General Chat

Dear All

Hello

Hope you are well.

As always, Len thought provoking information.

I really am an old dinosaur!

We have a record player, with 78, 45, 33 vinyls.

Lots of cassettes too!

Any one remember these?!!

Seriously, what about all the defunct TV's and radios, etc.

And we are all supposed to be recycling?
Completely nuts.

Take gentle care
Very best wishes
xx

I too use the pc for music - but when I go to bed prefer something smaller to sit on the bedside table.

I usually use the Sky box for radio or else the 'puter.
The computer is brilliant cos I can still listen to BBC radio Devon when I go off to NZ for the winter : )

From today's Press: The problem could cost over £1million a year to fix, if the switch from FM to Digital Audio Broadcasting (DAB) goes ahead in 2015 as planned.

It affects so-called “smart” satnav devices that are built into cars and give their users real-time traffic information. It potentially affects cars from manufacturers including Ford, Jaguar, Land Rover, Mercedes, Toyota, BMW and Volvo.

But the satnav devices cannot pick up the DAB signal so, if Classic FM switches to DAB, a way must be found to keep transmitting the traffic information on FM - or else the traffic function on the satnavs will stop working. It is estimated that between 2.5million and 3million devices in the UK use this "RDS-TMC" technology.

Paying to transmit traffic information by itself on FM, instead of piggybacking cheaply on an existing radio station signal, could cost “hundreds of thousands or even millions of pounds a year”, according to one senior radio industry insider.

“It’s another example of yet another hidden cost of digital radio switchover, and for what benefit?” said the insider. “It’s now 11 years since the decision was made to transmit radio using DAB, and yet no one has thought of an answer to this question. You couldn’t make this stuff up. And of course we know who will ultimately pay - it will be the public, the listeners, because the industry will find a way to pass on the costs.”

Digital Radio UK, the switchover body, has held a meeting about the problem with car manufacturers, the government and the suppliers of traffic information, Trafficmaster and ITIS Holdings.

Can,t really see the point in changing over, If it aint broke Why mend it. ( Apart from all the money that will be generated from Digital).**M**.

Hello Len...

As an avid lover of my radio/wireless going back to my teens in the late 50s...I have 2 DAB radios stationed upstairs (in different rooms) to which I have never had any problem with! Whilst downstairs I use the Sky digital radio service on our TV.

Linda

I,ve had my Pure dab radio for 18 months, I live in a poor area for reception for MW, it chatters away to itself all night.
One drawback is the volume level 4 is too soft ,5 a bit loud, no fine adjustment. quite often there are long breaks in transmissions~ silence is golden !

My first and longest lasting radio was a big old valve set, ex Radio rentals, great for listening to the Goon show under the covers, it gave out a lovely orange glow too !

Hi Len,
I have 2 DAB radios.
One is a radio/alarm clock.
When the light disappeared, after 18 months - this was rendered useless - I couldn't see the time, nor see to set the alarm. I unplugged it and used my old analogue one. About 6 months later, having a 'clear out', I thought about throwing out the DAB radio, but gave it 'one last chance' - plugged it in - and the light reappeared!
I could use it again!
After another 6 months, the volume died - every time I turned it on - I had to turn the volume up.
A year later, we had a very short power cut - and lo! the volume worked when I turned it on!!!
I can't work it out.

The DAB that is only a radio has also lost it's light - but I don't need to see the display as it's on radio 4 and that's where it stays!

Bloody useless really!

I've an old Phillips - complete with 'Hilvershum' , I would say 1940's vintage, very decoriously displayed on the landing - it just needs some new valves- when I make a small winning on the lottery - I'm going to buy some valves!!!

DAB is the system used in new digital radios for homes and cars. According to the latest Rajar (Radio Joint Audience Research) figures, its share of UK radio listening fell from 15.8 per cent in the second quarter of this year to 15.3 per cent in the third quarter.

Meanwhile, despite the publication of a Digital Radio Action Plan by the culture minister Ed Vaizey, the share of listening achieved by traditional AM and FM radios actually increased, from 67.0 per cent to 67.6 per cent.

Digital radio switch-over expected by 2013, as Carter's final Digital Britain report looms

"What these figures show is just how sluggish the growth - or lack of it - in DAB listenership is,” said William Rogers, chief executive of local radio operator UKRD. “It doesn’t come as a surprise to me because, as we all know, this whole DAB project is fraught with difficulties and simply does not have the overwhelming support of the listening public in the country. At this rate, there is never likely to be a DAB switchover and with all the problems that exist, I don’t think there should be.”

I bought a digital radio about 18 months ago. It cost about £140 and was the first radio I have ever owned that required a 16-page instruction manual. It produced quite a good sound - after getting it installed - but failed completely soon after the 1 year guarantee expired - and I could find no one to repair it. So I replaced it (beside my bed) with a £20 Roberts FM radio which is fine.... and requires no manual or head-scratching to get it going and will, no doubt, become a family heirloom

I must have a dozen analogue portable radios, of varying ages, around the house, including in my garage and greenhouse - they are seemingly indistructible. The one in my greenhouse is a Grundig which must be well over 40 years old. The volume control is a bit worn but the on/off button works perfectly and, unlike the DAB, never loses the signal.