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The ‘FM death watch' thread... |
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#101 |
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Quote:
Due to the high battery consumption, almost no-one bothers with battery powered DAB radios. Even if they do, perhaps for wearable DAB radio, battery life will be 4 hours.
http://www.robertsradio.co.uk/produc.../SOLARDAB2.htm |
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#102 |
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Join Date: Jul 2005
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Quote:
Due to the high battery consumption, almost no-one bothers with battery powered DAB radios. Even if they do, perhaps for wearable DAB radio, battery life will be 4 hours.
I would wager that only 2% of DAB radio owners have something like the Pure power packs. So during emergencies with power outages, in the future there will be no way of getting local/national info/news. Or any entertainment for that matter, while waiting for mains power to return. Same thing applies to campers, picnickers, garden users. Compare that with the household of the 80s/90s when several battery radios would be around with 20-50 hours battery life expectancy. Bit of a mess, this replace-FM-with-DAB thing really. There's a table here which shows how much improvement has been made in power consumption between 2010 and 2013, page 7. https://www.gov.uk/government/upload...rgy_Report.pdf 35.5% of adults wouldn't be listening to DAB each week if battery life was that low. Just checked my Roberts Ecologic 7 manual, battery life up to 150 hours. |
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#103 |
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Join Date: Sep 2005
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Quote:
Modern DAB radios will pretty much match modern FM radios for battery life nowadays.
FTFY !
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#104 |
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In two years of owning a Pure Move 400D I've never seen the battery indicator below 2 out of 4. OK, it has a built-in Li ion battery but this is an example of a radio where you charge it up every other month using the car mini-USB adaptor, and just forget it for the rest of the time. As sub-100 nm architectures make their way down to the cost-conscious consumer VLSI sector, current consumption is only going to get lower and battery life longer for the average DAB/+ set. Quote:
...Not sure how viable whitespace data is, the current tests are in the UHF band to give coverage where areas are limited to copper. If national FM is cleared from say 88 to 100 this could help data in several rural areas (the range will be better the UHF) and co exist sharing frequencies with some local FM stations...
It's ironic to think that, the quicker nationwide networks quit Band II for DAB/+, the quicker local and community stations will occupy the vacuum, making whitespace usage there less likely and the future of Band II as localised broadcast spectrum more secure. |
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#105 |
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Quote:
Due to the high battery consumption, almost no-one bothers with battery powered DAB radios. Even if they do, perhaps for wearable DAB radio, battery life will be 4 hours.
I would wager that only 2% of DAB radio owners have something like the Pure power packs. At 2 hours per day of listening it only needs to be charged once a week and I no longer need to buy batteries. It also means that I can listen to TMS without any of the interference that you get when trying to listen to long wave on a bus or train. |
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#106 |
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The Radio Centre Future of Commercial Radio report just released includes this on page 16.
"Broadcasting on both analogue and digital platforms has cost hundreds of millions of pounds, which could have been invested into improved content. It is not sensible for commercial radio or the BBC to sustain two broadcast networks indefinitely. Commercial radio supports the expansion of digital radio and is a crucial partner in extending coverage and choice for listeners on an affordable basis. Work should continue to enable national and large local services to switch off their FM frequencies when they are ready to do so. But this process must be consumer led and there should be no enforced switchover of local commercial radio stations. Given that FM is likely to continue as a platform for radio for some time, consideration should also be given to how this can be utilised most effectively and repurposed in future." and on page 18 when they say what commercial radio needs: "Stability and security for radio operators – by enacting licence rollovers; removing the prospect of an enforced switchover for local radio stations; and clarifying future plans for the FM platform." That seems to me to be arguing against a definitive switchover date, the last sentence is interesting. Report here (pdf) http://radiotoday.co.uk/wp-content/u...ture-FINAL.pdf |
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#107 |
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But at the start of the report was a graph and this
"Digital listening hours have grown to a high of almost 40% (39.6%) - and are expected to exceed 50% of all listening in the next three years." Which if happens together with DAB coverage rollout means the DCMS's listener led criteria for an FM switch off date for the national and large local stations might be met in 2018 (or perhaps a bit later), they will probably see how things go in Norway before setting a date after the 2020 election?. |
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#108 |
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Quote:
But at the start of the report was a graph and this
"Digital listening hours have grown to a high of almost 40% (39.6%) - and are expected to exceed 50% of all listening in the next three years." Which if happens together with DAB coverage rollout means the DCMS's listener led criteria for an FM switch off date for the national and large local stations might be met in 2018 (or perhaps a bit later), they will probably see how things go in Norway before setting a date after the 2020 election?. My post was to highlight a report that has been issued today which I would think the Government would wish to consider not to pointlessly speculate about the future. No policy is ever set in stone, well perhaps it might have been if Ed Milliband had been elected ![]() There are several other issues in there that are outside the remit of this thread, for example loosening of format restrictions which IIRC was commented favourably on prior to the election by a Conservative MP. |
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#109 |
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Update on the FM switch off in Switzerland
On 14 June the Swiss held one of their many referendums where people were asked to vote on four different issues. One of the issues was to approve the new media law (Bundesgesetzes über Radio und Fernsehen) for Switzerland. Among many other things the legislation also contains the proposed FM switch off roadmap that the various radio groups had agreed on last year. The new media law was approved. Phase 1 – (2014 - 2019) Switzerland has split the analogue to digital migration into two phases. Phase 1 runs from 2014 to 2019 and consists of steps such as easing of FM broadcasting obligation (since January of this year simulcasting the digital signal to FM is not required anymore), no new tender procedures for FM frequencies and an extension of existing FM licenses to a maximum of five years with a digital simulcast requirement. Now the vote has passed the next step in Phase 1 can commence, a marketing campaign that will run until 2019 to raise awareness of the gradual switch off. Phase 2 – (2020 - 2024) Phase 2 consists of the gradual decommissioning of FM infrastructure. The first FM transmitters will go off air in 2020, the last ones in 2024. The various public and commercial stations will gradually disappear from FM. FM reception will no longer be guaranteed. Switzerland never had nationwide commercial stations on FM in the first place (too expensive with all those mountains) so it affects the nationwide public broadcaster SRG and the various regional commercial and public stations. |
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#110 |
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Quote:
On what basis are you saying probable, we don't even know which government will be in power after the 2020 election.
http://www.theguardian.com/media/201...2020-ed-vaizey Where the Radiocentre want to keep small stations happy and stay on FM and in the Radiocentre(or rejoin if left),http://www.mediaweek.co.uk/article/9...ve-radiocentre but also keep the large radio groups happy that they will be able to eventually switch off expensive large FM networks when conditions are right. |
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#111 |
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Report from James Cridland:
RadioCentre argues against FM switchoff In a policy document released today as part of its Tuning In conference in central London, Radiocentre, the industry body for UK commercial radio, has rejected a government-mandated switchover from FM to DAB for local radio Full report https://media.info/radio/news/radioc...-dab-switchoff including this "Meanwhile, larger commercial radio operators have been privately voicing their concern over what happens to the FM frequencies. Ofcom have yet to make a clear statement on what happens to 106.2 FM in London, for example, when Heart vacates it. Clearly, commercial broadcasters would be uneasy at that frequency being given to a community broadcaster: or left for a pirate station to claim." A community broadcaster would not get out very far and would have had to have gone through the normal licencing process. What exactly do commercial broadcasters want to happen to the frequency and why? |
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#112 |
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Notice he later did an update and noted the potential confusion. Quote:
James CridlandPRO11 hours, 9 minutes ago But has highlighted several issues that need further discussions.
Well. I've demoted this article off the front page, because Radiocentre are very clear with me that they still think enforced switchover is a good thing, for all radio stations except the very small ones. You might think that this isn't what the document says. So far as I can see, it is clear that they don't want enforced switchover for local radio. But apparently that's not their point of view at all. I'm heartily confused: but in order to avoid giving a mistaken view, of whatever their view is, I've removed this from the front page (and thus from the daily email). Hope that's good. |
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#113 |
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Quote:
Notice he later did an update and noted the potential confusion. .
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#114 |
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#115 |
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It makes you wonder if RadioCentre were deliberately vague about what should happen to FM and how because their backers have differing (or possibly even conflicting) interests.
It shouldn’t be too difficult if you ask me. I suspect the major radio groups would have no issue with a forced FM shutdown (rather, it would save them a lot of money) as long as two conditions are met: 1) Considerable notice should be given (two years?). 2) It should apply to all big players at the same time to maintain a level playing field. Meanwhile I can imagine that the smaller players like local or regional stations would like to wait a bit longer with leaving FM. Both interests can be satisfied without major conflict. The only thing that needs to be tightly regulated is what makes a station a ‘regional player’ instead of a ‘major player’ when remaining FM space is handed out. If someone would start a ‘regional station’ covering the whole of the M25 region and could claim an FM frequency on that basis the major players who have just left FM would not be amused. |
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#116 |
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Join Date: Aug 2004
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Quote:
I have a Pure Move 2500 which has an internal rechargeable pack, it runs for about 15 hours on one charge and it's perfect for use during commuting.
At 2 hours per day of listening it only needs to be charged once a week and I no longer need to buy batteries. It also means that I can listen to TMS without any of the interference that you get when trying to listen to long wave on a bus or train. |
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#117 |
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Quote:
It's just a pity that the Pure Chargepak costs more than most budget DAB radios. Not a thing the average consumer would have.
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#118 |
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Quote:
Norway is a totally different market as has been pointed out.
http://radiotoday.co.uk/2015/07/baue...-of-sbs-radio/ Quote:
Bauer Media UK CEO Paul Keenan, who led the acquisition team, commented: “SBS Radio provides Bauer Media with a perfect opportunity to expand the group‘s successful radio business into four new countries.
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#119 |
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Quote:
Not sure as Norway is the only country to have committed to switching off it's 5 national FM networks (to standard DAB?) by 2017 and the success or failure will impact the DSO decision in many other countries, including the UK, especially as one of the major Radiocentre's members has completed the purchase of the Scandinavian SBS radio groups pushing DAB+ rollout and has Radio Norge involved in the Norway FM switch off.
http://radiotoday.co.uk/2015/07/baue...-of-sbs-radio/ |
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#120 |
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I think your point was Quote:
That seems to me to be arguing against a definitive switchover date,
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#121 |
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duplicate
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#122 |
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Quote:
I think your point was
Where as the Radio Centre policy seems to be pushing for a definitive switchover date for large UK FM stations and no FM switchover for small stations , a badly worded report but will keep small radio groups like UKRD happy http://radiotoday.co.uk/2015/07/ukrd...licy-document/ |
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#123 |
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Quote:
Similar to The 'AM death watch' thread, which tracks the switching off of AM broadcasts across Europe, let’s have a thread about the gradual disappearance of FM. LW is almost gone in Europe, AM is following in its footsteps, FM -with its declining listenership- will be next.
Norway Most notable is the situation in Norway. The majority of radio listening is now digital and as of October the majority of households now own a DAB+ set. With over 90% coverage (and 99.5% for the public broadcaster) it exceeds the switchover requirements and exceeds FM coverage. Considering the FM shutdown requirements are met it is expected that this year the minister will decide that the national FM networks will be switched off in 2017. That would make Norway the first country to abandon using FM for national radio in favour of DAB+. Earlier this year they started putting warning stickers on FM radios in stores to warn people that FM receivers can only be used for local broadcasts in the near future. ---- United Kingdom Analogue radio listening is now down to 56.2% overall and digital has overtaken analogue as the preferred method of listening to radio in the house in the UK. While a general national FM switch off is still a few years away in the UK, we have seen successful stations skipping analogue distribution altogether. A station such as Sony Award winning BBC 6 Music, which with an audience of over 2 million (overtaking BBC Radio 3) and growing, has never been on FM and has no plans to do so. The big radio groups seemed to have already moved their battlegrounds from FM to DAB in the last few months. First, a 'Soft DSO' I think a ‘Hard DSO’, where the government and the industry decide to switch off the national FM infrastructure and will relicense the FM spectrum for local broadcasters, will be preceded by a ‘Soft DSO’. In other words, stations deciding to hand back their analogue licenses independently from other stations because their listeners have already abandoned analogue. With the digital switchover (the ‘Hard DSO’) confirmed but not the timing of it, we’ll see some small signs of the gradual declining importance of FM over the next 24 months. For instance, I think we’ll see one or two stations next year give back their patchwork of FM frequencies scattered across the country (the ‘Soft DSO’) and focus on broadcasting on Digital 2 and online. With growing digital listenership and declining FM listenership that strategy makes more and more financial sense. Some stations already have most of their listeners tune in digitally while they still fork out relatively high sums for a minority analogue audience. For instance, less than 20% of the Absolute Network listening hours are still on analogue while analogue broadcasting is considerably more expensive than digital. All in all, exciting things are happening in radio land, both in the UK and in the rest of Europe. http://researchbriefings.files.parli...4/SN06524.pdf/ Quote:
However, by late 2013 it was clear from press reports that the target date for the switchover was likely to be pushed back, after digital radio take-up was slower than expected. The commercial radio trade body, the Radio Centre, has suggested 2018, while others have said 2020 is a more realistic target for the switchover. In early November 2013 a group of 13 radio companies representing 80 stations came out against switchover altogether.
The latest Radio centre report looks like a way so that large UK national stations can proceed with a FM and AM switchover, if the criteria can be met in 3 years time to set a confirmed date with the Government and DCMS, whilst the Radiocentre recognises smaller stations can keep current FM, and perhaps AM, licences.If any discussions work out, the DCMS can update it's plan. |
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#124 |
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Quote:
The latest Radio centre report looks like a way so that large UK national stations can proceed with a FM and AM switchover, if the criteria can be met in 3 years time to set a confirmed date with the Government and DCMS
One third of new cars still don't have DAB as standard, and 90% of cars on the road are missing DAB. It would be political suicide for the government ahead of the 2020 election, and it would be economic suicide for the struggling commercial broadcasters. |
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#125 |
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It's the other way around. About two thirds of cars have DAB as standard and a third don't.
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