Has digital radio actually improved. . .?

[plastic penguin]

This week I've been listening to Absolute Radio [formerly Virgin] and noticed a vast improvement in sound quality, although still doesn't come near FM. . .or is it my hearing playing tricks?

 

[Andy Clough]

All depends what bitrate the programme is being broadcast on, the higher the better. Some DAB radios will allow you to view the bitrate of the programme on the screen, so it's worth checking. Anything less than 128kbps is going to sound pretty poor, and even stations such as BBC R3/R4 vary the transmission rate depending on what they're broadcasting.

 

[Anonymous]

This is a bit out of date I'm sure, but it gives comparison bitrates between the different digital broadcast medium

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

ÿ

 

[plastic penguin]

zzgavin:

This is a bit out of date I'm sure, but it gives comparison bitrates between the different digital broadcast medium

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

Wouldn't it be good if all stations could broadcast at the same bitrate?

 

[professorhat]

plastic penguin:Wouldn't it be good if all stations could broadcast at the same bitrate?
I guess it depends what that bitrate was...
But yes, assuming it was decent, I agree - the same with Freeview TV broadcasts. Ideally everyone would transmit at the same (or better) then BBC1. Of course that would mean less channels, but I'd happily give up half of the channels on Freeview for the other decent half at a better bitrate.