Digital Radio...who wants it?

[x332race]

I see that the government are intending that we all listen to digital radio by 2015 when they intend switching the analogue signals off...

Personally, I am very happy with the FM radio signal and do not own a DAB radio. Both my mercs have Analogue radios and Comand relies on analogue signal for TMC. It strikes me that there is an awful lot of radios and other technology that will become redundant if analogue is switched off..

What do others think?

 

[Mudster]

Same as digital TV - it'll all go smoothly and won't be an issue. I just don't give it a thought.

 

[wemorgan]

To my laymen's eyes it looks like unnecessary technology. With TV we are able to receive extra services because of digital (red button). But what are the benefits of digital radio? At times it will give better sound quality. But then again, at other times it will give no sound at all, whereas at least analogue gives some sound in poor reception areas. Coverage and the cost of coverage seems the biggest issue to me.

For analogue car radios I gather that an adapter will have to be bought to receive digital.

For those who want digital radio at home, simply use Internet radio?

 

[AANDYY]

I doubt it very much that it'll be in by 2015, way to soon.
The technology that the UK uses is poor as well, it's about 20 years old! MP2!
Only a very few stations have acceptable audio quality, Classic FM and some BBC I think.
I have DAB in my car but only for the talk stations and few music ones, (128 kbs MP2 ).

Just to throw a spanner in the works -

http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&so...ssTVCA&usg=AFQjCNE433VjNSRK03wYjmoZ_kReOx0M8Q


Far better Tech.

 

[verytalldave]

DAB radio has been vastly underfunded from all quarters. Consequently the quality is nowhere near what was promised.
It needs lots of investment to make it a true rival to FM.
I really cant see analogue being turned off in 5 years time. More like 10 or 15 at least.

 

[moonloops]

A good FM signal is better quality than DAB anyway so pointless IMHO

 

[jeremytaylor]

Yes, DAB is pointless at present, and there's no way any government in it's right mind will switch off FM in just 5 years time. (er ... hang on, is any government ever in it's right mind?)

DAB is currently pointless because, even living about a mile form the M25 I often get such poor reception form the one DAB radio I have in the house that I use the FM receiver in the same set instead. Second, how many cars have DAB radios? less than 5%? with little evidence of wider fittment as standard by the makers. How many people will want to spend £50 or £100 on an adapter which will not fit well with their built-in radio? What radio station will want to lose 95% of its listeners over-night?

It will happen because they want/need to sell the FM bands, but not in 5 years.

 

[pmcgsmurf]

What needs to be done first is simple to me.

A date should be set after which retailers cannot sell analogue equipment wether it be in a car, hi-fi or whatever.

After this date is set they can then set a date to switch off the analogue service.

Imagine buying a nice shiny new car then finding out the radio will not work in 3 years time whilst the car is covered with a 7 year warranty as an example. All this due to the powers that be.

We all know the reason as with digital TV to get we the public to fund this, the bandwidth opens up for sale and makes the government lots of cash.

 

[Charles Morgan]

Since when did government initiatives start being based on common sense? The civil service (be it EU or UK) have decided we must use DAB, the ministers who always wish to appear to be at the cutting edge have agreed without any form of thinking, as progress is always good, right, and despite all the sensible objections, we, the little people, will have it in 2015, with all its faults, whether we want it or not.

 

[pmcgsmurf]

Since when did government initiatives start being based on common sense?

Absolutely, I completely forgot all about that.

 

[Benzowner]

Not too sure, but I beleive the FM frequency is already too crowded for any additional stations and is not a good medium for transmitting country wide. Radio's 1 and 2 are on several frequencies across the country for example. DAB radio may be on a reduced power output in much the same way as digital TV is prior to switchover. I have not tried DAB in the car, but a friend of mine swears by it. I would imagine there are plans to sell "digiboxes" for radios