Car digital radios

I've got dab in the Tvr as the standard fm aerial is rubbish. If you do get dab I can really recommend the jvc dab aerials, especially the Hal-4.

I'd like it in the new mazda but they haven't got around to dab yet.
 
I've got DAB in mine but rarely use it. I have an iPod with all my albums on it set to play at random - no unwanted tunes or DJ inanity!
 
Nod said:
I've got DAB in mine but rarely use it. I have an iPod with all my albums on it set to play at random - no unwanted tunes or DJ inanity!
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My music collection is tiny but even so my current one doesn't have the hole nor USB port. It is just a useless audio CD player and a radio. Classic FM is alright until they start dental implant ads. Makes me want to puke out of the car :(
 
Don't rely on the post code checker for signal. We live in an area where dab is supposedly a no go, but the wife has just taken delivery of a new car with a dab radio and it works just fine.
 
ST4 said:
In short. No. I doubt you'd even get a DAB signal in the highlands
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DAB is very good up and down the east side, the along the A86 and all the way to wick and thurso from about kingussie on the A9, once you head west the signal drops out about the same time the fm signal does.
 
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My dads last car had a DAB radio in it - to be blunt it was crap! It would constantly lose the signal as you travelled along; the FM signal was actually better as it at least gave a constant reception without having it cut in and out.
 
s162216 said:
My dads last car had a DAB radio in it - to be blunt it was crap! It would constantly lose the signal as you travelled along; the FM signal was actually better as it at least gave a constant reception without having it cut in and out.
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I don't know much about the technical side, but FM reception is pretty poor even in Glasgow. I think I only had proper clean stereo signal in London when I drove to Kew gardens. It could be poor setup in the car, but to fix that would be just as much £££.
 
I drive a lot and I have DAB in my own car (Pioneer) and a 1st gen Pure Highway in my work van, both work very well used with external aerials, actually better than FM most of the time. There are always going to be places where reception is poor but that's why you have cd or usb or...

If you want DAB but are not sure then fit a removeable one, you can still find refurb Pure Highway 1s (Morgan Computers had some) for not too much money.
 
I sold my Pure Highway because every time I found an empty wavelength on the car radio to tune it to, some twonk would be using it to churn out a drum & bass pirate station. My new car has DAB built in and I love it. Great selection of stations, my favourites are Radio4 Extra for the dramas and old comedy shows and Team Rock for the music.
 
No pirate radio stations up here :lol: I like 4Extra too followed by absolute 80s (giving my age away a bit) and BBC Asian for a bit of bangra now and then!
 
Could you recommend a good place in Glasgow (25 mi radius) to get it done please?

I asked the SEAT dealer today but they only had one rather unattractive option to install an addon to current radio. I want a new head unit with audio-in line socket (phone, ipad, etc) and USB as a minimum.
 
I tried in-car DAB as well, also found it pretty crap. I ended up buying a Sony head unit with iPhone/iPod and USB inputs. I find streaming internet radio to be far clearer and more reliable in signal (and can control and charge my iphone via the head unit). I can also listen to virtually any radio station in the world using the TuneIn app.

For the (extremely) rare occasions that I don't have a mobile signal I can simply go from my radio app to my music on the iPhone.

It works almost as well streaming or playing from my Galaxy Note, though it's not quite as clever as it requires a 3.5mm headphone jack lead instead.
 
daugirdas said:
My music collection is tiny but even so my current one doesn't have the hole nor USB port. It is just a useless audio CD player and a radio. Classic FM is alright until they start dental implant ads. Makes me want to puke out of the car :(
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Why not upgrade the stereo to a decent one with iPod control - there are some very good systems out there, especially if it's looking like DAB might not be the best around you ?

Don't forget though, it may also help with a speaker upgrade...
 
andyred said:
Why not upgrade the stereo to a decent one with iPod control - there are some very good systems out there, especially if it's looking like DAB might not be the best around you ?

Don't forget though, it may also help with a speaker upgrade...
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Whatever I do it won't be simple or cheap as it's double size custom faceplate crap. I may as we'll get the modern option. I doubt I'll ever buy iPod and I doubt 3G signal is even good enough in glasgow which I try very hard to avoid after work
 
daugirdas said:
Whatever I do it won't be simple or cheap as it's double size custom faceplate crap. I may as we'll get the modern option. I doubt I'll ever buy iPod
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Fair enough. If a replacement faceplate is available they tend not to be too expensive (although they are for what they are !)
 
daugirdas said:
Whatever I do it won't be simple or cheap as it's double size custom faceplate crap.
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So was my Focus, the adapter face plate to convert to single DIN was less than £20 IIRC.
 
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