DAB sounds worse than FM

BBC on-demand radio streams now at higher quality
 
BBC might nobble the live Internet streams to help DAB
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On-demand will kill live mobile TV

1st July 08

Channel 4 is reportedly hoping that mobile TV could make the forthcoming Digital Two multiplex profitable. I think on-demand TV streams will make live mobile TV channels almost redundant.

DAB+ roll-out gathers pace

1st July 08

Malta should have become the first country to only use DAB+ today when its digital radio service is commercially launched, and DAB+ transmissions are now taking place in numerous other countries.

Young people listen to radio most online

1st July 08

Research published by the Radio Advertising Bureau (RAB) shows that 15-24 year olds prefer listening to radio via the Internet than via the other platforms.

AOL Radio re-launched

1st July 08

AOL Radio, which consists of over 200 Internet radio stations, has been re-launched.

Frontier-Silicon to release combined DMB-Audio, DAB+, DAB receiver module

1st July 08

Frontier-Silicon has announced that it will be releasing a new multi-format receiver module in time for France launching DMB-Audio next year.

Ofcom allows delay of Digital Two launch

1st July 08

Ofcom has officially allowed the launch of the forthcoming national DAB multiplex, dubbed 'Digital Two', to be delayed.

Planet Rock has been saved from closure

1st July 08

Planet Rock has been saved from closure by entrepreneur and classic rock fan, Malcolm Bluemel.

Smash Hits pulled from 7 local DAB muxes

1st July 08

Commercial radio group, Bauer, has made some changes to its station line-up on DAB, including pulling Smash Hits off seven local DAB multiplexes.

World's first Blu Ray HD Audio disc released

1st July 08

Although there are already quite a few Blu Ray music releases that have both video and audio, what's thought to be the first ever audio-only Blu Ray disc has been released.

BBC podcasts now using 128 kbps MP3

13th May 08

The bit rate used for the BBC's music and drama podcasts have increased from 64 kbps mono to 128 kbps stereo MP3.

Introduction to Wi-Fi Internet radios

13th May 08

A new page has been added introducing Wi-Fi Internet radios for people who may not know what these excellent gadgets are or what they can do.

Planning for the future of digital radio

 May 08

The DCMS has set up a Digital Radio Working Group that is supposed to e planning for the future of digital radio, but in reality it looks like they're planning for a DAB/DAB+ future and they're making excuses not to use other technologies.

Fru Hazlitt: launching a new national DAB multiplex would be insane

5th May 08

Fru Hazlitt, GCap Media's chief exec, has called the launch of a second national commercial DAB multiplex "insane".

Fru Hazlitt: Radio should embrace online

30th April 08

GCap's chief exec, Fru Hazlitt, told the Radio Reborn conference this week that the radio industry should embrace Internet radio, and not be scared of it.

DAB - the current state of play

23rd April 08

DAB has just faced a rocky couple of months, so this article looks at the current state of play for the (f)ailing system.

Response to DAB article on The Register

22nd April 08

This article puts the record straight about a few things that Nick Piggott told the editor of The Register website and which were subsequently published in an article defending DAB.

Frontier-Silicon launches Venice 5.1 DAB+ module

20th April 08

Frontier-Silicon has launched a DAB+ version of its Venice 5 module, although the only reason why a DAB-only version was made was due to the receiver manufacturers profiteering at the expense of consumers.

HDTV on Freeview in Granada by next year

20th April 08

Ofcom has published its plans to allow HDTV channels to launch on Freeview in the Granada region next year.

Quality of BBC Internet radio streams to overtake DAB

16th Mark 08

The BBC has said it will start using new audio formats for its Internet streams in the next few months, which is very likely to be AAC or AAC+, but I can reveal that the BBC could have done this four years ago.

Irish commercial radio is opposed to DAB

6th march 08

Senior people from the Irish commercial radio groups have spoken out against RTE's desire to use the old DAB system.

A way to improve speeds on iPlayer downloads

6th March 08

BBC iPlayer downloads are taking quite a long time to download, so I've thought of a way to speed things up a bit.

The unique way the BBC is twice-funded

6th March 08

The BBC is trying to make the public pay for programmes twice-over.

DAB facing a funding crisis in Germany

30th January 08

Funding of the roll out of DAB in Germany has been slashed leading to fears over the future of German DAB.

Revo launches first ever Wi-Fi/DAB/DAB+-ready/FM receiver

12th December 07

Revo has launched the world's first ever combined Wi-Fi/DAB receiver and the world's first DAB+-ready receiver all rolled into one.

France adopts DMB for digital radio

5th December 07

France has adopted the DMB system for digital radio, which has got to be one of the most ridiculous decisions imaginable considering that DAB+ has just been designed.

DAB likely to be switched off in Bavaria in 2011

5th December 07

the Bavarian regulator, the BLM, has revealed its likely plans for the migration from DAB to DAB+.

World's first DRM+ broadcasts go on-air in Germany

5th December 07

The world's first ever DRM+ broadcastes have gone on-air in the FM band in Germany, and it is reported that the DRM+ system will be standardised next year.

Italian commercial stations switch to DAB+

29th November 07

Most of the commercial radio stations on the two Italian national multiplexes have switched from using DAB to using DAB+.

DAB+ & DMB being trialed in France

29th November 07

Despite it being expected that France would only use the DMB system for digital radio, both DMB and DAB+ are being trialed in France.

DAB+ software to be completed in next few weeks

29th November 07

Frontier-Silicon's DAB+ software implementation will be completed in the next few weeks.

toothless_ofcom Ofcom fixes its research for HD DTT consultation

29th November 07

Ofcom has paid a consultant to tell them what they want to hear. No news there then.

Pure launches first DAB+-upgradeable car adaptor

7th November 07

Pure has launched a DAB+-upgradeable car adaptor with an integrated FM transmitter.

96 kbps stereo stations proposed for local DAB

7th November 07

Just when you thought the audio quality on DAB couldn't get any worse... 

Mobile phone with DAB+

7th November 07

The first mobile phone to get DAB+ is being demo'd in Australia.

Channel 4 to join Freesat next year

7th November 07

The question mark hanging over whether Channel 4 and its other channels would be available on Freesat has been answered.  

DAB+ being delayed by receiver manufacturers

4th November 07

We should have been seeing a steady stream of new DAB+-upgradeable receivers being launched by now, but unfortunately the receiver manufacturers are delaying the switch to DAB+ in order to sell as many non-upgradeable receivers as possible -- it's a new take on the "buy one get one free" offer: "buy two when you only need one".

Ofcom criticises France for not allowing use of DAB+

4th October 07

Ofcom has sent a document to the French authorities criticising them for mandating that T-DMB must be used -- Ofcom also basically admits that DAB+ will be used.

Annual DAB sales 50% below forecast

2nd October 07

Annual DAB sales in 2008 are forecast by the DRDB (Digital Radio Development Bureau) to be 50% below their previous forecasts, and cumulative sales will also be 30% below previous forecasts.

China considering adopting DAB+

2nd October 07

The Chinese government is apparently considering adopting DAB+ as the national digital radio standard.

New Pure DAB+-upgradeable clock radio

2nd October 07

Pure Digital has released its second DAB+-upgradeable clock radio, called the Chronos II.

112 kbps stereo now being used on DAB

2nd October 07

Heat Radio is now being broadcast at 112 kbps in joint stereo on a number of local DAB multiplexes, and this is the first station to use 112 kbps in the UK.

Ofcom gets ball rolling on superfast broadband

2nd October 07

Ofcom has launched a public consultation to garner views on what it calls 'next generation access networks', or 'superfast broadband', as it is becoming known.

BBC HD channel to launch - but may be delayed on Freeview

25th September 07 (Revised: 29th September)

The BBC Trust has provisionally approved the launch of the BBC HD channel on Freeview, satellite, cable and the Internet, but they seem to be favouring that the channel should not be launched on Freeview until 2009-2010. ITV1 and Channel 4 will also be launching in HD on satellite in the coming months.

DAB-IP mobile TV service to close - an opportunity for DAB+

4th September 07

The Virgin Mobile DAB-IP mobile TV service is going to close next year, which provides an opportunity for DAB+ stations to launch.

Worldwide interest in DAB+ growing

4th September 07

DAB+ is now being tested in numerous countries around the world and interest in the new standard is growing.

DAB+/Wi-Fi radios due by the end of the year

4th September 07

Frontier-Silicon has issued a press release that says that a few receiver manufacturers will be releasing DAB+/Wi-Fi radios by the end of the year.

BBC mulls CBeebies radio station

4th September 07

The BBC is considering launching CBeebies radio station and to extend the hours CBBC broadcasts to 9pm.

DVB-T2 to enable HDTV post-switchover

4th September 07

The new DVB-T2 standard will allow HDTV to be broadcast on Freeview after digital switchover.

HD Radio & FMeXtra systems being tested in Europe

4th September 07

Two new US-based proprietary digital radio standards are being tested by a few radio stations in Europe.

Wi-Fi Internet radio bargain at £40

4th September 07

The Logik IR100 Wi-Fi Internet radio is currently available for just £40 from Currys, Dixons and PC World.

Ofcom admits DAB sound quality is not good enough

25th July 07

Ofcom's Director of Radio & Multimedia, Peter Davies, has admitted that DAB's sound quality is not good enough!

DAB+ worldwide rollout gathering speed

25th July 07

The worldwide rollout of DAB+ is picking up speed, with DAB+ equipment being supplied to Australia, Germany, the Czech Republic and Italy.

Australia begins DAB+ tests

25th July 07

Australia, which is planning to commercially launch DAB+ on 1st January 2009, has begun DAB+ test transmissions.

EU backs DVB-H to be used in Europe for mobile TV

25th July 07

The EU "telecoms" commissioner has decided that the DVB-H system should be the European standard for mobile TV.

Pure releases first DAB+ upgradeable radio

19th July 07

Pure Digital, the market leading manufacturer of DAB radios, has released its first DAB+ upgradeable radio, called the Siesta.

Toothless Ofcom reduces DAB quality again

19th July 07

Now that Ofcom has awarded the new national DAB multiplex to Channel 4, we will now see the first stereo stations using a bit rate of 112 kbps on DAB, compared to the current minimum bit rate used of 128 kbps.

Ofcom refuses to fix radio switchover date

19th July 07

Although some of the daily newspapers have been saying that FM is going to be switched off in the next few years, what the chief executive of Ofcom actually said was that he wouldn't set a switch-off date for FM yet!

Channel 4 awarded new national DAB multiplex licence

19th July 07

Channel 4 has been awarded the new national DAB multiplex licence that will go on-air from July next year. The multiplex will carry ten new stations, a podcast service and space for 2 mobile TV channels.

DMB is inefficient compared to DAB+

19th July 07

Some of the French broadcasters want to use DMB when they launch digital radio next year rather than DAB+, but some figures published in an EBU Technical Review article about DAB+ and DMB show that DMB wastes a large amount of the capacity on overhead compared to DAB+

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Radio Times article about DAB's audio quality:

Pick of news articles:

French broadcasters want to use DAB+

German commercial radio says "modernise DAB or switch it off"

Low audio quality is inevitable in Europe unless the AAC+ codec is adopted

First T-DMB receivers for radio

Radio 3 reduced to 160 kbps on DAB

Australia commits to using DAB+

New Zealand to trial DAB+

What's the difference between DAB, DAB+, DMB and DAB-IP?

Ofcom encourages UK to move to DAB+

Swedish Government Pulls Plug on DAB Expansion

French Broadcasters Reject DAB

BBC & ITV to use Internet Multicasting

Advantages of the Modern Digital Radio Systems Compared to DAB

DAB vs DVB-H vs DMB

An Economic Analysis of DAB, DAB+, DVB-H & DRM+

DRM+ likely to use 50-100 kHz channels

 

Sound Quality of 'Radio Systems' from Best to Worst
 

1. FM
2. broadband Internet radio
3. digital satellite
4. Freeview
5. digital cable
6. DAB
7. AM

(Based on average, or typical levels of audio quality available on the above platforms/systems. Narrowband internet radio is excluded)

If you want a DAB portable radio, make sure you get one with FM!

BBC Research & Development Report (page 8):

'[DAB uses the MPEG Layer II audio codec]. This offers a variety of options, in which bit-rate can be traded for quality. For high quality stereo signals, a bit-rate between 192 and 256 kbit/s is needed.'

Currently, 98% of stereo stations on DAB in the UK use a bit rate of 128kbps and Ofcom have even proposed to drop the this minimum bit rate to 112kbps!