An interesting upgrade to BBC FM/LW radio distribution.

chebby

Well-known member
Jun 2, 2008
1,253
26
19,220
Visit site
K

keeper of the quays

Guest
Interesting...i listen to fm..i got a denon tu tuner...fantastic sound! Dab very frustrating..my pure radio keeps telling me station not available!!! Grrrr....
 
Fascinating. I do still listen to FM, however, and we are moving to a new house soon, so have to decide on getting a new FM aerial. Fortunately, I found a local supplier who still has them. Some aerial people only have those circular thingies - folded dipoles, I think they call them. I need a multi-element, probably.

Tempted to go DAB, but have never heard it exceed FM, and already have a super FM tuner. And internet in the new location is modest at the moment, so too soon to rely on that.
 

chebby

Well-known member
Jun 2, 2008
1,253
26
19,220
Visit site
nopiano said:
Tempted to go DAB, but have never heard it exceed FM, and already have a super FM tuner. And internet in the new location is modest at the moment, so too soon to rely on that.

I guess you have to prioritise spending out on fast and reliable internet, or an excellent FM aerial installation.

I'd go with fast and reliable internet first.

I gave up on FM back in September last year. (Still have the aerial and cable but longer have an FM tuner or receiver.)
 

MrReaper182

Well-known member
Apr 6, 2014
189
36
18,620
Visit site
FM radio is dead so why the upgrades BBC? It's beyoned me. The future of radio (as with everything else) lies in the internet as you have a choice of hundrends if not thousands of radio stations to listen to. If When I listen to BBC radio stations I only use the BBC I Player.
 

MrReaper182

Well-known member
Apr 6, 2014
189
36
18,620
Visit site
MajorFubar said:
MrReaper182 said:
FM radio is dead

You must live in an alternate reality. Even though apparently 40% of radio consumption is via digital, that still leaves 60% which is not. When I was at school 60% was a majority.

I don't know anyone who uses it any more. I know no one who listens to FM radio in their car any more as they all download what they want to listen to (be it radio show, music or post cast) to their music player and listen to that while in the car. While at home everyone I know listens though the internet to their radio shows.
 
chebby said:
nopiano said:
Tempted to go DAB, but have never heard it exceed FM, and already have a super FM tuner. And internet in the new location is modest at the moment, so too soon to rely on that.

I guess you have to prioritise spending out on fast and reliable internet, or an excellent FM aerial installation.

I'd go with fast and reliable internet first.

I gave up on FM back in September last year. (Still have the aerial and cable but longer have an FM tuner or receiver.)
. As soon as fibre broadband is available I hope to get it, as we already have it in Gloucestershire - though not yet a year old. In our bit of Wales we will need to be patient it seems. Will get the aerial at first, as I still think for sq it is the best.

I take it you don't miss the FM, Chebby?
 
K

keeper of the quays

Guest
I still listen to fm..everyday! My mate just unearthed his quad tuner..and has now bought a linn tuner! Both fm..he said they sound a lot better than his nad streamer thingy..it does internet radio and dab too..and thats a surprise? Lol..us dinosaurs need something to cling to..fm is the last bastion...(and of course what the digital chaps dont realise? That a good tuner, good ariel and good hifi..equate to a sound thats on a par with any other source..its not a poor relation..)
 
MrReaper182 said:
MajorFubar said:
MrReaper182 said:
FM radio is dead?

You must live in an alternate reality. Even though apparently 40% of radio consumption is via digital, that still leaves 60% which is not. When I was at school 60% was a majority.

I don't know anyone who uses it any more. I know no one who listens to FM radio in their car any more as they all download what they want to listen to (be it radio show, music or post cast) to their music player and listen to that while in the car.  While at home everyone I know listens though the internet to their radio shows.
You need to increase your friends circle mate. :)
 

chebby

Well-known member
Jun 2, 2008
1,253
26
19,220
Visit site
nopiano said:
I take it you don't miss the FM, Chebby?

Notwithstanding MrReaper182's "conclusion from personal acquaintance" approach to the nation's listening habits, I am presently without FM and was only an occasional FM listener for the four years before last September.

DAB is a disaster. Only just good enough for the Ruark R1 portable in the kitchen and that's only because the kitchen conservatory points towards the transmitter in Rowridge! It wouldn't work at all in any room on the other side of the house. Tried it.

So - since the M-CR603 got boxed up last year - all radio through the system has been courtesy of the iPlayer Radio app (or TuneIn Radio Pro) from my iPhone, or iPad MIni, or Mac Mini via AirPlay.

I don't particularly miss the lack of choice on FM but I do miss the 'idea' of FM a little bit. No matter how digital it's distribution had been since the 1970s (between Broadcasting House and transmitters), it was still like something from another age with one of these (barely bigger than a *** packet) and just keep it in a drawer for occasional fits of nostalgia, but that would be a stupid indulgence for £129. Even as a 'backup' (in case of internet failure) it's still stupid because we have Freeview radio courtesy of an optical cable between our TV and hi-fi.

Having lived with FM and internet radio alongside each other for a few years I can't see me reverting on quality grounds and as for choice! A combination of an internet tuner app and BBC iPlayer Radio app is just mind-boggling in terms of reach and flexibility.

But that's just me and I don't presume for one moment that it applies to the 'other 60 percent' of the population. (I was one of them - at least on an occasional basis - until last year.)

As this mug I had printed will attest, I don't miss radio at all!

15483887196_9a6d9d29d6.jpg
 
Thanks for your thoughts, Chebby. I'm about to collect a second Hitachi FT5500 tuner this weekend, from ebay. My original mark 1 must be well over 30 years old and is still in regular use. If you remember the radio guru Angus McKenzie, he rated it very highly, and it was the best I could afford back then.

About ten years ago, I pondered upgrading it. I borrowed a fabulous Accuphase and although it looked awesome, it actually sounded almost the same. It cost about a grand too! When I described it to the dealer, he said I'd just described the cables he'd supplied it with! The Hitachi is amazing with weak signals; it suppresses that birdie/warble superbly. Had also toyed with Magnum models but they had erratic importers - glad I didn't, on reflection.

My 'new' Hitachi is a mark 2. I'm assuming my original may fail one day, and I hope to compare them meanwhile. Also have an old Sony ES tuner (under a tenner from ebay), which is great until it warms up, then the distortion sets in. Age I expect, though in fact it's newer as it has FM/TP data unlike either Hitachi. The Hitachi was £19.99 so had better be amazing!!
 

MajorFubar

New member
Mar 3, 2010
690
6
0
Visit site
MrReaper182 said:
I don't know anyone who uses it any more. I know no one who listens to FM radio in their car any more as they all download what they want to listen to (be it radio show, music or post cast) to their music player and listen to that while in the car.  While at home everyone I know listens though the internet to their radio shows.

Clearly it's a case of YMMV...I know of some people who listen to radio using apps on their phone but I'm the only person I actually know who owns a digital radio (mono Pure DAB in the kitchen). Everyone else I know listens to FM. Actually that's not quite true, the guy who faces me at work listens to nothing but Talksport on MW, both at home and in his car. (He's the most boring c--t I've ever met.)
 

daveh75

Well-known member
nopiano said:
And internet in the new location is modest at the moment, so too soon to rely on that.

Even 'modest' broadband should be capable of reliably delivering internet radio streams.

We're only talking arount 40 - 320Kbps, if it can't do that then it's gonna be ****** all use for anything.
 

chrisr1718

Well-known member
Sep 18, 2009
52
0
18,540
Visit site
MrReaper182 said:
MajorFubar said:
MrReaper182 said:
FM radio is dead

You must live in an alternate reality. Even though apparently 40% of radio consumption is via digital, that still leaves 60% which is not. When I was at school 60% was a majority.

I don't know anyone who uses it any more. I know no one who listens to FM radio in their car any more as they all download what they want to listen to (be it radio show, music or post cast) to their music player and listen to that while in the car. While at home everyone I know listens though the internet to their radio shows.

I do! Always listen to it in the car, unless I'm in europe and then it's the ipod.

You need to get out more...
 

MrReaper182

Well-known member
Apr 6, 2014
189
36
18,620
Visit site
bigboss said:
MrReaper182 said:
MajorFubar said:
MrReaper182 said:
FM radio is dead

I don't know anyone who uses it any more. I know no one who listens to FM radio in their car any more as they all download what they want to listen to (be it radio show, music or post cast) to their music player and listen to that while in the car. While at home everyone I know listens though the internet to their radio shows.
You need to increase your friends circle mate. :)

I have lots of friends, thay are all under 30 and have moved with the times with the times. The internet is the future of everything. Being able to listen to the radio programs I enjoy (like The freazk zone on BBC radio 6) when ever I want over the internet is why better than buying a DAB radio and having to listen to it when its first on. I might not fell like listening to it when it's first broadcast as I often do with radio shows.
 

chebby

Well-known member
Jun 2, 2008
1,253
26
19,220
Visit site
MrReaper182 said:
I have lots of friends, thay are all under 30 and moving with the times. The internet is the future of everything.

Groovy ...

51QUA1gCnNL._SX330_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg


Do you have a height restriction for friends as well as age restrictions? A little metal bar over your front door?

What happens when they reach their 30th birthday?
 

MajorFubar

New member
Mar 3, 2010
690
6
0
Visit site
MrReaper182 said:
I have lots of friends, thay are all under 30 and moving with the times. The internet is the future of everything.

Yeah your generation are the only ones who don't find that a pretty scary thought, because it's all you've ever known, thanks to all us creaking old hasbeens who invented it. Difference is we don't get withdrawal symptoms if we can't get wifi lol.
 

chebby

Well-known member
Jun 2, 2008
1,253
26
19,220
Visit site
MrReaper182 said:
Being able to listen to the radio programs I enjoy (like The freazk zone on BBC radio 6) when ever I want over the internet is why better than buying a DAB radio and having to listen to it when its first on. I might not fell like listening to it when it's first broadcast as I often do with radio shows.

Ok I understand now *wink* You and all your young, gothy friends like to get together for regular 'Freak Zone' sessions. I won't tell.
 

MrReaper182

Well-known member
Apr 6, 2014
189
36
18,620
Visit site
chebby said:
MrReaper182 said:
I have lots of friends, thay are all under 30 and moving with the times. The internet is the future of everything.

Groovy ...

Do you have a height restriction for friends as well as age restrictions? A little metal bar over your front door?

What happens when they reach their 31st birthday?

Somehow I doubt that goth's (yes that would probably sum me up) and hipsters are normally two words that are used together. Also I'm 31 so there is a good reason why my friends are yound adults.
 
K

keeper of the quays

Guest
Oi....manners cost nowt. My late mother used to say if you cant say anything nice? Best keep quiet..your cool with me mr reaper...your opinion is as valid as anyone elses..apart from mine of course..im always right! One day in bout 25 years..or so..youll wake up creaking..and nagging little chronic things..that dont clear up with time..lol..then you may be grumpy too? Hahaha..keep rocking mate :)
 

TRENDING THREADS

Latest posts