Anyone know of a cheapish FM radio that can take a mains input directly (i.e. 2-pin '8' connector) without a power pack or wall wart ? I need such for use when doing DIY when batteries or an external power pack are a right pain. Cheers, Simon.
sm_jamieson :
I don't know what you call cheapish. I have one of these, which meets the specification and costs £34.
Argos 500/6487 at under =A39 says 'mains powered'
They will probably let you look at it in the shop before buying if you ask nicely, but you can always take it back.
Owain
Any old (used) radio shuold do this
NT
Ask for one on your local recycle group. Someone is bound to have one they don't use. Jim
I like it. I could hire a labourer to crank the handled in between mixing up and polishing my boots ! Simon.
Runs on sun light as well...
They do that as a standard service. Just go to the checkout and tell them you wish to inspect before buying. You get a slip with a collection point number and the item is brought out for you to see. Did it the other day to see a camera.
Does that affect their "no quibble"(*) 15 day returns policy?
(*)Except for items excluded from the 15 day returns policy.
As for the OP my "DIY radio" came from Asda for about a tenner, 4 x AA batteries or direct mains input, FM (88 - 108MHz), MW (530-
1600KHz), SW1 (3.7 - 10.2Mhz) and SW2 (9.7 - 18.2MHz). Slight snag is when "off" it has a clock display, which if not used for a month or so flattens the batteries if you leave them in.
So you can just get the building inspector to bend over?
If you're going with the Alba jobbie for £9 which someone suggested, it probably doesn't matter - but if you're spending more than that, it might be an idea to 'future proof' it by getting one with DAB. Having said that, FM should be around for a few years yet.
Anyone younger than 20 would just use their mobile phone!
Depends entirely what you listen to. If the FM national stations (BBC Radios 1 - 4, Classic FM (are there any others?)) then yes getting DAB might be wise but if local radio or the non-national commercial stations then they will remain on FM.
TBH in the present financial climate I wouldn't be surprised if the FM national stations switch to being DAB only services gets quietly put on a back burner or dropped entirely.
FM will quite likely be around longer than *standard* DAB.
Owain
And can do DAB+ which may well be the standard in the future for DAB. I don't see FM ever being turned off. We still have LW and MW AM 50 odd years after FM was introduced.
OTOH, the Alba is a LW/MW/FM set and if like me, he only ever listens to Radio 4, when FM falls over, the Long Wave will still be there. Hope he likes Yesterday in Parliament, The Daily Service and Test Match Special, though.
Nick
We were somewhere around Barstow, on the edge of the desert, when the drugs began to take hold. I remember sm_jamieson saying something like:
Have a look in CPC's special offers. I bought a couple of mains/battery trannies for just this use for a fiver each.
Umm.. if your possibly running that off batteries I's stick to FM!..
A long time .. the fM switch off date has now been scrapped..
Well sort of;!..
Beware the weasel words:
"We do not intend to switch off FM. FM will be available to local listeners as long as is necessary," he said." [Vaizey]
Important words "local listeners"
"Vaizey added that the process would not begin until more than 50% of the country listens to radio on the digital platform, "or in other words when analogue listening is in the minority", a proposal first set out by Labour in last year's Digital Britain report."
I note that it says "the digital platfrom" but does not specify what that platfrom is. It could be assumed to be DAB only but that would be a bad assumption, IIRC from the Digital Britain report it means
*any* form of digital, so podcasts, live internet streaming, listen again etc all count to the 50% figure. This is very wrong IMHO, I can't get streaming internet or listen again in the car, I can get FM almost everywhere I go. Current DAB coverage is very patchy to non-existant.HomeOwnersHub website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.