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DAB Radios

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Not sure if this is the right place but it's worth knowing anyway.

I was reading this weeks Micro Mart, January 11th-17th and there was some info that current DAB radios will become obsolete, Just exactly when it didn't say.

current DAB radios use the mp2 codec but apparently the broadcasts will be changed to using AAC+ codec and current radios cannot recieve this. So it might be worth while doing a little research if you are planning on buying one soon.

As I said I don't know when this change is supposed to happen, could be years from now.

Comments

  • GoofyGAT
    GoofyGAT Posts: 1,835 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    Thanks for this - hadn't a clue.

    This could be missed by many, so could you please change the title (Edit > Go Advanced) to be more descriptive of what the post contains - something like All present DAB receivers will be obsolete in a few years' time.

    Did a search & found more relevant articles:

    World DAB adopts AAC, but the UK may be left behind

    The future of UK radio is now in your hands - "....The way Ofcom is going, Green says he'd put a large bet on the UK getting digital radio with the worst audio quality in Europe. We already have the worst average DAB quality in the world." :(

    G
  • charlesh
    charlesh Posts: 75 Forumite
    Depending on the digital radio you have, this may not be an issue.

    My Pure Evoke allows software upgrades to be uploaded to it via a USB cable. I imagine the process involves downloading the upgrade to your PC, and then connectiing the radio via a USB cable (which I think was supplied - although its a standard connection).

    If the only thing changing is the codec then a software upgrade should be able to handle this.
  • alared
    alared Posts: 4,029 Forumite
    The present DAB`s will last for at least another seven years.
  • I contacted Pure & Revo asking about the so called DAB+ and they said basically what alared said above. It will be years before the new system is up and running and equipment available. So I wouldn't worry about buying equipment, I'm looking for something for the kitchen at present as already got it in-car and in the lounge at home.
  • first I've heard of this. Umm, do I buy now or wait 7 years lol
    Like my post? Then use the THANKS button :rotfl:
  • alared
    alared Posts: 4,029 Forumite
    I bought my DAB just before Christmas for £14-99 from Wilkinsons,reduced from £29-99.
    To be perfectly honest for the number of staions you actually get (mainly BBC) I wouldn`t pay a lot more than what I did.
    Sound quality is obviously better but my favourite station is unavailable on DAB in my area.

    DAB
    a bit overrated in my opinion!
  • BexTech
    BexTech Posts: 4,772 Forumite
    DAB sound quality is poor compared to a decent FM signal.

    I do have 2 DAB system, as well as listening to satellite and cable radio (through the Hi-Fi) but you have DAB knowing the sound quality is poor.

    If you only have a kitchen type radio then maybe you won't notice the drop in quality as much as with a decent Hi-Fi.

    The radio stations compress the signal too much, so the sound is always washed out, AAC+ is a better codec, so although it takes less space you can still get fairly decent sound quality (as long as again you don't compress lower than you should, which is what is happening with MP2 DAB).

    It's not just the extra BBC channels we get, we get a fair few extra commercial stations too, and it's a couple of the commercial ones I listen to more than anything else on DAB.

    I remember back in the late 1980s and having the audio pumped through my Hi-Fi from satellite for the satellite radio, even back then the sound quality was much much better than DAB. 18 years on and we have poor audio on radio stations, you would have thought we would have improved the sound, not make it worse.
    It's PAC not PAC Code, it's MAC not MAC Code, it's PIN not PIN Number, it's ATM not ATM Machine, it's LCD not LCD Display, it's DVD not DVD disc... It's no one not noone, It's a lot not alot, It's got not gotten... Panini is the plural of panino - there is no S!!
    (OK my English isn't great, the sciences, maths & IT are my strong points!)
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