Digital radio versus FM radio ... which one will lose?

There seems to be a fight going on between Digital Radio and the FM Radio transmissions.

It may well end with one or the other being phased out permanently in future, as is happening with the Analogue TV Service being withdrawn in favour of Digital TV during the 2 or 3 years.

In February it was mooted that due to the minimal public "take up" of Digital Radio services (DAB) the service could be permanently withdrawn.

Link to Article on DAB 12-2-08

Within the last couple of days we now are told it's possibly the FM Transmissions which will be permanently taken off air.

Link to Article on FM Radio 28-6-08

I understand the "Bandwidth" issues involved, and it's potential monetary value too, but I doubt I could receive DAB signals matching those of FM where I live on a portable DAB radio on the kitchen worktop/bedside table unless it's connected to an outside antenna.

What do you think about this situation?

It's a buggers muddle isn't it shoeshine, and all in the name of screwing billions or pounds in bandwidth rights out of broadcasters... literally charging for thin air.

Of Course digital radio will win out in the end. (doesn't feel the need or desire to qualify statement).

DAB is crap......I had a set about 6 months ago and all channels sounded very tinny and metallic like streaming radio on the net....FM is so much better

DAB - the future of radio. 'Crystal clear digital' they tell us on Magic and yet, it isn't - it sounds quite cheap and crappy.

I was first out of the blocks when I discovered radio was finally joining its televisual companion and moving into the full-on digital age. I bought a DAB radio for my office, then a bed-side cube clock/DAB, then a full stereo system with a DAB tuner and then decided I must have one in the car.

Far from 'crystal clear' reception, they all seem to have their own faults:

1 - The one we have at work frequently goes into a kind of bubbling, popping sound which renders the music and - more often, the adverts - unintelligible. Sometimes it cuts out completely and at other times it can't even find channels;

2 - Same applies to the DAB in the kitchen at home. The reception is appalling - I often change back to FM. The DAB stereo in the lounge is better although I had to mess around before I managed to get a decent reception;

3 - The DAB in the car works great, but the scrolling text always seems to lock on the phrase 'Song playing no...' (sic); The LEDs on the bedside clock sometimes struggle to light;

4 - As mentioned earlier, the likes of Magic (not my choice of station but one we have on at work) sound tinny as though there's a layer of film over every song they play. Crystal clear, my arse. And Radio 3 is so quiet you have to turn the volume right up (I believe this is down to what they call 'bundles').

I recently set up a 20 year old pair of Celestion speakers and a decent amp. I've fetched down from the attic an old Pioneer tuner and plugged it in. I now have loud, clear, beautiful FM radio in my Music Room. No bubbling and popping; no sudden silence from loss of reception.

DAB? Are we being sold a few porkies?

yeah I have a DAB set and it sound tinny and awful.......FM is so much better and not subject to that horrible compression of DAB...I cant listen to a DAB station for longer than a minute without cringing at the metallic 'data' noise...I have an old TRIO tuner from the 70's and FM sounds fantastic through big speakers and quality amp..DAB sounds like internet radio with all that horrible compression noise

Don't worry, it will get better when DAB+ is introduced and the current signal is switched off.

The only snag AIUI is that you will have to throw away the DAB radios that you have now. There's progress for you.

DAB is crap! Most of the world refused to adopt the DAB1 standard that we use for that very reason.

check out http://www.digitalradiotech.co.uk/

I can't get enough of a DAB signal to have my radio on unless I stand in the one place in my house that I've found that the aerial works, which is in one of the upstairs bedrooms, in the middle of the room with the aerial held over my head. This makes listening on a daily basis rather impractical and if I put it in any of my normal choices of spots around the house it won't receive any radio stations at all.

We're on FM or the digital services played through Sky+.

Great minds think alike, Ousetunes.

Thread posted a few minutes before this one:-

HERE

Perhaps it may be worth merging them.