Worst idea ever. Norway have one of the oldest car fleets in the world, so most of the cars on the road does not have DAB+ tuner.
Personally I only listen to broadcasted radio while driving. At home I'm using internet radio.
When FM shuts down, I have three options:
1:Buy a cheap DAB+ tuner with FM transmitter or analog outputs connected through aux, living an ugly adapter and visible wires. (No way!)
2:Buy a mobridge dab+ tuner that connects through the most network. This might cause trouble with the other modules in the car. price: $600. I need two of those since I have two cars. Not worth it.
3: Play CD's instead. I can connect my phone to the AUX input and stream internet radio or spotify for longer drives.
Luckily local radio stations will continue broadcast on FM until 2022, so I guess I'll listen to local radio on FM in the future.
Personally I only listen to broadcasted radio while driving. At home I'm using internet radio.
When FM shuts down, I have three options:
1:Buy a cheap DAB+ tuner with FM transmitter or analog outputs connected through aux, living an ugly adapter and visible wires. (No way!)
2:Buy a mobridge dab+ tuner that connects through the most network. This might cause trouble with the other modules in the car. price: $600. I need two of those since I have two cars. Not worth it.
3: Play CD's instead. I can connect my phone to the AUX input and stream internet radio or spotify for longer drives.
Luckily local radio stations will continue broadcast on FM until 2022, so I guess I'll listen to local radio on FM in the future.
There is a danger that ignorant politicians in other European countries will want to copy Norway. The stated aim in the UK is that once 'radio' listening reaches 50% digital then national FM will close. Note that the requirement is not 50% DAB, but 50% digital - which will be mainly online either via broadband (plus wi-fi) or mobile data. At this point it is quite possible that DAB will still have the smallest share, because most digital growth is in online sources. So we could end up closing the most popular (FM) and keep the least popular (DAB). Whether any politician would be brave enough to do that I don't know - I suspect it won't be a manifesto commitment!
When DAB was developed it looked like a good way forward. 256kbs DAB was a bit better than FM. 192kbs was similar to FM, but with different weaknesses, and was seen as a cheap option or a fall-back when more bits were needed elsewhere. Now we have most DAB running at 128kbs stereo or 96kbs mono, and heavily compressed. It sounds horrible, reception is often poor, and the radios consume a lot of power so battery life is short. Hardly surprising that people have not taken to it, despite the continual pushing of it by the BBC.
Because of the poor reception, especially indoors, radio shops were allowed to install local signal boosters so DAB radios can be demonstrated in the shop. When people get them home they find they don't work so well. Although this is clear mis-selling, shops were not required to disclose that they were doing this. I am old-fashioned enough to think that if something can only be promoted by deceit then there must be something wrong with it.
When DAB was developed it looked like a good way forward. 256kbs DAB was a bit better than FM. 192kbs was similar to FM, but with different weaknesses, and was seen as a cheap option or a fall-back when more bits were needed elsewhere. Now we have most DAB running at 128kbs stereo or 96kbs mono, and heavily compressed. It sounds horrible, reception is often poor, and the radios consume a lot of power so battery life is short. Hardly surprising that people have not taken to it, despite the continual pushing of it by the BBC.
Because of the poor reception, especially indoors, radio shops were allowed to install local signal boosters so DAB radios can be demonstrated in the shop. When people get them home they find they don't work so well. Although this is clear mis-selling, shops were not required to disclose that they were doing this. I am old-fashioned enough to think that if something can only be promoted by deceit then there must be something wrong with it.
I discovered one of the DIY suppliers here (Dynabel) is running a new years sale, so I got an Alpine DAB unit that integrates well with my Alpine head unit at $175 instead of the regular $350. They have othe DAB radios on sale, as well.
I also got me an antenna splitter that uses the cars original antenna for DAB reception for $35. Then I can hide the entire installation under the passenger seat, without a bunch of cables, power adapter, antenna etc all over the dashboard.
Johan-Kr
I also got me an antenna splitter that uses the cars original antenna for DAB reception for $35. Then I can hide the entire installation under the passenger seat, without a bunch of cables, power adapter, antenna etc all over the dashboard.
Johan-Kr
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Often, it's cheaper to throw out the old original car audio player and get an Erisin android based job. They make these as drop-in replacements for a lot of cars.
Some cars are getting nasty complicated with all the integration - if you take out the original radio in some Mecedes models, you suddeenly have no way to adjust the clock. It affects some other stuff too...
Johan-Kr
Some cars are getting nasty complicated with all the integration - if you take out the original radio in some Mecedes models, you suddeenly have no way to adjust the clock. It affects some other stuff too...
Johan-Kr
To help reduce the risk of car break ins and radio thefts the manufacturers moved away from the universal slot fitting "hole".
All now (or aleast most) do a dash integrated radio+everything else gadget that is unique to each model.
Not at all easy to swap out an FM+AM radio to be replaced with a poor quality DAB radio.
All now (or aleast most) do a dash integrated radio+everything else gadget that is unique to each model.
Not at all easy to swap out an FM+AM radio to be replaced with a poor quality DAB radio.
I'm wondering if in Norway, and everywhere, low power local station (Say, those who serves a little town, for example) are economically capable of change all the equipment to the new ones needed for transmitting digitally.
The positive side of all, is that it will lower significantly the RF pollution in the air, and the power consumption from FM transmitters.
The positive side of all, is that it will lower significantly the RF pollution in the air, and the power consumption from FM transmitters.
Given the increasingly noise levels in the short wave band thanks for the large variety of SMPS's in the MHz range, and the decreasing interest in those programs, it is reasonable that a SW transmitter become shut down, also because of the high power levels they demand. There was common power of 1MW in the past times. But it is more rare in the FM band.
That's where the Erisin Adroid variants come in. They make a bunch of different models that can replace the factory fitted, non-standard models...
Johan-Kr
In April 2015, the Ministry of Culture concluded that all conditions are fulfilled after receiving reports from The Norwegian Media Authority and Norwegian Communications Authority. The ministry therefore allowed the national broadcasters NRK, P4 and Radio Norge to switch off their FM-transmissions during 2017.
There is no decision to phase out the remaining 215 licences for local radio on FM after 2022. All these licences have been prolonged to 2022, but the Government has not decided whether these licences should be announced for another period after 2022.
For a local radio a DAB-transmitter is about 20 times mor costly than an FM-transmitter. In addition the coverage is lower than the FM-transmitter, so the radio station will have fewer listeners, reducing their income. It is not much help in the financial help the local stations get from government funding.
There is no decision to phase out the remaining 215 licences for local radio on FM after 2022. All these licences have been prolonged to 2022, but the Government has not decided whether these licences should be announced for another period after 2022.
For a local radio a DAB-transmitter is about 20 times mor costly than an FM-transmitter. In addition the coverage is lower than the FM-transmitter, so the radio station will have fewer listeners, reducing their income. It is not much help in the financial help the local stations get from government funding.
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