My current works vehicle has an ordinary FM radio-CD player. As we all know it will only pick up a few radio stations. R1 for kids R2 ok sometimes R3&R4 well lets no even go there Commercial radio is utter sh**e and full of ad's So i'm thinking about one of these plug in type things like Highway anybody had experience in using this or offer any other advice ? Thanks Matt
Dunno about that one, but the factory one fitted in mu current hire car is rubbish! Always dropping out so unless stationary I don't bother, stick with good old FM
The highway unit, as I understand it, just recieves DAB then converts it into FM to send to your existing radio. And it's pretty big - about twice the size of the average Sat-Nav... If it was your own vehicle I would say it's probably better to invest in a replacement radio that can recieve DAB, but as it's a works vehicle they're probably not too keen on you doing that...
The highway is an annoying bit of kit, you need to install an internal aerial which fits to the inside of the windscreen and power it from the lighter socket. Which means getting it out and plugging it in every time. It also drops out lots. the only way I could improve it was by installing a proper dab head unit again with internal aerial. The other option was to run an app through the iPhone connected to the iPod socket but that was 3G signal dependant and worse than the highway. just need planet rock to broadcast on fm across the whole country
DAB's too flacky if you want to move about. I've got a pocket sized PURE, nice but it dips in and out far too much when I'm walking my dogs(and it eats batteries) I can't imagine it working too well on the road. Another DAB radio in my kitchen likes to be moved around to get decent reception, currently it's on top of a 6ft cupboard, sometimes it's better on the floor. I get worst reception when the sky is clear and blue, when it's good DAB's great.
DAB receivers do use far more power than FM... And from my experience in the UK the signal is far less reliable than FM... Not an option down here - we've only just got FM, so DAB will probably not arrive for many years to come.
Thanks for the reply's and advice, looks like I will have to continue with the old FM radio and my 'now that's what I call music' cd's :wink:
Have to say in my ford the DAB is very good in the more populated areas,I live in th e south east so cannot comment much above the midlands etc
i've had a DAB radio cd player in my L200 animal from new, 8 years now and its great, fair enough in rural areas or doing long journeys signal may drop out, but generally works superb. If the signal does drop and there is an alternative FM broadcasting same channel it will automatically switch to that channel. DAB signal compared to the FM signal is far clearer though.
