Transmission1

sureshot wrote:Currently don't have a DAB radio but thinking about it, ive tried one before and its the more stations on offer that i can't get on analogue FM, birthday soon thinking maybe that, have to see what transpires.

The extra stations are its plus point, I like that as well. Always something to suite your musical taste.
Using a decent pair of headphones with it does sort of negate its lack of fidelity through hi-fi speakers, you do not notice the lack of soundstage through headphones that it lacks if you play it through your speakers.

As daft as it sounds (excuse the pun) though, good old FM broadcasts do still sound better even through headphones though.

When i had a play with a small Sony one it sounded usable, got FM analogue on here all the time, local station broadcast from my daughters school called Academy FM its in the Marlowe Academy, plays all the great 70's 80's early 90's stuff not old enough yet for radio BBC radio 4 or that other one on FM 104.20 oh radio Kent i think for oap's

Got Magic on with its 60`s and 70`s content. Reckon that dates me pretty well then

Actually DAB does have it`s uses, just switched to Smooth 70`s and it takes me back to my days of flares and platforms

Was reading a magazine article yesterday while waiting for the Doctor to examine my piles, read an article about DAB. Apparently the government are commuted to the goal of 98% coverage by 2016 and are currently concentrating on improving coverage along the major road networks.

I think 4G will kill it though. In 5 years well all have no limit mobile phone contracts for data, and 4G will be fast enough to stream any station you want, then over Bluetooth to the car stereo.

We're standing at the precipice of the death of mainstream domestic broadcasting in the UK. 10 years it'll be in major trouble, 15 it'll be gone. We shouldn't view DAB as some sub standard Johnny-come-lately but rather as an endangered species, just line the rest of them.

Not too sure about that. Not everyone can afford a mobile and data plan. At least broadcasting - as we know it - is free to receive. It still has its place.

I'm sniffing round the idea of 24 bit audio for the hifi. Generally it is downloaded then sent from your pc to an external dac (like the dacmagic for example)

Much as I love the tech and fit the audiophile description, It's not about music, it's about reproduction. I have never been raving only to find the pa was so poor I couldn't dance to it.


My interest in music has (like for most people) faded somewhat over the years. I still enjoy the kind of reproduction that can put me there. Like I'm in the crowd at the actual concert/gig. I will still pay good money for the kit to do it. I have no interest in talk radio though, so no reason to get dab, just reasons not too.

When I first got into hi-fi (about 20 odd years a go) I made the mistake of trying all the silly after market gadgets that where supposed to enhance your listening experience.
Silly gummy things that you put under the feet of your equipment to eliminate vibration, the green pens that you where supposed to coat the edges of your cd`s with and would make them magically sound better, the counter weights you could buy to put on top of your cd`s that eliminate any flex (not a good idea really), and none worked!!!
All that happened was that you where listening to the hi-fi rather than the music.
Sounds a bit daft but it was true, you where not really concentrating on the music but listening to the hi-fi to hear if all these silly tweaks worked.
None did and I came to the conclusion that if you where happy with the sound in the first place then stick with it and enjoy the music.

Fartblood wrote:Was reading a magazine article yesterday while waiting for the Doctor to examine my piles, read an article about DAB. Apparently the government are commuted to the goal of 98% coverage by 2016 and are currently concentrating on improving coverage along the major road networks.

I think 4G will kill it though. In 5 years well all have no limit mobile phone contracts for data, and 4G will be fast enough to stream any station you want, then over Bluetooth to the car stereo.

We're standing at the precipice of the death of mainstream domestic broadcasting in the UK. 10 years it'll be in major trouble, 15 it'll be gone. We shouldn't view DAB as some sub standard Johnny-come-lately but rather as an endangered species, just line the rest of them.

It's already that way now. Unlimited data and whilst I haven't got 4g yet, 3g (and less) is more than acceptable for streaming. Samsung Galaxy S3 in the car and using the TuneIn radio app and powered from the car, can listen to radio stations from all around the world. Gets boring after a while though

Dagnabbit wrote:Not too sure about that. Not everyone can afford a mobile and data plan. At least broadcasting - as we know it - is free to receive. It still has its place.

today, for sure.

In 5 years when 4G is established and date is even cheaper than it is now, then I'm not so sure.

Within my lifetime I am certain we will see then end of mainstream terrestrial programme broadcasting.

Fartblood wrote:

Dagnabbit wrote:Not too sure about that. Not everyone can afford a mobile and data plan. At least broadcasting - as we know it - is free to receive. It still has its place.

today, for sure.

In 5 years when 4G is established and date is even cheaper than it is now, then I'm not so sure.

Within my lifetime I am certain we will see then end of mainstream terrestrial programme broadcasting.

That assumes that data will get cheaper. I can't see it, somehow. They will always charge "what the market will bear" - which will mean raking in as much money-for-nothing as they can from the majority, but leaving a minority out of the equation.

It's no good having a sizeable minority being left out. Broadcasting depends upon affordable access to all.

Edit: just found a timely relevant story today - http://tech.slashdot.org/story/12/10/23 ... g-data-cap

It's already just got cheaper this week...

pwmonkey wrote: The US Sirius XM idea is better although requires subscription over there. Lots of choice though and much better quality than DAB here.

Sirius is pretty great, I would happily pay a monthly fee to have it in my car.
But then even normal fm in the US is much better than here in my opinion.

Fartblood wrote:It's already just got cheaper this week...

and its like everything else
those that cant pay for it ...will get a reduced service bolstered with advertisements to finance it
yes it will all be 4g mobiles and 4g tablets in the near to middle future ..laptops are taking a hiding and the good old desktop is battered to death ...even in a office now its laptops and "hot-desks" ...
Sky and virgin ? ...well whats the point of laying more cable when you will able to stream it all in 5 years at MAX LOAD on the phone network

i have dab in the car with a proper mounted ant and its ok in the city but useless in wales and over yorkshire dales

Found this on youtube, just goes to show how long they've been trying to push it. I dread to think how bad the coverage was back then.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AD7jIe3IACY