In article , Keith G
writes

"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.

Keith!, now let old tone tell U, its all to do with the lack of a proper
AERIAL!, that is what you need!. Its *that* simple.

Now if for whatever reason you do not want one outside, then clear some
clobber away in the loft and stick one up there. When you do, use a good
one, a Triax available from CPC and use a decent bit of aerial feeder
and you will wonder where all the hiss etc went, and further wonder why
the hell you didn't do this before!.

Peterbourgh is back in operation, well sort of, after being bought down
by a rouge "firework"

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/c...re/3975575.stm

And in all its deceased glory;(

http://tx.mb21.co.uk/gallery/peterbo...rborough04.asp


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

No NOT...

--
Tony Sayer

"tony sayer" wrote in message
...
In article , Keith G
writes

"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.

Keith!, now let old tone tell U, its all to do with the lack of a proper
AERIAL!, that is what you need!. Its *that* simple.


I know, I know....


Now if for whatever reason you do not want one outside, then clear some
clobber away in the loft


That's where it falls on its arse - I can barely get into the loft and it
would a week to clear it out!


and stick one up there. When you do, use a good
one, a Triax available from CPC and use a decent bit of aerial feeder
and you will wonder where all the hiss etc went, and further wonder why
the hell you didn't do this before!.

Peterbourgh is back in operation, well sort of, after being bought down
by a rouge "firework"


Rouge?

Owah Saaaayy..... :-)

How do you know it wasn't 'puce' or 'cerise' (or 'magenta' or
'vermilion').....???

:-)



http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/c...re/3975575.stm

And in all its deceased glory;(

http://tx.mb21.co.uk/gallery/peterbo...rborough04.asp


Hmmm, that's bad luck - talk about 'jam side down'....!!! :-)

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

"DAB sounds worse than FM" wrote in message
...
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.


OK, thanks for the extensive information and the links - much appreciated. I
have put off responding until I've had the chance to borrow back (was mine)
a Technics DAB/AM/FM tuner and make some comparisons.

I've been flicking between DAB and FM Radio 3 for a while to see if I can
'learn to love DAB' and I ain't sure that I can. My memory of it as bland
and lifeless (recessed and dull) has been confirmed. It's so like the
comparison between CD and vinyl I'm not surprised that I'm not surprised!!

So it's either an aerialling exercise that I seriously don't fancy or go
with the 'perfect digital sound forever' and try to get used to it. If it
weren't for the fact that there's nothing to touch a *decent* FM concert I
would probably just cop for a DAB (I'm ruling out ****ing about with
Freeview receivers), especially as it's getting rarer and rarer that a radio
prog 'hits the spot' when I'm in a position to listen to it.....

In article , Keith G
writes

"DAB sounds worse than FM" wrote in message
...
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.


OK, thanks for the extensive information and the links - much appreciated. I
have put off responding until I've had the chance to borrow back (was mine)
a Technics DAB/AM/FM tuner and make some comparisons.

I've been flicking between DAB and FM Radio 3 for a while to see if I can
'learn to love DAB' and I ain't sure that I can. My memory of it as bland
and lifeless (recessed and dull) has been confirmed. It's so like the
comparison between CD and vinyl I'm not surprised that I'm not surprised!!

So it's either an aerialling exercise that I seriously don't fancy or go
with the 'perfect digital sound forever' and try to get used to it. If it
weren't for the fact that there's nothing to touch a *decent* FM concert I
would probably just cop for a DAB (I'm ruling out ****ing about with
Freeview receivers), especially as it's getting rarer and rarer that a radio
prog 'hits the spot' when I'm in a position to listen to it.....





Consider Mr K. How often are you out in the garden admiring your wall
versus admiring the FM coming from your hi-fi?.

If your having problems in getting an e******n then I know a man who
can)..
--
Tony Sayer

"tony sayer" wrote


So it's either an aerialling exercise that I seriously don't fancy or go
with the 'perfect digital sound forever' and try to get used to it. If it
weren't for the fact that there's nothing to touch a *decent* FM concert I
would probably just cop for a DAB (I'm ruling out ****ing about with
Freeview receivers), especially as it's getting rarer and rarer that a
radio
prog 'hits the spot' when I'm in a position to listen to it.....





Consider Mr K. How often are you out in the garden admiring your wall
versus admiring the FM coming from your hi-fi?.

If your having problems in getting an e******n then I know a man who
can)..


(Jeez, I had to work at that one - if you're offering to 'help me get it up'
I have to say you ain't my type!! ;-)

OK, Toe Knee, the problem is that I don't really want an external aerial
(or, more importantly, I don't think Swim wants one) the gable end you saw
is too visible from the path outside and it's just been done (new
bargeboards, tiles re-bedded etc.). Although one at the other end of the
house might not be too much of a problem...

A loft aerial (if truly effective) would be a much more appealing prospect,
but what I'm trying to offset that with is that when I had the DAB before I
wasn't using valves, what I'm trying to prove to myself is that on valves it
would sound OK.

Well, not so far - one of the things I like about FM is that it gets out
into the room (announcers and presenters especially) and has 'atmosphere'
and 'presence'. With DAB it's sounding like the telly - all the 'facts' are
there but with none of the emotion or involvement and it sounds 'recessed'.
Add to that I really only need R2, R3 and occasionally R4 and you can see
I'm hardly a 'DAB candidate'!! (Also add to that I'll probably be switched
off before FM is....!!!)

Anyway, I haven't even had chance to use it on the right speakers yet and
will try to give it a serious go this evening. If I can't get used to it
(almost a certainty) I'll perhaps trouble you for some help with the
technicalities (parts list).

Thank's for a lovely offer, nevertheless! ;-)

In article , Keith G
writes

"tony sayer" wrote


So it's either an aerialling exercise that I seriously don't fancy or go
with the 'perfect digital sound forever' and try to get used to it. If it
weren't for the fact that there's nothing to touch a *decent* FM concert I
would probably just cop for a DAB (I'm ruling out ****ing about with
Freeview receivers), especially as it's getting rarer and rarer that a
radio
prog 'hits the spot' when I'm in a position to listen to it.....





Consider Mr K. How often are you out in the garden admiring your wall
versus admiring the FM coming from your hi-fi?.

If your having problems in getting an e******n then I know a man who
can)..


(Jeez, I had to work at that one - if you're offering to 'help me get it up'
I have to say you ain't my type!! ;-)

OK, Toe Knee, the problem is that I don't really want an external aerial
(or, more importantly, I don't think Swim wants one) the gable end you saw
is too visible from the path outside and it's just been done (new
bargeboards, tiles re-bedded etc.). Although one at the other end of the
house might not be too much of a problem...

A loft aerial (if truly effective) would be a much more appealing prospect,
but what I'm trying to offset that with is that when I had the DAB before I
wasn't using valves, what I'm trying to prove to myself is that on valves it
would sound OK.

Well, not so far - one of the things I like about FM is that it gets out
into the room (announcers and presenters especially) and has 'atmosphere'
and 'presence'. With DAB it's sounding like the telly - all the 'facts' are
there but with none of the emotion or involvement and it sounds 'recessed'.
Add to that I really only need R2, R3 and occasionally R4 and you can see
I'm hardly a 'DAB candidate'!! (Also add to that I'll probably be switched
off before FM is....!!!)

Anyway, I haven't even had chance to use it on the right speakers yet and
will try to give it a serious go this evening. If I can't get used to it
(almost a certainty) I'll perhaps trouble you for some help with the
technicalities (parts list).

Thank's for a lovely offer, nevertheless! ;-)





Yes you really want FM then....

Oh well.. I did offer)
--
Tony Sayer

"tony sayer" wrote


Yes you really want FM then....

Oh well.. I did offer)



Right this moment the DAB's losing out to a Roberts R757 portable with a
telescopic aerial and the headphone socket wired into the audio gear.....

(But still a little bit spitchy, dammit!!)

On Sat, 06 Nov 2004 13:31:55 +0000, Keith G wrote:


"tony sayer" wrote


Yes you really want FM then....

Oh well.. I did offer)



Right this moment the DAB's losing out to a Roberts R757 portable with a
telescopic aerial and the headphone socket wired into the audio gear.....

(But still a little bit spitchy, dammit!!)

My best Radio 4 FM reception at the moment is via a mono "Wallace &
Grommit living room" radio!

--
Mick
(no M$ software on here... :-) )
Web: http://www.nascom.info

"mick" wrote in message
news
On Sat, 06 Nov 2004 13:31:55 +0000, Keith G wrote:


"tony sayer" wrote


Yes you really want FM then....

Oh well.. I did offer)



Right this moment the DAB's losing out to a Roberts R757 portable with a
telescopic aerial and the headphone socket wired into the audio gear.....

(But still a little bit spitchy, dammit!!)

My best Radio 4 FM reception at the moment is via a mono "Wallace &
Grommit living room" radio!

--
Mick
(no M$ software on here... :-) )
Web: http://www.nascom.info

Obviously the penguin is not around :-)

Mike