Indecently the Saga radio formats (Saga and Primetime) did not do well and Saga radio was brought out by GMG and became Smooth, so is kind of still on air!
According to Wikipedia, the problem was that Saga's owner Roger De Haan sold the entire Saga business to a management buyout - except the radio stations. So there was no longer a cross-promotion function between the other Saga businesses and the radio stations and presumably without that, the radio stations were just an expensive vanity project.
My statement says it all...the thing with band three (DAB) is that the components differ from FM - hence the reason why they will always be that bit more expensive than an average FM radio.
Also with cheapo FM radio's they can be rather poor with reception and sound quality just like DAB sets.
At the moment there is very little I listen to on DAB to be honest because for what I listen to is avaliable on FM. Also I do not trust DAB due to stations being here one day and gone the next. I remember not long after DAB came on air there were several stations I really liked and I was actually spoiled for choice..unfortunately these days it is hard to find anything I like on DAB.
There is only really Absolute 80's and Real XS that i dip into from time to time. I wish the authorities would do something with this format because it is a complete shambles at the moment and If i were you I would try and get yourself a decent FM seperates tuner with a decent roof-top aerial and try listening to some more distant FM stations as there is still a few decent(ish) ones around...
Where? Heart has taken over most of the FM frequencies and those that are not Heart offer similar formats. DAB has lost some stations but it does still offer 6 Music, Planet Rock, Amazing Radio and Jazz FM.
If you really want the best sound quality, satellite television can give you it plugged in to a decent Amp. I often Sky+ radio shows and the sound quality is much better than FM. DAB could offer this sound quality if it wasn't bit rate starved.
We will have to agree to disagree! Like the old aguments on CDs and vinyl sound quality between DAB and FM can be subjective. Bitrates on modern software based MPEG encoders are not so important, but the differences in audio processing on FM and DAB can affect sound! Some prefer the FM processing used (more body!) and find the lower amount of audio processing on DAB on both Classic and r3 not so easy to listen to.
Bitrates are still important and don't forget DAB still uses MP2 which is not great to start with.
I still like the sound of Vinyl, over Cd to be honest.
I agree that processing do make a difference, I would have thought more processing would have gone into digital radio to try and make people think it is better quality than it is.
Indecently the Saga radio formats (Saga and Primetime) did not do well and Saga radio was brought out by GMG and became Smooth, so is kind of still on air!
I put smooth radio on at work last night and I like it they was playing Motown, I also heard that Andy Peebles and Simon Bates is on there, nice to hear the older ones still around. also Kid Jenson, not heard him for years.
So yes I like smooth radio, it plays some good music. Primetime was the name of the station. I heard it online and thought it was good, so got a Saisburys own DAB radio to listen to it, and then not after it vanished.
I think a lot depends if you are in a city or not? Which is something Ofcom does not do as it is London based. From radiotoday
I am in a city, just not one that they think needs a good DAB signal.
got sunshine on at the moment as I am cleaning the kitchen, just thought I pop up here and have a coffee for five.
According to Wikipedia, the problem was that Saga's owner Roger De Haan sold the entire Saga business to a management buyout - except the radio stations. So there was no longer a cross-promotion function between the other Saga businesses and the radio stations and presumably without that, the radio stations were just an expensive vanity project.
I see. I like this Smooth radio, a shame we can't get it on FM here, if it is on FM at all anywhere.
oo, just had a look and it is on 105.7 in the west Midlands, but that depends how far it stretches. in the West midlands.
Have a look when I go back down.
Alos on Freeview, but since I don't watch T.V now, I don't have Freeview.
our DAB service is way better than our FM/AM service here in Wilts.
As another poster said, classic fm doesnt work well on fm unless an outside aerial is used, and the same is true for us. Yet the signal is fine on DAB even with the indoor aerial.
As for choice, theres no contest here as on FM we get only BBC R1,2,3,4, Local BBC and Heart,....on indoor sets. On our sony mini hifi using the original wire up we get 35 DAB stations (which includes the local BBC and Heart as well). AM is not really stable enough here to use at all - we didnt get BBC R5 Live properly until we got a DAB radio!
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According to Wikipedia, the problem was that Saga's owner Roger De Haan sold the entire Saga business to a management buyout - except the radio stations. So there was no longer a cross-promotion function between the other Saga businesses and the radio stations and presumably without that, the radio stations were just an expensive vanity project.
If you really want the best sound quality, satellite television can give you it plugged in to a decent Amp. I often Sky+ radio shows and the sound quality is much better than FM. DAB could offer this sound quality if it wasn't bit rate starved.
Bitrates are still important and don't forget DAB still uses MP2 which is not great to start with.
I still like the sound of Vinyl, over Cd to be honest.
I agree that processing do make a difference, I would have thought more processing would have gone into digital radio to try and make people think it is better quality than it is.
I put smooth radio on at work last night and I like it they was playing Motown, I also heard that Andy Peebles and Simon Bates is on there, nice to hear the older ones still around. also Kid Jenson, not heard him for years.
So yes I like smooth radio, it plays some good music. Primetime was the name of the station. I heard it online and thought it was good, so got a Saisburys own DAB radio to listen to it, and then not after it vanished.
I am in a city, just not one that they think needs a good DAB signal.
got sunshine on at the moment as I am cleaning the kitchen, just thought I pop up here and have a coffee for five.
I see. I like this Smooth radio, a shame we can't get it on FM here, if it is on FM at all anywhere.
oo, just had a look and it is on 105.7 in the west Midlands, but that depends how far it stretches. in the West midlands.
Have a look when I go back down.
Alos on Freeview, but since I don't watch T.V now, I don't have Freeview.
As another poster said, classic fm doesnt work well on fm unless an outside aerial is used, and the same is true for us. Yet the signal is fine on DAB even with the indoor aerial.
As for choice, theres no contest here as on FM we get only BBC R1,2,3,4, Local BBC and Heart,....on indoor sets. On our sony mini hifi using the original wire up we get 35 DAB stations (which includes the local BBC and Heart as well). AM is not really stable enough here to use at all - we didnt get BBC R5 Live properly until we got a DAB radio!