02 August 2003

Digital TV Chris Butterfield also wrote: "Like many other radio hams and shortwave listeners, I'm interested in listening to programmes from around the world. But I've been put off by this stagnant market, there is no way of getting a good deal, when everyone is charging the same price. Then someone suggested I listen to "The World Radio Network". I've been listening over the web, but it costs too much so I'm toying with the idea of purchasing (when time allows) an out of contract Sky digibox and setting it up to receive WRN. I've experimented with a friends Sky setup and WRN appears to not be encrypted and does not require a card to listen. Aligning the dish looks like the only problem area. I understand Digital systems are much harder to align than old analogue systems." Yes, when the BBC switched recently to the Astra 2D satellite which has a tighter footprint, I read that some people in the UK discovered their dish wasn't accurately aligned and lost the BBC services. Whereas a misaligned analogue setup will produce degraded pictures, the same degree of misalignment on a digital system will probably render the signal unusable. But it's not essential to use a digibox to receive WRN and other radio stations on Astra. In fact, now the BBC has gone free to air I expect to see a flood of new low cost digital receivers designed for BBC and other FTA services. 11:56:30 AM     comment on this entry []

More on DAB Chris Butterfield in the UK wrote: "Just received your weekly newsletter and noticed your article on DAB. Despite the PR from Digital One and the BBC about the increase in DAB listeners, the digital radio market in the UK seems to be stalled, competition and lower prices for DAB receivers just is not happening. Prices have been stagnant at £99 for some time now. Nobody seems to be willing to start a price war by bringing the price down; I have lost count of the number of adverts in Shortwave Magazine etc showing DAB receivers for "just £99". In fact, you can get DAB receivers cheaper than that if you're in the right place at the right time. I saw a post on a forum from a guy who got an ex-display model from Dixons for £69.95. But in general, you're right. I bought a DAB radio for my niece's 21st birthday, and I did indeed pay over £100. But I'm not sure if price is the issue. The broadcasters themselves have been very reticent in publicising the benefits of DAB. And I hold to my belief that this is because of vested interests. More DAB means more choice, and a fall in audience share. Am I being too cynical? You tell me :-) BTW there's another issue, unique to the UK. Almost 7 million UK homes have Sky, and a growing percentage of people listen to digital radio via their TV set (or a digibox plugged into the hi fi). There are over 50 digital radio services on that platform, many of which are also on DAB. For these people, there's not so much of an incentive to invest in a separate DAB receiver, though the advantages are obvious: portability, and access to regional services (such as The Arrow in the north west of England, no connection with the Dutch station). But it's up to the industry to push these things. Where are the ads for DAB radios in the mainstream press? Advertising in specialist publications like Short Wave Magazine is preaching to the converted. Do many people realise that they can hear BBC 5 Live in much better quality than mediumwave via digital radio? Probably not, because they mostly plug their mediumwave frequencies and rarely mention the digital platforms. Crazy. 11:42:24 AM     comment on this entry []

© Copyright 2003 Andy Sennitt.