Just Sharing This Dab+ testing with Soundwaves+

[william-1]

Does DAB and DAB+ on the same multiplex mean DAB+ doesn't offer any improvements in modulation? i.e. still using same modulation as 20 years ago?

DAB+ service is using the newer HE-AAC v2 audio codec,

Even with the current low bit rate the stereo Dab+ test is of very good quality.

 

[PaulR]

Have a look at this comparison between DAB and DAB+ in Australia. I feel it explains the situation quite well. The author readily admits some of the comparisons are subjective but even so I haven't seen anything like this elsewhere.

http://bespak.org/docs/White Papers/Radio/DAB Technical Summary by Aaron Alphonso.pdf

Credit to Expat from the Astra2 forum for finding this.

 

[Hixxy1]

Does DAB and DAB+ on the same multiplex mean DAB+ doesn't offer any improvements in modulation? i.e. still using same modulation as 20 years ago?

AFAIK the modulation remains the same regardless.
The only difference is the audio codec utilised on each station. MP2 or MP4.


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[Clown man]

Do these DAB changes ..mean Planet Rock will be In Stereo again ? .....and therefore also back In stereo from satellite ! ....fingers crossed ...Mono sounds just awful on a Hifi system :-( ....

 

[william-1]

Do these DAB changes ..mean Planet Rock will be In Stereo again ? .....and therefore also back In stereo from satellite ! ....fingers crossed ...Mono sounds just awful on a Hifi system :-( ....

No only Mono
I have already asked the question here Sound Digital: full station list announced | a516digital

Crazy if you ask me

 

[PaulR]

..mean Planet Rock will be .....back In stereo from satellite !

I didn't realise that it wasn't in stereo on satellite. When did it go mono?

 

[william-1]

Do these DAB changes ..mean Planet Rock will be In Stereo again ? .....and therefore also back In stereo from satellite ! ....fingers crossed ...Mono sounds just awful on a Hifi system :-( ....

That is why I listen to AtlantisFM-Rock 128Kbps MP3 Stereo

Planet Rock needs to be in Stereo
Mono is pathetic for a quality Rock Station

 

[PaulR]

And I listen to Radio Caroline at 128k.

 

[william-1]

Absolute Classic Rock is much better on the Internet 128Kbps MP3 in Stereo

Far better than the Dab version in 64Kbps MP2 Mono

Come on UK Dab you can do better than this;)

Instead of having 6 low bit rate Mono offerings from Absolute let's have 3 High Quality Stereo Stations,

Virgin Radio when it returns in March will probably be in 128Kbps Stereo

 

[remlap]

You can get all the Absolute stations in loseless FLAC online William.

Here's Absolute Classic Rock

http://icecast.timlradio.co.uk:80/absoluteradio.co.uk/acflac.ogg

The rest are on UK Radio Stations webcasting in AAC+ (HLS), Ogg Vorbis, Opus and RealPlayer formats

 

[william-1]

More BBC Local Dab
City Centre boosts for BBC DAB, plus rollout in additional towns | a516digital

 

[william-1]

Only the Mono service of Sound Waves test is active atm nothing on the Dab+ version atm from my Multiplex.

 

[william-1]

Local DAB roll-out: expanded coverage - transmitter list | a516digital

 

[Adam792]

Signal seems to be getting here into Worcester fairly well on D2, must be a mixture of Sutton Coldfield and Churchdown Hill. I'm surprised it's as good as it seems as that's even less local transmitters than D1 here (no Lark Stoke or Bromsgrove) which is missing from Malvern.

I wish that more of the commercial stuff was in stereo, but the relatively decent sound of the BBC's 128kbps stereo makes the platform worthwhile for me as I can listen to national radio in the car on the way to work without any glitches whatsoever, whereas the national FM network here around Worcester is pretty bad. In the city centre a car FM radio constantly flicks between noisy poor signals from Sutton Coldfield, Ridge Hill and Wenvoe.

We get a fairly decent choice of West Midlands commercial stuff in stereo too from the Birmingham Mux as its Lickey Hills transmitter puts an excellent signal into a huge swathe of Worcestershire!

Roll on a change to DAB+ though, I heard some when I was in Berlin in December on the RBB and national commercial multiplexes there and the sound was very nice, down as low as 72kbps stereo AAC+ on some stations which sounded better than 128kbps MP2.

 

[william-1]

Dab tests on SDL National 216.928MHz 15th February 2016

Absolute R 80's 80Kbps MP2 Mono (test only)
Awesome Radio 64Kbps MP2 Mono (test only)
Fun Kids UK 32Kbps AAC Stereo Dab+
heat radio 80Kbps MP2 Mono (test only)
Jazz FM Stereo 32Kbps AAC Stereo Dab+
Kisstory 80Kbps MP2 Mono (test only)
Magic Chilled 32Kbps AAC Stereo Dab+
Mellow Magic 80Kbps MP2 Mono (test transmission)
Panjab Radio 1 56Kbps MP2 Mono
Planet Rock 80Kbps MP2 Mono (test transmission)
Premier New 64Kbps MP2 Mono (test only)
Premier Praise 64Kbps MP2 Mono (test transmission)
Share Radio UK 64Kbps MP2 Mono
Sunrise National 64Kbps MP2 Mono
UCB 2 Nationwide 64Kbps MP2 Mono
Sound Waves 1 64Kbps MP2 Mono
Sound Waves 2 64Kbps MP2 Mono
Sound Waves 3 80Kbps MP2 Mono

 

[Hixxy1]

It'll be good to hear Virgin Radio. I remember the good old analogue days when they used a sub-carrier on 19e back in 1995


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[william-1]

New DAB station tests now live | a516digital

Sound Waves 3 (80kbps) to be Virgin Radio

 

[remlap]

Hearing this today due to a power cut and lack of electrical noise.

 

[william-1]

Update:-

Dab tests on SDL National 216.928MHz 23rd February 2016

Absolute R 80's 80Kbps MP2 Mono
Awesome Radio 64Kbps MP2 Mono
Fun Kids UK 32Kbps AAC Stereo Dab+
heat radio 80Kbps MP2 Mono
Jazz FM Stereo 32Kbps AAC Stereo Dab+
Kisstory 80Kbps MP2 Mono
Magic Chilled 32Kbps AAC Stereo Dab+
Mellow Magic 80Kbps MP2 Mono
Panjab Radio 1 56Kbps MP2 Mono
Planet Rock 80Kbps MP2 Mono
Premier New 64Kbps MP2 Mono
Premier Praise 64Kbps MP2 Mono
Share Radio UK 64Kbps MP2 Mono
Sunrise National 64Kbps MP2 Mono
talkRadio 64Kbps MP2 Mono
talkSport 2 64Kbps MP2 Mono
UCB 2 Nationwide 64Kbps MP2 Mono
Virgin Radio 80Kbps MP2 Mono


New DAB station tests now live | a516digital

Further transmitter sites boost UK DAB coverage | a516digital

 

[timo_w2s]

Who would have thought back in the 80s when FM was really taking off that come 2016 we'd be listening to the majority of radio stations in compressed mono and not a single flying car in sight...