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Is anyone listening to digital radio?

 
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gfloyd



Joined: 07 Dec 2006
Posts: 4861
Location: Here, There, Everywhere.

PostPosted: Fri Feb 20, 2009 9:04 am    Post subject: Is anyone listening to digital radio? Reply with quote

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2009/feb/20/george-lamb-6music-adam-and-joe

with average audiences of 40,000 at best, 6 Music has a long way to go before it can justify itself.
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Toggy



Joined: 18 Aug 2008
Posts: 1239

PostPosted: Fri Feb 20, 2009 9:54 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yes, I listen to planet rock, have never listened to 6 and probably never will, just not interested in it.
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Ian Robinson
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Joined: 11 Dec 2006
Posts: 3608
Location: Chorley, Lancashire

PostPosted: Fri Feb 20, 2009 10:01 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Toggy wrote:
Yes, I listen to planet rock, have never listened to 6 and probably never will, just not interested in it.

Both stations are on about the same figures, according to that article.

I don't think DAB Music stations (aimed at adults) will ever take off until they put receivers in car radios as standard. I'm genuinely baffled as to why this hasn't happened, and why broadcasters aren't pushing for it.

Also (while I'm on about it) why can't you get an affordable DAB boombox? It's either tiny personal stereos or retro one-speaker wooden jobbies. Very few with CD and decent speakers. Why not?
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RockitRon



Joined: 07 Dec 2006
Posts: 7646

PostPosted: Fri Feb 20, 2009 10:33 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Ian Robinson wrote:

Also (while I'm on about it) why can't you get an affordable DAB boombox? It's either tiny personal stereos or retro one-speaker wooden jobbies. Very few with CD and decent speakers. Why not?


I suspect, because it is very much yesterday's technology - CD is considered dead as a medium for portable music, other than in the car.

There must also be a technical reason, and I'm sure someone here will know what it is. Even the i-pod sound-docking devices with radio are mostly analogue - I've got this one which sounds good for the price
http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000SKN5RC/400001380-21/?m=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE
(I use it round the house and on holiday, where I can plug it in - battery life is very short)

Going back to topic, DAB reception and sound quality is pretty poor round here, so I haven't missed not having a set. I get it through the cable TV, and will occasionally listen to Planet Rock or BBC Radio Scotland (Iain Anderson).
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colby



Joined: 06 Feb 2009
Posts: 1216

PostPosted: Fri Feb 20, 2009 12:11 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

DAB hasn't achieved the market penetration because, from a technical perspective, it isn't that good. It's a heavily compressed means of distributing audio (hence the fact that you can get lots of channels into a slice of spectrum otherwise occupied by one FM channel) and it's also very finicky in terms of signal penetration. Getting DAB into cars isn't now such a problem but it's still not as reliable as either AM or FM.

What is interesting is the number of car audio players that now feature USB sockets, which is really useful. Some of the better ones even have high capacity SD card slots as well. Personally, I use a Belkin wireless thingey but that only converts the output of the iPod to FM and it's of such low power that I lose signal if the iPod's in the back seat of the car!

My own thought is that as the cellular networks offer even greater bandwidth (ie: above 3G) we'll be able to stream direct to our in-car music players via devices like iPhones or other 3G devices. It'll be compressed, of course, but I can put up with that in the car.

What do I listen to most on Ye Olde Radio? Planet Rock. It's pretty much the only national radio station left in the UK with any integrity (something that none of the appalling GCAP stations manage to claim), and the fact that it's now owned by some prominent musicians is a boon. I really like listening to Rick Wakeman (one of the station's owners) waffling on and on and on at the weekend. Great stuff.
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Toggy



Joined: 18 Aug 2008
Posts: 1239

PostPosted: Fri Feb 20, 2009 9:50 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

colby wrote:
I really like listening to Rick Wakeman (one of the station's owners) waffling on and on and on at the weekend. Great stuff.


Me too, I love Rick, he's ace and so funny to listen to.
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nod



Joined: 24 Dec 2006
Posts: 3558

PostPosted: Sat Feb 21, 2009 11:19 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I've tried DAB and keep trying but can never find anything worth listening to, 6music showed great potential at the start but what a let down Rolling Eyes
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