What do you think about the DAB switchover? Your views needed....

Hi Clare

main issue for me is car radio. Wife has a DAB radio in her car and coverage is patchy around Staffordshire/Nottinghamshire (to put it politely). My car only has analogue and signal is rarely a problem. At home radio is via Sonos so not an issue.

Seems to me DAB is an answer to a problem that the end user didn't have!

In a referendum I would vote against

PS there was an interesting article about the subject in the latest "magazine" from Russ Andrews. It was not complimentary either

Ian

I am greatly looking forward to getting DAB for the car, as the only channel I listen to that is not either only on DAB (Radio 7, Radio 5 Sports Extra and very occasionally Planet Rock) or is better on DAB (Radio 5) is Radio 4. Although there are clearly problems with coverage, this can be fixed.

At home I would never dream of using up my valuable bandwidth to stream Radio when I can pick it up via broadcast and anyway a radio is easier to take around the house and garden than a computer.

Fix bandwidth and coverage issues by all means, but I am very much in favour of DAB.

DAB is low quality, and flat sounding even when optimum (expensive tuner, roof aerial, good reception).

Is anyone surveying how many DAB/FM radios spend most of the time tuned to FM? (With DAB only used for a couple of stations that are not provided on FM.)

I doubt it. I expect every DAB/FM radio sold is 'notched up' as evidence of a DAB convert rather than someone who had no choice and still prefers FM whenever possible!

DAB uses more energy (to both transmit and receive) than FM and has massive and widespread reception problems - even after all these years - despite the colossal amount of money thrown at it.

You can't even set your watch accurately to the 'pips' on a BBC DAB broadcast because of the time lag!  FM is instantaneously 'there', on demand, when YOU want it, whereas DAB needs time to power-up, have a bit of a think, and find the broadcast or to change station. It's trivial but annoying.

It is insane that the Government/Ofcom/BBC still tries to sell DAB as the future - just because it's digital - when other countries have already (successfully) implemented the superior DAB+ platform, or just given up on DAB completely as a bad idea (Finland) due to lack of take up by listeners and broadcasters. (I wish that would happen here!)

With an excellent FM coverage and Freeview Radio and internet radio,  DAB is redundant already. The only reason people 'want' it is because of the threat of removing the FM/AM alternatives and NOT because it is better in any conceivable way.

I think the idea of DAB is good but I agree it does not sound as good as FM. 

But if the signal were improved it would be fine for the car, and if we could have every major station supply a high quality Internet stream for home I think we would all be pleased.

I suppose the government could then sell of the new spare spectrum to the phone companies! (Maybe give us some tax brakes with the money made??)

As a big convert over the past two years to internet radio I say DAB SCHMAB, with the choice of stations on the net (you don't have to listen to all 10,000) why would you want to listen to inferior DAB

Have you heard stations like Radio Paradise (no adverts,no djs, self financing) FIP , International Rare Groove just to name a few, great  music no personalities run by music lovers !

I think there is some big underlying tie-in between DAB and the BBC which is the only way it will succeed for a short while

The key thing here is broadband speed and as it gets better the more nails in the DAB coffin

I live in the IOM.
I pay a licence fee
I can not receive DAB in my home!

I say - improve both coverage and quality, or, reduce my licence fee please.

Ho is it 'fair' that I pay as much as the next guy who can receive all services? - it's not!

I've seen no evidence of it being fixed yet! Coverage around us is as cr*p as it was 6 years ago

Hate the thought...bad idea for all the above reasons.

EDITED BY MODS - you're right, we don't.

I love DAB, i have two Roberts DAB Radios and they are fantastic and Planet Rock - rocks!

Cheers

There is no radio license fee, you're not getting short-changed.

I can't get it where I live either (DAB I mean...), you can in Barnstaple, about ten miles away but not out in the country where we are. That doesn't encourage me to go out and buy a DAB radio, digital listening at home is either via Sky or t'internet. It would be nice to get 5 Live Sports Extra in the car or to get a decent 5 Live signal in Devon (it's very warbly, cycles in and out of reception) but other than that I can't see the point.

I don't know why we don't go for satellite radio, given they're all on satellite anyway (or appear to be).

We have three DAB radios in the house and for us reception is great. All the radios have FM as well but we only ever listen to DAB. For us we get a better choice of stations, some of which are not avaiable on FM. Also one for the people who want DAB in the car, do what I did, buy a Pure Highway DAB. Granted the setup is not ideal because you have to have the power source plugged into the lighter socket all the time. You also have to stick an arial onto the windscreen which has another lead which goes to the DAB unit, but overall its very good.

some thoughts from outside the UK.

So what are the tourists going to listen to in their cars as they come to spend their Euros?

Why is the UK the only county in Europe looking to go down the DAB route when the rest have decided that there are better solutions.

Plus everything above.

when I am back in the UK I use internet radio wired/wireless at the parents and FM in the car.

Greetings Clare and thank you for the invite on comments regarding DAB.

Diabolical Audio Brodcasting. If or when the switchover happens we can no doubt expect more stations broadcasting yet more compressed butchered rubbish trying to pass itself off as music.

DAB as it is is totally useless for classical music, the format may apease those who are terminally deaf or with impaired auditory senses. Those who listen to pirated low quality MP3 probably do not care in the slightest.

At its best DAB was acceptable, as it is it is a farce. I'm wasting my time having one of my DAB rants as always the most profitable and hence the lowest common denominator will triumph!

Hi-Fi RIP...