Why are most digital radios mono and in a retro style?

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Regards

John




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"John" john.plant90@NO-SPAMntlworldDOTcom wrote in message
...
Why are most digital radios mono and in a retro style?


It's to stop folk realising just how poor the implementation of DAB is in
this country is. (Quantity *way* over quality)

Tim

"John" john.plant90@NO-SPAMntlworldDOTcom wrote in message
...
Why are most digital radios mono and in a retro style?

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'Cos you've only been shopping on ebay?

Robert

John wrote:

Why are most digital radios mono and in a retro style?

You could ask on alt.radio.digital but don't expect a reasonable answer
as the group is inhabited by a classic unemployeable newsgroup twerp by
the name of Steve who will just tell you that DAB sound quality is
terrible, that you're a fool for buying one and who will rapidly resort
to abuse if you dont "respect his author-a-tay". Very amusing to visit
but steve's noise-to-signal is such that it's next to useless for real
information.

I had a converasation about DAB radios with someone the other day on
this same point - why do they tend to look as if they've been made in
somebody's shed? It seems to be because it's only very small
manufacturers in the market at the moment. Sony and Technics made 19"
seperate DAB tuners in the early days (when bit-rates were higher and it
could be considered a hi-fi medium) which looked anything but retro.
When they re-enter the market (shortly if the rumours are correct) I
expect there will be a lot more choice.

AJ

In article , Anthony
James writes
John wrote:

Why are most digital radios mono and in a retro style?

You could ask on alt.radio.digital but don't expect a reasonable answer
as the group is inhabited by a classic unemployeable newsgroup twerp by
the name of Steve who will just tell you that DAB sound quality is
terrible, that you're a fool for buying one and who will rapidly resort
to abuse if you dont "respect his author-a-tay". Very amusing to visit
but steve's noise-to-signal is such that it's next to useless for real
information.

Digital radios are in mono because this suits the broadcasters who don't
give a toss for quality any longer and to save on transmission costs.
The Eureka 1471 digital broadcast system was sold on among other things
improves sound and transmission quality. Since that time the
broadcasters have discovered that it is possible by reducing the
transmitted bitrate that they can reduce the audio quality in order to
save transmission costs and or to fir t more stations in.

Apart from that the original idea was poorly conceived in that the CODEC
that's the thing that encodes the digital audio and decodes it back to
audio is MP2 which now is quite old and has been surpassed.
Unfortunately this is set in stone a better system would have been to
enabled over the air upgrades as the tech progressed. Imagine having to
be stuck with say WIN 3.11 or WIN 95, much the same thing.

Yes Steve does sometimes sound off, but a lot of but his intentions are
far more honest than what the broadcasters and regulators have been.
You can read it all here..

http://www.digitalradiotech.co.uk/

I had a converasation about DAB radios with someone the other day on
this same point - why do they tend to look as if they've been made in
somebody's shed? It seems to be because it's only very small
manufacturers in the market at the moment. Sony and Technics made 19"
seperate DAB tuners in the early days (when bit-rates were higher and it
could be considered a hi-fi medium) which looked anything but retro.
When they re-enter the market (shortly if the rumours are correct) I
expect there will be a lot more choice.

AJ

Unfortunalty some early adopters paid handsome sums for their equipment
only to be let down as the quality decreased and its getting worse as
stations are crammed in often in Mono only:-((

It may be noted that other countries who have adopted this system don't
screw it anywhere near as bad as what the UK does:-((

--
Tony Sayer

In article ,
tony sayer wrote:

Imagine having to
be stuck with say WIN 3.11 or WIN 95, much the same thing.

Imagine having to be stuck with WIN anything shudder.

On Wed, 14 Jan 2004 18:52:32 +0000, Anthony James
wrote:

You could ask on alt.radio.digital but don't expect a reasonable answer
as the group is inhabited by a classic unemployeable newsgroup twerp by
the name of Steve who will just tell you that DAB sound quality is
terrible, that you're a fool for buying one and who will rapidly resort
to abuse if you dont "respect his author-a-tay". Very amusing to visit
but steve's noise-to-signal is such that it's next to useless for real
information.

So that's where IMM gets to.....

PoP

If you really must use the email address provided
with my newsreader please be aware that the email
is processed with spamcop. As a result your email
to me might be treated as spam!

On Wed, 14 Jan 2004 18:52:32 +0000, Anthony James
wrote:

as the group is inhabited by a classic unemployeable newsgroup twerp by
the name of Steve who will just tell you that DAB sound quality is
terrible, that you're a fool for buying one and who will rapidly resort
to abuse if you dont "respect his author-a-tay".


Second rule of Usenet: Just because he's a twerp, doesn't mean that
he's actually _wrong_.

DAB sound _is_ terrible. (mine's a Psion flashing krell-pod)


BTW - I have Cloth Ears. Well known for it.

If I play Suzanne Vega on CD or MP3, I can't tell the difference (for
that's what chummy at the Fraunhofer tested it with). But if I play
some local Brissel folk music (drum and bass), I surely can tell them
apart.

Is any broadcast system based on MP3 basically doomed, whatever you do
to the bitrate ? If so, and if the BBC really are talking about
dumping analogue, then what happens to R3 ?

--
Do whales have krillfiles ?

"Andy Dingley" wrote in message
...
On Wed, 14 Jan 2004 18:52:32 +0000, Anthony James
wrote:

Second rule of Usenet: Just because he's a twerp, doesn't mean that
he's actually _wrong_.
Indeed not, but 'muscling in' on every post with the same response is
pathetic. I paraphrase but:

"I'd like to buy a Wavefinder, where can i still find one?"
Steve "DAB sounds crap"
"I'd like to buy one anyway"
Steve "then you're an idiot. f*** off"

Not really helpful is it?

DAB sound _is_ terrible. (mine's a Psion flashing krell-pod)

It's not a Hi-Fi medium but I'd love to have 6Music in my car and kitchen -
Satellite or Freeview is NOT the answer for everyone.

In uk.d-i-y, Anthony James wrote:
It's not a Hi-Fi medium but I'd love to have 6Music in my car and kitchen -
Satellite or Freeview is NOT the answer for everyone.

I'd also love to have 6Music in the car. My first thoughts go in the
direction of a pocket DAB receiver and a low-power FM transmitter. But
they'd have to be powered from the car battery to avoid the need for a
trailer-full of AA batteries. Has anyone been down that road, so to
speak?

--
Mike Barnes

Mike Barnes wrote:
In uk.d-i-y, Anthony James wrote:

It's not a Hi-Fi medium but I'd love to have 6Music in my car and kitchen -
Satellite or Freeview is NOT the answer for everyone.


I'd also love to have 6Music in the car. My first thoughts go in the
direction of a pocket DAB receiver and a low-power FM transmitter. But
they'd have to be powered from the car battery to avoid the need for a
trailer-full of AA batteries. Has anyone been down that road, so to
speak?

reception on the pocket DABs has been pretty poor from the reviews i've
seen. I've also read very mixed reports of the FM transmitters (which i
was considering for my iPod), quite apart from which i believe they're
illegal in the UK.

In article ,
Andy Dingley wrote:
Second rule of Usenet: Just because he's a twerp, doesn't mean that
he's actually _wrong_.

Hmm.

DAB sound _is_ terrible. (mine's a Psion flashing krell-pod)

Well, it's better than either medium wave or FM with multi-path problems.
And gives a wide choice of stations that otherwise wouldn't be available.
You pays your money.

I only use it for R4 & 5. And it sounds pretty good on these.

A cheaper alternative for the mainstream stations in better quality is a
Freeview box - but this isn't portable.

--
*Work like you don't need the money. Love like you've never been hurt.

Dave Plowman London SW 12
RIP Acorn

"John" john.plant90@NO-SPAMntlworldDOTcom wrote in message
...
Why are most digital radios mono and in a retro style?

--


Regards

John

Not sure really, but there are some nice-looking ones too.
Have a look at http://www.pure-digital.com/Products/digitalradio.asp
The DRX-*** models have had good reviews, and can still
be ordered in black, if that's your choice...

Al

"Al Reynolds" wrote in message
...

"John" john.plant90@NO-SPAMntlworldDOTcom wrote in message
...
Why are most digital radios mono and in a retro style?

--


Regards

John

Not sure really, but there are some nice-looking ones too.

While I've been reading these posts I wondered why it's important to have
something you like the look of when it's for listening to ... beauty's in
the thing of the whatsit anyway.

Mary
Have a look at http://www.pure-digital.com/Products/digitalradio.asp
The DRX-*** models have had good reviews, and can still
be ordered in black, if that's your choice...

Al

On Wed, 14 Jan 2004 18:29:19 -0000, "John"
john.plant90@NO-SPAMntlworldDOTcom wrote:

Why are most digital radios mono and in a retro style?


They're not, look.

http://tinyurl.com/3e58a


SJW
A.C.S. Ltd.

In article ,
John john.plant90@NO-SPAMntlworldDOTcom wrote:
Why are most digital radios mono and in a retro style?

Well, there's little point in having stereo if the speakers are only a few
inches apart. As regards the retro style, perhaps it's what the public
want?

--
*Money isn‘t everything, but it sure keeps the kids in touch

Dave Plowman London SW 12
RIP Acorn

In message , John
writes
Why are most digital radios mono and in a retro style?


Define most. I was bought a Pure Evoke-2 for Christmas it is a stereo
model and looks *both* retro and modern in different ways (to my eyes).
Also as someone else said people seem to want retro at the moment.

The sound quality is great and most of the programming that listen to is
in stereo. There are also quite a few Hi-Fi separates DAB tuners
available now as well.

BraileTrail
--

In uk.d-i-y, BraileTrail wrote:
There are also quite a few Hi-Fi separates DAB tuners available now as
well.

Yes, but what I don't understand is why DAB tuners are all so enormous.
If they can make DAB radios the size of fag packets, why is every DAB
tuner the size of the Manchester Yellow Pages? And with all that front
panel to play with you'd think they'd manage a decent-sized display and
a button for each preset. But no, you have to manage with a poxy little
scrolling window and repeated button-pressing/squinting just to find to
the channel you want. Grrrr.

--
Mike Barnes

In article , Mike Barnes
writes
In uk.d-i-y, BraileTrail wrote:
There are also quite a few Hi-Fi separates DAB tuners available now as
well.

Yes, but what I don't understand is why DAB tuners are all so enormous.
If they can make DAB radios the size of fag packets, why is every DAB
tuner the size of the Manchester Yellow Pages? And with all that front
panel to play with you'd think they'd manage a decent-sized display and
a button for each preset. But no, you have to manage with a poxy little
scrolling window and repeated button-pressing/squinting just to find to
the channel you want. Grrrr.


Its so that you "think" you are getting more for your money!. Mind you
DAB and hi-fi aren't words I'd use together:-(
--
Tony Sayer

In uk.d-i-y, tony sayer wrote:
Mind you
DAB and hi-fi aren't words I'd use together:-(

Nor me, but I *do* like the extra channels. I'd rather have BBC 7 and 6
Music on DAB than not at all.

--
Mike Barnes

In article , Mike Barnes
writes
In uk.d-i-y, tony sayer wrote:
Mind you
DAB and hi-fi aren't words I'd use together:-(

Nor me, but I *do* like the extra channels. I'd rather have BBC 7 and 6
Music on DAB than not at all.


If you want digital radio for home fixed hi-fi use you'd just as well
get a Freeview or Sky box, at least the bitrates are higher....
--
Tony Sayer

"John" john.plant90@NO-SPAMntlworldDOTcom wrote in message
...
Why are most digital radios mono and in a retro style?

My personal one ("sports") is definitely retro, looks as though it comes
from the 1950s, but is stereo.

Mary

--


Regards

John




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John wrote:

Why are most digital radios mono and in a retro style?



Because that gives the right 'AM' quality that matches the sound?