VIDEOLOGIC LAUNCHES FIRST DIGITAL TUNER UNDER £300 AT LIVE 2000


The digital radio revolution continues apace with the announcement from VideoLogic of the first in-home digital radio tuner for under £300.

The DRX 601E launches next week at Live 2000. It's a fully functional stand alone digital tuner with easy tuning and infra red remote control.

At £299, the VideoLogic tuner is half the price of its nearest competitor and will be available from a major High Street retail chain from the end of October with volume shipments in the stores before Christmas.

This is the receiver radio fans have been waiting for, and Kevin Dale president of VideoLogic Systems, says it is specifically designed as a catalyst to kick start consumer take-up of DAB in the UK.

DAB receivers are going to have to get a lot cheaper to interest me! I'm quite happy with FM Stereo as it is... I guess that makes me sound like I'm saying "oh, why bother with digital TV?" - but I have digital TV and I'm pleased I upgraded!

Although the extra services you get with DAB might be useful, isn't the main aim of radio to provide a decent listening format (music/talk/whatever) solely over the airwaves? Maybe I'm wrong, and underestimate the possibilities of digital radio.... I'm not sure!

I have several options to get decent radio reception, as I see it:

1. Listen to FM Stereo stations. Free with the receiver I have.

2. Dangle my MW aerial out of the window until the popping and squeaking stops and I get a comparatively clear mono signal. Again, free with the receiver I have.

3. Never listen to short or long wave. All foreign stuff anyway. Only joking!

4. Get my hi-fi hooked up to my cable socket, and get the local and national stations in interference-free FM stereo. £25 one-off fee.

5. Buy this DAB thingy. £299.

**climbs down from soapbox**

Well it's a start. I think when incar DABs get cheaper things will kick off.

Some of the new digital only stations are pretty good - I especially like Planet Rock and Life. I think prices are coming down for in-car and home tuners, and I hear they're going into a major High Street store soon. So if there's more choice, and they're readily available at a reasonable price, maybe more people will buy them.