DAB radio vs. FM.?

Question

My PAL Tivoli radio is FM only and has always sounded better than either of my two DAB radios. Why has the UK got the world worst DAB service, the bottom of the list, with Estonia, of all places at the top. Why do we the UK always go for the cheaper, crappy option??!! and usually pay through the nose for it as well.

http://www.digitalradiotech.co.uk/dab/worldwide_dab.htm

Answer 1

I have 2 DAB radios; the sound quality is superb and I receive many stations not available on FM

Answer 2

I'm one of those who has music in the background 24/7. I did " upgrade" to a dab personal radio, it works but no better than what I had before.Around the the house I have both dab & AM, no FM? Don't know why. End of the day " you pay's your money & take's your choice"

   But over all I think we have possible the best choice of radio programs in the world, the rest just copy.

Answer 3

The DAB we have in the UK is old technology and it could be the reason why it is not being taking up buy man listeners. And several radio stations have stopped broadcasting due to low rating and lack of advertising. I would think that the BBC will turnoff the analog signal so we have a big switch to DAB or subsidise the DAB radio sets in some form

Answer 4

That's an interesting web site. I had no idea that the UK is so far behind the rest of the world.

I had been considering DAB for some time, unwilling to take the plunge mainly because of coverage, or rather, lack of. Then I replaced my car radio with a DAB/FM unit from Halfords. And last Christmas, I was given a DAB portable as a present.

The car radio works on DAB intermittently, and in the country-side, between towns, not at all. Coverage in towns or cities seems reasonably adequate, but not perfect. FM didn't work at all, until I complained to Halfords. They said they had not connected my FM antenna since I didn't need it, because I'd now got DAB !!

The DAB portable receives only five stations at my house (and that is upstairs - downstairs it receives none !).

You ask why. I think it's the same with most things. For example, we do not have mobile 'phone coverage in tunnels, e.g. the Dartford tunnel. Why not ? It would not cost a lot to stick a repeater at each end of the tunnel. Yes, we do things on the cheap in the UK, but also yes, we still get ripped off for what little we get !!

Answer 5

i agree with everything you say,

but dab is new and like anything takes time to sort our.

regards x kitti x

Answer 6

DAB ARE CISTAL CLEAR AND FM ARE GOOD MOR CHIOCE ON DAB THO GOOD LUCK

Answer 7

i think it depends where you are.  if you have a good signal then theres nothing wrong with FM but if like me you live in the countryside and can barely pick any fm stations up then DAB is a significant improvement.