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Digital radio |
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New to digital radio? Here's our quick and easy guide to the most significant advance in radio technology in decades.
Why go digital?
Better reception - no more hiss and crackle, just great sound quality.
More stations - you get all the usual BBC output, as well as digital-only BBC stations such as 1Xtra, 6 Music, Asian Network, Radio 7 and 5 Live Sports Extra. There are also a whole host of local and regional stations, plus commercial/independent stations catering for all kinds of interests, many of which only broadcast digitally.
For an up-to-date list of the digital radio stations available in your area, enter your postcode at www.getdigitalradio.com.
Easier to use - forget frequencies, simply scroll through a list of station names to find the one you're after. And since national digital radio stations are broadcast on a single frequency, there's no need to retune if you're on the move.
Text services - DAB (Digital Audio Broadcasting) radios have built-in screens offering a range of information services, from scrolling text telling you which songs you're listening to, to the latest news, sport and weather headlines.
Pause, rewind and record live radio - some DAB radios let you pause and rewind live broadcasts. An increasing number also feature EPGs (Electronic Programme Guides) telling you what's on, and memory cards so you can set your radio to record shows and listen to them later. And since radio is covered by the TV licence, there's no subscription fee.
Are there any disadvantages?
Although sound quality is generally far better with digital radio, and interference is greatly reduced, reception is sometimes susceptible to glitches such as drop-outs, looping and interference from other devices such as mobile phones.
Not everyone can receive digital radio broadcasts, as the service is still being rolled out (although 90 per cent of the UK can already get it). And there are still a few stations that are not yet available digitally.
To check which DAB radio stations you can receive, and for updates on new transmitters, visit www.ukdigitalradio.com.
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How do I get digital radio?
There are three main ways to listen:
Buy a DAB radio - this could be a stand-alone radio, a radio/CD player, a component for a hi-fi system, a car radio or a smaller portable device for listening on the move - just make sure it carries a DAB logo (left). Depending on which model you choose, you'll have access to some or all of the features mentioned above.
Get help choosing a DAB radio to suit your needs…
Listen via digital TV - digital TV services on satellite, cable and terrestrial systems (such as Freeview) offer digital radio stations, which can be heard through a television or a hi-fi system connected to the TV (note: this is digital radio but not DAB, which uses a specific technology to broadcast). All of the BBC's national radio stations, including the digital-only stations (see above), are available, as are a wide range of commercial stations.
Listen online - you can also listen to many digital stations live via their individual websites. And most provide a catch-up service so you can listen to shows you've missed. You can also listen to, and catch up with, all BBC stations via BBC iPlayer. For more on catch-up channels, visit our downloads section.
As well as the three main options above, you can get plug-in PC cards that allow you to receive DAB radio on your computer.
Visit our radio listings…
Find out about podcasts and downloads…
Back to the Digital Guide…
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