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PlanetRock
nigeats
30-11-2016
Where's it gone...? How hard can it be to "pump" out a signal (from all station broadcasters:confused) onto the DAB network? I thought initially when DAB first started that regional radio on FM & AM which obviously couldn't be heard outside of an area of broadcast would be a thing of the past. Now it seems that stations are being selected for us in various areas for us to listen to and we are being denied what we want to listen to on DAB. The strength of signal ain't great either is it. It's all a big conspiracy to get us off FM & AM which could still be used for radio listeners.
Charlie
01-12-2016
When did you last listen? It's been off Digital One for ages and moved to SDL which doesn't cover Devon I don't think.
They abandoned us in East Anglia too so sod 'em.
Bingethink
01-12-2016
Originally Posted by nigeats:
“It's all a big conspiracy to get us off FM & AM which could still be used for radio listeners. ”

Er, AM and FM are still used for radio...
Eitshal
01-12-2016
These are commercial radio stations and they have the right to choose which areas to serve. They aren't the BBC and don't have an obligation to serve all the rural corners of the country.

You aren't paying anything for the Planet Rock service - its advertisers are. If the operator of the service works out that covering your area is not of commercial benefit, they won't bother covering you. There's no conspiracy. And as others have noted, Planet Rock has been on the new multiplex for nearly a year now - you can't be a particularly avid listener.

This station is available to stream online, as well as on Sky satellite in areas not served by the DAB multiplex.
swb1964
01-12-2016
Weve discussed this before but I would expect SDLs coverage to expand eventually to cover at least Plymouth and maybe Exeter and Torbay as well...
Croozer
01-12-2016
The SDL network covers less of the UK than the D1 network, consequently the cost of broadcasting on SDL will be lower than D1.

Moving to SDL enables broadcasters who are struggling to make a profit to cut costs and stay on air. This must come as little comfort to those outwith the SDL coverage area; however it does mean that broadcasters who might otherwise not be financially viable can stay on air and still serve some of their audience.
paulx23
01-12-2016
Originally Posted by nigeats:
“Where's it gone...?”

It's been "gone" for eight months, if it's taken this long for you to notice then you can't have missed it all that much...
Fred Rickwood
06-12-2016
Buy an internet radio and listen that way.

Alternatively, if your car stereo has blue tooth you can pair your smart phone with it and listen via 3G or 4G. Much better sound quality too, and it's in stereo.

Even though we can get the SDL mux around here, I prefer to listen using the Radio Player (or Tune In)
nigeats
11-12-2016
Originally Posted by Bingethink:
“Er, AM and FM are still used for radio...”

Er, the whole intention by the Govt. was to free up MW, LW & FM. It's only because DAB hasn't taken off as intended that licences are still provided for AM & FM.
nigeats
11-12-2016
Originally Posted by paulx23:
“It's been "gone" for eight months, if it's taken this long for you to notice then you can't have missed it all that much...”

Well after 8 months I am now "noticing" & making a comment regarding it not now being National on a broadcasting medium which the Govt. had intentions to replace AM & FM with which clearly is not going to happen as it is still a regional service. At what stage in those previous 8 months should I have mentioned - on here - that it was no longer being broadcast in my area..? I miss Crossroads, that also isn't being broadcast anymore....Benny......!
Timanfaya
11-12-2016
Originally Posted by nigeats:
“Well after 8 months I am now "noticing" & making a comment regarding it not now being National on a broadcasting medium which the Govt. had intentions to replace AM & FM with which clearly is not going to happen”

Planet Rock's digital signal wasn't replacing any AM or FM station, because it was never available national on either medium.

Meanwhile, the three nationally licensed (INR) commercial stations AM and FM networks are reproduced with very good coverage on the Digital 1 mux. The BBC does likewise for it's national output.

Planet Rock is a digital only station that's struggled to turn a profit in a cut-throat industry. If you can get it, that's great. If not, hard luck - maybe one day the footprint will expand.

It's a matter of business. Investment versus reward. Bauer clearly feel that it's worth shedding a few listeners to their digital-only niche station for the benefit of lower carriage costs on SDL over D1. That's their choice.

All the govt would be interested in would be that the 'legacy' national stations are replicated on DAB. New channels are a bonus, just the same as with Freeview.
tghe-retford
11-12-2016
Originally Posted by Fred Rickwood:
“Buy an internet radio and listen that way.

Alternatively, if your car stereo has blue tooth you can pair your smart phone with it and listen via 3G or 4G. Much better sound quality too, and it's in stereo.

Even though we can get the SDL mux around here, I prefer to listen using the Radio Player (or Tune In)”

Except Internet radio via the mobile networks will cost a fair amount of money for individuals and even then, the mobile phone networks could just determine your area not to be commercially viable to serve it, whilst saying "sucks to be you" (which is effectively what I was told by Three in a polite manner when I asked about a substantial blackspot in my area a few years ago - and they could do that because EE, Vodafone and O2 also didn't serve that area well at the time) and leaving you with an area of no audio until it can find signal again and then buffer.

The only alternative for listening mobile is to move home - an extreme move but I think one a few would have liked to say under their breath. Otherwise, its don't listen at all and find an alternative, whether its podcast, downloading MP3's or another radio station - anything to exercise your consumer rights.
nigeats
12-12-2016
Originally Posted by Timanfaya:
“Planet Rock's digital signal wasn't replacing any AM or FM station, because it was never available national on either medium.”

We are well aware that Planet Rock was Never on FM or AM. That was never suggested. What was suggested by HM Govt. a few years back was the idea to rid all broadcasting from AM & FM and shift it all onto DAB for the benefit of the emergency services. Having all theses different type of licences and broadcasting frequencies on DAB is obviously just a money spinner for our Govt. as it has been suggested that Planet Rock for example cannot afford to "spin it's discs" on SDL or D1 for example.
Why are we getting on each others "backs" when we should be campaigning for a better service so that we can all hear what is being broadcast rather than broadcasters having to purchase "cheap" signals because HM Govt. are just fleecing them and anything else which still has a heart beat.
Zeropoint1
12-12-2016
Wasn't Planet Rock available on FM in Birmingham a year or so ago? And replaced with Absolute.
Bollard
12-12-2016
Originally Posted by nigeats:
“What was suggested by HM Govt. a few years back was the idea to rid all broadcasting from AM & FM and shift it all onto DAB for the benefit of the emergency services.”

No they didn't.
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