Radio 4 long wave.

 

[User482]

The problem is that the sound quality isn't blinding. Look at the BBC. It's only 128kb/s (except for radio3, which they've managed to crank up to 192k), which most people would be sniffy about on their MP3 player. FM is usually much better quality. The thing is, because it's digitial, you either get a DAB or you don't, whereas with analogue, you can get a superb reception and then lesss good ressults with other stations and , obviously, interference.

But a nice strong FM signal will blow the socks off DAB in terms of sound quality.

What they should have done is gone for a bit more infrastructure and a decent bit rate.

On the other hand, a lot of FM stations are heavily compressed too. I believe that the reason R3 appears to sound quieter is that there is less compression on the signal than most other stations.

Freeview TV broadcasts digital radio at a higher bitrate (192 kb/s, IIRC) so you can get reasonable results if you run a set top box into a stereo amplifier.

 

[potsy]

I have a personal DAB on my wishlist for Crimbo, mainly to use at work in an AM dead zone inside the factory.
Like the idea of being able to get R5 live and R4 extra, just hoping the signal is OK, few other lads have them and they say it's fine.

 

[Mozzy]

I must be a complete numpty. I can not really tell the difference. Have a mono DAB in the garage workshop and apart from all the pretty scrolly writing that goes on, I really struggle, I mean really struggle to tell the difference when at times it refuses to get a signal and I flick onto FM.

 

[marinyork]

On the other hand, a lot of FM stations are heavily compressed too. I believe that the reason R3 appears to sound quieter is that there is less compression on the signal than most other stations.

Freeview TV broadcasts digital radio at a higher bitrate (192 kb/s, IIRC) so you can get reasonable results if you run a set top box into a stereo amplifier.

I don't keep upto date, but I think this only applied certainly in the past to certain BBC radio stations on Digital Terrestrial Television (aka freeview + commercial). The commercial ones were all 128kbs. BBC 1-4 were indeed 192kbs and then various other BBC ones were 160kbs (improvement) and some like versions of 5 and world service were 96kbs. If it has now changed from a couple of years ago and there are more 192kbs services, this is excellent .

 

[Glow worm]

Only ever used mine plugged in but the sound quality is blinding. And it can pick up signals where a normal radio can't (tho' that's probably a quirk of where I happen to be rather than a universal rule).

This is quite a common mis conception about DAB. Yes you can get stuff like 6 Music and 4 Extra that are digital only, the downside is there is an awful lot you can't get. Here for example, I can't get R Suffolk on DAB, and yet I'm less than a mile from the county. On FM it blasts in. In fact I can pick up about 20 BBC local stations on my analogue radio (on AM and FM) and erm...1 on DAB. I like to listen to some of the French and Dutch stations on Long and Medium Wave- you can get nothing from overseas on DAB. OK for you 'normal' people, but for those us us cursed with a condition known as 'anorakitis' - it's dreadful!

Our problem in the UK is the Government is pursuing an outdated technology with DAB, long ago dropped by the rest of the world in favour of DAB + which has a far better sound quality and room for far more stations. I also reckon that DAB'll never really take off here until cars have it fitted as standard. And that'll never happen cos as soon as you get to Calais, your car radio will pick up nowt.

The Government absolutely love DAB as it's so easy to control what goes on it and is virtualy impossible to pirate. However, if FM stations are ever switched off, it will leave lots of lovely gaps on the band, and millions of receivers still dotted about, so we might actually get some decent, original radio springing up instead of your Heart/Crapital/Galaxy/Smooth b*ll*cks -so in some ways- bring it on!

 

[swee'pea99]

Well, speaking as one who just listens, I think it is. Perhaps FM is better, just as vinyl is better than CDs, maybe I just have cloth ears, but all I can say is that my subjective impression is that the sound coming out of my Roberts DAB is stunningly good.

 

[MontyVeda]

blah blah blah, moan dab blah, dab+ government boo hiss blah blah

you talk like somebody who doesn't have a dab radio. That's an observation, not an accusation. In my experience, people who have a DAB radio talk about the content they hear on it, those who don't just moan a lot and call it Dead And Buried.

FM only ever sounded listenable to me in mono to avoid the dreaded hiss, that is not a problem with dab... you don't need an aerial in the loft and the sound is clean and clear in stereo... and of course there's stations you cant receive... blimey, I couldn't get SW on my FM radio.. wonder why that is?

 

[marinyork]

you talk like somebody who doesn't have a dab radio. That's an observation, not an accusation. In my experience, people who have a DAB radio talk about the content they hear on it, those who don't just moan a lot and call it Dead And Buried.

FM only ever sounded listenable to me in mono to avoid the dreaded hiss, that is not a problem with dab... you don't need an aerial in the loft and the sound is clean and clear in stereo... and of course there's stations you cant receive... blimey, I couldn't get SW on my FM radio.. wonder why that is?

I don't think recent governments, some companies or Ofcom come very well out of things at all. There are a number of different platforms apart from dab where the same sort of mistakes have been made again and again and again. It generally goes along the theme of particular platform is chosen - usually an easy one, some compromise/watering down/fudge is made on the basis of digital/some short cut made which involves buying something totally new and which is not future proof. People are then made to look the laughing stock a few years later .

 

[albion]

Advantages - radio 6, radio 5 extra (sport) and BBC world service.

Disadvantages - rechargeable batteries needed, seldom works on a bike.

 

[Glow worm]

you talk like somebody who doesn't have a dab radio. That's an observation, not an accusation. In my experience, people who have a DAB radio talk about the content they hear on it, those who don't just moan a lot and call it Dead And Buried.

FM only ever sounded listenable to me in mono to avoid the dreaded hiss, that is not a problem with dab... you don't need an aerial in the loft and the sound is clean and clear in stereo... and of course there's stations you cant receive... blimey, I couldn't get SW on my FM radio.. wonder why that is?

Fair enough!!...deep breaths now...and relax

 

[MossCommuter]

I have one of these

I hardly ever need to charge it