[Bill Clinton]

I passed my driving test just this week, after like most people or at least many people I suspect after a lot of hell trying, I always said I would find the car radio more important than the car being such a radio fan, so the most obvious thing to do would be to improve by getting a DAB capable one but they're a bit thin on the ground. The one that's in now isn't too bad, it's a car from 1998 but it has a CD player and an Aux in which is great for using the Android to listen to internet stations over 3G (some would say much better than DAB anyway) but the FM radio is buggered in the installation and so I could do with being able to DX and listen to stations to see how far I can drive and get them out of their coverage area, so I need a sensitive installation.

In short, which car radio would you recommend where perhaps I can have DAB/ FM radio with RDS and ideally Radiotext, a CD drive/MP3 playback and the Aux in socket?

[Bill Clinton]

How I've managed to listen to FM radio on drives so far (even as a learner driver too) has been to connect the quite sensitive radio on a Sony Ericsson mobile to the aux in socket on the existing radio and if you drape the wire quite straight and long it's still fairly good reception (but nothing like the proper sensitive car radios!). If all I wanted to listen to was the stronger BBC National Stations this might be OK.
I could plug the DAB portable I've got in this same way but I imagine that reception would be almost totally useless!

[Charles Worth]

If I were you I would save yourself a whole lot of money & disapointment. DAB is useless in a car, it drops out & the listening choice is woeful.
Your phone which will stream radio via the internet will win every time.

[hanssolo]

Originally Posted by Bill Clinton

Iwhich car radio would you recommend where perhaps I can have DAB/ FM radio with RDS and ideally Radiotext, a CD drive/MP3 playback and the Aux in socket?

DAB is still being rolled out, so reception can depend on where you are, generally if you are in a good reception area and have a decent aerial, reception should be good. An on line shop such as http://www.dabonwheels.co.uk/ helps by giving sets and aerials ratings.

The problem with using internet radio over a mobile phone is the data allowance can be only 500mb a month which can be quickly used, T mobile and Three now have unlimited 3G data, but their network coverage again depends on where you live. currently 3G network coverage is much poorer than DAB coverage depending on the operator.
http://www.pcadvisor.co.uk/news/mobi...ge-says-ofcom/

only 13 percent of the UK's landmass can receive a signal outdoors from all five 3G networks, with lower coverage in less densely populated areas.

[A. Grainger]

Originally Posted by Charles Worth

If I were you I would save yourself a whole lot of money & disapointment. DAB is useless in a car, it drops out & the listening choice is woeful.
Your phone which will stream radio via the internet will win every time.

No it isn't useless in the car and it doesn't drop out in the car. With a PROPER DAB AERIAL fixed to the bodywork (just like the FM/AM aerial) or magnetically attached, DAB gives rock solid reception within DAB service areas and often far outwith DAB service areas. Overall, DAB's signal quality when in the car surpasses FM.

People who do have problems with DAB usually have a sticky-on-the-window antenna, which really is useless and the reason why so many people conclude that DAB is rubbish in the car.

To the original poster, you should go to this website and view their selection of DAB car stereos and the antennas needed for excellent, rock solid, trouble-free reception.

http://www.dabonwheels.co.uk/

[Pemblechook]

Most places I drive DAB is fine with just a portable from Asda on the passenger seat.

BBC R4 Extra is on 90% of the time.

[Jack-UK]

http://www.google.co.uk/products/cat...d=0CNcBEPMCMAA

[trevgo]

Originally Posted by A. Grainger

No it isn't useless in the car and it doesn't drop out in the car. With a PROPER DAB AERIAL fixed to the bodywork (just like the FM/AM aerial) or magnetically attached, DAB gives rock solid reception within DAB service areas and often far outwith DAB service areas. Overall, DAB's signal quality when in the car surpasses FM.

Absolutely. I bought an ex demo Jag that had DAB factory installed, and it's been absolutely brilliant. Drove up to the Scottish Highlands from London last year, and the only wobble was over the Cumbrian hills (mountains?) and in the Highlands themselves (where FM also died).

I'm looking to trade it in for a 6-12 month old XJ, and I'm staggered how few have been specified with DAB. It's a deal breaker for me. Itg should come as standard on a car like that. The motor industry have been woeful in fitting DABs to new cars.

[AuralJunkie]

Originally Posted by Charles Worth

If I were you I would save yourself a whole lot of money & disapointment. DAB is useless in a car, it drops out & the listening choice is woeful.
Your phone which will stream radio via the internet will win every time.

A totally false statement. Unless you don't have a proper external aerial fitted (like you have to for FM) the reception of DAB in car is excellent - far better in most areas than that of FM. You are also getting it free of data charges. I would suggest looking at forums here, or customer feedback on sites like Amazon, to shortlist a few sets to look at. There seems to be good feedback on an £80 model of an obscure brand, and less good on a £120 branded model. The one I've been using for over 7 years now is a Grundig. It does not have DAB+ capabilities, so might not be of any use for DAB in Europe, but is still available fom Soundmaster Scotland for £199 - £50 more than I paid. What you will need to do is factor in an external aerial, roof mounted are the best, and these start from around £35/40. I use a single one which also works on FM/AM & SW (also included on the Grundig). These start at around £60 but need to be fitted by a vehicle electrician as they are powered.

[moordown66]

I drove from Cheshire to Hertfordshire the other weekend with a Pure Move 2500 DAB Walkman in the sat nav holder tune to 6Music. I had an FM transmitter plugged into the headphone socket. I didn't get even the faintest hint of a glitch all the way. Rock solid.

[Pemblechook]

Just driven from Shrewsbury to near Chester here with Asda portable DAB set on passenger seat. Solid apart from one dead spot which lasted a matter of seconds near Wrexham.

It is solid also from Nr Chester here to Caernarfon along N Wales Coast apart from dead spots near Colwyn Bay.

I would think with a proper roof aerial there would be few dead spots in most areas of the country.

I appears that those who complain about DAB coverage just don't like DAB for some reason.

[vinnielo]

Some of these dead spots may be caused by driving into the close vicinity of a transmitter site where it airs other DAB MUXes, but not the one your station is transmitted on. In these cases, not even a decent aerial will help.
But these dropouts shouldn't last more than 30 seconds.

[Pemblechook]

That doesn't apply to the dead spots I know.

I have found that some FM senders for feeding audio to a car radio without Aux input can have a high level of second harmonic between 175 and 216 MHz which can cause a DAB set probs.

[Colin_London]

Originally Posted by Charles Worth

If I were you I would save yourself a whole lot of money & disapointment. DAB is useless in a car, it drops out & the listening choice is woeful.
Your phone which will stream radio via the internet will win every time.

What a load of tosh
You obviously don't have a DAB car radio with an external antenna.

DAB is designed for mobile reception. In the south east where I use my factory fitted VW DAB radio I get solid reception everywhere. Even on long drives; I get solid BBC reception all the way from Essex to west Pembrokeshire for example.

3G mobiles on the other hand will drop out many times before you find your first field of cows, and cost you a fortune in data charges for streaming radio.

And as for choice, I get over 75 stations to choose from in the London area.

So you are wrong on all points.

[Schadenfreud]

I'll add to the voices of those singing the praises of in car dab.

In fact I was so impressed I made a thread about it. http://forums.digitalspy.co.uk/showthread.php?t=1653808

The unit I bought does all that you ask but it is a double din unit and a bit expensive.

[pepstar]

For those who don't want to change your existing car stereo i installed the Pure Highway 300Di ... it is nothing short of amazing, i will echo everyone else and say that the reception is rock solid with an external aerial.... its also a great iPod controller!

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/s...k&iozone=PLPz1

[Gary Brenton]

Originally Posted by Pemblechook

That doesn't apply to the dead spots I know.

I have found that some FM senders for feeding audio to a car radio without Aux input can have a high level of second harmonic between 175 and 216 MHz which can cause a DAB set probs.

I had a problem with a JVC head unit and a seperate JVC 'DAB' unit.

The JVC reciever was located in the boot and gave off a constant 'dead-signal' on exactly 100 MhZ (FM)

I didn't know this whatsoever until much later after I brought it.

I was travelling from the Midlands to Lancashire and at first I thought it was either a pirate station or a legal station broadcasting a dead carrier. The 'tuned' carrier simply continued for miles and miles and I thought this station is on some huge power to cover an 80+ miles area without so much as a hiss or glitch...and it wasn't until I did some experimenting that I found this out.

[CRTHD]

Originally Posted by Bill Clinton

I passed my driving test just this week, after like most people or at least many people I suspect after a lot of hell trying, I always said I would find the car radio more important than the car being such a radio fan, so the most obvious thing to do would be to improve by getting a DAB capable one but they're a bit thin on the ground. The one that's in now isn't too bad, it's a car from 1998 but it has a CD player and an Aux in which is great for using the Android to listen to internet stations over 3G (some would say much better than DAB anyway) but the FM radio is buggered in the installation and so I could do with being able to DX and listen to stations to see how far I can drive and get them out of their coverage area, so I need a sensitive installation.

In short, which car radio would you recommend where perhaps I can have DAB/ FM radio with RDS and ideally Radiotext, a CD drive/MP3 playback and the Aux in socket?

I fitted one of these (great if you have a standard radio fitting "slot").

The performance is great and with a "proper" external aerial the reception is faultless.

But it's prbably not worth fitting one unless you can install / arrange a DAB/FM aerial.

I fitted one of these. (I didn't pay that price though. I found one on the bay).

[Bill Clinton]

Thanks for all your advice I'm glad to know there's actually quite a good choice of models out there despite the fact that they almost seemed to be non existent in a Halfords I looked in, and still come complete with MP3/CD/USB and Aux in. Why though do they not seem to want to include DAB in all car radio models as standard, what is so hard about doing it? Royalty payments?

I like the whole concept of internet radio over 3G, it's like having the best DAB choice you could ever get, it often holds really well in most populated areas but once coverage gets patchy out of town and into Wales it soon starts to drop and then the phone app annoyingly stops retrying the stream automatically so you have to pull over and set it up again even if you have returned to a good 3G area again. When working though stations that provide a 48kbps AAC stream provide great quality.

DAB does have the BBC going for it where the added choice IS a bonus, you've got R4 Extra, 5L Sports Extra if you're into that, World Service and 6 Music, on the commercial side the choice isn't all that inspiring but you've still got good choices like BFBS, Absolute 80's & 90's and Gold for oldies, not to mention stations like Kerrang! There's no data charges and BBC National DAB and Digital 1 now have very good coverage. I wish they'd provide the TV audio of BBC ONE, TWO, ITV1 & Channel 4 over DAB as I'd really welcome it, if anybody knows of a way to get the audio from Freeview whilst driving I'd be ready to hear it.
I am serious about writing to the BBC to suggest they provide an audio only stream of the TV channels for listening to en route and out and about, programmes like Eggheads, The Weakest Link & even Coronation Street are quite listenable sans pictures.

If commercial radio hadn't slimmed down so much on local stations DAB would now offer a great choice, you'd have all the old AM golden oldie stations available in digital stereo all with their own personalities and presenters, it would be a bonus to extend the coverage of strong local stations, in this area you might have been able to benefit from Champion 103 and Coast 96.3 being carried on a mux that covered areas outside their usual patches and vice versa. DAB is pretty constrained in what it can actually provide as it's all been shut down.

[Gary Brenton]

Originally Posted by CRTHD

I fitted one of these (great if you have a standard radio fitting "slot").

The performance is great and with a "proper" external aerial the reception is faultless.

But it's prbably not worth fitting one unless you can install / arrange a DAB/FM aerial.

I fitted one of these. (I didn't pay that price though. I found one on the bay).

Blaupunkt are great and offer superior quality if you require just DAB only... but FM quality is the worst I have ever heard. (through past experience)

FM has constant drop-outs with reception and sounds very 'dull' (rather like a warped tape) I have had two Blaupunkt DAB systems and both have been the same.

If it is just DAB you want..then I cannot fault the Blaupunkt range....but if it is FM as well....then I would avoid them completely...

[mill9]

Originally Posted by Gary Brenton

I had a problem with a JVC head unit and a seperate JVC 'DAB' unit.

The JVC reciever was located in the boot and gave off a constant 'dead-signal' on exactly 100 MhZ (FM)

I didn't know this whatsoever until much later after I brought it.

I was travelling from the Midlands to Lancashire and at first I thought it was either a pirate station or a legal station broadcasting a dead carrier. The 'tuned' carrier simply continued for miles and miles and I thought this station is on some huge power to cover an 80+ miles area without so much as a hiss or glitch...and it wasn't until I did some experimenting that I found this out.

Interesting I get 13 dead carriers all over the FM band on my JVC KD-DB711 car radio. I was led to believe it was the ecu's but could be harmonics, who knows. Three stations wiped out unless well in the service area include Kiss 100, BBC Radio Solent and Surrey. As for general reception on the move on DAB very good indeed (despite low bit rate stations) in the intended service areas.

[CRTHD]

Originally Posted by Gary Brenton

Blaupunkt are great and offer superior quality if you require just DAB only... but FM quality is the worst I have ever heard. (through past experience)

FM has constant drop-outs with reception and sounds very 'dull' (rather like a warped tape) I have had two Blaupunkt DAB systems and both have been the same.

If it is just DAB you want..then I cannot fault the Blaupunkt range....but if it is FM as well....then I would avoid them completely...

I can't say my experience concurs with your's. To be fair I tend to travel in strong signal areas and can't remember the last time I had poor FM reception (certainly no drop-outs).

The FM sound quality from my Blaupunkt is fine. The radio allows you to set different tone / equaliser settings for DAB, FM, CD, SD card etc, so perhaps some adjustments there may have helped.

I haven't listended to FM (in the car) this year, as since the new DAB TXs came on stream (last autumn) I get nil DAB drop-outs and everything I need is now on DAB.

I would recommend the Hirshman aerial that I linked to earlier, as this does give excellent FM & DAB reception (& they are a doddle to straight-swap, if you have a similar FM aerial).

[Pemblechook]

DAB seems like Margaret Thatcher. Either you love it or hate it.

Just had the usual guff from someone about it being a dead duck and doesn't work in cars and Internet is the future. The 'experts' were telling me that back in 2005 and their predictions have not come true.

Looks like DAB now accounts for about 20% of all radio listening and Internet 3.9% (probably mainly stuff not available elsewhere but that might also apply to DAB but less so) .

[this_is_me]

Originally Posted by moordown66

I drove from Cheshire to Hertfordshire the other weekend with a Pure Move 2500 DAB Walkman in the sat nav holder tune to 6Music. I had an FM transmitter plugged into the headphone socket. I didn't get even the faintest hint of a glitch all the way. Rock solid.

I use the same radio, but instead of an FM transmitter, I plug it into the AUX socket. It works fine on my daily commute. Haven't tried it further afield yet because I've only just bought the car.

[Jim_AFCB]

Originally Posted by A. Grainger

No it isn't useless in the car and it doesn't drop out in the car. With a PROPER DAB AERIAL fixed to the bodywork (just like the FM/AM aerial) or magnetically attached, DAB gives rock solid reception within DAB service areas and often far outwith DAB service areas. Overall, DAB's signal quality when in the car surpasses FM.

People who do have problems with DAB usually have a sticky-on-the-window antenna, which really is useless and the reason why so many people conclude that DAB is rubbish in the car.

To the original poster, you should go to this website and view their selection of DAB car stereos and the antennas needed for excellent, rock solid, trouble-free reception.

http://www.dabonwheels.co.uk/

That.

I got excellent results by using the original aerial in first my Citroen Xantia and then my Vauxhall Astra, and using a splitter that provides output leads for both standard analogue radio and DAB.
I now have a Ford Focus with DAB as standard and results are the same. Drove from here right to the scottish border and lost Absolute 80s for a few hundred yards near the Lakes and that was it.