Buyers Guide and Overview |
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 Digital radio is gaining popularity fast and offers many advantages over the old analogue technology, but you will need to buy a DAB radio in order to benefit. Here we show you how to pick the best for your needs. |
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Digital radio uses a digital, rather than analogue, signal, and without going into too much technical detail, this has several benefits. The first and foremost is that its free from all the hiss and crackle interference so common with old-fashioned radios. The second is that it allows broadcasters to transmit more data, so they can add extra information alongside the station, such as song titles, phone numbers and so on - if your radio supports these, you can view them.
It also means that broadcasters can transmit far more stations, and tailor their content, so using a digital radio you can pick up loads of new stations, with specific programmes aimed at kids, or certain types of music for example.
Digital or DAB (which means the same thing and stands for Digital Audio Broadcasting) radios come in a bewildering array of varieties, all of which have different combinations of features. To help you understand what it all means we explain all the major features and what they do. |
Planned Listening |
 Some radios support a broadcast electronic programme guide (EPG), which provides you with information on what's coming up in the next seven days. This is particularly useful if you want to preset recordings for the future or just plan your listening for the next few days. |
Intelligent text |
 Pure uses a technology called Intellitext in some of its radios, and this can be used by broadcasters to add extra information to the scrolling text shown on a radio's LCD. This can be things like sports results or news headlines. This isn't widely supported as yet, but it is set to grow in popularity, so picking a radio that can display is a good idea. |
Scroll control |
| A feature that allows you to pause and rewind scrolling text. This is handy if you want to view phone numbers, for example, that are displayed on the radio's LCD. Pure calls this feature TextSCAN. |
Power Options |
 If you want to carry your radio around with you, then it's well worth looking at how it's powered. Some radios come with rechargeable batteries, and those that don't often offer them as an option. The alternative is using mains power or hefty and expensive throwaway batteries.
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Added Bonus |
 If your radio has an AUX port that allows you to plug in an external MP3 player like an iPod, this means it can double up as a speaker unit. A money saving idea if you don't already have speakers for your player.
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Sounds Good |
 Most radios rely on a single speaker, so sound can be a bit tinny. Digital radio makers have worked hard to counteract this and all of our choices offer good audio quality. If you want the best it's worth opting for a stereo model, or checking to see if you can bolt-on a second speaker to your radio.
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Get Tough |
 Radios that go out on the road can take a bit of a bashing, particularly if you use them on the beach, or by a pool, so build quality is important. Look for a tough customer like Dualit's Kitchen Radio, or a weatherproof model like the Pure Oasis, if you want something that will keep the water out.
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Pause and Record |
 Some high-end radios have the ability to pause, rewind and record live radio, in much the same way as Sky+ does for television. These devices often include a built-in memory card slot and/or the ability to hook up an external recording device so you can effectively "tape" your favourite shows. This is a bit like a podcasting, with the advantage that it's free and there's no need to get your hands dirty on a computer to do it.
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Getting Good Reception |
 If you live in a big metropolitan area, such as London, then you will probably have no problem picking up a digital signal, and coverage outside the big cities is getting better all the time, but if you live somewhere where it's a bit patchy it's well worth opting for a radio that supports the FM signal too. If you see the letters RDS, it means your radio supports the Radio Display System, which means you will get scrolling text information even when listening to FM.
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Home and Away |
If you want to listen to your radio abroad, opt for a triband model. Most countries in Europe transmit in the Band 3 frequency, although France and Germany use L-Band too. To listen abroad you will have to do a full reset and retune to the new frequencies.
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Computer connectivity |
Some radios come equipped with a USB port. This means that you can connect them up to your PC and download any updates to the software on the radio direct from the manufacturer.
This feature allows you to keep you radio bang up to date and also benefit from any extra features or fixes for glitches that are made available.
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