Radio alarm with remote control

[mike ring]

Reading the thread about bedside lights prompted me to think of the gadget I'd kill for, ie, as title.

I'd love to put the alarm radio on a shel across the room and just have a remote control by the bed.

It wouldn't have to have a brilliant clock readout, as I have a small conventional alarm clock which I like and use in addition if I really have to get up. Small dig at the unretired ;-)

But I'd like the radio to come on, and be able to channel hop as each channel in turn winds up my blood pressure.

A micro hifi would get close, but is really far too big, and I don't want tapes, CD's or stereo, just talk radio.

I've been looking for yonks, and was looing again in some very big stores today, but no luck.

Does such a thing exist - I'd even use DAB, which I thought would come along and solve my prob, but I've never seen a DAB with a remote.

(There's a hook for cheap shots for anyone who'se read this far)

mike

[Ian Stirling]

Maximum dimensions?

First thing that comes to mind that I know would work and is available is a Digital TV box. Plug a couple of small PC speakers into it, connect an ariel, and there you are. Some of these are very small. They (all?) do not have alarms.

[Lee]

That ludicrously overpriced Bose thing may have the functions you want, IIRC it does have a remote for the radio anyway.

If you want to stay within a sensible price bracket, then a micro or "compact" hifi would probably be the closest in function. We use a "boombox" mini hifi which has an alarm clock and full remote - but as you say, they are still large in comparison to a clock radio.

Lee

[Lee]

Yep seems it does:

someone must make a similar, but reasonably priced item though?

Lee

[mike ring]

Lee wrote in news: [e-mail]:

The chap in Curry's suggested one of them, but even micros are still a bit monster.

There was also a couple radio/cd units, but they only had "partial" remote control, no station change, which was reely reely disappointing.

I did consider a Bose but the money's silly, as wel as it being a bit big.

DAB might be a small problem - I don't know if there's any delay on it, but if I'm listening to the radio I tend to have one on in every room, but the digital channels are about a second out of sync.

Modern bloody progress - phooey

mike

[Owain]

"mike ring" wrote | There was also a couple radio/cd units, but they only had "partial" | remote control, no station change, which was reely reely disappointing.

It depends on what time you / the OP want to get up.

You could use a freeview box with its inbuilt change channel timer. You would have to check it allows you to change its channel during a 'timed' segment.

Community Channel is silent for 21 hours except 6am-9am CBeebies is silent 7pm-7am The MHEG channels like Teletext are silent all the time, I think.

If you get a freeview box with an led display, it will facilitate selecting the desired audio channel without it being connected to a TV, and should show the time during 'standby' changing to the selected channel at wake-up time.

If the timer function doesn't work as desired, plug the amplified speakers into a timeswitch and use that to control timed on/off, with the freeview box continually powered.

Owain

[mike ring]

"Owain" wrote in news: [e-mail]:

Thanks for the suggestion, Owain, but it's all a bit big - I don't really want a television or amplifier/speakers.

It's just that there's a million alarm clock/radios about (I've got two), but I'd love one with a remote control, so I could put it on a shelf over there, and save space at the bedside for alcohol/medication/flea powder annd the serious alarm clock with a proper face and light.

mike

[NoSpamThanks]

In message , mike ring writes

In an idle moment I looked around and came across this...

styling makes me cringe but it does everything you say you want AFAICS.

it also seems to be available in red:

white:

[mike ring]

"dave @ stejonda" wrote in news:hhYW+ [e-mail]:

I'll check it out, I can't find the dimensions yet; it's a bit big, but I think smaller than the separates.

Also I'll have to check out if the remote has full control of station switching, quite a lot haven't, so I'll end up hurling the r/c at the radio instead of switching away from Nick Wossname, or the blarney fairy, etc.

Ive found a couple of DABs, the Sony XDRS1 and The all english Roberts (made in Taiwan) RD6, but they're a bit pricy and may not even be available yet.

Thanks for the info

mike

[Julie]

It might be a bit bigger than what you want as it's also a CD player, but the Goodmans GCDR1950R Clock Radio has a remote control. Or this one

might work, although it's rather expensive.

I've done a bit of searching and it doesn't look as though a simple clock radio with a remote exists, unless it also includes a CD player.

[mike ring]

Julie wrote in news: [e-mail]:

I think I've checked this one, TBH there's a lot like it so I'm not quite sure, I will look again, but I'm pretty sure the remote control is only partial, and will only do CD funtions and volume.

I think they do it just to annoy me.

The other's right up there with the Bose, and apart from the price, I don't think I'm ready for serious audio with powered subwoofer at sparrows....

mike

[Adrian C]

Just get a couple (or three - depending on what talk radio stations you listen to) of cheap small clock radios, hack a connection inside each to mute the speaker, and trail an indiscrete bunch of wires to your bedside table with a rotary switch.

I take it it's Nick Ferrari (LBC) that winds you up? :-)

[Owain]

"Adrian C" wrote | Just get a couple (or three - depending on what talk radio stations | you listen to) of cheap small clock radios, hack a connection inside | each to mute the speaker, and trail an indiscrete bunch of wires to | your bedside table with a rotary switch.

A variant on the Crossroads class of hotel (and hospital) bedhead radios, about 6 channels fed from central 100V tuner/amps, with a 1-watt speaker in a bedhead unit with rotary switches for channel and (stepped attenuator) volume.

Owain

[mike ring]

"Owain" wrote in news: [e-mail]:

A couple of good ideas there but to be honest, both too much like work; at the moment I have to keep changing channel on a pushbutton set.

And the sources of the annoyance; not so much the presenter as the subject that gives me apoplexy, gender, race issues, religion, anything in a Scotch accent - that's nearly everyone in the meejah, and nearly all the interviewees, silly competitions, the awful records that local radio keeps putting on...it's just a little list!

mike

[tony sayer]

In article , mike ring writes

You wouldn't believe it, but they pay a fortune to "focus group consultants" to tell them which reckords to play;(

[mike ring]

tony sayer wrote in news:$ [e-mail]:

, the awful records

I don't mind the focus groups; I played folk myself once - it's the rest

mike