DAB RIP?
DAB-ready cars are widespread but is the technology already obsolete?
It's estimated that half of all new cars sold now are fitted with digital radio, giving you access to almost all stations instead of the six strong, seven fuzzy average on analogue right now. But there's also a massive growth in the number of new cars offering smartphone connectivity, and that can deliver internet radio with the choice of up to 70,000 stations.
A few examples. Ford is getting ready to roll out its Sync with AppLink, starting with next year's EcoSport SUV. That comes with an app called RadioPlayer that gives you access to UK radio stations. It's all smartphone-delivered through to the basic dash screen and controlled by voice or buttons on the steering wheel. Ford reckons AppLink will be available across its new car range by autumn next year.
Vauxhall has something similar with its IntelliLink screen for its newer cars. Included is the Stitcher radio and podcast app offering thousands of stations. Not expensive either - IntelliLink costs £275 for the Adam.
You're probably thinking who actually needs 70,000 stations? But internet music goes way beyond the stuff offered on digital radio. The Aupeo radio app for Mercedes' excellent Drive Style app system for the new A-Class (and related B-Class, CLA and GLA) is so diverse you can listen to stations playing music 'related' to an artist or select music based on your mood, including 'aggressive' or 'stressful'. You can even skip songs you don't like.
This leaves poor old digital radio in a bind. Reception has always been patchy and now it's quickly being overtaken. We spoke to analysts IHS Automotive's infotainment expert, Jack Bergquist, who told us he expected most major manufacturers to offer 3G/4G phone connectivity in cars as standard or as an option by 2015. That app-based services such as internet radio.
Internet radio can even be retrofitted, as Volvo has with its Spotify-streaming service into cars with the Connected Touch screen on board.
The problem of course is the patchy 3G reception. It's generally agreed that radio reception via your phone is fine via 3G if the signal is strong enough, but it's a big if. A couple of days ago the government said it was going to inject £21m into boosting digital reception, but given that 20 percent of radio is listened to in cars and given the unstoppable march of internet radio, wouldn't a great big chunk of that be better spent putting more 3G/4G masts along major roads?
Signal isn't an issue for live streaming when required, but in the main playlists are downloaded to a device anyway so no need for a connection. On the odd occasion that absolute 80's is required for a road trip, its buffered anyway so signal loss has never been an issue.
DAB is fine, but reception for BBC 6 is no better on DAB than 3G internet streaming anyway, so why would i have another piece of hardware in the car that i don't need.
Anyone of a certain age will remember that if you wanted to listen to Radio 1, Luxemburg etc, it was on Medium Wave, which at night time used to fade in and out amongst a plethora of crackles, pops and whines, often accompanied by the dulcet tones of some Icelandic fishing boat captain...
Progress? I don think so.
As for the ludicrous idea of using tax payers money to put up mobile phone masts! Why should we subsidise an already insanely profitable sector when half of them are dodging paying any taxes with considerable verve and success. Stuff 'em.
- where there ARE high-bandwidth mobile networks, they're often congested or simply broken
- most of the country does not have even 3G coverage, however unreliable, let alone 4G
So anyone trying to use internet radio for mobile use will be the same position as BBC radio circa 1924.
Until we get a proper modern mobile data infrastructure with Universal Service Obligations, this is going nowhere.
I use DAB where I can, but 2/3 of my time I can only get marginal FM.
As for the ludicrous idea of using tax payers money to put up mobile phone masts! Why should we subsidise an already insanely profitable sector when half of them are dodging paying any taxes with considerable verve and success. Stuff 'em.
Improved by being able to run network operator's wifi apps e.g. the cloud, BT Wifi, O2, 3, etc. Then the system could work more of the time (e.g. away from home, or for people who don't park right outside their houses)
The car downloads subscribed podcasts over wifi at night, (or in McDonald's car park) to memory in the car, then you can listen when you want, and don't miss your favorite radio shows etc...
As for the ludicrous idea of using tax payers money to put up mobile phone masts! Why should we subsidise an already insanely profitable sector when half of them are dodging paying any taxes with considerable verve and success. Stuff 'em.
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