Poll: DAB+ is the future? Digital terrestrial radio broadcasting

[4K8KW10]

https://www.worlddab.org/news
http://archive.skem1.com/csb/Public/show/acte-2de3cm--tuv00-dj699kl7

"As a market leading provider of DAB+ and SmartRadio solutions, Frontier is already familiar with the continued popularity of radio around the world but wanted to investigate the impact the pandemic was having. We commissioned a survey that asked 1,096 people about their listening habits between March 24 and May 11 2020, the period covering the first ‘lockdown’ in the UK.

The research, conducted in October 2020, revealed that 81% of respondents had tuned in to radio, with a quarter (27%) reporting this was an increase on their normal routine. Radio’s importance as a dedicated listening device was also revealed, with a significant number of people (40%) reporting that a standalone radio was their main source of audio entertainment, compared to their mobile phone (19%), Smart Speaker (18%), Laptop/PC (8%), Tablet (5%), CD/Record player (4%) or ‘Other’ (6%).

DAB provides a variety of benefits for listeners, broadcasters and even policy makers, compared to traditional AM/FM analogue signals, including:

• Higher quality transmissions
• Greater content choice and geographical coverage
• Colour screens, which make DAB radios more appealing than traditional devices
• Enhanced data services, providing slideshows and album art for colour displays
• Lower carbon emissions for broadcast
• Stimulation of innovation and competition

Speaking about the paper, Prem Rajalingham, Managing Director at Frontier said: “We believe industry needs to shift to DAB+ to take advantage of the benefits, and sales opportunities it affords, in order to secure the future of radio. We also predict that SmartRadio will form a big part of the continuing evolution of the format, offering a hybrid broadcast and IP experience for listeners. Frontier itself has enjoyed a 40% increase in sales of SmartRadio solutions in 2020 and we expect this trend to continue in 2021 – and beyond.”"

 

[JohnG7]

I had this in 2001 (paid £49, no way it was ever worth £299)

It stopped working after I upgraded Mobo due to the newer USB Chipset not being compatible somehow (voltage or such), like many i tried Powered USB Hubs, but in end bought a PCI slot Via USB card and it worked again.


http://www.computinghistory.org.uk/det/39831/Psion-Wavefinder/

 

[lucid]

Speaking about the paper, Prem Rajalingham, Managing Director at Frontier said: “We believe industry needs to shift to DAB+ to take advantage of the benefits, and sales opportunities it affords,

Ah yes, the real motivation.

We also predict that SmartRadio will form a big part of the continuing evolution of the format, offering a hybrid broadcast and IP experience for listeners. Frontier itself has enjoyed a 40% increase in sales of SmartRadio solutions in 2020 and we expect this trend to continue in 2021 – and beyond.”"

And from @4K8KW10's own quote, the importance of internet radio confirmed; just like we've been saying all along.

 

[jpaul]

you beat me to it - couldn't resist https://www.radioworld.com/news-and-business/headlines/radioplayer-demos-3-way-hybrid-app
(I don't use radioplayer who monetize their app, I thought, providing url's you can discover yourself and plug into vlc but)

Radioplayer is a not-for-profit that started in 2011 in the U.K. as a partnership of the BBC and commercial radio. It now operates in numerous European countries and Canada, with France and Sweden pending.

The three-way app was developed in partnership with Tier 1 technology supplier Panasonic Automotive Systems Europe, or PASEU.

“The hybrid app has a single, multi-platform station list that hides the platform from the user and allows them to select a radio station from the strongest available signal, prioritizing DAB+, then FM, followed by streaming, and automatically switching between platforms if the car moves out of coverage,” Radioplayer stated.

that's good though, presumably has a uk option

 

[4K8KW10]

First stations revealed for Tyneside’s small-scale DAB

They are:

• Release Radio – Underground music station
• Pride Radio – Tyneside LGBT community station
• Nation 80s – National 80s music station
• Panjab Radio – Panjabi language and culture station
• Frisk Radio – North East music station
• The Toon – Newcastle fan football station
• The Cat – Sunderland fan football station
• Radio Shields – South Shields community station
• Memory Lane Radio – Tyneside based music station for the older listener
• Spice FM – Tyneside based South Asian radio service
• Sun FM – Sunderland based music station
• Glitterbeam Radio – LGBTQ+ community station
• Anxious Minds – Tyneside mental health station
• Nova Radio – Newcastle community station

First stations revealed for Tyneside’s small-scale DAB – RadioToday

 

[a1ex2001]

First stations revealed for Tyneside’s small-scale DAB

They are:

• Release Radio – Underground music station
• Pride Radio – Tyneside LGBT community station
• Nation 80s – National 80s music station
• Panjab Radio – Panjabi language and culture station
• Frisk Radio – North East music station
• The Toon – Newcastle fan football station
• The Cat – Sunderland fan football station
• Radio Shields – South Shields community station
• Memory Lane Radio – Tyneside based music station for the older listener
• Spice FM – Tyneside based South Asian radio service
• Sun FM – Sunderland based music station
• Glitterbeam Radio – LGBTQ+ community station
• Anxious Minds – Tyneside mental health station
• Nova Radio – Newcastle community station

First stations revealed for Tyneside’s small-scale DAB – RadioToday

And hear is the problem with having the capacity for too many stations who is going to listen to all this rubbish in a world where radio listening is in decline? There is no money. In local radio so most of these stations will die quickly before they manage to achieve any sort of audience.

 

[Gray2233]

"Tynside's small-scale DAB launch"

"First Stations" -- Implying more to come.

There's fourteen in that list alone.

 

[Mr_Sukebe]

I wonder what bitrate they will offer?

 

[kitfit1]

I wonder what bitrate they will offer?

Considering it's UK..................as low as they can get away with as long as the adverts can be clearly heard.
That said, adverts or not, most in that list will off air within 12 months................vanity projects with no long term finance.

 

[4K8KW10]

I wonder what bitrate they will offer?

80 Kb/s if they fit all of them on a single mux.

But...

Since Newcastle is very poor and has occupied only 11A, 11C, 11D and 12B, all other muxes from 5A to 13F are free to be used.

Which technically means unlimited bitrate is possible.

 

[simc1978]

I had this in 2001 (paid £49, no way it was ever worth £299)

It stopped working after I upgraded Mobo due to the newer USB Chipset not being compatible somehow (voltage or such), like many i tried Powered USB Hubs, but in end bought a PCI slot Via USB card and it worked again.


http://www.computinghistory.org.uk/det/39831/Psion-Wavefinder/

Gosh that blue plastic is very of it's time.

 

[TALON1973]

80 Kb/s if they fit all of them on a single mux.

But...

Since Newcastle is very poor and has occupied only 11A, 11C, 11D and 12B, all other muxes from 5A to 13F are free to be used.

Which technically means unlimited bitrate is possible.

Did you just insult Newcastle ?? Oh dear......incoming in 5.4.3.2

 

[4K8KW10]

As part of the UK's ongoing small-scale DAB licence allocation process, this week saw Ofcom award small-scale DAB licences to the cities of Cardiff, Edinburgh, Kings Lynn, Leeds and Norwich.
News | WorldDAB
Small-scale multiplex applications and awards - Ofcom

 

[Gray2233]

I'll stick to vastly superior Internet radio, thanks.

 

[4K8KW10]

Republic of Ireland switches DAB off

I'll stick to vastly superior Internet radio, thanks.

Internet radio is not superior. It's a myth. Internet radio quality depends on the source and very often the sound quality is low.
And internet radio is not free - you need a paid subscription to a mobile GSM operator.

Regarding Dublin's decision - Dublin is not part of the UK.

Last September, the Hungarian dictator that is also very pro-Russian switched the DAB+ signals in Hungary off, too.
But that is a very sound example of lack of media freedom, most radio stations in Budapest broadcast talk shows, no music.

Do you think Hungary is good?

I don't think so.

 

[Gray2233]

Regarding Dublin's decision - Dublin is not part of the UK.

Half of your posts in this thread pertain to places outside of the UK.

Here's a couple of websites which list a range of high bitrate and even lossless free internet radio streams:

https://www.hiresaudio.online/cd-quality-internet-radio/

https://www.24bit96.com/24bit96khz-download-sites/hd-internet-radio-streams.html

Internet radio is not superior. It's a myth. Internet radio quality depends on the source and very often the sound quality is low.

Ah yes, those 1000kbps FLAC streams which are magically worse than 32kbps DAB +.

 

[4K8KW10]

Half of your posts in this thread pertain to places outside of the UK.

Offtopic, but let's **** on my recent efforts to respect your complaints to keep it UK only

 

[Gray2233]

Offtopic, but let's **** on my recent efforts to respect your complaints to keep it UK only

Could you be anymore disingenuous? You were posting stuff unrelated to the UK right up until taking a month long break from posting in this thread.

 

[james.miller]

In the UK, internet radio is nearly always superior to any other platform. iPlayer has the best streams for all the BBC's radio stations as i recall, that's certainly the case for the main stations at least. You cant keep pretending DAB+ is a magical panacea when the situation in the UK is clearly quite different to whatever you think is going on elsewhere.

Could you be anymore disingenuous?

Believe me, he can.

 

[Dianbobo]

At home I use internet radio, in the car dab or fm, if I’m walking it’s bbc sounds or another app. It doesn’t really matter surely you just do whatever is convenient at the time.