Digital DAB radio

lolly5648

I get lousy fm radio reception (and tv) as we live in a dip. Would I be any better off with a digital dab one?

All I really need it for is as a clock radio for the mornings when I listen for about an hour but cant stand the interference on my present radio

shropslad

Best idea would be to get one from Argos and if it didn't work then take it back...signal strength tends to fluctuate from room to room in my experience, but the clarity is far better than normal FM/AM reception.

John_Gray

Do you know anyone with a DAB digital radio who would be prepared to come round to test your environment, or lend you it?

John

lolly5648

No, I dont know anyone with one, just keep hearing ads for them and DJs saying how good they are

rizla01

Poor reception on the radio in the morning sure gets you out of bed though, doesn't it.

Theres certainly no pleasure in listening to scratchy crackley radio.

Just think if it was beautiful and clear - it'd soon lull you back to sleep.

POLDO_DONK

There is no simple answer to this. I know of people who get poor FM reception and good DAB reception and vice versa.....

I'd suggest you telephone your local aerial installer and ask them. They're usually the people who really know about the quality of local signal reception.

Also, don't forget that if you already have Freeview, Sky (and some cable services) then you already have digital radio - and much better quality than DAB !


Poldo

-TangleFoot-

POLDO_DONK wrote:

if you already have Freeview, Sky (and some cable services) then you already have digital radio - and much better quality than DAB !

Good point there; apparently, DAB in the UK is currently broadcast at a lower quality than FM radio!

From www.digitalradiotech.co.uk:

Sound Quality of 'Radio Systems' from Best to Worst

1. FM
2. broadband internet radio
3. digital satellite
4. Freeview
5. digital cable
6. DAB
7. AM

(Based on average, or typical levels of audio quality available on the above platforms/systems. Narrowband internet radio is excluded)

jampton

-TangleFoot- wrote:

Narrowband internet radio is excluded

Surely this comment negates the usefulness of the list - if you exclude the worst from any platform obviously it will rise in the list.

In my experience (also totally unscientific) internet radio can be as poor as if not poorer than AM

lolly5648

Why is DAB promoted as being so good? I do get digital radio on Sky but I want to listen in the bedroom. Not sure what to do now.

-TangleFoot-

Best thing to do would be to go and see (or rather, listen) for yourself; there really is no substitute for first-hand experience in situations such as this. If it sounds good enough to you, then by all means go ahead. Be sure to get one with an FM tuner as well though, just in case.