We've just bought a DAB equipped car, when it works it's great as the sound quality is great (Jaguar XE with Meridian sound system) however whilst it seems to actively switch from FM to DAB, I find that some stations lag behind by a second or so which is annoying as you get a sudden repetition.
Do you use DAB radio in your car? Is it worth it?
- Thread starter jaybee
- Start date
Don’t know if mine switches to FM as I only listened to Virgin and BBC Radio 5 which are only available on DAB here. Only played around with it for the first time this morning despite having the car for four years.
It worked great for me until I went out to St Ouen’s bay which is out in the sticks and largely undeveloped, lost the signal along that road which is 3 miles long therefore had nothing for several minutes.
It worked great for me until I went out to St Ouen’s bay which is out in the sticks and largely undeveloped, lost the signal along that road which is 3 miles long therefore had nothing for several minutes.
Last edited:
I can't even remember the last time I used radio in any of my vehicles - I find it mildly irritating when someone else uses one and I come back to find the radio set hah. If I listen to anything at all it is usually off Spotify via a phone - unless doing a longer trip (1+ hours) or parked up I often don't even listen to anything while driving these days.
in the UK most of the dab stations have a higher bitrate online stream (lbc , talk sport 5live) , and with an unlimited LTE sim in the car that should rapidly replace DAB -
three&voda merging should help, too.
Associate
- Joined
- 18 Feb 2012
- Posts
- 431
- Location
- Birmingham
Had that when I used the citroen van at work, drove me mad in the built up area.
Permabanned
- Joined
- 28 Nov 2003
- Posts
- 10,695
- Location
- Shropshire
Digital audio and visual transmissions are inherently laggy, due to analogue to digital conversion at the transmission end, and vice versa at the receiving end, it's the nature of the beast.
As is the signal either being as perfect as the medium allows or gone altogether depending on conditions. Unlike analogue where a slightly poorer reception might continue under arduous conditions.
Audi / video sync is also much trickier with digital than analog TV, and this issue is sometimes annoyingly obvious with some renderings of commercial digital TV.
Bring back far fewer transmissions under the superior analogue system!
As is the signal either being as perfect as the medium allows or gone altogether depending on conditions. Unlike analogue where a slightly poorer reception might continue under arduous conditions.
Audi / video sync is also much trickier with digital than analog TV, and this issue is sometimes annoyingly obvious with some renderings of commercial digital TV.
Bring back far fewer transmissions under the superior analogue system!
Aside from my 2004 E46 BMW 3 series which I stream music via Spotify, plex and tunein radio via an android headunut, all the cars I’ve had since 2005 have had DAB..
Reception near me is good, always better SQ than FM so it’s like upgrading your sound system when you switch from FM to D…. Very noticeable..
I would say that with a sim and tune-in radio it’s not too bad.. but does need data..
Reception near me is good, always better SQ than FM so it’s like upgrading your sound system when you switch from FM to D…. Very noticeable..
I would say that with a sim and tune-in radio it’s not too bad.. but does need data..
Last edited:
I'll revise this answer now. Since getting the new car with DAB built in, I haven't had any trouble with it dropping out in the same way that it used to. Guessing that having the benefit of a more modern head unit, and a proper DAB antenna being built in this time.
I feel really old now as I listen to that channel as well when I have people in the car
It is like lift musicI feel really old now as I listen to that channel as well when I have people in the car
Caporegime
- Joined
- 11 Mar 2005
- Posts
- 32,247
- Location
- Leafy Cheshire
With or without the sneaky lift farts?
DAB Radio-X or Smooth in the morning, should really use the internet radio car app, probably better quality, then Spotify all other times.
Last edited:
I find DAB awful in my parents A Class, constantly cutting out whereas in my truck it’s very good with barely any cutting out and when it does it will switch to FM seamlessly, I’m guessing the cab on an HGV is far taller than an A Class and with the aerial being higher up it gets much better reception?
It’s certainly better for listening to something like Test Match Special on DAB rather than long wave for example but it’s still got its flaws.
It’s certainly better for listening to something like Test Match Special on DAB rather than long wave for example but it’s still got its flaws.