The easiest and cheapest way to have the advantages of DAB radio while driving may therefore be to simply take a portable radio with you.

A portable DAB radio will work in the car, though it isn’t an ideal way to listen to the radio while driving.

There are a few different ways you could use a DAB radio in the car:

1. Simply listen through the radio’s speakers
2. Use headphones
3. Plug the radio into the car stereo’s aux-in port using a cable

If the area you’re driving in has a strong signal, this may work fine. Otherwise, you may have problems positioning the radio to get good reception, which often means positioning it higher up than is practical.

If you are connecting it to the speaker using wires, they can get in the way and become a distraction.

An additional problem is that the portable radio may not automatically retune for the strongest signal as you move around like a DAB car radio would.

Alternatives to Using a Portable DAB Radio

If it proves difficult or impossible to use a portable DAB radio, there are some alternatives. The most obvious but also most complex and expensive is to replace the existing radio.

You’ll need to determine if the current radio can be removed and if a DAB version will fit in its place, and then have the problem of fitting it as well as a new aerial, which is not a job for an amateur.

A simpler alternative is to buy a digital car radio adapter, which plugs into your car stereo via the aux-in socket. If your car radio has one (not all cars do), installation may be simple depending on the adapter you choose. Check before you buy.

You will often need to attach an additional roof-mounted aerial, which may necessitate professional help.

If this is all too much you could listen to the radio over the internet on your phone, which would incur data usage charges unless you have an unlimited contract.

For some more advice, see these articles:

• How to Get DAB Radio in Your Car
• Can You Put a DAB Radio in Any Car?
• Best Plug-and-Play DAB Car Radio Adapters

The post Will a Portable DAB Radio Work in a Car? appeared first on Best Radios.

Upgrading using an adapter

Rather than replace the existing radio, it might be easier to fit a DAB adaptor instead. These units have a separate aerial and work by either transmitting digital radio through a spare FM frequency or by plugging in to the aux-in socket, which generally gives a better sound quality.

• See the best DAB car radio adapters here

Replacing your radio

If you really want a replacement DAB radio, however, it is a more complex process and may not be possible. Most car radios fit into a standard DIN slot that measures 2⅛ inches (5 centimetres) by 7⅛ inches (18 centimetres). If the radio has the standard DIN rectangular shape and size, and there’s a continuous gap between it and the dashboard, it probably can be removed and replaced.

Other car radios with a bigger screen and more features occupy a double DIN slot that’s twice the size. Fitting a new DAB radio is possible in these situations although you may need an adaptor kit that incorporates a fascia with a tray space.

Factory-fitted radios in some cars have a more sculpted shape while others are integrated into the dashboard and can’t be removed. In these cases, an adaptor may be the only solution.

What Aerial Do I Need?

Any DAB radio you fit will probably have separate connections for digital and analogue aerials. Most come with an aerial that sticks to the interior of the windscreen and so is easy to fit with no drilling of holes. However, reception might be poor unless there is a strong signal.

Better quality sound will be achieved by an aerial fitted to the roof, typically with a magnetic mount that will hold it in place at high speeds. The cable is routed through a door or the boot opening, but this can lead to water leaks if not fitted carefully. An alternative option is to replace the existing aerial, although this can be a complex process with the need to hide the cabling under the interior roof lining.

In some cars, the aerial may be integrated with another feature or may be used for GPS purposes. In these cases, you won’t be able to replace the aerial but will have to use a separate aerial for the DAB radio.

Choosing Your DAB Radio

Once you’ve determined the radio can be replaced and the options to do it, you need to decide on the radio you want. This may depend on the space you have available since a single DIN size will have a limited display screen while a double DIN model can provide a touch screen with more information and controls.

The amount of functionality and connectivity can also influence your choice, some radios providing FM and very occasionally AM reception as well as DAB. You may also get an aux-in socket, USB connection, a CD player, support for iPods and iPhones, and built-in Bluetooth. This will determine what you can play through your radio as well as enabling hands-free ‘phone calls.

Can I Install it Myself?

Although a new radio and components will come with fitting instructions, it’s not a simple process to fit a DAB radio, an aerial and connect everything together so it works properly. If you’re not sure what you’re doing, you risk damaging your car and ending up with a radio that doesn’t work.

If you’re not totally confident about fitting the radio, it’s a job that’s best left to experts. There are plenty of audio installers around who are more than capable of doing the job. And, if you consult them early enough in the process, they will be able to advise you what you can do and the best way to do it, possibly saving you money and some heart-ache in the long-term.

Halfords offer a car audio fitting service, though a local garage might do it for less.

The post Can You Put a DAB Radio in Any Car? appeared first on Best Radios.

Unfortunately, listening to UK radio via AM, FM and DAB/DAB+ generally isn’t possible abroad. Read on for a more detailed exploration of how to listen to British radio stations from outside the country.

Via the internet

If you have access to the internet, listening to the radio online is the easiest option. You have a choice of different ways to access UK radio:

Via a streaming service

Websites such as TuneIn.com allow you to listen to most UK radio stations from anywhere in the world. TuneIn is free and you don’t need to download any software, though there are apps available.

You can find UK national networks to listen to on TuneIn here.

Via an app

Several radio apps are available, which make it easy to listen to UK radio on your smartphone. One of the best is Radioplayer, which is available for both Apple and Android devices. Radioplayer is a UK-based service and works as a partnership between commercial radio stations in the BBC to offer an easy way to listen to UK radio online.

Via BBC iPlayer

BBC iPlayer radio can be used abroad. You can also download most BBC podcasts abroad, but some might not be available due to rights restrictions. At the moment you can’t watch TV on iPlayer abroad, but you can listen to the radio. If you use the iPlayer app you should download it before the country, as sometimes there are restrictions on downloading it abroad.

Using an internet radio

One easy way to listen to UK radio stations abroad (or foreign stations in the UK) is to use an internet radio. This looks just like a regular radio (and often comes with FM and DAB/DAB+), but it connects to the internet allowing you to easily listen to 20,000+ stations from across the globe, including national and local stations from the UK.

Internet radios are usually relatively large, so you might not want to take on a short trip, but they make a good choice if you’re living abroad and want to keep up with UK radio.

See our roundup of the best internet radios here.

On shortwave radio

Shortwave radio can travel large distances and is difficult to censor, which helps explain why it’s used by the BBC to transmit the World Service. The World Service hasn’t been available in Europe on shortwave since 2008, but it’s still available in some parts of Africa, Asia and the Middle East. You can see the current short wave frequencies on the BBC’s website here.

On AM/FM radio

If you’re travelling somewhere physically close to the UK such as Northern France, Belgium and the Netherlands, you might be able to pick up a UK radio station or two, but the reception will probably be very poor. Apart from that you won’t be able to receive British radio on AM or FM abroad. However, your radio will still work and will pick up stations from the country you’re travelling in.

On DAB/DAB+ radio

DAB radios only pick up stations broadcasting from within the country you’re in, so you won’t be able to pick up UK stations on DAB from abroad. Your DAB radio will still work, and will pick up stations from the country you’re travelling in if that country uses DAB radio. See the Wikipedia page on which countries use DAB radio here.

The post How to Listen to UK Radio Abroad appeared first on Best Radios.

DAB/DAB+

DAB stands for Digital Audio Broadcasting. The technology originated in the 1980s and was first introduced in the UK in 1995. The purpose of DAB was to offer higher fidelity, less interference and a greater choice of radio stations than was available on FM.

While in theory DAB offers better sound quality than FM, the unreliability of the reception in the UK means that many people still prefer FM. DAB has slowly grown in popularity, and now makes up about 35.9% of listening hours in the UK. The majority of radios sold in the UK at the moment offer both FM and DAB.

DAB+ is a newer standard of DAB that uses a better audio codec (HE-AAC). Only a few stations broadcast on DAB+ in the UK, so the majority of digital radio listening in the UK is still on DAB, and there are no plans to switch the country’s network over to DAB+.

Older DAB radios cannot receive DAB+ stations, while most new DAB radios can receive both DAB and DAB+. Compatibility with DAB+ is indicated by the Digital Radio Certification Mark.

Pros of DAB/DAB+ radio

• Simplicity
• More choice of radios
• Usually cheaper

Cons of DAB/DAB+ radio

• Signal can be inconsistent
• Less choice of stations
• Only works in countries with a DAB or DAB+ network

Summary

If you just want to listen to a handful of popular stations such as BBC Radio 4 that have a strong signal on DAB, a DAB radio should be fine. DAB radios are usually cheaper and easier to use than internet radios, so it makes sense to stick with DAB if your listening needs are limited.

If you think DAB is for you, see these recommended DAB radios under £100.

Internet radio

When people hear the phrase “digital radio” they sometimes assume that DAB radio works via the internet, but this is not the case. Internet radio and DAB radio are two different things.

An internet radio connects to the internet via WiFi or an Ethernet connection, allowing you to listen to the 20,000+ radio stations that broadcast via the internet.  These stations include popular national stations such as BBC Radio 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 live, as well as more obscure internet-only stations and stations from other countries.

Rather than having to type in an internet address or use a browser, internet radios let you find stations by searching or scrolling through their names or selecting them by country, genre and so on. This makes a standalone internet radio more convenient than listening to the radio on your laptop.

Pros

• More choice (including international stations)
• More future-proof – the internet is likely to survive longer than DAB/DAB+ radio
• No signal interruptions (as long as internet connection is stable) – good if you live in an area with poor DAB reception
• Works anywhere in the world with an internet connection
• More convenient than listening to the radio using a laptop

Cons

• Relies on internet connection. If the internet is down the radio won’t work either. It also uses up bandwidth.
• More complicated to use
• Usually more expensive

Summary

The big advantage with an internet radio is choice. You can discover a whole world of radio, which is great if you like exploring different styles of music or learning foreign languages.

The other good reason to choose an internet radio is that it won’t suffer from a dodgy signal as long as you have a good internet connection. This makes internet radio ideal for people who live in areas with poor radio reception but decent broadband speeds.

If you think internet radio is for you, see these recommended internet radios.

Conclusion

The answer to the question “is internet radio better than DAB?” depends on who is asking the question, as different people want different things from their radio.

If you’re still not sure, see which of these common situations you can relate to most:

• “I just want something straightforward for listening to BBC Radio 2 and Radio 4” – Choose a DAB radio
• “I can’t find a DAB radio that has a good enough signal where I live” – Choose an Internet radio
• “I get bored easily and want more choice” – Choose an Internet radio
• “I want a radio that looks cool” – Choose a DAB radio (there’s a greater choice of designs)
• “I want to listen to my radio abroad” – Choose an Internet radio
• “I want to buy the cheapest radio possible” – Choose a DAB radio (see the cheapest DAB radios in the UK here)

A final point to consider is that you don’t necessarily have to choose between internet radio and DAB. Many internet radios such as the Roberts Stream93i also offer DAB, so you will have the option of listening to either. Many DAB radios also have Bluetooth so you can stream online radio via a laptop that’s connected to the internet and has Bluetooth.

The post Is Internet Radio Better Than DAB? appeared first on Best Radios.