DAB in Ireland: RTE multiplex closed

Interesting.
Why havent they mentioned wicklow in that list?

Have they a special transmitter there thats only receivable outside the county boundary?
I receive kippure tv and analogue radio down near arklow perfectly...

Time to get a dab receiver?

Does dab auto tuen when driving?

I'd guess most of the n7 and N8 will be covered now.

Will we ever get DAB up here in Sligo?

ballsymchugh

http://www.marksandspencer.com/Combination-DAB-Digital-Radio/dp/B0021M2GP2?ie=UTF8&qid=1259689429&categoryNodeID=43992030&ref=sr_1_5&page=&node=51139031&sr=1-5&mnSBrand=core&rh=n%3A51139031%2Cp_4%3AM%26S

i got this earlier this year. bargain of the year.

coylemj

ballsymchugh wrote: »

http://www.marksandspencer.com/Combination-DAB-Digital-Radio/dp/B0021M2GP2?ie=UTF8&qid=1259689429&categoryNodeID=43992030&ref=sr_1_5&page=&node=51139031&sr=1-5&mnSBrand=core&rh=n%3A51139031%2Cp_4%3AM%26S

i got this earlier this year. bargain of the year.

Interesting, looks like they're OEMing Pico and Revo radios as M&S.

L1011

Deleted User wrote: »

Does dab auto tuen when driving?

No need to. SFN means its constantly on the same frequency nationwide.

L1011

http://digitalradio.ie/images/DAB_Dec09_hiRes.jpg

New estimated coverage map there.

glimmerman123

Will i be able to pick up a signal here in North Tipperary from Laois or Offaly ?

More Music

Ask your mate Michael.

You'll just have to test it. As you're very close to the predicted fringe area you may get some overspill.

Sam Russell

MYOB wrote: »

http://digitalradio.ie/images/DAB_Dec09_hiRes.jpg

New estimated coverage map there.

Not very National, is it?

The DTT coverage is much greater, and yet that is not yet a national service.

L1011

Sam Russell wrote: »

Not very National, is it?

The DTT coverage is much greater, and yet that is not yet a national service.

DTT is more realistically funded. DAB is being done on a shoestring of any pennies left of the radio budget - most of the presenters on the digital-only stations are volunteers!

byrnefm

Sam Russell wrote: »

Not very National, is it?

The DTT coverage is much greater, and yet that is not yet a national service.

Sigh - I can pick up DAB ... but not Irish DAB! I wonder how long Letterkenny will have to wait for the Irish channels?

Elmo

Sam Russell wrote: »

Not very National, is it?

Bit off topic but it has being annoying me recently.

As we can see from the above press release RTÉ DAB coverage will now cover 56% of the "population" now I think that the press release actually mean 56% of the country's area and that with in that 56% of the area more than 56% of the population reside.

My question is when Meteor and 3 state that they are now have 96% population coverage do they mean that they have 60% area coverage????

I love percentages. But seriously can anyone tell me if RTÉ mean 56% of the country's area?

L1011

Going off that map, its nowhere *near* 56% area coverage. They said, and they mean 56% population.

Elmo

MYOB wrote: »

Going off that map, its nowhere *near* 56% area coverage. They said, and they mean 56% population.

So in reality they have 20% coverage.

MYOB

MYOB wrote: »

http://digitalradio.ie/images/DAB_Dec09_hiRes.jpg

New estimated coverage map there.

Lol
No coverage in wicklow then from the wicklow transmitter 2800ft up in the sky :rolleyes:

marclt

I'd say that the DAB aerials will be quite low down the mast, and quite possibly directional.

The DAB aerials on Preseli are in the first third of the mast, hence the signal is glitchy around the edges, and the need for a filler tx in fishguard.

The RTE mux is low down the band, so it shouldn't interfere with VHF tv.

All this is saying is that clearly, Wickla don't count... but the commuter belt on the hand..... !!!

I wonder if Mt. Leinster would fill in the gaps. Anyone found a link with possible tx sites and allocated powers?

More Music

Elmo wrote: »

So in reality they have 20% coverage.

To be fair they did say % population, no mention of geographic coverage.

It's 56% of the Irish population who happen to contained within maybe 20% of the country!

reslfj

More Music wrote: »

To be fair they did say % population, no mention of geographic coverage.

It's 56% of the Irish population who happen to contained within maybe 20% of the country!

Radio is a mobile service (most) often used outside the home e.g. in cars, boats, camping, ...

Polulation coverage is more relevant for static reception like DTT.

Lars

craoltoir

In my experience DAB is not as good as FM for mobile reception.

reslfj

craoltoir wrote: »

In my experience DAB is not as good as FM for mobile reception.

DAB is using a 20+ years old transmission standard that us totally outdated. It requires maybe 10+ dB higher signal to noise ratio than modern standards like DVB-T2. (DAB+ transmission is a little better)

Coverage can be improved with much higher TX power but DAB is expensive as it is.

Regulators should make an end-date to DAB/DAB+ and force the radio community to join the new DVB-NGH standard writing group - IMHO.

Lars

Note, Radio is not about audio it is only about bit-transmission. The digitally encoded audio is nothing but bits.

To be fair to RTE on this,they've re used equipment efficiently [though I am puzzled as to why kippure wouldn't cover the commuter belt of East wicklow...it's analogue FM coverage is perfect down into North wexford].

What they need to do now is to persuade Dublin,Cork and Limerick commercial stations that Dab is now receivable along most of the motorways connecting Dublin with the 2 cities and that they should join the network.
That would bring in some money [but don't be charging them €20 million ]

To be honest replicating the 4 analogue rte stations does not make financial sense for dab untill analogue FM is going to be switched off.They'd be better off raising the profile of the other RTE stations and say negotiating with the BBC to carry the world service and say five live with advertising breaks for revenue going to RTE.

We'll be waiting for innovations like that though.
It would be too progressive.

RTE used be progressive when they started RTE relays.
Back in those days they weren't afraid of the competition.

zilog_jones

reslfj wrote: »

DAB is using a 20+ years old transmission standard that us totally outdated. It requires maybe 10+ dB higher signal to noise ratio than modern standards like DVB-T2. (DAB+ transmission is a little better)

Coverage can be improved with much higher TX power but DAB is expensive as it is.

Regulators should make an end-date to DAB/DAB+ and force the radio community to join the new DVB-NGH standard writing group - IMHO.

Another new standard? This is the problem with this new broadcasting technology - the public are just starting getting to grips with DAB and DVB-T and the industry are already trying to replace them with DAB+/DRM and DVB-T2 after only a few years, and are already considering replacements to these within a decade.

Compare this to 625-line TV and FM radio, which have been around since the 1960s with only fully backwards compatible additions since then (PAL colour, teletext, NICAM for TV; stereo and RDS for FM).

It is bewildering to say the least, and a serious hinderance to adoption.

david23

Deleted User wrote: »

To be honest replicating the 4 analogue rte stations does not make financial sense for dab untill analogue FM is going to be switched off.They'd be better off raising the profile of the other RTE stations and say negotiating with the BBC to carry the world service and say five live with advertising breaks for revenue going to RTE.

I'm pretty sure that BBC Five Live will never be transmitted terrestrially outside the UK because of the copyright issues on the sports coverage. The BBC can only broadcast most live commentaries in the UK (available in Ireland via overspill AM & satellite coverage), although there are a few simulcast on the World Service.

No problem with the World Service, which is already broadcast on DAB in some other countries (e. g. New Zealand).

Elmo

Deleted User wrote: »

To be honest replicating the 4 analogue rte stations does not make financial sense for dab untill analogue FM is going to be switched off.They'd be better off raising the profile of the other RTE stations and say negotiating with the BBC to carry the world service and say five live with advertising breaks for revenue going to RTE.

They may as well keep the four main channels on the DAB service as they are available to them.

Doesn't RTÉ Choice cover a number of world services not just the BBC's.

Today FM have radio rights to English Soccer here.

What they need to do now is to persuade Dublin,Cork and Limerick commercial stations that Dab is now receivable along most of the motorways connecting Dublin with the 2 cities and that they should join the network.
That would bring in some money [but don't be charging them €20 million ]

If they want to make a profit the will have to start charging realistic rates. TV3 and TG4 give 1.5million each to RTÉ NL each year and yet RTÉ give a figure of about 20million for RTÉ Two ??????? of course I can't confirm this as I haven't see the figures since 2003.

GerardKeating

MYOB wrote: »

http://digitalradio.ie/images/DAB_Dec09_hiRes.jpg

New estimated coverage map there.

What's with the crazy laser beam coverage slice through Clare ?

Elmo

Sunday Business Post

RTE is seeing the ‘‘beginnings’’ of a demand for a digital radio service, with 6 per cent of Irish households now owning a digital set, and manufacturers starting to discuss the technology with RTE.

JP Coakley, head of RTE’s digital radio project, said the latest Joint National Listenership Report had shown higher than expected ownership of digital radio sets among the population.

In 2005, RTE had set a target of 5 per cent of households owning a digital set in 2009.

In Dublin, the prevalence of digital radios is as high as 10 per cent of households.

Coakley conceded that most radios now on sale were both digital and FM sets, but said it was still clear that people liked the new technology.

‘‘It’s a very simple decision to buy a radio that has a clearer sound, and people are taking to it," said Coakley. ‘‘What we have here is the beginnings of a demand."

RTE last week extended its digital radio transmission coverage beyond Dublin, Cork and Limerick to more than half of Irish households in nine counties.

It remains the only provider of digital radio services in the country, with no commercial radio stations prepared to make the necessary investment at this point.

However, all that can be heard on digital radio are the four RTE FM channels, plus RTE’s seven dedicated digital channels including a channel aimed entirely at children.

Coakley said it was now a matter for the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland, the new body responsible for supervising public service and commercial broadcasting, to bring the digital radio issue further along.

In its last report on the matter, the Broadcasting Commission of Ireland (now the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland) called for the development of a white paper on digital radio.

‘‘Until the whole sector decides to move forward, the digital radio proposition is never going to be what it can be," he said.

‘‘It’s understandable that people out there have a licence on FM and they are nervous about where their business is going.

‘‘Digital radio invites us to imagine how radio might be configured as an industry for the future, and I know that’s certainly a tough ask for everybody."

L1011

GerardKeating wrote: »

What's with the crazy laser beam coverage slice through Clare ?

Some of the nulling gear fell off the back of Woodcock Hill in a storm?

themossinator

Hi, does anyone know if its worth buying a DAB radio to pick up BBC 5 live, im in the monaghan area......
Thanks

glimmerman123

Are all the counties mentioned switched on now? Can anyone in Laois/Offaly etc confirm please.

Genghis

Nothing in Laois last night circa 8pm.