DAB Radios now available at Argos (in store) for under £20, but be quick!

codger

richytay1 wrote: »

Ok. So now you need to fit your freeview box, hifi and speakers in the boot when you go to your cottage in yorkshire. I'd recommend investing in a good pair of walking boots.

I'd also recommend you read what I posted as I specifically referred to the key factors relating to the purchase of a DAB radio -- portability -- and went on to say that, in reality, portability is only feasible if you're going from a good reception area to another good reception area.

I've been unable to keep up with this thread over recent days but catching up now would like to say thanks again to Steve Green and Sheppertonengineer for taking the time and trouble to come on here and provide the kind of hard, objective, facts the broadcasters (and DAB radio manufacturers) seem so curiously shy of volunteering.

Until Steve and Shepperton posted here, I had no idea that DAB broadcasts were being pumped out with such severe compression levels. Nor did I know that digital audio broadcasts via Freeview were much less compressed. All I knew -- my family knew -- was the evidence we had from our own ears.

(Something else I didn't know, either: that if someone comes on here with a critical overview of DAB broadcasting in the UK they'll attract hysterical outbursts from some posters to whom any opposing viewpoint is anathema. How pathetic, to get more wound-up than a wind-up radio.)

So I guess we're back to where we were at the start of this thread:

DAB is OK if you want audio choice;

FM is OK if you want audio quality.

Only when DAB+ is introduced will it be possible to have both. . . hopefully.

But how nice it would've been, had that simple truth about DAB radios been provided at the same time as all the manufacturer and retailer hype about audio clarity and quality. . .

stugib

DJLarcombe wrote: »

Was just wondering if anyone has tried a DAB car radio, as my AM reception in the car is awful! Wondering if a DAB radio is worth investing in as a friend said they were not worth the money.

I have exactly the same problem (got a >'05 Ford Focus by any chance? ) and I've got a Pure PocketDAB 1500 hooked up to an FM transmitter. It works well but depends on your reception where you drive - it's great for the journeys I do around Cambridge, but I get absolutely nothing for 10m radius around Stansted, but FM is quite bad round there too. Tried different personal DAB radios (Ministry of Sound, Wharfedale) but the Pure gave me the best reception and battery life. Get one from Argos and try it out then give it back if it's no good.

DJLarcombe

stugib wrote: »

I have exactly the same problem (got a >'05 Ford Focus by any chance? ) .

No, Rover 45 and the AM reception is atrocious! When you say you have a Pure PocketDAB 1500 hooked up to your FM transmitter, how do you mean? Can you hook it up to the car radio or something to use it in the car?

Dave.

bluebridge_2

DJLarcombe wrote: »

When you say you have a Pure PocketDAB 1500 hooked up to your FM transmitter, how do you mean? Can you hook it up to the car radio or something to use it in the car?

Yes. Very low power unlicensed FM broadcasting has recently become legal in the UK. So a plethora of small FM transmitters have hit the market. The idea is that you plug an audio output into the transmitter (perhaps the most common unit to plug in is an MP3 player) and the transmitter modulates and broadcasts that audio output with sufficient power for it to be picked up by your car radio. You usually have some choice as to what FM frequency (in the 87.5-108 MHz range) you set your transmitter to broadcast at, and you then simply tune your car radio in to that frequency to hear the sound over your car's audio system.
For the sort of things that are on the market, have a look at:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_ss_w_h_/026-8303844-4082050?initialSearch=1&url=search-alias%3Delectronics&field-keywords=FM+transmitter

quoia

DJLarcombe wrote: »

Hi all,

...................as my AM reception in the car is awful!
Dave.

stugib wrote: »

I have exactly the same problem (got a >'05 Ford Focus by any chance?.

CHECK there is (or FIT) a good earth lead from the radio chassis to the car metalwork / bodywork.

AM reception can be bad (indeed very bad on some frequencies) and it usually get worse as night falls and it gets dark and the atmospherics change that these radio waves work best/worst with.

However, from 2000 to 2006 I've had 3 Mk1 Mondeos ALL with relatively good AM reception. Last year bought a latest shape Mk3 2001 model. AM was cráp the majority of the time, rarely was it a pleasant experience on any AM station let alone the "dodgy" ones. The CD-Radio "ate" a CD and required removal and the cover off to get it out. Whilst doing this I noticed that I could improve (and accordingly deteriorate) the quality and clarity of the AM depending upon where it was sitting in the dashboard.
All to do with the metal of the radio body being in good, poor or no contact at all with a bit of metal in the dash.
Good earth = good signal

worth a try !

stugib

bluebridge wrote: »

Yes. Very low power unlicensed FM broadcasting has recently become legal in the UK. So a plethora of small FM transmitters have hit the market. The idea is that you plug an audio output into the transmitter (perhaps the most common unit to plug in is an MP3 player) and the transmitter modulates and broadcasts that audio output with sufficient power for it to be picked up by your car radio.

What bluebridge said I use a Belkin Tunecast II. Plus, you'll need a headphone splitter as you need a set of earphones + the FM transmitter both plugged into the radio. It's not as messy as this is starting to sound!

DJLarcombe

quoia wrote: »

worth a try !

Will do, thanks.

Dave.

This looks interesting:

http://www.incardab.com/

mjg298

Don't touch iNest if you can help it. They don't answer e-mails or phone calls. Often they take your money and send you nothing, and when they do post something it is often broken and you cannot often get a refund. Avoid like the plague

Gordon861

Logik IR100 Internet Radio

A bit more info on this, I'm still very impressed with this radio. I even went to get a second one but found PCWorld have now doubled the price to £80.

I tried emailing PCWorld to get the reason for the sudden increase and got back :

The original price was a promotional price and prices can change at any time. We do try and keep our prices in-line with competitors and I apologise if you do not feel we have done so on this occasion.

I think this is bull, when I bought it there was no 'promotional' or 'sale' information on it or next to it. I expect they noticed that they had started selling again and decided to try and cash in.

stugib

DJLarcombe wrote: »

When you say you have a Pure PocketDAB 1500 hooked up to your FM transmitter, how do you mean? Can you hook it up to the car radio or something to use it in the car?

Just seen that Pure have released this: http://www.pure.com/Products/Product.asp?Product=VL-60905&PageType=Intro

Stick-on-your-windscreen DAB radio + windscreen aerial + built-in FM transmitter.

Wonder if Argos will take back my pocket DAB...