I have a DAB radio, well two actually – but as one is an Alarm clock it doesn’t count.<\/p>\n
We are constantly bombarded with BBC adverts for DAB radio. It’s sold on the promise of more radio stations. So lets have a look at Birmingham’s local DAB Ensemble.<\/p>\n
The BBC has their own National Ensemble…… The regional DAB Ensemble is much of the same bland network radio rubbish…. A (slight) breath of fresh air comes from the National Ensemble…. \nOperator: 4 Digital Group Limited (Channel 4 Radio, Sky News Radio, Emap Digital Radio, UTV Radio (GB), The Carphone Warehouse Group and UBC Media Group) The UK regulator Ofcom has awarded the second national commercial DAB franchise to 4 Digital Group Limited (Channel 4 Radio, Sky News Radio, Emap Digital Radio, UTV Radio (GB), The Carphone Warehouse Group and UBC Media Group). The licence is designed to cover the whole of the United Kingdom, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man, subject to international frequency coordination. <\/p>\n On-Air: 4 Digital Group proposes to begin broadcasting with 8 national services and at least 9 podcast providers within 12 months using a network of 174 transmitters covering 86.6% of the adult population. Two further audio services would launch at the as soon as possible thereafter and within the following 11 months.<\/p>\n 4 Digital Group proposes to broadcast ten audio services:-<\/p>\n 3 audio services from Channel 4 Radio<\/p>\n E4 Radio Talk Radio [News, views, entertainment] (UTV Radio) So there we have it, another 8 or so poor quality stations. <\/p>\n Maybe they’ll cull a few stations per Ensemble, I doubt it. Though one thing for the future is DAB+, though whether Ofcom allow the use of this (apparent) better technology (AAC & DRM?) is another thing. No doubt Ofcom will see that many have DAB sets and decide to keep the UK using the poorer quality. One possible future for me is the current DAB (MPEG2) stations will shrink, allowing for better quality transmissions of the remaining stations.<\/p>\n Ensemble information gathered from the very useful resource Wohnort.org<\/a>. Take a look \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" I have a DAB radio, well two actually – but as one is an Alarm clock it doesn’t count. We are constantly bombarded with BBC adverts for DAB radio. It’s sold on the promise of more radio stations. So lets have a look at Birmingham’s local DAB Ensemble. BBC Radio WM 128 kbit\/s brmb 128 … <\/p>\n
\nBBC Radio WM 128 kbit\/s
\nbrmb\t128 kbit\/s
\nChill\t128 kbit\/s
\nGold -Birmingham 128 kbit\/s
\nheat radio 112 kbit\/s
\nMagic 112 kbit\/s
\nRADIO XL\t128 kbit\/s
\nSunrise Radio 64 kbit\/s (Mono)
\nTraffic Radio 48 kbit\/s\t(Mono)
\nXFM\t128 kbit\/s
\n<\/code>
\nQuite a selection isn’t it. Seems fine until you look at the bit rates for each station. 128k is awful quality, so I dread to think what 112 & 64k are like.<\/p>\n
\n
\nBBC Radio 1 128 kbit\/s
\nBBC Radio 1Xtra\t 128 kbit\/s
\nBBC Radio 2\t128 kbit\/s
\nBBC Radio 3\t192 kbit\/s
\nBBC Radio 4\t80 kbit\/s (Mono)
\nBBC Radio 5live\t64 kbit\/s (Mono)
\nBBC R5LiveSportX 64 kbit\/s (Mono)
\nBBC Radio 6Music 128 kbit\/s
\nBBC Radio 7 80 kbit\/s (Mono)
\nBBC AsianNetwork 64 kbit\/s (Mono)
\nBBC WorldService 64 kbit\/s\t(Mono)
\nBBC Guide 32 kbit\/s\tPacket Data
\nBBC Travel 32 kbit\/s\tPacket Data
\n<\/code>
\nAgain the BBC are guilty of poor quality, apart from Radio 3. Does anyone ever listen to 1Xtra? A station that plays mainly black culture music – which normally would be fairly bass driven so must sound awful at compressed 128k.<\/p>\n
\n
\nAsian FX 64 kbit\/s (Mono)
\nChoice FM\t64 kbit\/s (Mono)
\nGalaxy 128 kbit\/s
\nHeart 128 kbit\/s
\nJazz FM 128 kbit\/s
\nKerrang! 64 kbit\/s (Mono)
\nLBC\t48 kbit\/s (Mono)
\nPanjab Radio 64 kbit\/s (Mono)
\nSMOOTH Radio 128 kbit\/s
\nThe Arrow - Rock 128 kbit\/s
\nUCB UK 64 kbit\/s (Mono)
\nUCBInspirational 64 kbit\/s\t(Mono)
\nDAB Guide\t 8 kbit\/s\tPacket Data
\nUBC Digital 48 kbit\/s\tPacket Data
\n<\/code>
\nTake Kerrang, ‘rock’ music played down 64bit sounds nasty, can’t quite be sure if it’s as bad as AM or LW.<\/p>\n
\n
\nAbsolute Radio 160 kbit\/s
\nBirdsong 160 kbit\/s
\nClassic FM\t160 kbit\/s
\nD1 Test A 80 kbit\/s
\nD1 Test B 128 kbit\/s
\nD1 Test C 112 kbit\/s
\nPlanet Rock 128 kbit\/s
\ntalkSPORT\t64 kbit\/s (Mono)
\nWhat's On\t8 kbit\/s
\n<\/code>
\nNow we have 3 stations at 160kbit\/s, whilst 192k is better it is still miles better than the rather compressed 128k. On the horizon we have a new National Ensemble coming. I would get excited, but I know who’s involved…..<\/p>\n
\n Channel 4 Radio
\n Pure4 <\/p>\n
\n Closer [Female AC, celebrity and lifestyle] (Emap)
\n Sky News Radio [Rolling News] (Sky News Radio)
\n Sunrise Radio [Asian] (Sunrise Radio Group)
\n Virgin Radio Viva [Female-friendly pop with attitude] (SMG)
\n Original [Adult album alternative] (CanWest MediaWorks)
\n Radio Disney [Children’s service] (Walt Disney)\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n