Digital Radio

[Malcolm]

Supposedly 2011

[daveh]

The sooner the better for me.

[Frances144]

So then all our analogue radios will be redundant! What a waste. I will mind slightly less if I can get Classic FM.

[Guest Anonymous]

I wonder why so many people are interested in DAB?

Several people I work with have tried it, been less than happy, and reverted to common sense, as the quality through the internet is better.

 

Albeit, I haven't tried DAB myself, so maybe there is something fantastic about the quality which I am missing, but my ears are fairly standard human issue, and the internet satisfies my listening desires.

 

Although, from a purely technical point of view, FM will always be better than Digital, just as a CRT will be better than a crap LCD display for TV, and a good analogue TV signal (even on the old Norskie VHF) will surpass any digital picture available within the next 10 years.

It's only the media and advertising hype that make these new technologies better for the gullible public.

 

EDIT:

As a footnote to my anti digital rant.

Norway switched off analogue TV 13 months after digital started, with no complaints. But for a very obvious reason, they have no plans to terminate FM radio broadcasts.

[Guest Anonymous]

So then all our analogue radios will be redundant! What a waste. I will mind slightly less if I can get Classic FM.

 

Try the "Listen" feature on this link:

http://www.classicfm.co.uk/

 

It don't work for me since I'm outwith the UK, but maybe it'll work for you.

[daveh]

I listened to DAB down south and it is far better than FM.

[Guest Anonymous]

I listened to DAB down south and it is far better than FM.

 

Can you explain, from a technical point of view, how that is possible?

 

Many audio experts have tried, and always come up with the same answer. FAIL

[trout]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio/waystolisten/digitalradio/

[Guest Anonymous]

Right, just because I'm in a militant mood, I'd like to explain a little bit about why so many people think that DAB is better than internet radio. And this is my opinion taken from the majority sample of the guys I work with.

 

Computer = Laptop

Laptop = Crap speakers

Crap Speakers = Crap internet radio

 

Solution:

Computer + decent set of speakers which cost half the price of a DAB radio = Happy

 

Twist it which ever way you want, but access to radio via the internet is extremely hard to argue against. Even channel 7 (oops #7) can't argue against that..

[Guest Anonymous]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio/waystolisten/digitalradio/

 

Your point being

As they say, "more choice", but there is the "Internet" tab.

Digital radio is also available via digital television and online

[unlinkedstudent]

Ah, but you can also get radio through ya telly these days courtesy of cost n arm and a leg Sky. I nearly fainted when I saw Radio Caroline listed. Sugar, can't do that anymore cos I sold me Sky box prior to moving up. Ouch, I sold me Sony telly also (now I must say that had blinding speakers and Uriah Heep sounded blooming ace through it).

[Frances144]

But I don't want to listen to my radio via my telly or my computer (btw, I do know you can get Classic FM on puter, even a Mac!) but in my car, when I walk the dogs (on my phone), out and about..... and all my kit will have to be changed over according to the latest news.

 

http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2009/jun/16/digital-britain-analogue-radio-switchoff

[Symbister]

DAB with anything other than a very good signal is dire - lots of bubbling noises and dropouts. At least with an FM signal you can usually switch the stereo signal to mono and get something acceptable. A good DAB signal produces no better sound quality, in my experience, than a good FM signal, in fact it's possibly a bit worse, partly because they've been trying to cram so many stations into the DAB spectrum that they have to compress them to fit them all in. Not good. And dumping 100 million or so radios doesn't seem very clever, either.

[Guest Anonymous]

But I don't want to listen to my radio via my telly or my computer (btw, I do know you can get Classic FM on puter, even a Mac!) but in my car, when I walk the dogs (on my phone), out and about..... and all my kit will have to be changed over according to the latest news.

 

http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2009/jun/16/digital-britain-analogue-radio-switchoff

 

The "Key Word" in that article is "Ambitious".

Yes they have ambitious plans to switch off analogue by 2015., but there will be a change of government before then. And I'd be prepared to bet that there would be a complete collapse of government if FM was switched off anyway.

If the Norskies, who were so quick to kill analogue TV, are afraid to switch off analogue radio, then the nervous UK government which has been known to fall into disarray at the drop of an MP's trousers, will never risk it.

[Styumpie]

If you have a wireless router in your house, then these things wipe the floor with DAB Live streaming internet radio without the need for a PC to be switched on

 

http://www.logitechsqueezebox.com/