RTÉ to cease DAB broadcasting

AwaitYourReply wrote: »

I would have to share your viewpoint.
I find the high definition picture on channels on SkyHD digital satellite platform has deteriorated over time as carriers try to squeeze more channels on to transponders to save on cost but the quality is not as clear & crisp as we were led to believe all those years ago. The same will probably happen with Ultra High Definition (UHD) 4K in the years ahead.

In fact, the HD reception on my RTÉ One and RTÉ 2 is a far superior picture via Saorview as opposed to Sky HD in my experience.

I've noticed the audio mix on some channels is horrendous. You sit there having to constantly adjust the volume to hear the dialogue, then the explosions or vehicle noises are like 'BAM!!!!' .

Just ridiculous sound mixing-and I'm not the only one who noticed. When Catch 22 was shown on Channel 4, the first episode had a number of people complaining that they had their tv's at almost top volume, and still couldn't hear things.

pirateradiohed wrote: »

Look, bottom line is, DAB will never take off over here.

source?

pirateradiohed wrote: »

As end of the road stated in an earlier post, there’s still life in FM radio here. That will probably fall into decline eventually as well, if and when everyone starts to stream everything

it is already falling into decline, terrestrial radio listening is slowly but surely going down.

Zird wrote: »

Cop yourself on End of the road, The independent stations don't want it and now RTE are closing down their limited network, I'm afraid a few anoraks listening to a few pirate multiplexes set up by other anoraks doesn't count as something taking off.

cop yourself on zird.
if you want to be taken seriously, you are going to need to do way way better then some little rant about anoraks listening to pirate multiplexes, for which there is no evidence to show that only anoraks are listening or the opposite.
you have a thing it seems for making digs at anoraks, who are not the ones making the claims about the definite future of any platform and who would actually agree that the listeners come before any interest in the medium of radio, regardless of what happens.
there are even non-anoraks such as myself who haven't listened to terrestrial radio for years and who won't be back, who are stating that absolutely dab or any similar terrestrial platform should simply have a legal framework in place for operation and then let the market decide, and if it takes off great, if itdoesn't so be it.
i couldn't care a less as to whether dab takes off as it won't effect me either way personally, but i do care that any platform is unable to operate legally, just to potentially protect existing interests.

end of the road wrote: »

cop yourself on zird.
if you want to be taken seriously, you are going to need to do way way better then some little rant about anoraks listening to pirate multiplexes, for which there is no evidence to show that only anoraks are listening or the opposite.
you have a thing it seems for making digs at anoraks, who are not the ones making the claims about the definite future of any platform and who would actually agree that the listeners come before any interest in the medium of radio, regardless of what happens.
there are even non-anoraks such as myself who haven't listened to terrestrial radio for years and who won't be back, who are stating that absolutely dab or any similar terrestrial platform should simply have a legal framework in place for operation and then let the market decide, and if it takes off great, if itdoesn't so be it.
i couldn't care a less as to whether dab takes off as it won't effect me either way personally, but i do care that any platform is unable to operate legally, just to potentially protect existing interests.

Look, it is what it is end of the road. I’m an anorak, but I know the ordinary joe soap who listens to radio, bar a few exceptions, couldn’t care less about DAB. Unfortunately though, I don’t have a source that provides sufficient evidence to back this up, so you’ll probably deem it irrelevant and/or invalid

Jonathan1990 wrote: »

As a person from the UK where DAB is doing very well and more stations keep coming I feel disappointed for Ireland that DAB is switching off. Wonder what will happen to DAB radios or wheather Ireland will get the British DAB stations in some parts of Ireland. I know Ireland is the second country after Canada to have a DAB switch off. Then there's Norway that's become DAB only. Also wondering why DAB's so successful in other countries but not Ireland and Canada.

No, several other countries have abandoned DAB, Finland, Singapore, Hong Kong for example but I think it's a pity that Ireland is going the same way. Certainly Ofcom in the UK have made mistakes but one of the good things they did was to get the independents on board by granting an extension of their FM licences if they went on DAB. The BAI should have done the same.

Former Former wrote: »

Run the multiplex with... What stations?

RTÉ have bailed. The independents have no interest.

When you take out the discussion about what should have happened years ago, what are you left with? If we only focus on what will happen, or will probably happen, there's only one answer.

Rightly or wrongly, DAB is finished in Ireland. There's no way back unless an EU directive mandates it, which is very unlikely.

There are independent stations interested, hence the need for the likes of FreeDAB

So with more and more new models of cars having dab receivers I think that it is not a model dead just yet,maybe with the advent of 5g it will become so but at the moment apart from fm radio it is the most accessible form of radio broadcasting for most people and we should embrace the choices it can give the general public,the bai need to wake up out of their slumber and start to promote the dab network,it will need some investment to make it properly work nationwide but as with all investments you need to sow to reap,and it is important to bring all stakeholders with you on this journey and that needs leadership so for example today fm yes we will renew your licence but you must broadcast on the dab network within a certain period of time to fulfill the conditions of the licence but as an incentive we will also allow you to broadcast 2 more stations on the dab network,hopefully the bai will realise that to stand still will just mean that more and more people will just go online to listen to their music so when we hear of all the concern about public service broadcasting is it not important that we offer an alternative to the public and have some local and relevant choices for the public,and on a side note with 2xm closing I hope that Freedab will offer an indie alternative in the near future,it is needed and I have to say I applaud their efforts in pushing the agenda,well done and keep up the good work.

Agreed but the audio quality is neither there or possible,with dab and fm the quality is so much better but of course the strength of signal comes into play and that is why I mention investment in the dab network and by the way most new cars do not have an am/mw receiver, point is that if we want to have some form of public broadcasting in the future we need to evolve and adapt and now is the time because it becomes twice as hard to attract people back when you lose them,anyway just my view on the current situation,hopefully it opens a debate and I mean this when I say if you are genuine about the future of broadcasting your opinion matters now more than ever do we hand it over to the lottery of the internet or can we offer a choice that people can choose and not the current situation of blandness on commercial radio.

Jonathan1990 wrote: »

Also wondering why DAB's so successful in other countries but not Ireland and Canada.

Different licencing models that enabled or killed it depending on the circumstances.

Former Former wrote: »

Run the multiplex with... What stations?

Though I said it more as an expression of exasperation because I'm unhappy about the situation, irked at the lack of alternatives and disappointed that I'm stuck with feck-all on FM.

However:
Regular stations that are not otherwise available in the area the multiplex would be operating?
Stations forced to broadcast online-only, but have an opportunity to broadcast to a less tech-savvy audience?

Jonathan1990 wrote: »

Rightly or wrongly, DAB is finished in Ireland. There's no way back unless an EU directive mandates it, which is very unlikely.

Which raises the questions, are you satisfied with the content available only on FM? Do you listen to the radio anymore? Are you a jukeboxer or do you stream foreign stations and pray you have acceptable mobile coverage?

rogue-entity wrote: »

Different licencing models that enabled or killed it depending on the circumstances.


Though I said it more as an expression of exasperation because I'm unhappy about the situation, irked at the lack of alternatives and disappointed that I'm stuck with feck-all on FM.

However:
Regular stations that are not otherwise available in the area the multiplex would be operating?
Stations forced to broadcast online-only, but have an opportunity to broadcast to a less tech-savvy audience?


Which raises the questions, are you satisfied with the content available only on FM? Do you listen to the radio anymore? Are you a jukeboxer or do you stream foreign stations and pray you have acceptable mobile coverage?

OK, this is interesting. Absolutely, what do we want? That’s what it all boils down to at the end of the day? I’m a student. Typically enough most of what I listen to I stream. Neither FM or DAB are a neccesity in my daily life, although I am a bit of an anorak.
I have all the choice I need on the net. Would I like to see a larger and more varied list of stations displayed in the car? Yes I would. But I don’t think DAB is the answer.

pirateradiohed wrote: »

Look, bottom line is, DAB will never take off over here.

source?



it is already falling into decline, terrestrial radio listening is slowly but surely going down.

True. So why force stations to re-invest heavily in a medium with declining listenership. FM coverage is for the most part quite good as is the audio quality.

No, I’m not against choice, keeping the closed shop for the current operators or new technology obviously but it’s too late for DAB here.

Internet based technology is the way forward.

Could someone tell me why DAB is so necessary these days?

Surely all stations around the world on Tunein and the likes can be accessed on phones now?

Just wondered what DAB has that radio apps do not have now, since Wi Fi is necessary for DAB anyway. Hope I am making sense here.

Former Former wrote: »

The car radio argument will likewise cease to matter as Android Auto and Apple Car Play become more and more common and all the reasons why internet radio is better will apply in your car too.

As things stand at the moment, I would respectfully disagree that "internet radio is better" regardless of where you're listening to it, because it does not scale.

Spanish Eyes wrote: »

Could someone tell me why DAB is so necessary these days?

For the same reason that Satellite and Terrestrial broadcasting is necessary - it scales with a fixed cost for the broadcaster irrespective of the amount of listeners.

Spanish Eyes wrote: »

Surely all stations around the world on Tunein and the likes can be accessed on phones now?

Assuming the stations don't apply geoblocking (very common with US, and some European stations), then yes you can but there's a cap on the maximum number of listeners. The only ways it can scale means that ISPs become the content gatekeepers in the same manner that multiplex or transponder operators are or someone has some deep pockets.

Broadcasting is simply the most efficient way to reach a wide number of potential listeners, FM is cheap and inexpensive but you're limited to what stations you can receive while DAB in theory allows you to listen to a wider selection.

DAB broadcasting here is dead but I fear that FM will follow and we may well come to regret it.

Spanish Eyes wrote: »

Just wondered what DAB has that radio apps do not have now, since Wi Fi is necessary for DAB anyway. Hope I am making sense here.

DAB doesn't require WiFi it's the radio version of Saorview.