DAB Digital Radios

Subject: DAB Digital Radios
From: Rt Revd Sir jOhn from Hull
Date: 10 Jan 04 - 10:56 AM

I bought one of these a few days ago, it's a Pure Evoke-1
It was £66 from Boots, reduced from £100.
I'm really happy with it, I can get 40 stations in perfect sound quality including=
1 Extra
6 Music
Arrow
BBC 5 Live
BBC Asian
BBC World
BBC 7
BBC Radio 2
BBC Radio 3
BBc Radio 4
BBC Parliament
BBC Sports Extra
Capital Disney
Classic
Classic Gold
Core
D1
DNN
Galaxy
Heart
Jazz FM
KISS
Life
Lincs FM
Magic
Oneword
Planet Rock
Prime
Radio 1
Real
Smash Hits
Smooth
The Hits
TalkSport
Urban Choice
Viking
Virgin
Xfm
BBC Humberside.
Has anyone else got one?

Subject: RE: DAB Digital Radios
From: Folkiedave
Date: 10 Jan 04 - 11:23 AM

Hi,

I have a DAB - same model - and it is brilliant, would not be without it. I asked for at Xmas (and got) a speaker to turn it into stereo - worth asking for at birthday time!!

Regards,

Dave
www.collectorsfolk.co.uk

Subject: RE: DAB Digital Radios
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 10 Jan 04 - 11:26 AM

I am pissed off with adverts on radio and TV for DAB digital radios. I can't even get an FM signal where I live, and when I go to the Digital coverage site and enter my post code, it tells me that there are no plans to provide cover in my area. The same also applies to broadband cover. So although I'm very pleased for you, I'm extremely displeased for me.
John

Subject: RE: DAB Digital Radios
From: Rt Revd Sir jOhn from Hull
Date: 10 Jan 04 - 11:53 AM

Dave-I have an amplifier on my stereo set up, so i can just plug the radio into that.
John-It coukld be wotyh you contacting the BBC and Digital One [the commercial Digital broadcast company], if enough people in your area contact them they might think its worth broadcasting to your area.

If anyone else is thinking of buying one of these, i would definetley reccomend it, and you have the chance to win your money back, there is a freepost postcard in the box, just send it off, and maybe win your money back.

Subject: RE: DAB Digital Radios
From: s&r
Date: 10 Jan 04 - 12:06 PM

Hd one since birthday in August: can't believe the clarity and freedom from hiss crackle etc. Best thing since cd's

stu

Subject: RE: DAB Digital Radios
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 10 Jan 04 - 02:26 PM

I've registered for broadband, me and 24 others.
John

Subject: RE: DAB Digital Radios
From: WFDU - Ron Olesko
Date: 10 Jan 04 - 09:57 PM

I assume DAB is available only in the U.K.?    Is it similar to XM and Sirius here in the U.S., where you pay a monthly fee for digital satellite radio.

Subject: RE: DAB Digital Radios
From: treewind
Date: 11 Jan 04 - 01:43 PM

I don't know what XM and Sirius are, but DAB in the UK is as free as the air. You just get a receiver and switch it on, as long as your area is covered. In many places an external antenna is desirable. It's broadcast via a network of terrestrial transmitters like FM radio, and you typically get a mixture of local and national stations.

I sympathise with John/Giok - I've lived in many bad FM radio areas and have no prospect of broadband where I live. As it happens FM reception here is good but not perfect even with an external antenna, but DAB is 100% on the signal strength meter with an external antenna on the house, and I'm really pleased with it.

Anahata

Subject: RE: DAB Digital Radios
From: Folkiedave
Date: 11 Jan 04 - 02:16 PM

My DAB is 100% with no antenna. For those who have never heard DAB before - the clarity is stunning; stereo (now how I have the speaker) is magic; and for those like me who like Radio Bloke in the evening then the reception I got before was awful, on DAB it is great. Curerently listening to the Archers - Peggy is back in charge of the pub and Usha is on the razz with some bloke or other. Lambing time is near.

Dave
www.collectorsfolk.co.uk

Subject: RE: DAB Digital Radios
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 12 Jan 04 - 03:11 AM

I got a tiny DAB for Christmas after whinging for one for my birthday. It's brilliant but I suspect I'll get even less work done as I sit laughing at the likes of 'The Navy Lark' and other stuff I was too young to hear the first time round!

So when are they going to come up with a radio that works on the Underground then?

LTS

Subject: RE: DAB Digital Radios
From: okthen
Date: 12 Jan 04 - 03:15 AM

Where do I find if I'm in a good signal area? (Is there a website?) and can I play directly into my computer? I've seen the ads, and am interested but need more info.

Subject: RE: DAB Digital Radios
From: Roger the Skiffler
Date: 12 Jan 04 - 04:18 AM

I bought the same model before Xmas but as it was faulty I had to take it back for a refund as they didn't have any left. Now aiming to get the Evoke 2 some time. Thanks for this, jOhn, nice to know it is successful.

RtS

Subject: RE: DAB Digital Radios
From: treewind
Date: 12 Jan 04 - 04:46 AM

okthen : Try Google with "DAB coverage":

www.uk-dab.info/coverage.html looks a likely candidate.

You can obviously use audio out to line in on your computer sound system, and if I remember rightly (I'm at work, the DAB tuner's at home) there's an S/PDIF output too on my Cambridge Audio DAB tuner (dirt cheap from Richer Sounds), so if you're lucky enough to have a sound card with S/PDIF in you can go digitally into your computer with no D-A/A-D degradation or extra noise introduced.

A good plan is to see if you can find someone who has one of those portable DAB radios. I borrowed one from a colleague, and quickly found that while reception was a bit patchy downstairs, upstairs by a window it was perfect, so I went ahead with external antenna next to said window and it worked a treat as expected.

Also I discovered that Richer Sounds (bless 'em) would quite happily let me have a DAB receiver for a week or two to try it out, and take it back for a full refund if reception wasn't good enough.

Anahata

Subject: RE: DAB Digital Radios
From: Strupag
Date: 12 Jan 04 - 12:36 PM

hi John Mac(FKA)Giok
As you know, I'm in the same situation re digital radio. I don't agree with our situation but here's what I did.
Just over a year ago I got Sky TV (I know - we all detest Murdoch etc!)
I got the installation for a nominal sum and after just one month, I reduced the package to the mimimum amount.
After one year I cancelled the whole lot and kept the dish/receiver. I still receive all the BBC channels, News channels, ITV, Ch4 and Ch5
--AND--all the radio channels that j0hn o' Hull mentioned plus a good few extra eg. BBC Radio Scotland, BBC Radio Nan Gaidheal, RTE1 RTE2 RTE Lyric FM, RTE Jazz FM, RTE RAdio Nan Gadheal, Radio Wales, BBC Nothern Ireland and even Radio Caroline.
I have taken an output from the receiver and put it direct into my HiFi through the auxiliary input and get crystal clear digital reception,
I do, however, resent the fact that people in the remote areas of the UK receive an inferior service by the Beeb while having to pay the full licence amount.
While I'm on the subject of Radio, I also have a connection from my computer which I can interswitch with auxiliary input on the HiFi and the sound quality, whilst being a hundred miles from Digital, is good enough to enjoy some of the web stations from all over the world.
Andy Mitchell

Subject: RE: DAB Digital Radios
From: GUEST
Date: 12 Jan 04 - 01:23 PM

Glad I checked that link, I was going to buy a DAB this week. I can get all the crap pop stations but no BBC.

Subject: RE: DAB Digital Radios
From: Folkiedave
Date: 12 Jan 04 - 01:30 PM

Whilst I agree with Sturbag that the way remote areas are treated - radio is free. And I don't pay a licence (as such) to anyone since I don't have a TV.

Dave
www.collectorsfolk.co.uk

Subject: RE: DAB Digital Radios
From: okthen
Date: 12 Jan 04 - 02:41 PM

treewind, thanks for the link, looks interesting. I'd prefer to go for the PCI card but I think all my slots are full, I might try the PSION gadget, I'll check out richer sounds.

Subject: RE: DAB Digital Radios
From: Rt Revd Sir jOhn from Hull
Date: 23 Jan 04 - 04:19 AM

anyone else got one?

Subject: RE: DAB Digital Radios
From: Steve Parkes
Date: 23 Jan 04 - 06:13 AM

My bro got one last year and was so impressed he got Dad one too. I think the price is daft: what's in a digital radio that isn't in an FM radio to push the price up? When they get cheaper I'll get one. Don't know if the signal's any good in Milton Keynes though.

Steve

Subject: RE: DAB Digital Radios
From: GUEST,Sir Roger at work
Date: 23 Jan 04 - 06:59 AM

john

I've got the Evoke model too and am very pleased with the reception in Beverley. A couple of months ago I also put Freeview on the TV and quite often use that to listen to digital radio.

I gather that parts of Hull and the East Riding can't get the Freeview signal very well. HU4 and Bridlington were specifically mentioned.

R

Subject: RE: DAB Digital Radios
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 23 Jan 04 - 09:01 PM

I love my DAB but it eats batteries like no-ones business. 4 days at work and I'm on my 3rd set of batteries.

LTS

Subject: RE: DAB Digital Radios
From: okthen
Date: 24 Jan 04 - 05:17 AM

LTS invest in some rechargeable batteries, go for the best 2100 mA.h a set of 4 cost me £10 from the market (I already had a charger) and they last for quite a while in my digital camera which is also power hungry.

Subject: RE: DAB Digital Radios
From: RolyH
Date: 24 Jan 04 - 07:13 AM

I bought a DAB radio , only to find there dosn't seem to be any reception in the North of Scotland,most of Wales and parts of East Anglia. ( I live in parts of East Anglia )

Subject: RE: DAB Digital Radios
From: Harry Basnett
Date: 24 Jan 04 - 09:21 AM

Sara bought me a Grundig for Christmas..Brilliant!!

Subject: RE: DAB Digital Radios
From: GUEST
Date: 24 Jan 04 - 09:46 AM

I bought a DAB radio , only to find there dosn't seem to be any reception

That was rather stupid of you, wasn't it? The information regarding coverage is widely available. Did you not think to check?

Subject: RE: DAB Digital Radios
From: Mr Red
Date: 24 Jan 04 - 10:10 AM

Guest
The stupidity on the part of the DAB website has to be believed. I live in Stroud which is the junction of five valleys. FM cannot be recieved in some of them. Joy, who gardens there, has to have a radio with longwave. The webbsite proudly puts Stroud as marginal DAB. Local Dixons at the time refused to sell the things because they knew what would happen.

As a graduate in Electronics, with radio comms, trust me - the website is optimistic at best, and culpably mendacious if we are to be legally honest.

I actually live in the flatter parts near the M5 and still won't take a chance - I prefer to buy an MP3 with radio/record. AND also use the record function on my D-Link on the computer for downloading next day. Well that's the theory - the little rouge coloured "Diva Gem" is about 4 days away from being in the webshop. Trouble is that four days is the fixed part, the actual day is moving along just nicely. Vapourware is making a comeback.

Dare I say it? I am not (and may wait a long time) a .......
DAB hand

I'll get my coat and leave with a short wave.......

Subject: RE: DAB Digital Radios
From: s&r
Date: 24 Jan 04 - 06:08 PM

culpably mendacious.....

wow! :)

Subject: RE: DAB Digital Radios
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 24 Jan 04 - 06:54 PM

There's recently been a bit of fuss about Digital Radio being introduced to Australia. No Details.

Robin

Subject: RE: DAB Digital Radios
From: Ed.
Date: 15 Jul 04 - 02:28 PM

I'm thinking of buying a Goodmans GPS280 Dab Radio/CD Player. Anyone have one? The reviews I've read so far are contradictory to say the least.

Thanks

Ed

Subject: RE: DAB Digital Radios
From: ThreeSheds
Date: 15 Jul 04 - 05:24 PM

I've been really pleased with an Evoke 2 the main differance beteen the earlier Evoke 1 is the 2 can be run on batteries but it is greedy with them but it does it can be used in the bathroom and thats a small price to pay for enjoying a long soak with Verity Sharp

Subject: RE: DAB Digital Radios
From: Rt Revd Sir jOhn from Hull
Date: 15 Jul 04 - 06:15 PM

Ed-I considered the Goodmans CD/DAB unit myself, but after reading reviews at Digital Spy [www.digitalspy.co.uk] and elsewhere I decided to get the Evoke 1 instead, I reckon your probably better off going for the Evoke or similar, I heard that currys have been selling Grundig portable DAB radios for £60, and reconditioned ones for £40.

Subject: RE: DAB Digital Radios
From: Rt Revd Sir jOhn from Hull
Date: 15 Jul 04 - 06:23 PM

Having said that Ed, you could try getting one from Argos, and if you don't like it, quality is not as good as you expected etc, take it back on their 16 day Refund Scheme.

[Its £100 on page 951 of the current catalogue].

Subject: RE: DAB Digital Radios
From: Mrs.Duck
Date: 15 Jul 04 - 06:42 PM

There is now a new one on the market called a BUG which willallow you to continue listening to a programme even if you switch off for a while and also allows you to listen to programmes hours later. No idea how much they cost but one was a prize on the Steve Wright show today.

Subject: RE: DAB Digital Radios
From: Ed.
Date: 15 Jul 04 - 07:36 PM

Thanks, everyone.

The Goodmans product tempted me because I need a new CD player too, but I think that I'll go for the Evoke.

Mrs Duck,

This is what you mean by the 'Bug'. It's £150 ish, and I'll politely decline. Not for me, thanks

Subject: RE: DAB Digital Radios
From: Rt Revd Sir jOhn from Hull
Date: 23 Aug 04 - 05:38 AM

I heard they are now selling the Evoke 1 in Argos for £45.

Subject: RE: DAB Digital Radios
From: GUEST,janice
Date: 24 Sep 04 - 03:00 PM

What exactly is DAB radio ?

Subject: RE: DAB Digital Radios
From: Bassic
Date: 24 Sep 04 - 03:05 PM

This may help.

Subject: RE: DAB Digital Radios
From: muppett
Date: 27 Sep 04 - 04:41 AM

John I've got one BBC 7 is Brill, Like listening to the re runs of Sherlock Holmes.

Subject: RE: DAB Digital Radios
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 27 Sep 04 - 03:16 PM

I won one about six months ago in the Radio Times letter of the week thing. I listen to it a lot , but my favourite dj is Paul MacKenzie of Radio Derby and you can't get him . I just have to listen to him in the car.

One word is good and radio 7 as you say.Apart from that I have beeb 2,3, 4. perhaps I am underusing it. I go to sleep to radio 7 evry night, as one word is not available - its supposed to be available on the telly, but it wasn't when I tried.

I liked the Billy Bunter stories.

Subject: RE: DAB Digital Radios
From: Rt Revd Sir jOhn from Hull
Date: 28 Sep 04 - 02:46 AM

Weelittledrummer-If your just outside the coverage area for BBC Radio Derby, it might be worth you fitting a rooftop DAB Aerial.
All BBC local radio stations will be available online by the end of the year, I think BBC Radio Derby already is.
There is a thread about it at Digital Spy, [www.dgitalspy.co.uk], click on "Analogue and Digital Radio".

Subject: RE: DAB Digital Radios
From: Rt Revd Sir jOhn from Hull
Date: 23 Dec 04 - 12:21 PM

Sainsburys are now selling these for £39.95, theres a postcode checker thing on an earler post, to check if your able to recieve DAB in your area.

Subject: RE: DAB Digital Radios
From: Paco Rabanne
Date: 23 Dec 04 - 12:30 PM

Shit!!! I can't get digital BBC in Beverley!

Subject: RE: DAB Digital Radios
From: Rt Revd Sir jOhn from Hull
Date: 23 Dec 04 - 12:44 PM

You sure Ted?
Sir Roger can, and he's in Beverley.

Subject: RE: DAB Digital Radios
From: PennyBlack
Date: 23 Dec 04 - 01:36 PM

some of the new DAB units can, Pause, rewind and record (MP2s) and play MP3s with support for SD memory cards. nice.

PB

Subject: RE: DAB Digital Radios
From: fat B****rd
Date: 27 Dec 04 - 05:32 AM

Got one (with mp3 facility !) from Mrs. fB for Xmas. Listened to someone reading Billy Bunter's Postal Order. Crikey !! Great present.