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Old 9th Dec 2018, 1:41 pm   #1
dave walsh
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Default Redundant DAB sets?

The wonderfully dry and humorous Eddie Mair writes a piece in the Radio Times [issue December 15th onward's] saying his DAB Radios are gathering dust and using his own version of a Billy Joel song to gently poke fun at the sort of "rescue" activities practised here. He says every home has a room in which to pile the Xmas tat "Until we die and the family throws it out". He talks about the generational "make do and mend" "might come in handy" ethos.

You are never quite sure with Eddie how far his tongue is in his cheek but the main theme is that the figures for listening, via just instructing the Alexa StepfordWivesBot, are going through the roof-according to a Global Rajar presentation-whatever that is?

Under "Alexa Rules OK!" he speculates about all the Alexa Xmas presents edging DAB sets towards the "domestic graveyard"...and we were worried about the loss of FM Maybe it's all over the top for now but who knows Saying that a "very senior radio executive" of his acquaintance has consigned 3 DAB sets to the attic may be just a comment on relative disposable incomes. He asks how did I cope previously? having to find his glasses/scrolling to the right station pressing a button etc [he may not be entirely serious but it's very entertaining]. I'm reminded of recent comments in another thread about losing the ability to walk and talk through disuse.

There's also a great Robert Thompson Cartoon showing one of the three wise men waving a SAT NAV at the depressed looking Star in the East and saying "Sorry mate-you're redundant". [No I don't work for the RT]

Dave W

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Old 9th Dec 2018, 2:51 pm   #2
paulsherwin
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Default Re: Redundant DAB sets?

Lots of people do listen to the radio streamed to one of these Google / Amazon devices. It's the only thing they're much use for unless you want to incur charges. Internet streaming is the future of specialist radio, not lots of channels crammed into DAB muxes. I can see DAB transmitters being turned off before FM ones.
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Old 9th Dec 2018, 3:15 pm   #3
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Default Re: Redundant DAB sets?

Hope not..bought one of those Asda-On £20 DAB/FM sets to replace my ageing Grundig..
Have to say the DAB has been absolutely brilliant.picking up with clarity non local stations I was interested in.....no drop outs or popcorn- stereo coming out the ear jack as well.
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Old 9th Dec 2018, 3:30 pm   #4
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Default Re: Redundant DAB sets?

DAB isn't the problem. It's the amount of dross* on the platform that more likely consigns the sets to the attic.

Thank goodness, or rather Mr Berners-Lee, for the world wide web.

*There are exceptions - but I had to replace my DAB sets with DAB+ to receive broadcasts that are approaching my taste.
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Old 9th Dec 2018, 4:51 pm   #5
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Default Re: Redundant DAB sets?

Our soon-to-be home has, according to the national map, assured DAB reception of the BBC's output but of nothing else at all. Sounds good to me, and full use will be made of my little fleet of 16- and 17-year-old first generation DAB sets (Marconi Special Edition and DRX601EX) until the transmitters, or the radios, or we, give up the ghost. It does seem increasingly as though the transmitters may go first.

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Old 9th Dec 2018, 5:06 pm   #6
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Default Re: Redundant DAB sets?

I do use DAB+ most of the time, occasionally internet stations.
The comment about dross in post #4 can equally be said about TV, but I suppose my dross is someone elses heaven.
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Old 9th Dec 2018, 5:53 pm   #7
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Default Re: Redundant DAB sets?

We have DAB sets throughout the house for R4 and TMS - for music it`s FM or streaming radio.
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Old 9th Dec 2018, 5:56 pm   #8
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Default Re: Redundant DAB sets?

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Originally Posted by Junk Box Nick View Post
DAB isn't the problem. It's the amount of dross* on the platform that more likely consigns the sets to the attic.

Thank goodness, or rather Mr Berners-Lee, for the world wide web.

*There are exceptions - but I had to replace my DAB sets with DAB+ to receive broadcasts that are approaching my taste.
There are some times of the day/night when I find it hard to find something that I want to listen to. I have both a DAB+ and an Internet radio in the bedroom. The latter gives access to American NPR stations in California, which can be quite excellent, but it only has 5 measly station presets.

From the above posts, do I detect that an Alexa type thing, parked next to my bed, could be commanded to tune in to a vast number of internet radio stations from the comfort of my pit .

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Old 9th Dec 2018, 6:02 pm   #9
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Default Re: Redundant DAB sets?

Quote:
Originally Posted by cheerfulcharlie View Post
Hope not..bought one of those Asda-On £20 DAB/FM sets to replace my ageing Grundig..
Have to say the DAB has been absolutely brilliant.picking up with clarity non local stations I was interested in.....no drop outs or popcorn- stereo coming out the ear jack as well.
stereo? from what i know as a user of DAB only BBC provide stereo broadcasting with higher bitrate (only BBC can switch stereo pilot lamp on my DENON)
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Old 9th Dec 2018, 8:44 pm   #10
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Default Re: Redundant DAB sets?

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Originally Posted by Bazz4CQJ View Post
Quote:
Originally Posted by Junk Box Nick View Post
DAB isn't the problem. It's the amount of dross* on the platform that more likely consigns the sets to the attic.

Thank goodness, or rather Mr Berners-Lee, for the world wide web.

*There are exceptions - but I had to replace my DAB sets with DAB+ to receive broadcasts that are approaching my taste.
There are some times of the day/night when I find it hard to find something that I want to listen to. I have both a DAB+ and an Internet radio in the bedroom. The latter gives access to American NPR stations in California, which can be quite excellent, but it only has 5 measly station presets.

From the above posts, do I detect that an Alexa type thing, parked next to my bed, could be commanded to tune in to a vast number of internet radio stations from the comfort of my pit .
Saying "Hey Alexa, play some NPR from Los Angeles" should work, but I've never tried it. I always feel uncomfortable talking to computers.
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Old 9th Dec 2018, 8:44 pm   #11
dave walsh
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Default Re: Redundant DAB sets?

Re post4* Mr Berners-Lee was reported recently as having severe doubts about his invention and the way it has all turned out as opposed to his wishes and intentions when he made it available gratis to humankind! It all reminds me of that hopeful year [1967] and then what happened in 1968... 50 years ago now! It would suit me in many ways to have access to some of the [now confirmed to be] deliberately addictive social media sites but today's Comment & Analysis in the Observer is not encouraging ie "We all fell for Facebook's utopianism, but the mask is at last being torn away". After years trying to convince us that it's not really like a normal company because it uses "connectivity" it seems to have been revealed as quite a bit worse. I didn't realise that Radio is the only non-monetised aspect of Alexa Paul but "Now the biting makes sense!" as it says in the M=M's TV ad.

I don't think that there's any need to be concern about our "redundant" DAB sets. They will probably be valuable retro items in the future, especially if they mainly get thrown away-maybe even those early Evoke models in a wood finish?
Iv'e got Analogue and Digi sets all over the place. The cost and power consumption has come down quite a lot. The first large black brick model I bought from Dixons in 2006 [to pick up Theme Time Radio] had my specified dedicated phono outputs for recording purposes. It was one of the cheapest on offer at £30. It's still going strong. None of the others had that facility, not even the most expensive model at £140 which really surprised me.

Your £20 is safe Charlie. In the event of no DAB transmissions, I imagine that it would always be possible to broadcast an internet channel locally via an updated microwave TX from the "Pantry" perhaps? It works for very old MW/LW analogue sets after all and some people already do the same thing to send an Internet feed [via a low power VHF/FM signal] around the house.

Dave

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Old 9th Dec 2018, 10:24 pm   #12
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Default Re: Redundant DAB sets?

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Originally Posted by paulsherwin View Post
Saying "Hey Alexa, play some NPR from Los Angeles" should work, but I've never tried it. I always feel uncomfortable talking to computers.
Yes, looking at some Youtube videos since making my post, it seems that the Amazon Echo can be set up so you just say "Alexa, play KQED" or "Play Radio4" and it is done. Wow .

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Old 9th Dec 2018, 10:59 pm   #13
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Default Re: Redundant DAB sets?

Regarding Amazon Echo and Alexa, yes it does work as easy as stated as a voice-operated radio and sounds good too. However, I encounter frequent drop-outs and often have to repeat commands. I use it to determine the best route to work in the morning and that seems quite accurate. The main use is as a hands-free radio though, as I channel-hop and was fed up fiddling with buttons/menus/displays I could hardly see.
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Old 9th Dec 2018, 11:06 pm   #14
dave walsh
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Default Re: Redundant DAB sets?

The advance in technology is certainly impressive but not yet really up to the Tom Cruse level [I've just watched the aptly named "Oblivion"] or even Hitch Hikers and the "Babel Fish". They say that instant translation is still a difficult technical nut to crack [otherwise it would be a boon on holiday] but I suspect that some agency will have it already! Meanwhile it's good that Alexa can recognise us and meet our requirements when we want it to but that means it can also recognise us when we Don't wan't it to. It may be no accident that it's got a reassuring female "personality" built in. I suppose this exciting "Auto-technology" will be inevitable but already, I bet nobody imagined that we would be so delighted to not have to switch the radio on

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Old 9th Dec 2018, 11:13 pm   #15
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Default Re: Redundant DAB sets?

My daughter as an Amazon Echo, she says it learns your music taste. They don’t have a radio but have the radio on the TV.
Her complaint to me was that after my visits Alexa has to learn her music tastes again after me keep playing classical or Jazz.
Not sure if she is trying to wind me up or if it’s true.
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Old 10th Dec 2018, 12:18 am   #16
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Default Re: Redundant DAB sets?

Quote:
There are exceptions - but I had to replace my DAB sets with DAB+ to receive broadcasts that are approaching my taste.
There's a difference? and how are you supposed to know what it is?

For that matter, I've been looking at getting a new TV, only to give up in bafflement over the acronyms. Life is too short.

Confusedly yours, John.
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Old 10th Dec 2018, 12:47 am   #17
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Default Re: Redundant DAB sets?

Any new or recent digital radio should be able to receive DAB+ as well as DAB, but earlier sets won't recognise or can't decode a DAB+ broadcast. If Wikipedia is up to date there are only six national DAB+ stations so far (BFBS, Fun Kids, Jack Radio, Jazz FM, Magic Chilled, Union Jack):

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_o...United_Kingdom

Nothing I'm fussed about missing out on, though one or two sets here can receive them.

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Old 10th Dec 2018, 12:46 pm   #18
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Default Re: Redundant DAB sets?

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Originally Posted by JohnBG8JMB View Post
Quote:
There are exceptions - but I had to replace my DAB sets with DAB+ to receive broadcasts that are approaching my taste.
There's a difference? and how are you supposed to know what it is?
A radio with the digital tick logo on the packaging signifies that it is DAB+ capable. Beware! Cheap DAB sets are available in supermarkets but they are almost invariably not DAB+ capable.

My Pure 'woodies' date back to the early 2000s and thus pre-date DAB+. There seemed a lot more variety on DAB back then with stations like Jazz FM, Prime Time, Planet Rock, One Word, etc. One of my sets was bought for my elderly father and he took to it like a duck to water and enjoyed Prime Time, along with the alternative football commentaries that the then local stations put on their DAB outlets.

I enjoy the current incarnation of Jazz FM. It disappeared from DAB national (though at that point it had morphed into a smooth soul station so I wasn't that bothered) but then re-appeared some years later on DAB+ national. On discovering this I listened to some of the output via the computer and decided I would get a couple of DAB+ sets. The local 24hr Sainsbury's had some heavily reduced FM/DAB/DAB+ Panasonics so I snapped them up. The Pure woodies are still in use for Radio 3, TMS, etc. I guess in digital time scale terms they are now vintage.

There are some small coverage DAB+ minimuxes in some towns and cities - Radio Caroline is available on some of them.

As Jazz FM has recently been taken over by one of the big conglomerates it will be interesting to see how long it lasts/lasts in its current form.
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Old 10th Dec 2018, 1:28 pm   #19
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Default Re: Redundant DAB sets?

I've already pensioned-off (and parted-out) one DAB radio: - an Alba bought about 15 years back when Bloomberg was broadcast on DAB. When Bloomberg quit the platform I retuned to "The Jazz" for a while but that went downhill and eventually closed so the DAB radio sat unused for a year. When I tried it again it had developed acute-deafness-syndrome (which remained despite attempts at resets and cleaning of any suspect contacts) so I gutted it (the mains transformer, speakers and F-connector-based telescopic antenna may yet find uses).

Now, if only the UK had decided to go for satellite-radio: on my trips to the US I've been delighted to find that rental-cars over there come with Sirius/XM as standard - which gives spectacular choice _and_ good audio-quality.
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Old 10th Dec 2018, 1:43 pm   #20
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Default Re: Redundant DAB sets?

I seem to recall that even in John Lewis some DAB sets do not have the Digital Tick and so cannot receive DAB+. The Tick also means that the set can receive FM.

Apart from the sound quality, one thing which puts me off DAB is the constant merry-go-round of stations and multiplexes. They hop around, appearing and disappearing like fleas on a cat. My old DRX-something tuner has stayed firmly in its box for many years, after just a few months active use when I first bought it.
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