Dab radio

Comerman

Hi folks, complete novice here, I listen to online DAB stations on my phone and purchased a "cheap" DAB radio from lidl but it picked up no digital stations at all so it was returned. My question is if there's any point in purchasing a better radio or is there good coverage in Ireland (kilkenny) for UK stations.

limnam

Comerman wrote: »

Hi folks, complete novice here, I listen to online DAB stations on my phone and purchased a "cheap" DAB radio from lidl but it picked up no digital stations at all so it was returned. My question is if there's any point in purchasing a better radio or is there good coverage in Ireland (kilkenny) for UK stations.

There used to be anyway DAB coverage maps so check and see if you're on it.


In 3 houses I lived in various parts of Cork and could never get DAB.


If you have ok tinternet maybe just get an internet radio there's a lot of high quality streaming stations.

Comerman

limnam wrote: »

There used to be anyway DAB coverage maps so check and see if you're on it.


In 3 houses I lived in various parts of Cork and could never get DAB.


If you have ok tinternet maybe just get an internet radio there's a lot of high quality streaming stations.

Something like this maybe
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B079Z8MMFF/ref=psdcmw_310195011_t1_B07GYTSW7S

limnam

Comerman wrote: »

Something like this maybe
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B079Z8MMFF/ref=psdcmw_310195011_t1_B07GYTSW7S

Sure,

You could even get one with both internet/DAB in case it becomes available or you move etc

I'm a big fan of Pure radios,but can be a bit pricey

Comerman

limnam wrote: »

Sure,

You could even get one with both internet/DAB in case it becomes available or you move etc

I'm a big fan of Pure radios,but can be a bit pricey

How's this? Or if you could suggest a couple limnam. Santy is coming ;-)

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Pure-Internet-Digital-Spotify-Bluetooth/dp/B016ALP7DM/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?keywords=pure+internet+dab+radio&qid=1572209243&sprefix=Pure+int&sr=8-1

limnam

Comerman wrote: »

How's this? Or if you could suggest a couple limnam. Santy is coming ;-)

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Pure-Internet-Digital-Spotify-Bluetooth/dp/B016ALP7DM/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?keywords=pure+internet+dab+radio&qid=1572209243&sprefix=Pure+int&sr=8-1

You can't really go wrong with any of the pure ones i'd say

Comerman

limnam wrote: »

You can't really go wrong with any of the pure ones i'd say

Right I'll put that one on the letter to santy, cheers for your help limnam

Ursus Horribilis

You're not going to pick up UK stations on DAB in Kilkenny.

Comerman

Ursus Horribilis wrote: »

You're not going to pick up UK stations on DAB in Kilkenny.

Cheers, but I can with an Internet radio no???

Ursus Horribilis

Yes, you can. Internet radio or smart speaker. If your cheap DAB radio couldn't pick up a signal, buying a pricier one sounds like quite a gamble to me..

Comerman

Ursus Horribilis wrote: »

Yes, you can. Internet radio or smart speaker. If your cheap DAB radio couldn't pick up a signal, buying a pricier one sounds like quite a gamble to me..

My thoughts exactly, cheers for the help Ursus I'll go for the Internet radio so.

limnam

Ursus Horribilis wrote: »

Yes, you can. Internet radio or smart speaker. If your cheap DAB radio couldn't pick up a signal, buying a pricier one sounds like quite a gamble to me..

Wasn't suggesting it for DAB tbh.


Was to use as an internet radio.


I hadn't even noticed the UK requirement :pac:

Ursus Horribilis

He mentioned UK stations in the first post :pac:

Comerman

limnam wrote: »

Wasn't suggesting it for DAB tbh.


Was to use as an internet radio.


I hadn't even noticed the UK requirement :pac:

Tinternet radio will do the job I reckon

Ursus Horribilis

A smart speaker works well too but not everyone likes those.

coylemj

Ursus Horribilis wrote: »

A smart speaker works well too but not everyone likes those.

+1 for internet radio in the kitchen, I use a retired mobile phone (connected to the house wi-fi) and play the audio through a Bluetooth speaker. If your kitchen radio has an 'Aux' socket for audio input, you don't even need a separate speaker, just connect the phone to it using a standard (3.5mm) jack to jack cable.

Cuttlefish

Hi all,

Know the thread is a bit dated but want to ask...


Have RTE put to the sword ALL DAB radio services with the announcement late last year?

And if so why...? I always thought DAB is a far better service than FM

Is this step by RTE unique to Ireland or are other countries following suit

Antenna

Cuttlefish wrote: »

Is this step by RTE unique to Ireland or are other countries following suit

Canada, Hong Kong, and Portugal are countries that have closed all DAB transmissions, according to https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_Audio_Broadcasting

However it doesn't look like Ireland will be joining those countries this year, despite the announcements, and RTE's current DAB network will likely remain on air especially if the new Independent DAB trail goes on air.

lengon

Antenna wrote: »

Canada, Hong Kong, and Portugal are countries that have closed all DAB transmissions, according to https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_Audio_Broadcasting

However it doesn't look like Ireland will be joining those countries this year, despite the announcements, and RTE's current DAB network will likely remain on air especially if the new Independent DAB trail goes on air.

Also Singapore and Finland though other countries in Asia and Europe are expanding their networks, particularly the UK which is about to start licensing a huge number of minimuxes to add to the national, regional and local ones already operating.

Cuttlefish

lengon wrote: »

Also Singapore and Finland though other countries in Asia and Europe are expanding their networks, particularly the UK which is about to start licensing a huge number of minimuxes to add to the national, regional and local ones already operating.

So UK is increasing DAB services while in Ireland it is being disbanded?

SPDUB

Cuttlefish wrote: »

So UK is increasing DAB services while in Ireland it is being disbanded?

Ireland is not disbanding services .

RTE is just stopping transmission.

The commercial sector in combination with the BAI are entirely free to continue on their transmissions

Cuttlefish

SPDUB wrote: »

Ireland is not disbanding services .

RTE is just stopping transmission.

The commercial sector in combination with the BAI are entirely free to continue on their transmissions

Sorry so stopping transmission, in Cork there is no other DAB service provided by the commercial sector and as such no DAB service once RTE cease transmission

Adding onto that the DAB service provided was limited to Dublin/ Cork and smaller pockets outside of these areas

Again I am at a loss as to why DAB has not been fully embraced in Ireland

StreetLight

Cuttlefish wrote: »

Sorry so stopping transmission, in Cork there is no other DAB service provided by the commercial sector and as such no DAB service once RTE cease transmission

Adding onto that the DAB service provided was limited to Dublin/ Cork and smaller pockets outside of these areas

Again I am at a loss as to why DAB has not been fully embraced in Ireland

Because it was never officially launched. Only years of tests and trials in a few urban centres using both DAB and DAB+, dithering over which standard to settle for. Successive ministers weren't interested in making a decision, so just sat on their hands.

Long_Wave

Does anyone honestly believe Ireland could sustain the the **** loads of stations (mostly crap btw) that the UK have? Ireland couldn't even sustain a 3rd television station UTV ireland. Also why the obsession with just dab ? The UK and most other countries had a thriving AM scene for decades after Ireland effectaly abandoned it 30 years ago but I don't recall people blaming the governments of the 90s for failing to licence AM radio

end of the road

Long_Wave wrote: »

Does anyone honestly believe Ireland could sustain the the **** loads of stations (mostly crap btw) that the UK have?

whether it could or couldn't should be for the market to decide, the ability for a broadcaster to apply for a license, go on air and survive or not is currently not available and it ultimately must be.
whether the stations in the uk on dab are all crap or not is subjective, obviously those listening to them don't think so, it's not an argument against the platform, or any similar platforms.
again the market will decide whether they survive or not as it should be.

Long_Wave wrote: »

Ireland couldn't even sustain a 3rd television station UTV ireland.

yes but television is irrelevant to dab.
in the case of terrestrial television, there is a huge amount of choice between television from the uk and further affield via the likes of sky and free to air platforms, UTV ireland could never compete with that, and from what i remember, it had little to offer anyway.
when it comes to radio however, there are just the current commercial operators who mostly offer the same, rte's services and in some places community services, so radio is in a much better chance to be able to sustain competition, especially when the ridiculous cost base it is expected to operate within would be lowered.
yes there is streaming in both cases but they are not a majority and they are not scalable in terms of cost for the broadcasters, in the case of internet radio at least, and they both require good internet which is not available across the whole country.

Long_Wave wrote: »

Also why the obsession with just dab ?

it's modern, it allows very badly needed competition and minority services, it allows for a market driven approach to radio licensing, it ends the protectionist model we have.
in short, it liberates and liberalises the radio market as the old excuses for not allowing further licensing of stations are finally shown to be invalid.

Long_Wave wrote: »

The UK and most other countries had a thriving AM scene for decades after Ireland effectaly abandoned it 30 years ago but I don't recall people blaming the governments of the 90s for failing to licence AM radio

because stations are ultimately able or at least were able to apply for licenses to operate on am if they wish.
for dab there are only trial mux licenses available and they are not long term, which means a station ultimately applying for a section 71 license is not guaranteed long term availability.
stations not applying for am licenses is the market doing it's job. if stations are now prevented from applying for am licenses then that shouldn't be, even if it's highly unlikely anyone would now apply.

radioguru02

end of the road wrote: »

whether it could or couldn't should be for the market to decide, the ability for a broadcaster to apply for a license, go on air and survive or not is currently not available and it ultimately must be.
whether the stations in the uk on dab are all crap or not is subjective, obviously those listening to them don't think so, it's not an argument against the platform, or any similar platforms.
again the market will decide whether they survive or not as it should be.



yes but television is irrelevant to dab.
in the case of terrestrial television, there is a huge amount of choice between television from the uk and further affield via the likes of sky and free to air platforms, UTV ireland could never compete with that, and from what i remember, it had little to offer anyway.
when it comes to radio however, there are just the current commercial operators who mostly offer the same, rte's services and in some places community services, so radio is in a much better chance to be able to sustain competition, especially when the ridiculous cost base it is expected to operate within would be lowered.
yes there is streaming in both cases but they are not a majority and they are not scalable in terms of cost for the broadcasters, in the case of internet radio at least, and they both require good internet which is not available across the whole country.



it's modern, it allows very badly needed competition and minority services, it allows for a market driven approach to radio licensing, it ends the protectionist model we have.
in short, it liberates and liberalises the radio market as the old excuses for not allowing further licensing of stations are finally shown to be invalid.



because stations are ultimately able or at least were able to apply for licenses to operate on am if they wish.
for dab there are only trial mux licenses available and they are not long term, which means a station ultimately applying for a section 71 license is not guaranteed long term availability.
stations not applying for am licenses is the market doing it's job. if stations are now prevented from applying for am licenses then that shouldn't be, even if it's highly unlikely anyone would now apply.

Genuine question: how are DB Digital advertising a to-be fulltime mux? They claim S71 allows it