Getting DAB in the car - seen this?
Discussion
Has anyone tried this: http://shop.dension.com/en/dab-u-usb-receiver-with...
Looks a far better bet than the units that RF encode and modulate back to olde FM so you can receive that signal via the existing analogue FM tuner? Unsure if this will work as a pseudo MP3 player via USB though on our pre 2012 cars (I seem to have a multi point iPod connector (but don't do Apple) and an USB slot? Anyone using an MP3 player via USB and can tell me it works fine and even that the steering wheel buttons work too - joy of joys!
Lo-Fi FM radio from the 60's really is a travesty for B&O!
Cheers
Looks a far better bet than the units that RF encode and modulate back to olde FM so you can receive that signal via the existing analogue FM tuner? Unsure if this will work as a pseudo MP3 player via USB though on our pre 2012 cars (I seem to have a multi point iPod connector (but don't do Apple) and an USB slot? Anyone using an MP3 player via USB and can tell me it works fine and even that the steering wheel buttons work too - joy of joys!
Lo-Fi FM radio from the 60's really is a travesty for B&O!
Cheers
Ken Figenus said:
Has anyone tried this: http://shop.dension.com/en/dab-u-usb-receiver-with...
Looks a far better bet than the units that RF encode and modulate back to olde FM so you can receive that signal via the existing analogue FM tuner? Unsure if this will work as a pseudo MP3 player via USB though on our pre 2012 cars (I seem to have a multi point iPod connector (but don't do Apple) and an USB slot? Anyone using an MP3 player via USB and can tell me it works fine and even that the steering wheel buttons work too - joy of joys!
Lo-Fi FM radio from the 60's really is a travesty for B&O!
Cheers
Be interested to know how well that works. When I had DAB put into one of our cars the suppliers didn't want to use anything other than the FM transmitter solution due to too many reliability issues with other kit.Looks a far better bet than the units that RF encode and modulate back to olde FM so you can receive that signal via the existing analogue FM tuner? Unsure if this will work as a pseudo MP3 player via USB though on our pre 2012 cars (I seem to have a multi point iPod connector (but don't do Apple) and an USB slot? Anyone using an MP3 player via USB and can tell me it works fine and even that the steering wheel buttons work too - joy of joys!
Lo-Fi FM radio from the 60's really is a travesty for B&O!
Cheers
we've tried both the FM version of the DAB and also the USB version. Whilst the USB version would be bound to give you better quality due to connection, in practice its almost unusable due to the lag with the user interface through the Aston system. You end up pressing more buttons, thinking that nothing is going on, when its just taking so long to do anything. In the end we removed it and put the FM version in. I agree dated technology, however in the case of this Dension unit, it works remarkably well. The antenna can be a bind to fit, to make it neat you need to remove the pillar trim on the nearside of the car, each of the models is different and requires a little knowledge of the car to be done successfully. The other option is too use a powered antenna splitter, works ok on most models with the front screen antenna (08my onwards), good on Vantage with the antenna on the back of the roof, not great on early DB9's due to the location of the antenna in the bootlid.
Squaremeal said:
I have it. James at Aston Installations put it in - it works a treat!
Never doubt an experienced expert like James saying its a bit sticky but is it just about workable to operate mate from the steering wheel on a 2012 (DB9?). I'd only want to flick between Radio 4, Kiss and Radio Cymru dependent on mood/mode 
! Ken Figenus said:
Squaremeal said:
I have it. James at Aston Installations put it in - it works a treat!
Never doubt an experienced expert like James saying its a bit sticky but is it just about workable to operate mate from the steering wheel on a 2012 (DB9?). I'd only want to flick between Radio 4, Kiss and Radio Cymru dependent on mood/mode ! Regularly pass Tewkesbury James 
I'll order it and if it has legs after a quick test we can look to doing a proper installation - that USB out might be available behind the dash so the main unit it can be mounted neatly away from centre console? Well, I know a man who knows now
I accept that it has to cache the radio station before it can supply it to the head unit based on it being offered as an Mp3 playback file rather than a live source: "Depending upon the playback device (head unit) the buffer time may vary between 15-40 seconds. So it is not possible to have 'radio like' station changing with the Dension DAB+U, but we designed the product to be the most versatile possible. Note Due to the 'Automatic Buffer Size Assessment' (ABSA) restriction, a buffer must be built between 15-40 seconds after a channel change. During this time no radio playback is possible. With this module, no immediate switch between two channels is possible."
I'll order it and if it has legs after a quick test we can look to doing a proper installation - that USB out might be available behind the dash so the main unit it can be mounted neatly away from centre console? Well, I know a man who knows now I accept that it has to cache the radio station before it can supply it to the head unit based on it being offered as an Mp3 playback file rather than a live source: "Depending upon the playback device (head unit) the buffer time may vary between 15-40 seconds. So it is not possible to have 'radio like' station changing with the Dension DAB+U, but we designed the product to be the most versatile possible. Note Due to the 'Automatic Buffer Size Assessment' (ABSA) restriction, a buffer must be built between 15-40 seconds after a channel change. During this time no radio playback is possible. With this module, no immediate switch between two channels is possible."
Manufacturer reply: "To use the DAB+U, you will need an antenna which meet with the DAB specification.
On the market you can find some splitters which allows you to use the original FM antenna but according to our experience the signal is better with an external DAB antenna. Anyway if you have good coverage of DAB on the roads where you use the device, a splitter could be good as well.
Also there are other version of DAB antennas on the market (not just the windscreen version) which you can fit to your car.
We developed and tested our devices with the antenna which we sell but you can get the same quality with other good antennas as well."
I think that means get a splitter for the FM antenna and see how it goes?
On the market you can find some splitters which allows you to use the original FM antenna but according to our experience the signal is better with an external DAB antenna. Anyway if you have good coverage of DAB on the roads where you use the device, a splitter could be good as well.
Also there are other version of DAB antennas on the market (not just the windscreen version) which you can fit to your car.
We developed and tested our devices with the antenna which we sell but you can get the same quality with other good antennas as well."
I think that means get a splitter for the FM antenna and see how it goes?
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