On 28/02/2011 20:50, BartC wrote:


"Owain" wrote in message
...
On Feb 28, 4:37 pm, The Natural Philosopher wrote:
I'm not sure why we have DAB either. I'm usually an enthusiast of new
technology, but DAB just leaves me shaking my head in disbelief.
Indeed. It's either years behind, or years ahead, of its time. Betamax?

But Betamax was technically superior...

Neither VHS or Betamax were anywhere near as good as V2000. That was
my first VCR, and it was really disappointing to have to eventually go
to VHS and it's inferior picture.

I did have a Betamax machine at one point and I couldn't tell the
difference
from VHS. I think SVHS was the next format worth bothering with.

Betamax was better than VHS but not by much. V200 was very superior in
technology, but slightly under developed.

8 and HI8 were the ultimate in development for domestic video. the
break from PAL was the improvement that really showed.

In article ,
The Natural Philosopher wrote:
My Linux takes less than 45 seconds to boot, and most of that time is
loading innumerable bits of stuff off the disk

You've just made my point. I don't want to wait 45 seconds to listen to
the radio in the bog.

That's because it is booting off disk. Its also checking lots of
needless stuff out, like how good is the disk structure? can it set its
clock off the internet? is its hardware passing diagnostics?

None of that is needful in a radio.It has to check for wifi connection,
and then that it: Assuming the network is able to see the internet, it
simply opens a stream to the radio station of your choice.

At last you agree. A laptop is stupid as a radio...

--
*I used up all my sick days so I called in dead

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

Dave Plowman (News) wrote:
In article ,
The Natural Philosopher wrote:
My Linux takes less than 45 seconds to boot, and most of that time is
loading innumerable bits of stuff off the disk
You've just made my point. I don't want to wait 45 seconds to listen to
the radio in the bog.

That's because it is booting off disk. Its also checking lots of
needless stuff out, like how good is the disk structure? can it set its
clock off the internet? is its hardware passing diagnostics?

None of that is needful in a radio.It has to check for wifi connection,
and then that it: Assuming the network is able to see the internet, it
simply opens a stream to the radio station of your choice.

At last you agree. A laptop is stupid as a radio...



Indeed. Now I am aware that dedicated hardware exists there is no need
to 'roll ones own'.

The reason to use laptop components is for the low power consumption.

Or if you happen to have one spare - loads of battered but just
serviceable ones being given away these days - why not turn it into
something useful?

In article ,
The Natural Philosopher wrote:
At last you agree. A laptop is stupid as a radio...



Indeed. Now I am aware that dedicated hardware exists there is no need
to 'roll ones own'.

The reason to use laptop components is for the low power consumption.

Or if you happen to have one spare - loads of battered but just
serviceable ones being given away these days - why not turn it into
something useful?

One of the first things to go is the battery and they cost a fortune?
You wouldn't need such an expensive battery pack for an audio only device.
Then there's the fact that laptops have crappy speakers.
So basically, if you want a radio, buy one...

--
*He has Van Gogh's ear for music.

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

On 28 Feb, 20:57, The Natural Philosopher
wrote:
Owain wrote:
On Feb 28, 5:19 pm, John Williamson *wrote:
You can buy internet "radio" boxes that will use your BB connection and
wifi to do their stuff. Prices according to Google Shopping range from
£75 or so to over £500. The last FM alarm clock radio I bought cost me a
tenner.

And the FM radio doesn't get you hit with excess download charges.

Owain

nether does a computer with a DVB card and an aerial rebroadcasting the
material over the wifi..there are more ways to skin that cat..

.. or a freeview box permanently on R4 connected to an FM transmitter
tuned to 95.4 ..

Pete

On Mon, 28 Feb 2011 14:07:15 -0000, "BartC" wrote:


I got a DAB set solely to listen to LBC (a London station, while I live 200
miles away).

Otherwise there's little to listen to in evenings and weekends (when there
is usually a choice of football, or Gardener's Question Time).

(It's a mains clock-radio, but I have used it in the car with an inverter,
and the aerial wrapped around the rear-view mirror.)

You are 200 miles away and can receive a usable DAB signal??????


--

The Other Mike wrote:
On Mon, 28 Feb 2011 14:07:15 -0000, "BartC" wrote:


I got a DAB set solely to listen to LBC (a London station, while I live 200
miles away).

Otherwise there's little to listen to in evenings and weekends (when there
is usually a choice of football, or Gardener's Question Time).

(It's a mains clock-radio, but I have used it in the car with an inverter,
and the aerial wrapped around the rear-view mirror.)

You are 200 miles away and can receive a usable DAB signal??????


LBC is carried on a number of DAB multiplexes, according to their website.

http://www.mediauk.com/radio/125/lbc-97.3

The furthest away seems to be Edinburgh.

--
Tciao for Now!

John.

peteshew wrote:
On 28 Feb, 20:57, The Natural Philosopher
wrote:
Owain wrote:
On Feb 28, 5:19 pm, John Williamson wrote:
You can buy internet "radio" boxes that will use your BB connection and
wifi to do their stuff. Prices according to Google Shopping range from
£75 or so to over £500. The last FM alarm clock radio I bought cost me a
tenner.
And the FM radio doesn't get you hit with excess download charges.
Owain
nether does a computer with a DVB card and an aerial rebroadcasting the
material over the wifi..there are more ways to skin that cat..

.. or a freeview box permanently on R4 connected to an FM transmitter
tuned to 95.4 ..


Novel! I like it.

Pete

In article ,
The Natural Philosopher wrote:
.. or a freeview box permanently on R4 connected to an FM transmitter
tuned to 95.4 ..


Novel! I like it.

Not a good idea to use the same frequency. Find a spot on the dial that's
empty - if you can.

--
*Generally speaking, you aren't learning much if your lips are moving.*

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

Dave Plowman (News) wrote:
In article ,
The Natural Philosopher wrote:
.. or a freeview box permanently on R4 connected to an FM transmitter
tuned to 95.4 ..


Novel! I like it.

Not a good idea to use the same frequency. Find a spot on the dial that's
empty - if you can.

R4 is 95.3 or 94.9 here from distant memory pre RDS.

On 2 Mar, 10:34, The Natural Philosopher wrote:
Dave Plowman (News) wrote:
In article ,
* *The Natural Philosopher wrote:
*.. or a freeview box permanently on R4 connected to an FM transmitter
tuned to 95.4 ..

Novel! I like it.

Not a good idea to use the same frequency. Find a spot on the dial that's
empty - if you can.

R4 is 95.3 or 94.9 here from distant memory pre RDS.

107.7 seems pretty free, although it may upset any passing motorist
using it to listen to his/her iPod.

50mW with a very short aerial would seem to be good for a few hundred
yards. Driven from XBMC it is very adequate to cover the house and
garden for a party with the music not over loud in any one place and
with local volume controls.

Allegedly.