Dab radio with recording feature. Any recommendations?

Jazzy_B

I'm trying to buy a radio for my kitchen, that works in the same way as a pvr.I really enjoy listening to the radio, but often find there is nothing I want to listen to during the times I'm there. I thought this would be the perfect simple solution.
I've been hunting online, and found out about the Pure Evoke 3, which would seem to do the job, but is a bit pricy at £162.
Radios with EPG appear to have been made by a few manufacturers, but when I look them up, they've been discontinued.Does anyone know if there's a cheaper alternative product.I've got three Pure radios and like the quality, but I've got other DAB radios that work just as well.
I've tried using the laptop in the kitchen but we have really thick walls, and I can't get wifi there.
If anyone can recommend a cheaper alternatives, I'd be greatful.
Thanks very much

AirCooledHeaven

How about this?

http://www.hispek.com/roberts-radio/dab-analogue-radios/roberts-radio-gemini-55-rd55-portable-dab-radio-pd-9405.php

googler

Where's your WiFi router?

If you can either - get a WiFi signal to the kitchen, or - run a wired ethernet connection from your router to the kitchen - I'd recommend for £40 more, a Squeezebox Touch.

Install the BBC iPlayer app on it, and you can pick any BBC radio programme from the last 7 days and listen to it when you want. No need to record them, they're stored for 7 days for you to pick from.

It also gives you loads of Internet Radio Stations to choose from.

Jazzy_B

The Roberts one doesn't let you record in advance, which is what I want.
I live an an old house with very thick walls. Also, the kitchen is at the opposite end of the house to where the router and the adsl line are.I have a special adsl plug that comes into the house, as we get very poor speeds living here, in the sticks, so I'm tied to keeping the router in the same place. I can't use an adsl filter in any phone points. I have to admit I'm not a fan of cabling, but I'll have a look at wired cables.
I've had a quick look at the Squeezebox, but I just can't justify that kind of cash. I never expected what I wanted to be such an expensive option.
I've been looking on ebay for a used radio with epg, but they don't come up very often.
Thanks anyway.

A.Penny.Saved

Why do you need DAB? The quality sucks because the bitrate is so low. Is it music you want or talk? Are there any channels on Freeview Radio stations that appeal? Record those with your laptop, put them onto a USB/flash drive and listen on a portable player or other device with media card or USB capabilities. Use DVBViewer on you laptop with a USB Freeview tuner and you will have a full EPG.

As you might of guessed, I'm not a fan of DAB. If/when they update it to AAC then it might be okay, but even then they would sqeeze the bitrate by adding more and more commercial channels until the quality sucked again.

Would a audio/video sender work through your walls? Maybe you could use one of those to send the audio using an appropriate Scart cable with audio input for a suitable audio input device.

The phone sockets should all have filters on them or will will adversely affect your ADSL. Why can you not fit them? If you sorted that out your speed might improve. Ring wires might be a problem on old properties so it might be worth checking that out.


Don't knock your old house because they were built to last, unlike the new rubbish.

googler

Jazzy_B wrote: »

The Roberts one doesn't let you record in advance, which is what I want.

The Squeezebox also won't let you record in advance, merely choose when to listen to last week's output. FWIW, I get the impression it has better sound quality than DAB. However, you would need either a set of powered speakers or some form of HiFi to go with it, as it has no amplifier or speakers itself.

Do you have a DVD/PVR recorder hooked up to either Freeview, Sky or Freesat? You could record programmes to DVD or disk, then investigate an audio sender to transmit from where the DVD/PVR is to the kitchen.....

Again, FWIW, I used to mark up the Radio Times for music progs a week in advance, and diarise the ones I wanted to record, but now I've lost the need to record radio progs in advance, because now I know if I miss one on its broadcast day, I can catch up with it anytime over the next week.......

Jazzy_B

We get a great DAB signal here and it's really the best option for listening, especially in the kitchen. I know the freeview channel is better quality, but we don't get Radio4 from 5pm till 12pm on Freeview, so recording at those times isn't possible, which is when I'd want to record several programmes.
It's something that Freeview has started in Scotland over the last three months and it's really annoying.I mainly listen to Radio 4, 6 and 3.
When we first got broadband, BT openreach had to fit an integrated adsl filter and phone line box, as it's impossible to get a connection with a normal filter that you just plug in. When we got the box put in about 10 years ago, we got one free installation, and were told it would cost around £100 if we needed another box like it elsewhere.
I've never heard of an audio sender, so that'll be my homework for tonight.
We're getting building work done on the house soon so it might be an option.
Living here is not without it's problems, but I love it!
Thanks for the ideas folks

Jazzy_B

Thanks for your reply googler. We've got a pvr, but the programmes I want to listen to are not broadcast in Scotland on freeview. I'm going to look at audio senders though.

I just wanted an easier option than downloading on lappy, and listening to it in the kitchen, at a later date.

I think I'll just have to drop several hints for Christmas

A.Penny.Saved

Jazzy_B wrote: »

Thanks for your reply googler. We've got a pvr, but the programmes I want to listen to are not broadcast in Scotland on freeview. I'm going to look at audio senders though.

I just wanted an easier option than downloading on lappy, and listening to it in the kitchen, at a later date.

I think I'll just have to drop several hints for Christmas

It's meant to send video/audio which is why it has a Scart connection and called an Audio/Video sender. Therefore it's not meant solely for audio. It was the first thing that came up when I thought about such things. There might be audio only versions [yes there are] but you would need to search for those yourself. It wouldn't take much to use the video version, only a Scart cable which has an audio input cable connected to it to feed in the audio to the sender. I have seen those cables sold on cable selling sites.

See if you can read a manual online.

They use the same frequencies as Wifi, hopefully the signal power is higher than wifi but no guarantees. 50m is meant to be the distance for wifi and after checking, many of the senders ranges are also 40m/50m and they tend to use the same 2.4GHz frequencies. Interference could be a problem as 2.4GHz is commonly used for other things.

This came up while searching up which might help out as it uses 5.8GHz with 120m range. It's been discontinued so you would need to try and find one or something like it. eBay maybe. I don't think it is as good as they make it out to be. Range can be in the air or inside and I would guess that is the in the air figure so not much use to you.

This one has only a 50m range.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sitecom-SITE-WL-061-Wireless-Music-Streamer/dp/tech-data/B00560XBAU/ref=de_a_smtd

This one is called a pro unit with 100m range. The price isn't pro though
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Ex-Pro-Wireless-signals-different-locations/dp/B001ICBBCK/ref=pd_cp_ce_3

Be cautious of anything that uses 2.4GHz because of interference.

Here is one very similar to the Maplin one, 2nd hand £20
http://www.gumtree.com/p/for-sale/hq-58ghz-video-sender-kit/85698570

this one is quite expensive, check their other stuff because they make a lot of different senders, including Lan senders. It is meant to have a longer range. The company might answer questions as it's not some no name brand.
http://products.aei.eu/digisender/new-digital-series/digisender-single-input-digital-wireless-av-sender-dgxdsdv111.html

Jazzy_B

Thanks A.penny.saved. Very helpful.
Looks like a cheaper option for me.
Thanks for all your helpful comments