obase Posted June 28, 2008 Share Posted June 28, 2008 Not to mention that the transmission signal is being sent across the country using a 9v battery (or so it seems). Result, the end users have to pay ££££ for big fat batteries that last about 2 hours. (Is this a stealth tax?) There is no such thing as portable DAB radio, certainly not in the same sense that FM can travel with you everywhere. Internet radio however, that's fantastic. I even started a thread about that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neeeeeeeeeek Posted June 28, 2008 Share Posted June 28, 2008 Not to mention that due to the transmission signal being input across the country using a 9v battery (or so it seems). Result, the end users have to pay ££££ for big fat batteries that last about 2 hours. (Is this a stealth tax?) Result, there is no such thing as portable DAB radio, certainly not in the same sense that FM can travel with you everywhere. Internet radio however, that's fantastic. I even started a thread about that. Err... http://di1.shopping.com/images1/pi/6c/3b/f9/24630142-177x150-0-0_.jpg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ousetunes Posted June 28, 2008 Share Posted June 28, 2008 Thanks shoeshine. I think DAB has been sold on the following points:- 1, Crystal Clear reception - this is apparently not the case. Reception can be patchy and at times non-existent. It can be tinny and quite 'trying' on the ear; 2, Easy to find (prestored) channels. Most decent FM tuners/receivers have this facility; 3, Scrolling text and other information. Again, channel information and other detail can be obtained via FM tuners and I'm sure the scrolling text idea could (and possibly already has) been implemented on modern FM tuners. Most of the scrolling text tells us what we already know although occasionally it's nice to know the title and artist of a song you haven't heard before. 4, Greater choice of channels. Yes, but some have already bitten the dust, OneWord and a good few others. Planet Rock and Arrow have been fine additions but the jury's out on Birdsong and UCB Inspiration (all of which are available via Sky and no doubt the internet). It's time the industry came clean and told us what lies ahead. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phanerothyme Posted June 28, 2008 Share Posted June 28, 2008 The great advantage of the analogue signal, which the progressniks often forget, is the virtue of still being intelligible even when the signal is marginal. As I understand it, with any kind of DAB signal, now or proposed, decreased strength of signal results in drop outs and buffer underruns, making the broadcast unintelligible. All other analogue broadcasts, however, just become steadily weaker and quieter against the background noise. This "graceful degradation" is what has made radio broadcasting absolutely indispensable. The fact is that analogue is more efficient, high quality, real-time broadcasting - something that DAB never can be. Even the BBC, if you contact them, will tell you to record the UHF signal rather than the DAB output if quality is what you desire. And why do they bother broadcasting the pips on DAB? They might as well have a duck quacking for all the use that time signal is. edit -- Err... http://di1.shopping.com/images1/pi/6c/3b/f9/24630142-177x150-0-0_.jpg Surely that's a floor standing unit. Like a big radiogram thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ousetunes Posted June 28, 2008 Share Posted June 28, 2008 The great advantage of the analogue signal, which the progressniks often forget, is the virtue of still being intelligible even when the signal is marginal. As I understand it, with any kind of DAB signal, now or proposed, decreased strength of signal results in drop outs and buffer underruns, making the broadcast unintelligible. Buffer underruns? That's my phrase for this weekend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
max Posted June 28, 2008 Share Posted June 28, 2008 Great minds think alike, Ousetunes. Thread posted a few minutes before this one:- HERE Perhaps it may be worth merging them. Let it be so. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
obase Posted June 28, 2008 Share Posted June 28, 2008 Err... http://di1.shopping.com/images1/pi/6c/3b/f9/24630142-177x150-0-0_.jpg Err... Show me the speakers. (And I was one of the first to buy one .... and it's pants!) My portable Sony FM/LW/MW/SW world radio lasts on two AA batteries for weeks, and it's got a speaker. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cyclone Posted June 28, 2008 Share Posted June 28, 2008 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? The DAB consortium wish to push it on everyone by force despite it being an abject commercial failure with no real value over fm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cyclone Posted June 28, 2008 Share Posted June 28, 2008 Oh, I should add, DAB is already out of date, seriously superceded. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ousetunes Posted June 28, 2008 Share Posted June 28, 2008 Let it be so. Ah yes, Max. But my thread title was better...., Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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