Latest on DAB+

Staff Writer

ACMA have extended DAB+ trial licences in Canberra and Darwin for a further 12 months.

This will allow for more testing to occur so they can successfully introduce DAB+ to other regional areas. They have also been testing extra features such as using the screen and text features for broadcasting emergency information.

Another area they are looking into is the impact extreme weather has on the digital signal in regional areas.

Also today, a piece from Toby Hagon in the Sydney Morning Herald 'Drive' section reveals an interesting insight into the general public's feeling on digital radio.

Toby's article discussed the availability, sound quality/features, and reception of DAB+ in cars. His verdict…

"There's life left in the wireless yet, at a price. It's great around major cities but loses its lustre in tunnels and out of town."

Here are just a few of the comments the piece received…

David from Sydney
"Digital Radio is a complete waste of time and money.
Australia should have taken the clue from its almost complete failure in other markets, like the UK.
Anyone who invests in it, as a provider or consumer, is a fool.
Don't buy it, you are better off with FM Radio, MP3s and, in the very near future, the Internet via mobile technology."

Daytona
"Ra-di-o? what is this ancient device you speak of? My commute is filled with podcasts and music relevent to me. Cars-tech-news-gossip-drama, all free through the interwebs and loaded on a little white thing that plugs into my car. Very very few adds, no alan jones and no over 55 insurance adds. Try Adam carolla's Carcast for a start, you will probably never listen to the 'wireless' again."

Ichibyoshi
"For me the best thing about digital radio (and I have it at home, not in the car) even at this early stage, is the choice of stations like SBS-Chill (a kind of 3AK for Gen-X) and ABC Dig that are both advertisement-free and announcer-free. You just have music and nothing else. That, and the fact that you can usually see on the display Artist and track name at any point, you don't have to wait for the DJ to back-announce."

You can see the full story and the range of comments in the SMH here.

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