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DAB - DAB+ - Engineer Andy

With the recent news that radio station Classic fm will be dropping their DAB coverage for the newer DAB+ (though seemingly keeping FM for now), I was wondering how many newer (non-high end) cars actually come equipped with DAB+ at all or at least can be easily and cheaply adapted / upgraded to accept the new radio system?

In the past, people owning cars with only FM could, if I recall, buy an add-on receiver unit that would retransmit an FM signal so their car radio could pick up the DAB signals. Are such devices still available, and do they exist to do the same for DAB+ to either FM or DAB, or even directly via the car's USB port or Bluetooth to the in-car entrainment system, depending upon the car?

My old Mazda3 only has LW/MW/FM, but as I've not looked for a replacement since 2016/17, I have no idea whether most cars are now capable of accepting DAB+, DAB and/or analogue signals.

For me at least, there's a reasonable likelihood that I'll keep my car until it gets too expensive to maintain and then buy a second hand car to replace it, though what I'll get will very much depend upon my financial situation ,and thus I would at present consider a car (if I changed it now, say) a car around the 4-9yo range.

Note that whilst my smartphone obviously can get the Interwebs, I mostly use PAYG and thus wouldn't be normally able to take advantage of internet radio, assuming that could then be somehow integrated into a car's ICE/satnav - phone system interface.

DAB - DAB+ - mcb100
95%+ of all new cars have DAB+

www.worlddab.org/system/news/documents/000/012/376...0
DAB - DAB+ - Engineer Andy
95%+ of all new cars have DAB+ www.worlddab.org/system/news/documents/000/012/376...0

Thanks - the problem for me is that it only references cars from 2021. Anything from before that, for cars from the 2010s?

If I recall, continental Europe adopted the DAB+ system before we Brits did as regards home AV equipment, which means many such systems will also have the same problem as cars.

My Denon mini hifi (made around the same time as my car) only has DAB, and I'd rather not have to fork out another £500+ to replace something that works perfectly well otherwise. I never heard of systems (DAB+ receivers that retransmit as FM or DAB) used for cars that could be used for home hifi, but I suppose they could,

DAB - DAB+ - Heidfirst
95%+ of all new cars have DAB+ www.worlddab.org/system/news/documents/000/012/376...0

Thanks - the problem for me is that it only references cars from 2021. Anything from before that, for cars from the 2010s?

If I recall, continental Europe adopted the DAB+ system before we Brits did as regards home AV equipment, which means many such systems will also have the same problem as cars.

My Denon mini hifi (made around the same time as my car) only has DAB, and I'd rather not have to fork out another £500+ to replace something that works perfectly well otherwise. I never heard of systems (DAB+ receivers that retransmit as FM or DAB) used for cars that could be used for home hifi, but I suppose they could,

My 2017 Avensis has DAB+.

My PURE bedside radio bought in 2009 has a free firmware upgrade to add DAB+

DAB - DAB+ - corax

You could buy a replacement aftermarket DAB+ head unit. There are a few available. You would also need a new interconnecting cable and aerial. If your Mazda doesn't have an original DIN sized unit, you can get a dash adapter surround that allows you to fit the new one neatly. That's what I did with my old Avensis and it worked well.

DAB - DAB+ - Bromptonaut

Andy, how much are you spending on PAYG?

Lots of SIM only deals with bucket loads of data <£10/month.

DAB - DAB+ - Ethan Edwards

Smarty for one. One month rolling contract..my wife pays 5 quid a month. Unlimited calls / text and 2gb data. Think its gone up to 6 or 7 but that is for new customers. Her's remains at 5 quid till you cancel it. There are a couple of others about that but Smarty uses the three network. So decent coverage. HTH

DAB - DAB+ - Engineer Andy

Andy, how much are you spending on PAYG?

Lots of SIM only deals with bucket loads of data <£10/month.

I don't use my mobile phone much, aside (when I was working) from on holiday when I took out a 1 month contract (PAYG and that on GiffGaff). I tend to make calls at home via my landline, which uses a weekend/evenings (free) inclusive tariff. For me, an ongoing contract is rather an extravagance at the moment due to my financial situation.

I don't use my car radio that often, and thus a 'standard' one would be more suited to me and my budget. For the most part, I use my mobile as a replacement tablet computer via my home internet service wifi.

I do recall there (years ago) being an after-market fit replacement head unit for my car that came from the US but was only available via ebay. I suspect that did have DAB at least, but given the car's age and remaining life, as well as me being short on funds (still looking for that new [rewarding] career), something cheap and simple to tide me over might do.

Maybe a birthday / Christmas present for next year, if the add-on units are compatible and aren't too expensive.

DAB - DAB+ - Terry W

I tend to make calls at home via my landline, which uses a weekend/evenings (free) inclusive tariff. For me, an ongoing contract is rather an extravagance at the moment due to my financial situation.

When we moved we ditched anytime calls add-on from Talk Talk. The cost was ~£12pm.

I already had a pay monthly smartphone and wife upgraded to monthly contract from PAYG. Smartphone costs less than anytime calls add-on Talk Talk - other companies may make a different charge.

The phone is still connected to a landline and broadband - calls received are FOC but any call made costs so would only be used in an emergency

DAB - DAB+ - FoxyJukebox
I was wondering this. I’m not sure whether my 2018 Mazda cx3 has got DAB+_how would I know?

For interest though-I’m getting brilliant FM signals in Kent/East Sussex so am not particularly bothered about DAB or DAB+. Listen mostly to BBC 1,2,3,4, Local and Classsic
DAB - DAB+ - Engineer Andy
I was wondering this. I’m not sure whether my 2018 Mazda cx3 has got DAB+_how would I know? For interest though-I’m getting brilliant FM signals in Kent/East Sussex so am not particularly bothered about DAB or DAB+. Listen mostly to BBC 1,2,3,4, Local and Classsic

Classic is switching off their DAB in favour of DAB+, but for the moment, I think they are keeping their 'old' FM transmission going.

Not sure whether some systems can be upgraded as some have said via a firmware update (some Mazda systems around your car's birth can be on the SatNav front to accept Apple CarPlay and Android Auto).

The good thing about DAB+ other than the much better sounds quality is that apparently it is backwards compatible with basic DAB.

Shame my hifi isn't capable of being upgraded, too old, even if it is a 2005/6 designed unit and a decent make (Denon).

Sadly for me, lots expensive tech of mine I bought a good time ago is nearing the end of their useful lives, partly because they're wearing out, but also because they are increasingly incompatible with modern usage, like my PC (12 years old, can't be upgraded to Win 10 due to hardware), old tablets (can't cope with the system demands and many apps don't work with older versions of Android).

Just at the wrong time when I can least afford the expense to replace them. I was lucky to have bought my latest smartphone for 'only £125 in 2020 just before all the prices went up. With my car, PC, hifi, TV and tablets, not so lucky. Oh well.

DAB - DAB+ - FoxyJukebox
There was a huge campaign-early 2000’s- to encourage radio listeners to switch to DAB accompanied by the threat that FM was closing. It makes me wild that those who chose to switch to the then expensive standard DAB sets -both at home and in car-might now have to go through a dreary update techno process, when if they had sat tight they would have been told that FM had at least another 10 yrs of life.
??
DAB - DAB+ - gordonbennet
There was a huge campaign-early 2000’s- to encourage radio listeners to switch to DAB accompanied by the threat that FM was closing. It makes me wild that those who chose to switch to the then expensive standard DAB sets -both at home and in car-might now have to go through a dreary update techno process, when if they had sat tight they would have been told that FM had at least another 10 yrs of life. ??

Isn't this standard practice in many walks of life, in car world everyone was encouraged to switch to Diesel, 10 years later you must go battey power, in another 10 years it'll probably be something else.

I didn't realise DAB+ was a thing, might that explain why Union Jack which i listened to most of the day via DAB in the truck suddenly vanished one day?

Don't have DAB in either car, for one thing they're too old and don't want it because never listen to the radio anyway whilst in the car, happy with silence but if anything play my favourite CDs, thankfully both cars have multi changers.

DAB - DAB+ - Big John
play my favourite CDs, thankfully both cars have multi changers.

There lies another problem with recent cars - no cd player.

DAB - DAB+ - alan1302

I didn't realise DAB+ was a thing, might that explain why Union Jack which i listened to most of the day via DAB in the truck suddenly vanished one day?

They went into administration last year.

DAB - DAB+ - gordonbennet

I didn't realise DAB+ was a thing, might that explain why Union Jack which i listened to most of the day via DAB in the truck suddenly vanished one day?

They went into administration last year.

Thankyou that tends to explain them vanishing, pity, it was amost entertaining station.

DAB - DAB+ - Bromptonaut
There was a huge campaign-early 2000’s- to encourage radio listeners to switch to DAB accompanied by the threat that FM was closing. It makes me wild that those who chose to switch to the then expensive standard DAB sets -both at home and in car-might now have to go through a dreary update techno process, when if they had sat tight they would have been told that FM had at least another 10 yrs of life. ??

That's just the way stuff works. If new technology allows better audio and more efficient use of spectrum then it's likely that broadcasters will adopt the new tech. Would we want to be still limited to AM?

DAB - DAB+ - Maxime.

We have updated an emachines 3gb from 2011 with a new battery .( eBay) for a few quid and a 256 GB SSD drive from one of the online sites and it's happily running windows 10pro. Total cost £40.DIY.

Our Bang&Olufsen s3 Bluetooth speakers with built in ampsare also getting on but fabulous and still able to update.

Edited by Maxime. on 09/12/2023 at 23:15

DAB - DAB+ - Big John

Note that whilst my smartphone obviously can get the Interwebs, I mostly use PAYG and thus wouldn't be normally able to take advantage of internet radio, assuming that could then be somehow integrated into a car's ICE/satnav - phone system interface.

I use Giffgaff(uses O2) / PAYG that's a reasonable cost. Smarty is also very well priced re PAYG (uses Three) but unfortunately has poor signal where I live. In my poverty spec car I don't have DAB+ (or even DAB) but I can Bluetooth my phone to the car and I have an Amazon Echo Auto to control various things inc messages, calls, navigation and what music I listen to including Classic FM and Scala radio. Works reasonably well with excellent sound quality.

DAB - DAB+ - John F

I cannot think of many other situations where the law of diminishing returns as applied to audio quality is so relevant. The combination of wind, engine and tyre noise masks any marginal improvement in sound quality, especially for those of advancing years. In the home, DAB offers no advantage to me beyond that still available from my Akai AA-8030 tuner amp with Goodmans Magnum SL speakers, bought in 1974 and still going strong.

www.ebay.co.uk/itm/155919027005?chn=ps&_ul=GB&...E

www.ebay.co.uk/itm/266502870067?mkevt=1&mkcid=...E

Defeat inflation - buy the best and make it last! (It will even link to the 'smart' TV, thus saving the cost of a 'sound bar'.

Edited by John F on 10/12/2023 at 11:51

DAB - DAB+ - Terry W

Although not an audiophile point of view I went down the simplify route when we moved.

Bought a new modest (43") TV selected with some focus on sound quality.

Ditched the old hi-fi - a reasonable TEAC set up with amp, cassette, CD, tuner. Lost the sound bar from the TV. Got rid of separate speakers. Dumped the DVD players and video recorder.

Result - in my opinion entirely acceptable sound from the TV which connects to the main radio stations, Netflix/Amazon/Disney etc (if they float your boat), other downloadable apps, connects via wifi to smartphone, ipad or laptop.

Frees up lots of space, gets rid of trailing wires everywhere, no need to store old DVDs, videos, CDs etc. None of these have been missed in the last year - I don't expect to miss them in the future.

DAB - DAB+ - gordonbennet

I'm with JohnF on sound, we run a full separates surround system including a sizeable Yamaha active sub, no neighbours to worry about, you can't get the benefit of the excellent soundtracks of such gems as Last of the Mohicans or Dances with Wolves through flatscreen television size speakers/amps, use the same system as normal stereo mode for your music choices.

Worth investing in such systems, though some of the trash the modern film industry is pushing out i can understand why many don't.

DAB - DAB+ - RickyBoy

My 18-plate Audi A3 Sportback still gets Planet Rock, which is nice, however it's far too full of b***** adverts these days to be a decent listen anymore. There must be another 70-odd channels which I've never investigated.

Radio 2 is sometimes played when I'm accompanied by Mrs RB but I'm much more of a heavy metal/rock CD man for a long (solo) journey if the truth be known.

However, I have a 'Marshall Amp' Special Edition DAB radio, which was purchased some years ago, as PR was the designated/primary station on that model – but is now no longer obtainable!!!