DAB +

[admin_exported]

Hi All

I was thinking of getting an ARCAM SOLO MINI only to be told by a ' friend ' that it will be ' no good ' in a couple of years because it's not ready for DAB + ! . I would expect 5 years good listening life out of this product.

Is there anybody that knows what the situation is about DAB + before I spend my hard earned money ?

Thanks

 

[chebby]

To answer your fears....

http://www.which.co.uk/advice/dab-plus-explained/index.jsp

However...

BBC iPlayer and many Internet radio stations and Freeview radio (or cable or satellite) all offer better quality than DAB. (iPlayer is now AAC which is far superior to DAB's MP2)

Add to which, FM is not likely to be switched off any time soon so I would not worry about it.

Save money on the cost of a professionally installed rooftoop DAB aerial and buy a DAC instead. Connect it to your computer and your Freeview/Cable/Satellite box from the optical digital audio output and hear the difference. (Most DVD/HDD recorders have a Freeview tuner built in and have optical digital audio output.)

 

[Anonymous]

Hi Chebby

Thanks for your info. I have that facility through my Skybox. This was for a ' onepiece' second room option.

Just didn't want to spend £750 on a bit of kit that might not be ok in a year or two !

Regards

 

[Anonymous]

You have no need to worry for several reasons:

1) DAB and DAB+ can coexist even on the same broadcast ensemble (multiplex). It is highly unlikely that all the DAB stations would be turned off.

2) There are no agreed official plans to turn off FM.

3) It is highly unlikely that DAB will be replaced in the next 5 years given the amount of wranglings, committee meetings etc that it would take.

It might even be possible for Arcam to upgrade the Solo Mini to DAB+ in the future, although it would be best to not expect it. Remember that the Arcam T32 tuner is the only seperates tuner with DAB+ (the only one commercially available, according to WorldDAB http://www.worlddab.org/products_manufacturers/technology/dab_plus?start=10).

The Solo Mini will do fine picking up DAB with the included telescopic aerial unless you are in a metal building or really out in the sticks. It's a great little unit, excellent for a compact good quality second system. Don't let DAB hold you back!