digital radios

[bongerman]

I'm thinking of getting one for Christmas. Started looking into it at the weekend and surprised to find they had aeriels. Must be really stupid but thought they were designed to have perfect reception without.

Are all digital radios able to pick up Five Live Sports Extra. "where" are these extra channels?

[Loosehead]

Digital radios still need to receive radio waves it's just that what it receives is data and therefore directly translatable into sound by the software in the radio so there is no interference. Traditional analogue radios receive the analogue signal, i.e. the actual broadcast so they are subject to all sorts of possible interferance. Yes digital radio's can pick up any channel that is broadcast digitally within it's operation parameters.

[JudgeJ]

Digital Radio Reception, when good, is very very good. When it is bad it is appalling. In fact, unlike analogue reception, it tends to be either “on” or “off”. You can move your DAB radio just a few feet, or even walk in front of it, and you can lose reception entirely.

If you go to www.ukdigitalradio.com you can type in your postcode and find out which stations you are likely to be able to receive. The site also gives you the following warning:

“Please note: If you live in a basement flat, or your building is steel-framed or reinforced concrete, or if the topography of where you live means you get poor FM or mobile phone service, your DAB coverage may be affected. This postcode checker does not recognise such features.”

[Hermia]

I love my digital radio, but mainly for the extra stations. I live in London and don't find the reception to be any better than on my analogue radio (which has excellent reception).

[bongerman]

Thanks for the replies - following JudgeJ's points and with the fact I have very poor mobile reception in my house should I even get a DAB radio?

[stanleyman]

A friend of ours borrowed our Roberts Gemini 18 radio to try it out, it worked fine. They bought a Philips radio only to find it didn't work at all so they changed it for a Roberts and are now delighted.

[ursula62]

Digital radio reception can be appalling. Friends on the Essex/London borders get no reception for some supposedly nationwide digital channels. I have a DAB radio on a shelf near the window in my bathroom. Sometimes there is just a whooshing sound rather than the radio itself - it depends on whether my partner is walking round in the bedroom getting dressed. The only good thing about DAB is that LBC doesn't get interference from the pilots trying to land at Heathrow. It was worth it for the news and travel not to be constantly interrupted by "roger roger charlie delta 457 requesting permission to land".

[mfewell]

A point about DAB - the signal is delayed compared to analogue, by about 2 seconds. Try having a conventional radio and a DAB on at the same time, it is very disturbing !

[KJN]

Just as a follow up I read somewhere that they eat batteries up 5 times faster that an ordinary radio ? so ensure yours is mains operated . Confirmation would be appreciated on this. I know I read it somewhere but maybe that was the early ones that were brought out and they have improved now?