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Looking to convert my new cars radio to DAB. Want to keep existing radio so will be one you plug in so I can listen to 6 music.
Anyone recommend me anything?
App on your phone and a £2 cable.
Sounds like a plan but wouldn't that be heavy on the data allowance, unless you hung around hotspots?
I have a built in DAB radio in my Focus. The main BBC stations are generally okay but there are some dead spots even on the M1. The lesser stations like Planet Rock are essentially unusable in the midlands.
Built in Sony DAB on my wife's C Max is rubbish. The one in my Audi never drops out.
Pure highway from halfords was pretty much plug and play. Discreet & smart too.
Great for radio 6. I stream a lot of music & podcasts too.
Got built in DAB in a newish BMW, still had to resort to iPlayer app and Bluetooth to listen to the end of the TT last week on 5live extra.
Probably better to get a better phone contract than fork out for a disappointing dab radio.
Brilliant, thanks everyone.
Conversely the DAB on the S-Max and Octavia very rarely drop out. Only time is when in Sheffield and sandwiched between two double deckers in traffic.
I use DAB in a wide variety of cars, when the model has it fitted, and the [i]only[/i] car I've had really poor reception in was a Mercedes! There are occasional places that lose signal, but over a 200+ mile drive from Helston or the far south of Cornwall back to North Wilts I usually get a clean reception all the way, with just an occasional drop out for a few seconds, or maybe a minute or two at most. The Merc was shockingly bad, though, but pretty much every car I've driven which only has FM has been far worse, there have been a couple of occasions where there's been no USB phone input, so no music from what I've put on the phone and the radio has been so poor I've driven for two hours in silence. These are cars that are two to three years old at most.
And phone data is too poor in the south-west to even think about streaming radio, thirty minutes driving with zero phone signal, let alone 3 or 4G puts paid to that. The team Galaxy has DAB, and is in use from 6am to 6-7pm, and I've rarely heard that drop out and that's everywhere from Cornwall across to London and up to Manchester and Liverpool, South Wales and across into Lincolnshire.
Pity our team leader insists on having Radio One on all the sodding time... 😐
Some DAB stereos have an autotune feature some dont, my doesnt I lose signal for most stations when I leave Devon. When my friend leaves Devon he doesnt lose stations.
Mine is the halfords ownbrand which has been faultless. One thing to consider is the aerial, mine originally came with a roof magnet one that makes your car look like a taxi! I have since upgraded to one that goes on the inside of the windscreen. Even manged to fit it myself!
Aerial is key.
One thing to consider is the aerial, mine originally came with a roof magnet one that makes your car look like a taxi! I have since [s]upgraded[/s] downgraded to one that goes on the inside of the windscreen.
FTFY.
Roof mounts are a faff to fit neatly since you have to get behind trim to run the cable, but should give much better reception.
We have one of these Aerials as a compromise between useless stick on glass mount and removing roof lining
Reception is excellent - very rarely notice any dropouts
http://www.dabonwheels.co.uk/Kinetic_DEGA-4001_glass_mount_DAB_car_aerial.html
We've got a c8 year old Kenwood head with an add on bluetooth unit. Main issue seems to be the headunit losing link to the bluetooth unit (have to reset the head unit which loses settings) - shouldn't be a problem if it's built in.
I see they now do a model without a CD player - I'd buy that to replace it. http://www.dabonwheels.co.uk/Kenwood_KMM-BT502DAB_DAB_Car_Radio_with__Bluetooth_.html