Features and formats most likely to be found on new digital radios?
You will be able to buy equipment with just a digital tuner, but most radios will give you additional options. For example some portable units will also include an FM tuner, which will be very handy when listening outside the digital transmission areas. We already know that all initial digital transmissions will only be in the major capital cities, leaving the AM/FM networks to cover country and regional areas.
It’s unlikely that many, if any will incorporate an AM receiver, but your current radios will be able to receive both FM and AM for many years to come. The transition from analogue to digital only, will be a lengthy process.
Some of the other features available to you are;
Internet radio, some incorporating a network music player that can play music transmitted via WiFi connection from your personal computers hard drive and be heard through your radios speakers.
CD and DVD players in both single and multi disc formats that will play both traditional and MP3 discs.
I pod, MP3,WMA and memory card. USB and AUX- in options will also allow the connection of external sources.
There will be all the usual features that you would expect to find on a piece of audio related product. (Tone control, presets, clocks and timers, etc) but you will also experience new and versatile features like built in memory, offering pause and rewind functions similar to that available in digital TV hard drive recorders.
Start compiling your wish list of features and I’m sure some of the manufacturers already have, or are planning product that will fulfil all your needs, no matter how extravagant they may seem.
Tags: Digital Radios, Features, Formats
Revolutionary idea as we edge closer to releasing digital radios in Australia. With a bit of luck, we might not only get an upgrade in the hardware, we may also have a unique opportunity for a upgrade in the mindset of our radio stations. Maybe just maybe, some radio station playlists might join the revolution.
A small radio station in southern Sao Paulo has discovered how to turn radio into a new medium.
Radar Cultura is allowing listeners to vote for songs, chat to other people and create their own play lists via the station’s website.
“Radar Cultura is a public radio station and we were very interested in getting closer to the audience,” he said.
“Giving the audience the power to choose the music, publish content related to their main interests - so that we can explore together all the issues that concern them most,” said Mr Avorio.
“Radio used to be the main media for people to discover new music, now in fact, they are using the sites like last.fm to help them explore the world of music.
“When you connect the radio with the internet, you get a very powerful media platform,” he added.
The project started with Rádio Cultura AM, now called Rádio Cultura Brasil. Since December 17th 2007, part of the radio set list is composed by direct interference of users. The initiative made it possible for Rádio Cultura Am’s listeners to interact among themselves and the radio staff in order to build a radio program in real time. The content generated is broadcasted on the linear radio station and also on the internet.
The program RadarCultura is presented by Teca Lima and goes on air daily, between 3PM and 6PM - Brazilian local time. Teca interacts with the website as she announces the most voted songs, the playlists collaboratively created and the podcasts sent by users. RadarCultura also broadcasts interviews that hold public participation by a chatroom on the website.
RadarCultura believes in the benefits of the usage of free technology and information. It is developed on Drupal mainframe and licenses its content by Creative Commons. All the material published may be used and distributed for free, except for commercial initiatives.
Source:news.bbc.co.uk & RadarCuLtura
Tags: Radio Station Playlists
Dab Plus Radios - Coming Soon
DAB plus radios - Coming soon to a retailer near you.
“Harvey Norman are preparing to introduce a range of DAB+ digital radios in time for the January 1 2009 digital broadcasting launch.
Government legislation passed in 2007 has mandated that free-to-air digital radio broadcasts are required to begin on 1 January, 2009. According to Digital Radio Australia, which is an industry body that promotes digital radio in Australia, under the legislation, it is anticipated that the ‘stage 1’ launch will see an initial roll out of services on select major radio stations in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth and Hobart.
Digital radio broadcasts will be free-to-air and listeners will tune to a pre-set station and the digital radio will deliver the best available signal. Individual stations will decide how they will fully use the new technology, but digital radio has the potential to offer everything from ‘rewind radio’ to real time traffic images, downloadable songs and audience interaction.”
Source: Martin Vedris current.com.au
Tags: DAB plus radios
Buying A Digital Radio
Thinking about buying a digital radio?
There will plenty of choice, when it comes to buying a digital radio. You will be able to purchase the ultra modern MP3/ipod type product through to tradition bed side tuners and clock radios.
Just think of any product that you or your parents/grand parents have enjoyed listening to over the years, and there is a very good chance that at least one of the manufactures will have a version of it, incorporating digital radio (DAB+)
There will be the elegant looking wood grain digital radios, which look like they were built in the early 1900s, but with a sound far superior, verging on CD quality. Clock, personal and portable radios, Ipod docks with digital radios built in, and full size component tuners that will integrate with your current Hi Fi and home theatre systems.
The applications are vast and varied, like mini and micro stereo systems, and don’t forget in-car products. As this is where most of us listen to the bulk of our daily intake of radio. And then there’s the inevitable addition of digital radios to the mobile phones of the future.
I’m sure that within this range of available products each and every one of us will be touched in some way by this exciting new format, and we will have to start thinking about our needs very soon as DAB+ will be officially launched and transmitted come May 2009.
Tags: Buying Digital Radios
Santa .. Christmas Gift Idea
Retailers wanting to ensure that they enjoy a substantial share of the DAB radio market which is set to boom in time for Christmas 2009, need look no further than Bush Australia.
Bush who are widely acknowledged as innovators in audio, and being one of the pioneers launching their very first radio in 1931, have already developed a quality range of products boasting the latest DAB technology, under its stable of highly successful, world famous brands – Grundig, Ministry of Sound and Bush. By introducing models in each of its three popular brands, Bush are confident that all markets segments ranging from youth to baby boomers and beyond will be well catered for.
Following the welcome announcement by the Federal Government in May this year, DAB+ will become the industry standard within Australia for digital radio. Bush, with the backing of its extensive experience of DAB in the UK, will be at the forefront of the technology with a full range of products by the end of 2008.
Bush plans to launch a full range of DAB+ products in 2008, well in time for the official launch of the service in May 2009 and will be seeking retail partners to do exclusive advance product previews.
An extensive product line up will be rolled out which will include a range of styles from modern to retro in portable radios, classic kitchen bench radios, clock radios with iPOD compatibility, micro systems with iPOD compatibility, IPOD attachments to add DAB+ functionality to an iPOD and in-car entertainment.
While details of the full range are yet to be finalised following discussions with and input from trade, Bush is already previewing two of its launch products:
More details click link … Digital Radio - Bush DAB201
More details click link … Digital Radio & ipod docking - GRUNDIG GMB100DAB
Tags: Australia DAB+, Digital Radios
DAB + Radio Benefits
Here are several benefits a DAB+ radio offers the user:
• No Interference – because of the way digital broadcasting works, you will no longer get the hiss and crackle of poor FM and AM stations.
• Easy to use – DAB+ radio works by station names, not frequencies. There will be no more trying to remember frequencies, simply scroll through the stations until you find the name of the station you want.
• More stations – digital technology allows for more stations and programmes to be broadcast, in future you will also be able to access ‘listen again’ features
• More information – broadcasters will be able to broadcast the name of the DJ, song artist and title straight to your radio.
• Sound quality – in addition to the better quality sound standard on digitalradios, DAB+ may also be able to allow broadcasters to transmit in Dolby 5.1surround sound
Tags: dab + radio benefits
Grundig Digital Radio Ipod Docking
Continuing the support of the highly successful Apple iPOD range of accessory products by Grundig, the GMB100DAB will feature an iPOD docking station to attach your personal music player. This will give the user the ability to use the high quality speaker system to effortlessly move from DAB+ radio to your own personal iPOD music collection.
Tags: Digital Radios, ipod docking
Digital DAB+ Radio Bush Dab2011
The Bush DAB201 will continue the company’s very successful heritage in retro style radios. The addition of wood effect and cloth grill will give a highly tactile feel to this latest technology product. Whilst full specifications are still to be confirmed, you can be assumed that all the products will make the most of the added services offered by DAB+ and will further enhance these features with additions such as FM and wireless Internet capabilities.
Tags: Bush DAB201, Digital radio
Ok you’re already experiencing high quality stereo sound from your current FM radio. Probably not to different to that which you will enjoy when your favourite station transmits in digital (DAB+) from May 2009?
But that would mean you are one of the lucky listeners who receives your FM signal in an ideal reception area.
In reality FM is susceptible to a range of transmission problems, resulting in fluctuating reception and annoying interference. Perfect FM reception relies on line of site transmission and must be within the reach of the allotted signal strength. (The allowable output power your station can transmit) These issues are caused by a myriad of circumstances.
Some of these are: Multipath – your tuner receives reflected signal from an adjacent building (structure) at the same time as it receives the direct signal from the transmitter resulting in a fluttering or fading reception. Co-Channel interference is when two stations transmit on the same frequency and overlap causing garbled reception. And then there’s Noise interference in the form of hiss or background static.
Digital transmission will have some reception issues as well, but these have proven to be less of a problem than those associated with the FM band.
And let’s not forget about all the addition features and their benefits you will have access to with your digital radio. You are going to have excellent sound quality, most likely better reception and a host of new features and experiences. I think many of you will be making the choice to upgrade to a digital tuner as soon as they become available around Christmas 2008.
Good luck and enjoy the experience
Tags: Digital (DAB+), FM Radio
Currently listening to AM radio stations!
How is the introduction of digital radio going to affect me?
You probably have the most to gain from the introduction of digital radio (DAB+) as almost every popular AM station; in each capital city around Australia will also transmit their content in digital from May 2009.
Apart from the obvious advantages that both AM and FM stations will enjoy, like the addition of features such as extra channels, pause and rewind radio, down-loadable music, more details about the advertised product, slide shows, scrolling text, Electronic Program Guides, updated news, sports and racing information. You will also experience a far superior, hi fidelity stereo sound to the bland mono transmissions you are currently listening to.
AM popularity in this country is undisputed, but has been due entirely to its ability to be transmitted long distances with minimal disruption to your ability to hear what is being said. Digital will allow the same reception advantages, but will be much more enjoyable to listen to.
The last attempt to improve the sound quality of AM station transmissions was in 1985 when AM stereo was released in Australia. This was after the release of the FM band and was seen as the saviour for AM. Unfortunately it failed, because although in a perfect environment the sound was very good, in poor fringe reception areas it would jump between stereo and mono with a less than desirable result.
With digital radio you will be able to listen to your favourite AM stations with all the benefits of good reception and a sound quality comparable or better than the FM listeners.
The winner is digital radio DAB+. Can’t wait, bring it on!
Tags: AM radio, DAB, Digital radio