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Further information postcode check DAB digital radios, tuners and hi-fi system reviews DAB digital radio portables and receivers DAB portables at the cheaper end Alarm clock DAB radios Handheld/personal/pocket DAB radios DAB digital radio systems - hifi and tuners DAB digital radio FAQs more DAB digital radio stockists 
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Pure PocketDAB 2000 handheld DAB digital radio review
The PocketDAB 2000 is brimming with useful features; some aspects of the user interface just take some getting used to without the manual. A central four-way chromed rocker switch brings up the station list, which is easily navigated. A press of the central button re-tunes the PocketDAB to the selection - easy so far.
A brief press of the TxtStor button saves the DAB text currently displayed into memory and you can recall stored texts via the menu. Perhaps a nice touch would have allowed you to recall the previous station message, but in any case there's an audio rewind feature for back announcements and the PocketDAB will store whole lines of text, which it can easily fit across a few lines of its bright, white-backlit display.
The info button brings up station bit-rate and multiplex information, while other buttons bring up a choice of six equaliser settings - including flat and enhanced bass - probably ideal for noisy bus journeys. Slot in an SD (secure digital) card into the base of the unit and a dedicated record button begins saving the show. MP3 files can be transported on SD cards and played through the PocketDAB 2000.
ReVu takes a little more getting used to: this function will enable you to pause and rewind live radio. There's a fair amount of internal memory buffer to fill and it's a handy extra to have. Once you figure out the menu button acts like a "back" key, everything is hunky-dory.
The optical digital output (yes a digi output on a handheld DAB radio) is protected by a rubber cover on the top of the unit, while a hold slider switch presents keypresses having an effect when the PocketDAB 2000 is sat in a pocket. A rocker switch, of the type that will be familiar to Zen Nano player owners, controls the volume and another inline volume dial is located on the headphone cable.
The PocketDAB looks extremely high-tech sat in its white cradle and fared quite well in picking up a decent signal on the third floor of the Marriott Hotel in Bristol, despite being surrounded by a cornucopia of other audio equipment.
With the headphone cable untangled, the PocketDAB performed well - hiccup-free - with the sound from 6 music nicely balanced thanks to the EQ boosting the midrange and tailing off the top end. It is likely listeners will find the more bassy EQ setting a better option on the move. You could easily swap the supplied 'phones for a open-backed pair of Sennheisers if you want to put the PocketDAB, the air guitar and a hairbrush through their paces at home, though the supplied in-ear designs are more than fine for normal listening.
FM radio stations are also accessible, though you don't get RDS station naming. However, the Pure is a Tri-Band FM, Band III and L-Band tuner, so will pick up European DAB stations when you're on the continent.
Handily and thankfully at this price, a 64MB SD card is supplied with the PocketDAB, as is a carry case, power adapter/charger (for charging the inbuilt battery), USB cable and software on CD.
Find out where to buy the Pure Digital PocketDAB 2000 handheld radio online.
Find out where to buy the Pure Digital PocketDAB 2000 handheld radio online.
General
Headphones
Frequency ranges
Controls
Input connectors
Output connectors
LCD display
Power supply
Battery life
Aerial
Approvals
Dimensions (mm)
Weight
Related links:
guide to DAB digital radio, on this website.
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