Is DAB the new Eight Track?

[Storer68]

Freesat - 400 TV stations, 150 radio. Not one penny going to Murdoch.

presumably not this one then?

What is Freesat from Sky?
A new way to get free digital satellite TV for a simple one off payment of £150.

Freesat from Sky gives access to a choice of some fantastic TV and radio programmes on offer in the UK in crystal clear digital quality. Whether it's keeping your kids entertained or simply entertaining yourself, you'll know where to find great entertainment whenever you need it. Catch all your favourites from BBC1, BBC2, ITV, Channel4 and five, plus great extra channels such as BBC3, BBC4, CNN, Travel Channel and loads more. And with interactive services including email, SMS text service, betting and online shopping, you can do more than just watch.

How much does it cost?
For £150, you can join a world of non stop entertainment. Your Sky box, minidish, initial viewing card and standard installation are all included. Once you’ve bought your Sky box and dish, one of our fully trained installers will visit your home and fit your equipment so there are no fiddly bits to set up.

We can even normally connect your equipment to your phone line at no extra cost so you can enjoy more of the interactive services on offer.

Freesat vs Freeview
View the table to find out what you get with freesat from Sky in comparison to the Freeview service.

Freesat vs Freeview
Freesat from Sky
Freeview

Subscription costs
No monthly subscription necessary
No monthly subscription necessary

TV channels
200
44

Radio channels
95
24

Equipment
You will receive a Sky box, minidish and an initial viewing card, plus professional standard installation of your equipment
You will need to buy a digital box, which you should be able to install yourself, or a new TV with the box built in (an iDTV).

Coverage
98% of the UK
73% of the UK. Depending on where you live, you may need an aerial upgrade. There will be extra costs if you need an aerial upgrade or require help with the installation.



How do I buy?
You can purchase freesat from Sky by calling 0870 240 5651 or from large Comet and Currys stores and most independent retailers.

 

[Staypuft]

As for the internet -- I think it's the future of radio. I've got a normal-sized radio set that connects to my wireless internet at home. I can then pick up any station that broadcasts on the internet -- anywhere in the world. This includes everything from BBC Southern Counties' cricket commentary, to Ramallah FM, to Triple-J (the excellent Australian version of Radio 1) to my personal favourite, WFNX in Boston.

Does an internet radio pick up the DAB signal or the same radio you would pick up from the Internet?..I listen to a lot of radio over the internet, especially 5 live and get annoyed when I cant listen to commentary of various football matches for licence reasons.

If this is the case I wont bother getting an internet radio and would buy a DAB..

 

[Cian]

presumably not this one then?

Nope, thats FreesatFromSky.

www.freesat.co.uk . Like the Freeview "launch" theres no badged decoders on sale yet, but you can get all the gear yourself - should be well under £100 for a self install these days.

 

[Woodchip]

Nope, thats FreesatFromSky.

www.freesat.co.uk . Like the Freeview "launch" theres no badged decoders on sale yet, but you can get all the gear yourself - should be well under £100 for a self install these days.

Oooh, looks like I'll be buying a new LNB so I can have four outputs on it then (so long as the parents don't mind). Or do I wat until they go away for a weekend and install it myself? Hmmm....

 

[Cian]

LNB swapover = dead easy. Just get some almagamating tape to tape over the connectors as water still gets in under electrical tape.

Used to charge 80 euro to do it when I was doing sat work but ~40 of that was the unit cost of the LNB back then.

 

[Woodchip]

LNB swapover = dead easy. Just get some almagamating tape to tape over the connectors as water still gets in under electrical tape.

Used to charge 80 euro to do it when I was doing sat work but ~40 of that was the unit cost of the LNB back then.

I know it's dead easy, but parents were foolish enough to pay for the Sky Repair Protection Plan for their Sky+, so don't know if I'll break the agreement by changing the LNB.

 

[Cian]

I'd doubt it - a Sky monkey won't check the LNB if he's called out for a dud box, or nessacerily know that it was formerly a Twin installed instead of a Quad - Sky supplied Twins for a very short time only.

 

[Woodchip]

I'd doubt it - a Sky monkey won't check the LNB if he's called out for a dud box, or nessacerily know that it was formerly a Twin installed instead of a Quad - Sky supplied Twins for a very short time only.

Cool. I could hug you at time, my paddy friend.

 

[Biscuit]

erm...

whats an eight track?

 

[Trufflehound]

erm...

whats an eight track?

I think it was a film starring Eminem.

 

[Normal Rob]

I've got FIVE DABs (bedroom, kitchen, bathroom, a portable one, and a device that makes my iPod into a DAB) and an internet radio (lounge) and two FM radios (one in the car, one spare).

erm - surely the portable one could do the job in the other rooms....

 

[The Clown of Pevensey Bay]

Does an internet radio pick up the DAB signal or the same radio you would pick up from the Internet?..I listen to a lot of radio over the internet, especially 5 live and get annoyed when I cant listen to commentary of various football matches for licence reasons.

If this is the case I wont bother getting an internet radio and would buy a DAB..

No, it picks up the internet stream which is pumped out from the radio station. So you can't get, say, Albion commentaries on it, because the BBC doesn't own the rights to broadcast them on the internet. But you can get the Premiership games , and other sport, which Five Live has the rights to broadcast on the web.

 

[The Clown of Pevensey Bay]

erm - surely the portable one could do the job in the other rooms....

Nope, cos it hasn't got speakers. And I like to get out of the shower, then get dressed in my room, then make breakfast in the kitchen without having to stop listening or carry anything about.

It's bordering on the obsessive, I'm aware, but it's my job...

 

[Starry]

so what internet radios do you all have? i looked at the one posted above Logik IR100 and then on amazon, i don't think amazon sell this one but have a stack of others.

 

[The Clown of Pevensey Bay]

I really can recommend the IR100. At the very least you should get one which uses Reciva software, as it can pick up stations which "broadcast" in WMA, MP3 and Real Audio format. Not all radios are compatible with all formats -- but Reciva ones are.

 

[Starry]

I really can recommend the IR100. At the very least you should get one which uses Reciva software, as it can pick up stations which "broadcast" in WMA, MP3 and Real Audio format. Not all radios are compatible with all formats -- but Reciva ones are.

thanks. do you have your radio near to the router? i read a bit that it is really sensitive to the wireless network.

 

[dougdeep]

Nothing wrong with 8 track.

 

[Gilliver's Travels]

Took my neat little Pure DAB Walkman-type radio out here with me. Not a squeak on DAB, so I switch it to FM. No DAB in Greece it seems.

But a friend told me about Reciva - and that is pretty good, isn't it! But try tuning Reciva to SCR on Saturday afternoons and (yes, you've guessed it) only the Surrey feed is played out.

So, not being an aficionado of "The Cards", I have to try getting the Albion comm via Seagulls World.... nuff said.

 

[Marc]

Firstly I cant believe PlanetRock is shutting down....thats the only decent DAB station bar Radio2, XFM and SportsXtra for the cricket!

Secondly I thought that FM was shutting down in a few years and everywhere would eventually be Digital meaning DAB is certainly gonna be around for a long time to come, or did I get that wrong?

 

[Cian]

There is no confirmed, suspected or rumoured date for closing FM.