DAB radio?

[GL88]

I gave up looking for a DAB in-car-radio earlier this year. I think that the reason there are so few integrated units on the market is that the big manufacturers are all interested in developing products for the USA market which I think hasn't adopted DAB at all.

Follow this link to my post on avforums about my experience with a Kenwood unit.

http://www.avforums.com/forums/car-entertainment-ice/1174804-no-dab-iphone-car-devices-market.html

All I would add to that is that despite allegedly being good for iPod I've found it easier for most journeys to have all my music on a USB memory key and use Bluetooth through the unit for phone calls.

The sound is first rate and plenty loud enough at any speed (including autobahn speeds) with decent quality replacement speakers (standard size) in the standard in/under dash position and 7" units in Defendoor panels in the back.

So far I'm not missing DAB (which I love in the house). If/when analogue switch off happens I'll get a separate tuner and mount it in the dash. Background noise means you don't notice the difference in sound quality once the engine is running and I've given up experimenting with internet through the iPhone (which does work after a fashion but depends on uninterupted data over 3G).

[Bull Bar Cowboy]

There is a lot of incorrect hype and misunderstanding with regard to DAB ………….as it part of my job perhaps I can fill in the gaps.

1. Clarity of reception will always stand head an shoulders above conventional wide band FM systems. Once a digital (DAB) signal starts to get wek the BER (Bit Error Rate) increases and the receiver processor terminates the received signal. Sometimes this may be preceded by just a few milliseconds (often a lot less) of burble as the signal is terminated (with many DAB receivers the burble can be programmed i.e ‘cut/fade on burble enable’). With WBFM (standard broadcast FM) the signal will fade until firstly distortion sets in and the signal falls below the receiver noise threshold and just leaves you listening to ‘white’ noise. You can liken all the above to the difference between the current digital GSM and the older analogue ETACS systems of mobile phones.

2. DAB is the accepted standard in the UK (ETS 300 -401 modes 1-4 & DAB+) and uses the old Band II tv frequencies of 174 -240 Mhz. This allows reasonably good coverage from both a static and mobile perspective with quite good in building penetration. However, on mainland Europe the global picture is slightly different. Currently the DAB standard is being used (used as opposed to accepted) but is transmitted on L Band 1452 -1490 Mhz, therefore the coverage is relatively poor. Whilst in France recently I noticed that rural coverage was pretty much non existent and good coverage could only be found in large urban conurbations. However, whilst in Northern Spain last week I found the coverage to be very good in most areas of Asturias & Galicia with a good choice of stations.

3. In the UK a huge amount of money has been poured into DAB and I believe the standard will stay with us for a decade or two. In mainland eurpoe the stanrd is gathering pace but the final outcome is still fluid.

With regard to ICE, I would go for something like a Pure Highway that is a standalone windscreen mounted device which transmits back to your in car radio on a spare VHF channel………. The highway unfortunately only covers band III and therefore will not work in mainland Europe, however, it is the best of the bunch for UK use.

[GBMUD]

With regard to ICE, I would go for something like a Pure Highway that is a standalone windscreen mounted device which transmits back to your in car radio on a spare VHF channel………. The highway unfortunately only covers band III and therefore will not work in mainland Europe, however, it is the best of the bunch for UK use.

Thanks for filling in the gaps Ian.

I have always found the 'Spare VHF channel' somewhat illusive when using FM transmitters to listen to MP3s etc. You find one that works in Trowbridge but by the time you get to Shepton Mallet you get local 'Radio Cabbage' on that channel, retune and by Yeovil the same thing happens. Less of an issue once FM is 'turned off' I guess but they will presumably lease the frequencies to someone else and I will get mini cabs or mobile phones interfering instead.

Chris

[Bull Bar Cowboy]

Chris,

Once you have found a spare channel ……… the Highway has an intelligent way of doing this ! ……… then set that memory position to local & that will stop 99% of the issues. Most decent radios will allow certain settings relative to memory positions.

[Log]

Reception strengths obviously vary depending on your location. I cannot receive DAB where I live so as things stand at the moment, will not get any radio when they switch off FM unless its some crackly foreign station. I do get Internet radio via the computer but it keeps stopping and starting depending on the time of day. Mind you, I'd rather live in a techy desert than in some towny type place that has all the mod cons available but you cant go to the shops without getting mugged!

[Kev Baldwin]

Don't bother with DAB. In-car service is either hopeless or patchy at best. A case of great technology that doesn't quite work yet!

[GBMUD]

Yup, that pretty much summarises the thread Kev.

Chris

[SteveG]

Don't bother with DAB. In-car service is either hopeless or patchy at best. A case of great technology that doesn't quite work yet!

Whereas DIP DAB are readily available all over the country and taste good! ;) ;)

[Mo Murphy]

In fact I got 8 dip dabs for a £1 at a little chef recently, which made a nice sweet counter to the Olympic breakfast I just eaten

Mo

[BigSi110]

Sorry to temporarily resurrect an old thread here, but I have a JVC DAB head unit in my 110 and it's been there for over a year now.

Like many of you, I got converted to DAB through Planet Rock and the DAB sets we have at home. Much better and clearer than FM by some way. And as PR is only available through DAB, it was the way to go.

I then decided to buy a head unit from the DABonWheels chap and haven't regretted it. There's a clear message in that reception is largely dependant on aerial quality, so I went for a seperate DAB aerial in front of my standard FM one. Never needed FM since...

Absolutely no problems. Drove from Berkshire to Derbyshire last year, here there and everywhere and only about 2 minutes of nothingness in the entire trip.

West country again presented no problems. A few dips here and there but nothing of any consequence. PR just kept on playing.

East of England and once again, no problems at all.

Would I buy another? Hell, yes!

The only limiting factor to my enjoyment of DAB is working in Australia.

[digger 2]

Sorry to temporarily resurrect an old thread here, but I have a JVC DAB head unit in my 110 and it's been there for over a year now.

Like many of you, I got converted to DAB through Planet Rock and the DAB sets we have at home. Much better and clearer than FM by some way. And as PR is only available through DAB, it was the way to go.

I then decided to buy a head unit from the DABonWheels chap and haven't regretted it. There's a clear message in that reception is largely dependant on aerial quality, so I went for a seperate DAB aerial in front of my standard FM one. Never needed FM since...

Absolutely no problems. Drove from Berkshire to Derbyshire last year, here there and everywhere and only about 2 minutes of nothingness in the entire trip.

West country again presented no problems. A few dips here and there but nothing of any consequence. PR just kept on playing.

East of England and once again, no problems at all.

Would I buy another? Hell, yes!

The only limiting factor to my enjoyment of DAB is working in Australia.

I have a DAB radio in my Defender, had it over a year now & I think it's great. Its a Blaupunkt & I've had no problem with lack of signal. I think its down to what aerial you fit, mines a roof mounted external one.The quality is far batter on DAB than FM & I'd definitely buy another,infact I'm looking to buy one for my car now!

[Diablo]

I've got a Sony DAB radio, and bought a proper aerial to go with it. Those stick on things are hopeless. 100 times better than a standard FM radio!

[GBMUD]

Good. I thought that was it, decision made, now they all come out of the woodwork to tell me how good life is with a proper antenna...

Still wondering

Chris

[Bull Bar Cowboy]

Heres the 'zoomable' coverage map Chris ............ it's poor only when you get very rural, but that applies to FM as well.

http://www.ukdigitalradio.com/images/coverage-map.gif

[sgnas]

The postcode checker, and presumably the map on which it is based, is bo[[@($

We bought a digital radio for home some time ago. Originally we received all the BBC channels, then one day they all disappeared never to return. Still get loads of others though!

We just moved ~5miles to about the highest point for ~7 mile radius and still no BBC channels.

[hoarebag]

I use a Cowon D2 mp4 player with built in DAB attached to a marine amp similar to this:-

http://www.force4.co.uk/5129/Force-4-Waterproof-MP3---iPod-Kit.html

Means that i can keep the MP4 on the roof out of harms way and still go swimming!

DAB coverage is pretty good but seems to be patchy on ocasion - weather, buildings, hills all affect it. I'm pretty happy with it mind. BBC 6music is the station of choice though!

[GBMUD]

Heres the 'zoomable' coverage map Chris ............ it's poor only when you get very rural, but that applies to FM as well.

http://www.ukdigital...overage-map.gif

Good coverage if you live up the A1 - M11! There are a lot of white areas around me in Wiltshire though...

Chris

[simonr]

Heres the 'zoomable' coverage map Chris ............ it's poor only when you get very rural, but that applies to FM as well.

http://www.ukdigital...overage-map.gif

It says that I should be able to receive 23 stations (RH13 0PR) - but doesn't list the only one I actually can receive! That's using a fixed receiver with a Yagi antenna about 15 feet in the air. If I point it towards Brighton, I get one 'alternative lifestyle' station and in the opposite direction I get preaching Christian Radio - diametrically opposite both figuratively and actually.

It may be that the receiver (or antenna) is rubbish - but it's hard to tell until it's too late!

Si

[need4speed]

Bringing up an old thread but ive noticed that Blaupunkt have discontinued making their two DAB car radios. Now seeing as DAB is supposed to be a new technology, why are they now discontinued? Are they really THAT rubbish?

[lynall]

Can i ask a question ref the amp idea as i like the idea of no radio in the car thats visible.

What exactly would i need to make this work with my iphone!

A link to the items would be great as i truly havent a clue.

Would Maplins know?

Lynall

[GBMUD]

i like the idea of no radio in the car thats visible.<br />What exactly would i need to make this work with my iphone!

<br /><br /><br />

You would need enough mobile signal to get reliable Internet radio on your iPhone. Unless you never leave urban areas this is not going to happen - I have tried kit driving from Bath to Bristol on the M4 and even that close to major towns it still does not work.. Even Maplin cannot fix that.

Chris

[brighouse shed]

I would go seperate amp with a set of inputs including nice usb and couple aux then you can have an i pod dock bolted onto the dash/headlining etc.Then i would go for the PURE head unit agin on your headlining its only about 30mm x120mm. Having got a DAB home unit a few years ago from pure just bought both my kids a dab /dock unit for christmas, having got a standard i went armed to my local asylum Comet and played with all the toys. walked away with two PURE units they are head and shoulders above the rest. now have a pure dab add on in my C5 as i travel all over uk and need r5 and r6 fix. so far found nothing but good results

[sj_4x4]

I would go seperate amp with a set of inputs including nice usb and couple aux then you can have an i pod dock bolted onto the dash/headlining etc.Then i would go for the PURE head unit agin on your headlining

I would agree with the Pure route, I run a Pure Highway with a external mag mount aerial, drive all over the UK and very rarely loose signal, even worked outside a certain engineering firm in West Sussex.....

[Jon White]

I've got one of the old Alpine ones (sadly no longer manufactured) and is brilliant - I like the way its all controllable from the head unit without having to have ad on external devices.

Jon

[simonr]

I would agree with the Pure route, I run a Pure Highway with a external mag mount aerial, drive all over the UK and very rarely loose signal, even worked outside a certain engineering firm in West Sussex.....

This one? Maybe I should reinstate the antenna and give it another go! I'd totally abandoned DAB in favour of Internet Radio - but I'll have another look.

Si