Digital Radios ? What you need to know (By Nicholas Newman)

I WAS listening to the radio the other day and heard them talking about the new digital news and sports stations that have been launched. Part of me thought ?Why do I need one?? But my curiosity got the better of me and I decided to pop round to my local electronics store to see what?s available

“You will get loads more stations with a DAB radio,” the salesman said.

?You mean more pop stations, ?I said. ?No-not just that,? the salesman reassured me. ? There are many more new BBC and commercial stations, including the new comedy and drama station BBC 7, and for sport there is BBC 5 for music there is Classic FM and Jazz FM plus all your usual stations.” The salesman went on to praise DAB radio broadcasts for its improved sound quality and reception, which is allegedly better than with traditional radios.

I was shown round a wide range of radios from pocket radios for commuters and sports fans to tabletop radios for listening to in the kitchen or by your bed. The trouble is mAny of the radios reminded me of the first mobile phones; they looked like bricks and were just as hard to use. It would appear that designers never learn. Many of these radios are packed with functions that look impressive, but you are likely never to use, just like today?s mobile phones.

Most Digital Audio Broadcast (DAB) radios have as standard a scrolling text display screen, station preset and PausePlus. Scrolling text provides current programme information, while station preset enables you to program in your favourite stations whilst PausePlus helps you to record up to 20 minutes of a live broadcast whilst you are interrupted by a phone call.

Digital Audio Broadcasts can only be received in some 85% of the country, reception is usually better in urban areas than in the countryside. However most DAB radios are designed to receive only British digital stations, which mean that they are of little use for listening to continental digital broadcasters.

Currently there are two main types of portable radios on the market, there are those for the house known as tabletop radios and those to put in your pocket was traveling around. The ones I looked at all have a LCD display for scrolling text and FM tuner in case digital reception is bad in your area.

Tabletop Radios
Tabletop radios typically weigh more than two bags of sugar (2000g) and come with the option of mains and battery powered. For radios costing