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feedback archive Jump to archive page: 19 | 18 | 17 | 16 | 15 14 | 13 | 12 | 11 | 10 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1.
Can I pick up DAB stations from the UK in foreign countries or when I am abroad?
Do you know of any DAB radios or receivers that have a specific iPod dock?
If I have recorded a program to SD card on my home DAB radio, can I listen to it on my handheld DAB?
Can I submit my RSL listing to your website?
Can I pick up DAB in my area?
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Bug in EPG?
Monday 21st January 2008
I've been having problems with my Bug radio listening to LBC and other stations on the MXR West Midlands DAB multiplex in Walsall. It seems the EPG don't work anymore and it sends my radio into a state of reboot every so often which is bugging me (sorry for the pun!). Can you tell me if MXR West Mids have changed anything on the way they are transmitting the EPG and also where can I get V1.2 of the firmware for the Bug has I want to downgrade to a non-EPG firmware if I cannot get any joy with this.
The DAB EPG is still broadcast on the multiplex as far as I am aware; The latest Bug firmware upgrade can be found at the Pure website. As far as I know, you cannot download old firmware from the Pure site. Ed.
Why has Fun Radio disappeared from Cardiff's DAB listings? I have a very puzzled 3 year old daughter who wants to know why her favourite station is off air seemingly without warning. The Welsh Assembly's Childrens AM should be alerted immediately.
Sadly, Fun Radio could not continue in its present form across the country as it wasn't making any revenue from advertising to fund its programming. It can, however, still be heard in London on DAB and on the web. Ed.
Such delight and excitement here! Oneword is sending us into summer and pure rural bliss. Wood pigeons in excellent voice and swallow nestlings (rare here nowadays) are just perfect. Keep it up, please!
Don't worry, for as long as there's nothing to replace Oneword, the sounds of the country will continue. Other listeners may lament the loss of their radio station, but at least Jane is happy. Ed.
I have a Ferguson FRG810D handhelp DAB radio that uses the earphones as the aerial. At home I get poor reception and have to more the earphones lead around to improve the reception. Is it possible to get a booster for earphone aerials? Are these earphones "special" or can use use any earphones?
I would just get a headphone extension cable. You can also change your headphones for other, decent ones. Ed.
I have an in-car accessory for my iPod that transmits FM so that I can listen to it through my car radio, but it needs to use frequencies not being used by radio stations in the area. Does anyone have details of the best free frequencies within the commercial range to use in different regions?
No, but you should be able to select a free frequency right at the top or bottom of the FM waveband. Ed.
Is there a product that will receive just the Freeview radio channels? I do not want to receive the TV channels.
No - Freeview is designed to be used with a TV, however you may be able to find a receiver with its own display on the front panel that tells you which channel number you're tuned to, if you want to listen to a particular station without turning the TV on. Ed.
Loads of info on your pages which is great. Can anyone explain why the digital radio signal occasionally stops dead for about 2 seconds before coming back again?
This might be related to problems at the transmitter end; we do often hear of stations "dropping-out" before returning again a few seconds later. Ed.
Just browsing through your archive letters and saw one of interest from 2004 re: uk dab reception in France. you advised it was not possible yet I know (and have seen) Freeview TV channels in central france. Why not digital radio if through an antenna system?
I was referring to DAB signals - not Freeview, which is a different broadcast system. You will not be able to pick up UK DAB stations in France, unless you are on the North coast of France in very favourable weather conditions. Ed.
I just wondered if you could point me in the direction of more info about DAB Slideshow in the UK? I believe that you are involved? I am thinking of buying one of these receivers, but I can see no mention of the product on any UK DAB radio equipment websites?
Sorry, Marty, we are not involved with DAB MOT slideshows. For more info, see this article on our pages. Ed.
Despite having good reviews on this website and elsewhere, the ergonomics and ease of use of the Pure One radio are very poor. The DAB reception and sound quality are very good, the FM reception no more than average. For a far more user friendly product the Roberts Gemini 15 - big easy to read display, proper preset buttons and, despite its poorer sound quality and lack of FM radio, is a better buy.
The Roberts RD15 is no longer available, but there are loads of cheaper Roberts radios, which also have FM and good reviews. While I'm on the subject, the advantage of using having a DAB radio with FM is that you can also set up your own cheap wireless music system using your PC/MAC and plugging in a iStuff iCast FM transmitter. This will transmit MP3 music stored on a PC/MAC for a good few metres, which you can then tune in on your FM radio. It's a simple but effective idea. We have one and the iCast works wonders - through walls and even reaching upstairs, to be picked up by the Pure One. It's quite an expensive gizmo, but the sound quality is much better than the cheapo versions and is miles cheaper than those proper room-to-room systems. Ed.
Have just bought a Sony XDR S50. Sony claim in their leaflet a nine hour battery life but I cannot get more than one! The Sony helpline said I should be using dry batteries not rechargeable, but this would make running costs exorbitant and they admit would make little difference to running time. I am using 1700mAh and have ordered 2700 so may make some improvement?
Yes - go for the highest power rechargeable batteries you can - I have some Uniross 2700mAh ones, though they're not that good, but maybe try Duracell ones instead? This is why most portable DAB radios use "C"-size cells over "AA" cells, as they last longer. Ed.
I'm thinking of getting a DAB radio (possibly the Pure One) but I want a radio that comes with an AUX in so I can connect a turntable to it and listen through the radio speakers, what would be the best radio for this. do most come with an AUX in as standard?
Many of the more recent DAB radios do come with a 3.5mm input on the front or rear panel (e.g. the new Pure Evoke 1S does). We list those that do on our pages - just look through the key features on our digital radio pages or do a search on directly the page (CTRL+F). Turntables output sound at lower levels than other devices, such as CD players. If your turntable does not have a built-in pre-amplifier (like the Bush MTT1 turntable), you will need a turntable preamp between the turntable and, say, the Evoke 1S to boost the tiny voltage that the turntable pickup produces into a line-level voltage (2v) that the radio (or, indeed, most amplifiers without a phono stage) can handle, otherwise you won't hear a thing. Ed.
I have a Philips DA1000 personal DAB radio. Recently, it ceased to switch on, in spite of changes in battery. Do you believe the cost of repair can be justified when the price of DAB radios have dropped in the way they have? Would I be throwing good money after bad?
An EU directive requires a two year warranty to be given on electrical goods, so if the DAB radio is under a few years old, you're entitled to a new one. The UK goes further than this in offering a 6 year claim period. I would contact Philips direct and ask them to repair or replace.
If you think this is too much hassle, then I would choose another DAB - the Philips has notorious problems with its on/off switch. The Nevada ND-01, is an award-winner, if you can still find it. Ed.
I am very new to DAB and read glowing reports about most of the PURE range. I see and hear little about the the Tivoli range?
Tivoli are an American-based manufacturer, originally distributed in this country by Ruark until the company set up its own subsiduary, Vita Audio. Tivoli products are now distributed in the UK by Q Acoustics (Armour Home Electronics).
We have reviewed a small number of Tivoli products and always find them to be of a high quality e.g. the Tivoli Songbook DAB and the occassional mini review of the Tivoli Model DAB. The price is usually quite high, too. Nevertheless, you do get what you pay for in terms of build quality and sonics. Tivoli radios certainly produce a fab sound. Ed.
I need advice for the best digital clock radio with a a clear visable screen for the time.
The Pure Chronos CD has a very clear white-on-backlit-blue display, although often a problem with many of the DAB clock alarms is an over-bright display when you're trying to get to sleep. I also like the Roberts Gemini 19 on this page.
A good example of a clock alarm WITHOUT DAB that has a good auto dimmer is the Roberts CR 9971, which also features automatic date and time set and dual alarms. I have one and it's great. Ed.
I'm desperate to get dab in my new company car. The problem is I'm not allowed to change the headunit and I may have to give it back at very short notice. I was looking at a Revo in-car unit, but wondered if a handheld unit plugged into an FM transmitter would do the job?
The new version 2 Revo in-car DAB is a huge improvement on the previous version, so we hear, with a redesigned aerial - and under half the price.
A handheld DAB unit with an FM transmitter and a headphone extension cable to improve the signal to the DAB handheld (drape it across the dashboard) should work okay, but for reliability I would go for a dedicated in-car hifi with aerial for when the signal drops a little. Ed.
I have been regularly listening to Classical gold on channel 0189 but this channel recently disappeared from my TV satellite listings. Do you know what has happened to this radio station?
Classic Gold is being merged with Capital Gold and will be re-launched as Gold - that's right, Gold - on 3rd August. You'll be able to hear it on channel 0121. Ed.
Can I purchase a DAB radio with an Ipod dock?
Yes, the TEAC MC-DX220i DAB lifestyle system was recently launched and is now available. Ed.
I have heard that DAB is going to phased out and replaced by DAB+ within the next 2-3 years (BBC Money Programme). Can you confirm if this is true? If it is, will I need to buy new equipment or will my current DAB radio and alarm clock receive DAB+?
The UK may phase out DAB in the future and switch to DAB+, but we're talking years here before all existing DAB services are turned off in favour of DAB+; Manufacturers were estimating the start of DAB+ services in the UK in the region of 8-10 years' time, when existing radios begin to reach the end of their lifespan and the DAB+ module is found in all new equipment. 4 Digital Group, who are bidding for the second national DAB multiplex have stated that (if they win) "All audio podcasts on the 4 Digital Group multiplex will be delivered using the DAB+ format." It is worth pointing out no current DAB receivers can download and store podcasts at present, so if 4 Digital Group win the multiplex licence, you'll still need an enhanced receiver to download podcasts whether they are broadcast in DAB or DAB+ format. You will be able to buy DAB radios that have the capability of receiving DAB+ broadcasts from Autumn this year (these will be compatible with all existing broadcasts, of course), but no live radio services in the UK are planned to broadcast in the additional DAB+ format.
Given that the prediction for DAB radio sales is 13 million by 2008, if the UK were to suddenly switch to DAB+, this would create an awful lot of consumer electronics to recycle and a huge number of disgruntled customers who have already shelled out for new sets. DAB+ modules cannot be retrofitted to existing sets (portable and handheld radios), so the existing DAB format is safe for some years to come. Ed.
Bill sent a message on 13th January regarding instructions for the Goodmans Micro 1104 DAB. A PDF for this user manual is available on the Goodmans website. Choose "User Guides" at bottom of the web page and then "User Guides" under "Audio".
Thanks. Ed.
Does Anyone know of a DAB tuner as a PCI card or USB device for a computer? There was one available about 4 years ago by Modular Technology. Now the trail seems cold.
Maplin Electronics do one - it's item code A14FW, though I've not tried it. Ed.
My girlfriend recently brought me a Genus SLM DAB radio from an e-bay shop recently, the unit was delivered and seemed ok except there is only sound coming out of one right side ear phone. I at first assumed that this was a fault with the ear-phones until I tried another set and found out the problem remained.
On further investigation it has also become apparent that the mono to stereo function on FM mode does not work either.
I have tried to make contact with Genus on their web-site to find a local repair specialist (in the Brighton area) to which I have had no response. I have even managed to track down the phone number for their UK distribution help desk, but they said that the person I needed to talk to was on another line; they took my details and of course did not bother to call back.
My question basically is does anyone in the Brighton area know of a repair shop that could rectify the fault on a Genus unit?
You should contact the shop you bought it from, since the contract of sale was with them and they should either send you a new one or refund your money. If you buy secondhand from ebay, many manufacturers will not honour the warranty. That's just tough. Failing that, try contacting Genus Digital again, as I assume the unit was new and therefore comes with a one year manufacturer's warranty.
I have a Ministry of Sound MOSDR011 DAB radio and a signal error keeps coming up, followed by different numbers eg 0, 48 etc. What could be wrong?
The lower the signal error number, the better the signal your radio is receiving. If you are holding the radio still with the headphone cable uncoiled and the digits are jumping around, either the radio is being affected by interference from electrical equipment (move it away from any interference) or it is broken. Ed.
We've recently completely converted to DAB (except the car).
For hi-fi separates, I would recommend the Cambridge Audio DAB300 (approx GBP119 from Richer Sounds). I would challenge anyone, anywhere to get FM sound quality approaching this excellent tuner. The tuner is DAB only, but as I live in the London area, nearly all stations are on DAB now!
We also have a Philips AZ6000 DAB/FM/CD portable 'soundstation/ghetto blaster' which again has excellent sound quality.
Finally, we recently added a Roberts RD49 Gemini portable DAB. This takes AA rechargable batteries (and charges the batteries inside the unit). Excellent for the bathroom and other rooms without mains power!
There have been some negative comments about DAB sound quality, but with an excellent signal/zero error rate, there is nothing to fear about 128kbps (and over) stereo broadcasts. I'm all for a wider choice of stations, but I think there has to be some consolidation and a minimum of 128kbps for music stations.
I have been using my Roberts Gemini 9 radio for a year now without any problems and recently I have been finding that ocassionally the clock freezes and hence the alarm does not go off at the right time.
I understand that the radio obtains the correct time from a broadcast signal, but if the signal were not present, would the clock continue to keep time or would it freeze?
I have been told by Roberts Radio that if the signal is lost that the clock will stop. I find it hard to believe that any manufacturer can design a clock radio alarm that will not operate without a radio signal and therefore cannot be relied upon to come on at the right time in the morning. Is this true?
The radio grabs the time over the airwaves, so for example if the time being broadcast by a certain station is incorrect, so the time on the CRD9 will be incorrect. I found this problem once and, to correct it, avoided the station and tuned to a different station before I turned the unit to standby. If Roberts Radio has told you the clock will stop without a signal, it probably will - other users have reported similar problems. The only thing you can do is to contact Roberts again and ask them to fix the problem or add more wire to the whip antenna to improve the signal to the radio. Ed.
As a Mancunian who has lived in Cheshire for the last 17 years, I have never considered that this short move from Manchester to Cheshire involved a regional transplant to the Midlands, and have always believed myself to be living in the North West of England. Being eight miles outside Greater Manchester and served by BBC North West and ITV Granada only serve to confirm this view. However, your website, if your regional radio station breakdown is any guide, informs me that I live somewhere in Central England, as Cheshire radio stations are inexplicably lumped in with all the Midlands stations. I'm sure the residents of Rugby League strongholds like Widnes and Warrington, or of Runcorn and Wirral on the banks of the Mersey, will be intrigued to learn that you consider these towns to belong to the Midlands rather than their obvious situation in the North West. Might a few geography lessons be in order?
I've placed Cheshire station listings with Staffordshire as Signal 1 and 2 serve both counties, which avoids duplication of information. The other locations you mention are all featured on our North-West stations page. There is bound to be some overlap between geographical regions and stations' service areas, but this ensures updating the website is much easier for me. Ed.
Thrilled to discover The Jazz on my DAB radio today, but it has one major flaw: there is no-one telling you what tracks and artists you are listening to. This is more important in jazz that any other type of music because of the shear diversity of the genre and the fact that it is seen as a niche and is therefore so poorly served by other broadcasting outletss. In the more 'popular' genres of music the same tracks are endlessly repeated on hundreds of different radio stations, where we are always told who the artists are and what the track is, like we didn't know after the thousandth time of hearing it. The Jazz does exactly the opposite. At last we get some rare and beautiful gems to listen to and are cruely denied any information about them.
I listen to the radio to discover new music that I haven't come across before, but what's the point if I don't know what I am listening to, so can't purchase a copy of the track for myself, or find out more about the artist. You dangle the carrot and then snatch it away. Surely you understand that when one hears a great piece of music, there is a strong yearning to own a copy so that one can hear it again as and when one likes.
This is not a request for DJs to witter on endlessly, but simply to give some important info. Please, please do something about this.
Hopefully your comments will be noted by the station's management, however in any case artist and track information is something we are likely to see in time when the station has become established. Ed.
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