Keith G wrote:
"DAB sounds worse than FM" wrote


snip good stuff - note taken


Not so good again today - summat's not right with FM hereaboots. It's
been like it for a month or so, so it's nowt to do with the P'bro
mast.
I'm not ruling out DAB at this stage but I don't think I want a
Freeview box if it's going to be a pain to use.


Try the Humax F2FoxT because it has an LED channel number display:

http://www.digitalradiotech.co.uk/fr...m#humax_f2foxt


Is there any chance
that DAB transmissions will ever improve in the future?? (OK, thought
not.....)


To improve they'll have to increase the bit rates used and, although the
BBC have said they want additional capacity so that they can increase
their bit rates on DAB, all the commercial radio groups are against the
BBC getting *any* more national capacity, and the commercial radio
groups are adamant that they won't increase their own bit rates.

So, it's up to Ofcom whether or not the BBC get any more capacity, but I
can't say I'm optimistic that they will give them any.


Why don't you use your PC for recording? Miles better than using SD
cards IMO.


Those SD card are not expensive any more (my camera uses them) - I
could see myself using them like tapes and the radio has a timer all
built in.


They're still very expensive per MB compared to DVD-Rs:

http://www.dabs.com/uk/Search2/resul...hrase=SD+cards
http://www.blankdiscshop.co.uk/acata...LICK_HERE.html


Depending on the bitrate you get about a minute per Meg -
ie I hour prog on a 64 card.


A DVD-R disc can hold about 4700 MB, and the first 25-pack on the above
page costs £6.49, or 26p per disc, or 180 MB per penny!


The trouble with using the PC
(perfectly doable - all ready to go) is that you have to, er, use the
PC....!!!


PC power consumption is about 120W, and a CRT monitor consumes 80W of
that, so the remaining is about 40W to have a PC on with a CRT monitor
off.

IIRC, electricity was about 6p/kWh, so it would cost about 6p per 24
hours to have your PC on with the monitor off.


Ie not too convenient - once you've recorded a programme
you can play it like a CD (jab a button to go, pause, stop....)


You could use one of these to plug into your hi-fi:

http://www.microdirect.co.uk/Product...20&GroupID=378

and it has a remote control:

http://www.netgear.co.uk/entertainment_digital_home.php


--
Steve - www.digitalradiotech.co.uk - Digital Radio News & Info

Freeview receivers price comparison -
http://www.digitalradiotech.co.uk/fr..._receivers.htm
DAB radios price comparison -
http://www.digitalradiotech.co.uk/da...tal_radios.htm