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It is a real shame that the US went with the proprietary HD Radio scheme. The devices are so expensive and there hardly are any available. Just now I couldn't e

by th0ma5 10y ago

It is a real shame that the US went with the proprietary HD Radio scheme. The devices are so expensive and there hardly are any available. Just now I couldn't even find anything less than $100. What a scam. I feel sorry for all the radio stations that wasted money on this. Would DAB be able to gain ground in the US?

nicky0 10y ago
Be careful what you wish for, DAB is pretty horrible too.
- Angostura 10y ago
  In what respect? I have DAB at home and in the car in the UK and find it reliable and decent quality.
  - scholia 10y ago
    DAB sound quality can be as good as you like, but as implemented, it's generally very low. (Stations use low bit-rates to reduce costs.) On average, in fact, DAB sound quality is much lower than FM, assuming you're in a good signal area and/or have a decent FM aerial. You also need a lot more expensive masts to provide DAB coverage. In many places where you get poor FM reception, you get "bubbling mud" or no DAB reception at all.
    - skrause 10y ago
      You must be from the UK. The "bubbling mud" is a property of the old DAB which also uses MP2 for the audio (an 80s technology codec). Here in Germany it's all DAB+ which has better error correction with a more robust signal (and no bubbling). Radio stations in Germany also tend to use 96-128 kbit AAC/HE-AAC which sounds way better than FM radio.
      - scholia 10y ago
        Yes, I've already mentioned that. See some of my other comments, including: "Some countries have stations at 48kbps. The UK is leading the drive to lower sound quality with DAB+ stations on the SDL multiplex at 32kbps." > Radio stations in Germany also tend to use 96-128 kbit AAC/HE-AAC which sounds way better than FM radio. Lucky you. Most UK stations are on 80kbps with MP2, and we have music stations broadcasting at 64kbps in mono. The BBC often manages 112-128kbps but only ONE station does better than that: BBC classical music station Radio 3 is at 160-192kbps. No DAB+ station broadcasts at more than 32kbps. In other words, there isn't a single UK radio station that reaches FM quality. None of them sounds way better. If you want to feel my pain, see http://www.wohnort.org/DAB/uknat.html http://www.wohnort.org/DAB/uknat.html Look at London 3, which I get at home, and weep....
  - nicky0 10y ago
    Bulky, expensive DAB receivers. Try finding a portable DAB receiver that isn't huge and drains batteries like it's a hairdryer. Meanwhile I have a 20 year old Phillips AM/FM receiver that's about the size of an iPod nano, slips into my pocket and lasts days on a single AA.

by th0ma5 10y ago

nicky0 10y ago

Be careful what you wish for, DAB is pretty horrible too.

Angostura 10y ago
In what respect? I have DAB at home and in the car in the UK and find it reliable and decent quality.
- scholia 10y ago
  DAB sound quality can be as good as you like, but as implemented, it's generally very low. (Stations use low bit-rates to reduce costs.) On average, in fact, DAB sound quality is much lower than FM, assuming you're in a good signal area and/or have a decent FM aerial. You also need a lot more expensive masts to provide DAB coverage. In many places where you get poor FM reception, you get "bubbling mud" or no DAB reception at all.
  - skrause 10y ago
    You must be from the UK. The "bubbling mud" is a property of the old DAB which also uses MP2 for the audio (an 80s technology codec). Here in Germany it's all DAB+ which has better error correction with a more robust signal (and no bubbling). Radio stations in Germany also tend to use 96-128 kbit AAC/HE-AAC which sounds way better than FM radio.
    - scholia 10y ago
      Yes, I've already mentioned that. See some of my other comments, including: "Some countries have stations at 48kbps. The UK is leading the drive to lower sound quality with DAB+ stations on the SDL multiplex at 32kbps." > Radio stations in Germany also tend to use 96-128 kbit AAC/HE-AAC which sounds way better than FM radio. Lucky you. Most UK stations are on 80kbps with MP2, and we have music stations broadcasting at 64kbps in mono. The BBC often manages 112-128kbps but only ONE station does better than that: BBC classical music station Radio 3 is at 160-192kbps. No DAB+ station broadcasts at more than 32kbps. In other words, there isn't a single UK radio station that reaches FM quality. None of them sounds way better. If you want to feel my pain, see http://www.wohnort.org/DAB/uknat.html http://www.wohnort.org/DAB/uknat.html Look at London 3, which I get at home, and weep....
- nicky0 10y ago
  Bulky, expensive DAB receivers. Try finding a portable DAB receiver that isn't huge and drains batteries like it's a hairdryer. Meanwhile I have a 20 year old Phillips AM/FM receiver that's about the size of an iPod nano, slips into my pocket and lasts days on a single AA.