freeview box sound quality.

[bay24]

I have just been listening to some of the Reading festival coverage (Radiohead specifically) which I had on my cheap digifusion PVR through my hifi and I am quite shocked at how good it sounds.
I have also been using this to listen to the radio and especially Radio 3 sounds great.

there isn't realy any point to this post just to share my happiness at the fact that I don't think I will feel the need to get a tuner anymore and have found a free way to listen to surprisingly good quality live recordings which I can record and store on the PVR.

 

[chebby]

I use the optical digital audio output connected to my DAC from my Panasonic DVD/HDD recorder (it has a Freeview tuner built-in).

For few months this served me very well as a good quality radio 'tuner' (until I bought another FM tuner recently.)

Freeview radio connected this way is far superior to DAB and only a little short of FM quality. I still use it - almost - every day for stations not available on FM like BBC R7 and daytime World Service.

 

[bay24]

My PVR runs through my 740C which I am sure helps the sound, it is so much better than DAB. I have thought about FM but there are stations that I listen to alot which are not available (BBC ones) also so I think the flexibility of the PVR is perfect for what I need.

 

[Anonymous]

I found this useful:

http://www.digitalradiotech.co.uk/dab/digital_radio_bit_rates.htm

 

[bay24]

Brisk:I found this useful:

http://www.digitalradiotech.co.uk/dab/digital_radio_bit_rates.htm

That is interesting thanks. Didn't realsise you could get all the sky radio stations without needing to subscribe instead just have a one off payment.

 

[Anonymous]

bay24:My PVR runs through my 740C which I am sure helps the sound, it is so much better than DAB. I have thought about FM but there are stations that I listen to alot which are not available (BBC ones) also so I think the flexibility of the PVR is perfect for what I need.

You will need to find an alternative source to FM eventually, as transmissions are due to be turned off in 2015.

 

[chebby]

Stumpy21:
bay24:My PVR runs through my 740C which I am sure helps the sound, it is so much better than DAB. I have thought about FM but there are stations that I listen to alot which are not available (BBC ones) also so I think the flexibility of the PVR is perfect for what I need.

You will need to find an alternative source to FM eventually, as transmissions are due to be turned off in 2015.

That is not set in stone. I am hearing of more and more conditions that need to be met first and senior figures from OFCOM and the BBC are on record as having serious doubts that Dec 31st 2015 is going to be anything like practical or desirable any more.

No-one knows quite how many FM/AM radios are 'out there' and still in regular use, but the estimates are 100 - 150 million.

As yet, I think it is still true that no brand-new car (or van) is currently on sale with a DAB radio fitted as standard. I have just checked half a dozen big name sites for £15K + family saloons and all are specified with am/fm as standard. This is not exhaustive but it supports the claims I have read and heard (TV. Radio, websites, Newspapers). If anyone knows different please tell me.

DAB coverage has to be at least 90 percent (including all 'major' roads) and 'digital' listening figures (not necessarily DAB though) at least 50 percent before a two year FM/AM switch-off countdown is started.

There are also the 'green' issues that could arise if people are 'forced' to adopt DAB.

100 - 150 million radios is a heck of a lot of 'landfill' and not only that but DAB radio reception needs approximately 50 percent more energy (mains or batteries) than the equivalent FM reception in the same size of radio.

This is not like the 2012 digital tv switchover where you can pick something up from even a supermarket for a tenner that will keep any old television up-to-date. Barring the 5 percent of domestic radios presently in use that have DAB, everything else will have to be tossed out unless kept just for the 'ultra-local' FM/AM community type stations envisaged after switch off.

Most significant though is that the supporters of the Clarke report are probably going to be politically powerless to do anything about it (even if they could be bothered) after the next election.

I am increasingly optimistic that 31st Dec 2015 is looking less and less likely as a deadline and I may even back that up with the purchase of an even better, brand new, FM tuner - one day soon - just to 'keep the faith'. I'll still get 5 or 6 years from it anyway whatever happens.