General Forum

Re: UK to phase out FM radio by 2015

david coyne — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 06:34:39 GMT

Hello..

DAB radio in Australia is already obsolete! Australia has switched to DAB + rendering my becentre 2 DAB radio useless. (ive had it for less than two years).

Luckily my two beolits still work!!!!!

David Coyne

Sydney, Australia

Re: UK to phase out FM radio by 2015

vikinger — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 04:08:43 GMT

Cleviebaby:

Cleviebaby:

For those of you UK based FM listeners and owners of mint Beolits who would like to make their voice heard to try and stop this move, here is a link to a petition

http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/Radio/

Cleve

Wrong link - this is better!

http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/AM-FM-Radio/

Cleve

The above petition is, unfortunately, not very well argued in terms of energy costs and all the other major disadvantages. Big danger is that it wont gather too many signatures. If it gets a relatively small number of signatures it will be seen as supporting the government's position rather than showing a great movement against the proposal.

Graham

Re: UK to phase out FM radio by 2015

PhilLondon — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 04:01:27 GMT

The main difference is that with TV, you could buy a set-top box and get DVB-T, with Radio, the problem is different, plenty of us have hifi with integrated FM tuner, MP3 players and mobile phone, standalon radio with FM tuner, and there is now way to adapt them.

Re: UK to phase out FM radio by 2015

Keith Saunders — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 03:46:50 GMT

Putting aside any technical descussion one may have about the value of DAB, for me its not like moving to digital television where you have more content etc, digital radio allows for more channels, but not much more. add to that, the fact that more and more digital radio stations can be found on Sky, Freeview and the Internet and its difficult to see the justification from a financial viewpoint as well.

Several DAB stations in the UK recently have closed down due to financial problems because of lack of advertising revenue and I expect more will follow and even the BBC cannot really afford DAB to be rolled out over the whole country in the same way as FM.

In my view, unless the the DAB stations get a lot of money from somewhere, FM stations will not be closing in 2015.

Re: UK to phase out FM radio by 2015

Kokomo — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 03:03:28 GMT

Keith Saunders:

This subject made it to the TODAY programme on Radio 4 this morning.

It appears there is not enough money is available to make DAB available in all areas currently covered by FM

Apparently, last year only 2000 cars were sold with DAB radios, so i guess the rest had FM radios.

Beat me to it Keith! Also, it was a topic discussed on BBC Radio 4's 'The Media Show' broadcast on the 1st July with spokesmen from BBC radio and other media organisations. Apparently some 600 or so new transmitters are required and the BBC person said they don't have the money for them, not to mention the other requirements for the roll-out. Commercial radio certainly doesn't either.

To add to my confusion, on another programme on the BBC radio last week ('Feedback'), a BBC spokeman (may even have been the same man!) said although they were committed to Digital radio, it would not necessarily be the DAB system!

Re: UK to phase out FM radio by 2015

Keith Saunders — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 02:42:20 GMT

This subject made it to the TODAY programme on Radio 4 this morning.

It appears there is not enough money is available to make DAB available in all areas currently covered by FM

Apparently, last year only 2000 cars were sold with DAB radios, so i guess the rest had FM radios.

Re: UK to phase out FM radio by 2015

Cleviebaby — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 00:08:21 GMT

Cleviebaby:

For those of you UK based FM listeners and owners of mint Beolits who would like to make their voice heard to try and stop this move, here is a link to a petition

http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/Radio/

Cleve

Wrong link - this is better!

http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/AM-FM-Radio/

Cleve

Re: UK to phase out FM radio by 2015

Cleviebaby — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 00:02:58 GMT

For those of you UK based FM listeners and owners of mint Beolits who would like to make their voice heard to try and stop this move, here is a link to a petition

http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/Radio/

Cleve

Re: UK to phase out FM radio by 2015

j0hnbarker — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 03:53:13 GMT

First critical article I've read in support of analogue vs. DAB. Shame it had to be Libby Purves, but you can't have everything I suppose...

Re: UK to phase out FM radio by 2015

TerryM — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 11:34:49 GMT

Opman:

It is misleading to say that FM will be phased out by 2015. The report states the BBC's intention to have a full digital platform by 2015. This will entail all BBC stations switching from FM to Digital. It is not even set in stone that it will DAB, as other platforms such as DAB+ DMB-A and DRM are also being considered.

This will leave "Ultra local" stations to use the vacated FM slots. It will also allow stations that currently broadcast on MW to switch to FM.Btw if you follow the link above to the report the Radio related stuff starts on page 91 (out of 245 pages)

Opman

The Report does state that DAB is the preferred choice for the forseeable future.

It states also that ultra-local services that remain on FM after the Digital Radio Upgrade should only do so temporarily.(Page 95,paragraph 20).

Whilst DAB sound quality may be adequate for portable,or car,radio use,it's shortcomings are demonstrated when heard via a high quality hi-fi system.

This is due in the main to the periodic reduction in bandwidth since DAB's introduction,eg BBC Radio 3.

I still rate my 30+ year old Accuphase T101 tuner as being superior to any DAB tuner.

Re: UK to phase out FM radio by 2015

SWISS_2 — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 09:52:24 GMT

Thank you JohnBarker for the BBC link.

An interesting read, especially on the planned sources of financing.

Having just completed another BeoSound 1 jumper conversion from 110V back to 240v for a new B&O enthusiast last night, I'll gladly accept any BeoSound 1, 3, or 3200 units any UK member wants to donate to a good home.

Re: UK to phase out FM radio by 2015

Opman — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 07:37:59 GMT

It is misleading to say that FM will be phased out by 2015. The report states the BBC's intention to have a full digital platform by 2015. This will entail all BBC stations switching from FM to Digital. It is not even set in stone that it will DAB, as other platforms such as DAB+ DMB-A and DRM are also being considered.

This will leave "Ultra local" stations to use the vacated FM slots. It will also allow stations that currently broadcast on MW to switch to FM.

I sincerley hope that the message that gets out to the general public is accurate and well informed. People need to know exactly what is happening and when. They need to know which stations will be changing to which wave bands.

Even now we are getting customers in asking about analogue teletext. They hadn't realised that replacing their tv to Freeview would mean that they would no longer get the old teletext service. I realise that alot of people who post here are well informed and fully up to speed with these types of developments but sadly the great British public only seem to sit up and take notice when they are forced to.

The media banging on about the end of FM all together will not do much for sales of BeoSound1, 3, 3200, 9000 I fear.

Btw if you follow the link above to the report the Radio related stuff starts on page 91 (out of 245 pages)

Opman

Re: UK to phase out FM radio by 2015

j0hnbarker — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 05:19:40 GMT

SWISS_2:

Cleve;

What is the announcement stating will FM be replaced by ?

It's all here in this report.

Re: UK to phase out FM radio by 2015

wirralsimon — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 04:51:38 GMT

I work at home at least once a week and Classic FM plays constantly on my Beomaster 1900 while I do so. DAB is a good solution for minimising hiss etc. but the ultimate quality isn't there and workable DAB portable solution seems a while away yet. Given the huge number of FM radios out there (tens if not hundreds of millions) I really cannot understand the rush to turn off the transmitters.

Simon

Re: UK to phase out FM radio by 2015

Chrisreunion — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 02:28:58 GMT

Ever since I bought my BeoPort, I stopped listening to FM radio , that means for about 3 years..No commercials, no chatting, no music cut in the middle of the song, I definitely won't miss FM radio! And in my car I only listen to music from my SD card, and don't even turn on the radio when I forget the card at home..