FM Radio, Stoppage of National FM broadcasting in 2015 Options

[JMH]

I for one am not happy with the idea that we all have to replace our FM radios with digital ones if we want to continue to listen to national radio stations after 2015. What does everyone else think.?

[misc]

I never listen to the radio so it doesn't concern me.

[Iommi]

Don't forget car radios, this is where I am most concerned.

[Good Boy Racer]

Too right! Don't you think it's time to move on up with technology? It is after all, 2010!!!

You should make a Poll on the smoking ban, you'll get loads of votes! Plus, it will give NewburyToday a job to write an article on it.

[Iommi]

Another thing. Digital ain't always that good.

1 It tends to be all or nothing.

2 Like with TV, the quality isn't always that great on compressed broadcasts.

[spartacus]

Not overly impressed with some parts of the digital service.......

Have you noticed the delay in digital broadcast compared to FM or MW? (Said it before I know) There can be a 3-4 second lag.

This does provide one benefit which would be sad if it goes....

If you have the (digital) telly on for sports, but you REALLY know you should be getting on with cutting the lawn/working on the car/some other job which prevents you flopping in front of the TV... the solution is to listen to 5Live sport on your old portable and when a goal is scored, or Schumacher crashes, you've got time to rush through to watch it (ahem) 'LIVE' on the telly...

(I've also been able to annoy Mrs Spartacus at crucial moments of Wimbledon by shouting "The ball's out!" from the garden seconds before her being able to see it while she's indoors trying to watch it live...)

[TallDarkAndHands...]

Not overly impressed with some parts of the digital service.......

Have you noticed the delay in digital broadcast compared to FM or MW? (Said it before I know) There can be a 3-4 second lag.

I have noticed this. Its the same for Terrestrial TV as opposed to Digital TV.
Does it really take 3-4 secs to digitalise the picture sound ? If so can this be improved upon?
After all 3 to 4 seconds is enough time for someone to ahem 'pull the plug' on a 'Live' Event if they want to.

[user23]

Why does 3 to 4 seconds delay on top of the existing delay matter?

[Iommi]

The last time I looked, digital devices require more power than analogue TV/radios as well.

[blackdog]

Why does 3 to 4 seconds delay on top of the existing delay matter?

The only time I would notice it would be when watching cricket on TV with the sound down so I can listen to the radio commentary.

However, now test cricket only comes on Sky there is more delay on the pictures than radio (LW not FM) - so I have stuck with the Sky commentary in recent years, not wanting to the hear what I am about to see. So digital radio's delay may actually improve things, must try it this summer.

My only issue with the FM switch off is the b*****y car manufacturers who design radios into their product so they are impossible to update when something like this comes along. In the good old days you could nip down to Halfords, pick up a reasonably priced (about 25% of the car manufacturer's price) CD/radio and pop it in to replace the manufacture supplied cassette/radio. I was happy to pay for the upgrade. Now my car radio is integrated with the sat nav, controls on the wheel etc. All very nice while it works, not so neat after 2015. Do all new cars have DAB radios fitted these days or will they all have obsolete kit in 2015?

[Iommi]

That is the point that I made earlier, but there are other solutions. You can get a device from Pure, for example, that transmits on FM to your FM radio.

Pure launches first DAB+-upgradeable car adaptor

[JeffG]

The people that know about these things (not me!) will tell you that the sound reproduction on DAB radio is far inferior to that of FM. In that sense, digital radio is a backward step.

[dannyboy]

The people that know about these things (not me!) will tell you that the sound reproduction on DAB radio is far inferior to that of FM. In that sense, digital radio is a backward step.

You mean just like the 'improvement' a plasma / lcd screen is over a CRT?

[JeffG]

You mean just like the 'improvement' a plasma / lcd screen is over a CRT?

Well, in this case I think an LCD screen is an improvement: for a start they don't fill up half the room and you don't get HD CRTs (do you?).

[blackdog]

The people that know about these things (not me!) will tell you that the sound reproduction on DAB radio is far inferior to that of FM. In that sense, digital radio is a backward step.

You might be able to hear the difference if you have a good FM aerial and a top quality receiver - but not on the sort of radio most people listen with. DAB is capable of better quality - which should come along with DAB 2.

[Iommi]

I think SD picture quality on a typical ITV transmission, on an LCD TV, is poor. I have a very good reception and my analogue picture quality is fine. Much better than my Mum's massive LCD TV any rate. You can get HD CRTs, but they are rare and not very big. Digital TV is promoted for economic reasons, rather than quality.

[Jeven]

Pity the digital standard in this country is awful :/


Oh and CRT > Plasma > LCD with LED dynamic back-lighting > LCD with LED sidelights > LCD

[Darren]

Digital radio?

I'm still playing with my cats-whiskers trying to get the Light Programme and Take it From Here.

Seriously though...

The date of 2015 is not set in stone by any means

http://www.culture.gov.uk/images/publicati...inal_Report.pdf

Given the life span of household electronics these days, how many FM radios around now will still be going come any closure date?

DAB radios available now have FM built-in so there is an overlap option.

A lot of fuss is being made about all these old radios going to landfill. Why dump them? If they still work, why not send to developing countries where FM is still in use?

Reads like a Daily Mail scare campaign.

[JMH]

Digital radio?

I'm still playing with my cats-whiskers trying to get the Light Programme and Take it From Here.

Seriously though...

The date of 2015 is not set in stone by any means

http://www.culture.gov.uk/images/publicati...inal_Report.pdf

Given the life span of household electronics these days, how many FM radios around now will still be going come any closure date?

DAB radios available now have FM built-in so there is an overlap option.

A lot of fuss is being made about all these old radios going to landfill. Why dump them? If they still work, why not send to developing countries where FM is still in use?

Reads like a Daily Mail scare campaign.

Apparently, they will only switch if at least 50% of the population are digital. I for one probably won't be as I have a high qualilty (expensive!) stereo that is built to last for years and the switch over will render the radio side of it useless (Except for local radio stations which I don't listen to very often- sorry Newbury Sound!)!

I have also just purchased an iPod docking station with an FM radio (also high quality) for my bedroon. I do not want to have to buy another gadget just for the radio bit!!

[Iommi]

The date of 2015 is not set in stone by any means http://www.culture.gov.uk/images/publicati...inal_Report.pdf Given the life span of household electronics these days, how many FM radios around now will still be going come any closure date? DAB radios available now have FM built-in so there is an overlap option.

As I already have pointed out, there are countless DABless car radios in the country! On top of that, FM radios seem to be the most resilient of electronic goods in the house hold (and in the car)!

A lot of fuss is being made about all these old radios going to landfill. Why dump them? If they still work, why not send to developing countries where FM is still in use? Reads like a Daily Mail scare campaign.

In time, I have realised that it is always wise to be wide awake on things like this, otherwise we are in danger of sleep-walking into things.