Dyb, dyb, dyb, DAB, DAB, DAB

[CortinaDave]

62% claim to own one. Unless half own one but never listen to it.

 

Yes, the bitrate levels are poor. With MP2 encoding (reserve of the early 90s) you need at least 192kbps to match FM. But, as you know yourself, ask 100 right minded people if they want more choice or more fidelity, the majority will chose the former. Myself included.

I work in radio so get access to the audience figures, and (around here at least) its pretty consistent that around 30% of listening is on DAB. They made a big deal a few months back that "digital listening has now hit the 50% mark" - cleverly worded as that 50% isn't just DAB, but online listening and listening through your telly etc.

 

The ads for DAB are also worded in a certain way "move to dab and move to digital sound" - No mention of better sound... or CD quality sound... just "digital" sound, creeping around the fact that it actually sounds worse.

 

A lot of the DAB stations are just PCs in a cupboard somewhere running a playlist, as opposed to being actual radio stations, but there is a place for that.

 

FM is still king for now.

 

DAB+ is used on the continent and offers much better sound quality on lower bandwidth and would sort things out a lot, but as you say they are reluctant to move the UK to it at the risk of offending the early adopters who bought into DAB and have radios that couldn't handle the + standard.

 

it'd also mean upheaval of the DAB transmission equipment most stations are currently using.

 

I think streaming will be the winner here and DAB will fade away a bit like the minidisc did without ever really properly catching on. 

[SierraMikeHotel]

 

 

I am in that 62%, I have four DAB capable radios at home! I never use them for DAB, but I have them.

We have four - five if you count the modern car. Mrs H already had one when we met that now lives in the kitchen, I have one that's used as a radio alarm clock, and I have two HiFi music streamers that have DAB built into them. I never use DAB on those two as reception is poor and they're more reliable on TuneIn.

 

I don't really need two HiFis but upgraded the living room one then decided to keep the old one for my office (I work from home sometimes and like to listen to radio 6 when I do).

 

It shows how stats can be easily skewed

[Conrad D. Conelrad]

A lot of the DAB stations are just PCs in a cupboard somewhere running a playlist, as opposed to being actual radio stations, but there is a place for that.

 

Yes, the internet! I'd argue that if you want a valuable broadcast slot your radio station should be more than an iPod loaded with Now 34.

 

Is the 200 MHz band of much interest to them?

 

I don’t know much about who uses what spectrum wise these days.

Me neither, hyperbole is my field of expertise.

[CortinaDave]

Agree, but the downside of more listener choice is advertising spend is spread more thinly and so stations can't afford to run full programming in the way they once could... So you get a lot of more generic PC in a cupboard type stations as opposed to the way it once was with the nationals and 1 or maybe 2 fully local 24/7 ILRs in each area

 

Its not just DAB, but the rise of internet advertising etc that's pushing things this way

 

 

 
Yes, the internet! I'd argue that if you want a valuable broadcast slot your radio station should be more than an iPod loaded with Now 34.
 

Me neither, hyperbole is my field of expertise.

[Floatylight]

For 35 sheets, I'm giving that Majority DAB thingy a whirl. Let's see how it goes in the Blingo.

When you've fitted it can I pop over and have a look, thinking of getting one me Sen, as Picarso reception is toss.

 

Sent from my Moto G (5) using Tapatalk

[Yoss]

I've got DAB in both Skodas as I only listen to 6 music. I wouldn't notice if the sound quality is poor as I'm still using the original speakers and I probably have a lot more road noise than most of you are used to. I'm sure it's in stereo though, maybe the BBC can afford better kit.

 

One thing of note though. The Favorit has one of these aerials you stick to the windscreen. If it's frosty when I get up, the bit where the little black box is stuck to the screen is never frozen. So it must be using some power. It's never been a problem as I use it everyday but you don't want to go on holiday for two weeks and leave the car at the airport.

[stripped fred]

Any recommendations for a double (or single) din stereo to replace the 6000 cd standard stereo in my new (old) c-max, inherited off my mum.

 

Wish list...

 

- Bluetooth to connect to my phone for streaming and calls (currently have my wife’s old iPhone but likely to be an android next time)

- separate mic

- DAB

- aux in

- would like a touchscreen one

- not bothered about a CD player

- preferably less than £100 and ‘no name’ make but would pay a bit more for a decent make of any good

 

I’ve been looking on amazon, eBay, AliExpress and I am confused. Some are v cheap and others £400+. Can anyone point me in the right direction? Happy to take a chance and wait three weeks from China if needed...

[richardmorris]

Any recommendations for a double (or single) din stereo to replace the 6000 cd standard stereo in my new (old) c-max, inherited off my mum.

Wish list...

- Bluetooth to connect to my phone for streaming and calls (currently have my wife’s old iPhone but likely to be an android next time)

- separate mic

- DAB

- aux in

- would like a touchscreen one

- not bothered about a CD player

- preferably less than £100 and ‘no name’ make but would pay a bit more for a decent make of any good

I’ve been looking on amazon, eBay, AliExpress and I am confused. Some are v cheap and others £400+. Can anyone point me in the right direction? Happy to take a chance and wait three weeks from China if needed...

This one is £80!https://www.dabonwheels.co.uk/product/beat-390-dab-dab-double-din-car-radio/ but may not fit Ford.

 

£150 JVC https://www.dabonwheels.co.uk/product/jvc-kw-db93bt-dab-double-din-radio-with-bluetooth/

 

Touch screen is another £100 https://www.dabonwheels.co.uk/product/jvc-kw-v235dbt-dab-car-radio-with-bluetooth/

 

 

£490 https://www.dabonwheels.co.uk/product/clarion-nx505e-dab-radio-navigation-bluetooth/

[Richard]

I'm pretty sure the Ford 6000 is 1.5 DIN, not double, so you could only replace it with a single. 

[Pillock]

The cheap end of the market will be Chinese shite. Not only is the build quality iffy as fuck usually, but they also have a different range on the FM band and they also don't have RDS, so no station name on FM. The Bluetooth will often have a mind if its own too as they use cheapo chipset instead of ones that have passed Bluetooth standards certification. Not sure how good the DAB is, best hit some review sites for that.

 

I'd go for whatever Halfords has in the sale. Get a brand name so it works.

 

That Beat 390 for £80 specifically says it won't fit a Ford, so you may find you need a Single DIN which probably rules out a fancy touchscreen jobbie anyway.

[stripped fred]

Thanks, single din is fine. I assume they come with a built in mic for phone calls but is it better to fit a separate one? I will avoid the Chinese versions and take a walk to Halfords to have a look.

[CortinaDave]

A mate who runs another station i used to work at told me they are finally going onto DAB at the start of next year.... costing an eye watering £50k a year for 80kb Mono. Stereo costs were double that.

 

The future's DAB, The future's Mono.

[BorniteIdentity]

A mate who runs another station i used to work at told me they are finally going onto DAB at the start of next year.... costing an eye watering £50k a year for 80kb Mono. Stereo costs were double that.

 

The future's DAB, The future's Mono.

And hereth lieth the problemeth.

 

You have to be where your audience is and, for the moment, that is FM and DAB and online and on smart speakers and on social and on YouTube. It’s never been more expensive from a platform POV, so savings are made elsewhere (as you know yourself)

 

A lot of stations finally jump onto DAB to secure automatic renewal of their FM licence. Otherwise, as was the case with Ipswich, you can have a challenger nick your place on the dial.

[Richard]

There's a huge choice of no name DAB adapters for £35-£40ish, it mostly comes down to the one you like the look of and the features you want really. I think I'll be getting one of these https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07DZYHYFR/?coliid=I21M4XZC9R93FU&colid=34V60EUZY6CJD&psc=1&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it because it will sit nicely in the lighter socket without a trailing power cable. 

 

I bought one and it's slightly disappointing. DAB-wise it's ok, a bit fiddly to tune but I tend not to change channels very often. I like that it shows the DAB channel on the car radio display, although it continues to show that channel when you've changed to another source.

 

 

Apologies for mingingness of footwell, that's genuine Eddyfest leaves there.

 

 

Unfortunately it doesn't seem to show any information about what's on the USB stick and doesn't have any way to browse, it just starts at the beginning and goes all the way through.

 

 

That means I'll have to go back to my old FM transmitter if I want to play from the USB, which is annoying.

 

 

It doesn't really have lots of dead pixels, I've caught it mid-scroll.

 

The DAB one feels cheaper too, even though the one without DAB was as cheap as these things get.