Dab and Dab+

[Too Late]

Hi all
Looking to replace my antenna and saw a connect2 antenna which includes FM/dab/GPS

Super but checking my headunit, it allows for DAB+. Should I be looking at an antenna for DAB+?

This is what I was looking at getting
http://www.connects2.co.uk/Product/ProductItem/CT2...

Or should I get a FM/DAB+ antenna
With another antenna for GPS?

My internal GPS receiver is so so so crap. Which is why I am looking to change.

Thanks
Nick

[dave1409]

DAB and DAB+ use the same antenna. You may have trouble finding a DAB+ station in the UK at the moment.

Edit: it looks like there are quite a few DAB+ stations in the UK now

Edited by dave1409 on Friday 1st June 16:05

[jeremyh1]

What is DAB +
I will say as I get all over the country (90 k year) the digital signal even in rural areas has improved a lot in the past 18 months

[blueacid]

jeremyh1 said:

What is DAB +
I will say as I get all over the country (90 k year) the digital signal even in rural areas has improved a lot in the past 18 months

DAB and DAB+, at an antenna level, are identical.
They're a signal at around 200-230Mhz, so just a bit above FM and Air-band, but below TV / Mobile phones (roughly).

DAB used MP2 (yes, the predecessor to MP3), whereas DAB+ uses AAC to actually transfer the audio. The difference is that for a given data rate, MP2's quality is dire compared to AAC. But of course, the original DAB spec called only for the receiver to be able to decode MP2.

Hence the difficulty; new stations on DAB+ can only be decoded by DAB+ receivers; anyone with just DAB is left out in the cold. Sometimes a software update is possible, but in other cases the chips in the DAB receiver are designed specifically with MP2 in mind, so there's no upgrade via software possible.


But to the crux of the question, an antenna for DAB will be fine for reception of DAB+ transmissions.

[jeremyh1]

Thank you for that

So Dab + should be of an even better quality
I have on hire a VW T6 van at the moment and the sound quality is really good

[Too Late]

blueacid said:

DAB and DAB+, at an antenna level, are identical.
They're a signal at around 200-230Mhz, so just a bit above FM and Air-band, but below TV / Mobile phones (roughly).

DAB used MP2 (yes, the predecessor to MP3), whereas DAB+ uses AAC to actually transfer the audio. The difference is that for a given data rate, MP2's quality is dire compared to AAC. But of course, the original DAB spec called only for the receiver to be able to decode MP2.

Hence the difficulty; new stations on DAB+ can only be decoded by DAB+ receivers; anyone with just DAB is left out in the cold. Sometimes a software update is possible, but in other cases the chips in the DAB receiver are designed specifically with MP2 in mind, so there's no upgrade via software possible.


But to the crux of the question, an antenna for DAB will be fine for reception of DAB+ transmissions.

Awesome. Thanks for clarifying.

[CoolHands]

I have a question - why is DAB so st? Always dropping out; can’t locate stations you know are there etc etc it’s fking wk.

[Mr E]

CoolHands said:

I have a question - why is DAB so st? Always dropping out; can’t locate stations you know are there etc etc it’s fking wk.

Because it’s trying to squeeze the most amount of content in the least amount of space for the lowest cost. And 90% of people don’t give a st about audio quality.

[jeremyh1]

Mr E said:

Because it’s trying to squeeze the most amount of content in the least amount of space for the lowest cost. And 90% of people don’t give a st about audio quality.

Does it happen in rural areas mostly

[Tyre Smoke]

I'm looking for an after market Dab (or Dab+) receiver for my car. I flit from car to car so being able to take it with me would be great. I used to have a Pure Highway with a mag mount aerial, but it just died one day, and to be fair it dropped signal a lot (rural Devon).

I have a Skoda on hire at the moment and the coverage is brilliant on 6 Music, so wondered if anyone has any recommendations? I don't want to buy something that can't give me the same quality of reception as the Skoda.

Apologies for the hijack.