DAB reception

In article snipped-for-privacy@brightview.co.uk>, F <news@nowhere.?> scribeth thus

Yes! Try FM:)

DAB is rather varied here despite being in a supposed strong signal area..

Ours sort of work provided that it isn't raining but they dissolve into boiling mud at the least provocation. If they have external antenna sockets you can plug a better aerial in but even then it is crap.

DAB is dire when played back through a decent hifi even with good signal. Internet, TDTV, Freesat and even FM leave all it for dust.

If they will do internet radio over wifi use that otherwise the best fix is the application of a 2lb hammer or angle grinder if you prefer.

It's not great, is it? I remember when it was first introduced with 'CD quality sound' and bitrate of 192 kbps. Listening to it now, it sounds like medium wave without the fade or the static.

They are probably deaf and also the aerial is hardly what one might call suitable unless you are close to the transmitter. They don't like basements either. I guess you could bodge an aerial onto them if you want to go that far. Brian

If you have wifi, get a couple of echo dots and some cheap stereo amplified speakers. Brian

I was about to suggest the same. The only disadvantage with FM is that you don't get the ticker telling you what's being played (I have Classic FM set on the alarm, and I like to know what bit of music I'm being woken up to).

We only have one DAB radio and mainly use FM, but we do have twin satellite/DTV/FM/DAB distributed to each room to quad-plexed plates (for current and future satellite use). Can you get some co-ax to the clocks and do they have connections for external aerials?

SteveW

I have it in one car. A decent receiver with a decent aerial. It knocks spots off FM reception wise in London and the SE area. Good luck getting the others (except FM) in a car.

Oh - good luck getting TDTV, Freesat etc with a bit of wire for an aerial. And perfect Wi-Fi everywhere in every house too.

Comments like that just shows you've no real experience of either.

In terms of a radio with only a bit of wire for an aerial, are you saying you get perfect FM reception in every room in your house? I don't despite living in London.

Not every station we listen to is on FM...

Use a raspberry pi or other computer to listen to them on the internet

You live in London though where DAB is fine while FM can be a problem because of illegal transmitters, buildings etc.

Many parts of the country have better FM reception than DAB.

Better still buy a Roberts Stream94 and avoid ALL the awful Linux garbage.

And what exactly do you think runs inside a Roberts Stream94? And the router that connects you to the internet?

and the cost is? -- yes! about 10 raspberry pis.

That's not generally a problem for the average buyer though, unlike all the ghastly nonsense required for your 'solution'.

this is a DIY group.

Umm.. ignorance on display... I suppose I was vaguely aware that the Internet carries stuff other than podcasts/U tube etc. but it hadn't occurred to me that the current awful radio DAB sound reproduction might be overcome by purchasing a suitable Internet enabled tuner!

Anyone care to make a recommendation for a high street model? I have a suitable outlet inches away from the kitchen radio site and am not clever enough to play with a raspberry pi.

Anything (FM) is better than nothing (DAB)...

The car has DAB, the few times I've listened to it there is something about the quality/procesing that makes it very wearing to listen to. Can't take more than half an hour or so before having to switch to something else, which can be the same station on FM that isn't wearing...