DAB & DAB+ & Upgrading?

joe2cool

Hi just wondering if anyone knows or as one, if the 'Roberts SOUND 200 CD/DAB/FM/USB/SD Digital Stereo Sound System with Dock for iPhone/iPod'
Which as DAB Radio would it be upgradeable to DAB + via usb if required in the future? I've noticed they are doing systems now with DAB+, just wondered about the cheaper DAB only older versions?

Appreciate your help

Thx

GlasgowTech

After doing some digging, i cannot see anything about upgrading from DAB to DAB+ on Roberts devices..

I would recommend contacting their customer support who will be able to provide you with a definitive answer relatively quickly.

Sorry i couldn't be more help!

Roberts product support: Call: +44 (0)20 8758 0338

googler

DAB and DAB+ are incompatible systems, and I'd suggest it's highly unlikely that we'll ever see an upgrade to DAB+ in the UK.

We've had FM for many years, and DAB has been running side-by-side with it since 1995, with no sign yet of DAB 'overtaking' FM. In the view of critical listeners, broadcasters have tried to squeeze too many stations into the DAB multiplexes, with the result that they lower the bit rates, and quality suffers.

With the rise in 'radio' listening via the Internet, and especially the availability of all the BBC's output on the iPlayer via PC or other streaming devices (which in some cases, allow the 'listen again' feature to let you listen to programmes when you want to, not necessarily at the time of broadcast), it's difficult to see any justification for an upgrade from DAB to DAB+ at all, in my view....

GlasgowTech

googler wrote: »

DAB and DAB+ are incompatible systems, and I'd suggest it's highly unlikely that we'll ever see an upgrade to DAB+ in the UK.

We've had FM for many years, and DAB has been running side-by-side with it since 1995, with no sign yet of DAB 'overtaking' FM. In the view of critical listeners, broadcasters have tried to squeeze too many stations into the DAB multiplexes, with the result that they lower the bit rates, and quality suffers.

With the rise in 'radio' listening via the Internet, and especially the availability of all the BBC's output on the iPlayer via PC or other streaming devices (which in some cases, allow the 'listen again' feature to let you listen to programmes when you want to, not necessarily at the time of broadcast), it's difficult to see any justification for an upgrade from DAB to DAB+ at all, in my view....

They can be 'upgraded' by using some some sort of usb adapter (from what i read) but only on some systems.

googler

GlasgowTech wrote: »

They can be 'upgraded' by using some some sort of usb adapter (from what i read) but only on some systems.

There's only a limited number of DAB receivers that can be upgraded though. If the broadcasters switch to DAB+, any receiver that can't be upgraded becomes a paperweight or very expensive doorstop.

There isn't the demand for a wholesale switch from FM to DAB, and in light of the growth in Internet radio, will there ever be the demand for an upgrade from DAB to DAB+? I don't think so.

joe2cool

Hi cheers guys........ just that a lot of the DAB Systems on the Roberts site & some new ones on Amazon now show DAB/DAB+ in the spec's? Looks like the Sound 200 systems are all DAB/DAB+ formatted from checking their site.

Yes Roberts got back saying the ' Sound 200' are DAB/DAB+ Formatted.

googler

You may well end up with a Roberts that's capable of operating under both systems, but you're unlikely to see it used for DAB+, for the reasons I outlined above. I really can't see this as an important factor in a buying decision.

joe2cool

Cheers.........seemingly Roberts Systems were always equiped with DAB+, but not always displayed the detail on the boxes but because of supply going overseas they do now.