stewartjm

Just noticed in the last week a significant power drop off or performance issue with Brisbane DAB. Maybe associated with the new channel stacking post DTV. Performance on the coast north of Brisbane was noise free, about 70-80%, now 10-20%. Antenna etc fine. Used my portable in the window where it was 50% before now, 0%. Any ideas? Cheers

A nice dab+ unit from the UK http://www.maplin.co.uk/kenwood-kdc-dab4551u-dab-cd-mp3-ipod-headunit-534817

I see these are on ebay for $39 and were $199. They have SPDIF out which I want for my surround. They also have an external antenna input and a nice colour LCD screen. Anyone using these, any comments? Link to manual.. http://www.bigbrandbargain.com/DAB888R.pdf Thanks Stew

You are right Alan, the reception outside is Mt Cootha, as when I turn off the amp I still get it outside in places. It was to fill in within the house which is does well. I have turned the amp back to just above where it drops out in the house. Kind of regret sharing my efforts with the comments about ACMA. Talked with the TV installer I got the booster off and he said that he did not believe that it would rate as a transmitter. Anyhow last post here. Have fun folk's I like the music anyhow, be glad when the Government allows the start of rural DAB+ Cheers

Thanks Alan, in more testing I get about 50-100m coverage from the antenna which is fine for my needs. The amp cost me about $60 which is worth it to get the range of DAB radio choice. I understand the quality arguments on FM vs low bit rate DAB+ etc etc, but what digital gives me is a much broader choice of Genre. As most people dont turn on a TV and watch one channel all evening, so it is with radio, different stations for different times of the day. Cheers Stew

Thought I would share. Live about 90km from Brisbane transmitters on the Sunny Coast. As such DAB+ works on the window sill sometimes, but plugged into the main tv antenna which faces Brisbane for the VHF digital TV, it works fine. I know its horizontal and needs to be vertical, but it works. Used this idea, http://www.digitalradioplus.com.au/files/u...20repeaters.pdf I took the TV signal off the existing antenna that gives a signal error of 0-10 at worst and fed it into a 44dB VHF only narrow masthead amp, I used a Kingray http://www.kingray.net.au/products/matv/ma...lifier/MHV44HLG I then took the output into a length of coax with 37cm of centre copper core exposed and then another 37cm of braid exposed to make a simple coaxial ¼ wave dipole at 204MHz, mid band 9B DAB. Have to say it works exceptionally well, I now just use the telescopic antenna on two portables around the house with no dropout or issues. Cheers Stew

Back in the day I bought a Holden Astra (rebadged Nissan Pulsar) that had an AM stereo radio. It was great, it sounded better. In the coutry we had little FM, and after the sun went down I used to listen to better quality stereo than ordinarary AM. It had its good points. Stew

Have to say I had a different experience, apart from the scrolling and limited presets it work well. Sound is good for a small unit. Tunes all DAB here better than other 3 I have. That is Kaiser Baas, and Bush. Has less dropouts so I assume a more sensitive receiver. I am on the Sunshine coast 85km from the transmitter in Brissie. Cheers PS Sams Warehouse has the same unit, same price with a Cobolt logo

Just wondering what has the most sensitive receiver. I have a few DAB+ radios, as I am in a marginal area (90km), they vary differently in sensitivity. I would have thought that a well know brand combo unit would have better sensitivity to a "Warehouse" special. Wrong. The Cobolt special receives off the same antenna with 10-20 error rate, that is no break up. The Sharp occasionally gets service. A Kaiser Baas gets 30-40 off the same antenna, still ok. Then a bush does not even pick up signal. All with external antenna connected. The Cobolt has the Frontier Silicon Venice 7 module.. http://www.frontier-silicon.com/products/modules/venice7.htm Bush has the Quantek Q7+ module http://www.quantek-inc.com/Q7+.html Not sure of the others, havent opened them I know that the Silicon Chip magazine kit DAB+ uses the Frontier Silicon Venice 7. Quantek seems to be a chinese knock off, certainly seems more deaf. Just wondering how other go in marginal areas?

I'm in Maroochy Waters area, behind Buderim hill and just have my cheap "Warehouse Cobolt" plugged in to the TV antenna, yes I know wrong polarity, gets all the DAB fine, just have it plugged to the Amp and good speakers. No complaints here at all. Using a Kaiser Baas on the window sill it also works with some dropouts at times. Sad when you go to Dick Smith or JBHIFI here they all deny you can get it north of Caboolture. My car PURE HIGHWAY gets it most of the time from Mooloolaba to Brisbane on the Sunshine Motorway and M1. Utopia would be a UK styled booster repeater on Buderim hill, oh well we can dream....

Hi folks, I am seeing much poorer reception on the Sunshine Coast than what we had previously. Error rates have doubled and tripled to dropout. This is on two different DAB+ radios in three sites I have tried it. Have they dropped power or rearranged the antenna direction? Does anyone else have these issue either in Bris or on the Sunny coast? Thanks Stew

Thanks Alan. I beleive the main issue is the interference with mt goonaneman in the Wide Bay area. It uses channel 9A vertical. I presume when this channel is switched off in the 2nd half of next year, then they can reuse channel 9A up the coast for DAB maybe. Was used to DAB in the UK and it certainly makes for good choice. I know the arguments with FM vs DAB+ quality, but for 95%, I would suggest there is no noticable difference. Nothing in life is perfect, but certainly choice is nice in terms of genre. Cheers Stew

Just for those who are interested, bottom end of the Sunny Coast, Caloundra etc, good reception with very low errors on cheap DAB+ with antenna up. Buderim on the hill all good. Maroochydore needs and external antenna, basically those who have a TV antenna facing Brisbane for Brissie TV will get DAB+ through that antenna. Yes I know horizontal vs vertical, but it works. Maroochy Waters where I am errors between 5 to 20 but works fine. Cheap Cobolt from the Warehouse with ext ant socket. Other tests with Kaiser Bass portable. Maleny and the range, Montville etc, all good on the telescopic antenna providing you are up a bit and not in a valley. Nambour, Woombye & Palmwoods, forget it unless you are on a big hill. Worth looking at an external vertical antenna. Slim Jim homebuilt based on 205Mhz works very well, http://www.para.org.ph/membersarticles/DU1ANV/Slim%20Jim.htm 106 cm Length 1 35cm Length 2. Cheers

Sorry doubled up

PVR-X10 remote problem. Had no response to the remote, upgraded the box firmware and no change. Looked at the remote LED via my camera phone and saw that it did flash when buttons pressed. Opened the remote and noticed a number of very dry solder joints. Redid the main discrete components with a cool soldering iron, baterries in and it worked perfectly. Was about the throw the box thinking the IR sensor was fritzed. Hope this helps someone. Cheers

Have to fully support Casey. Had strange issues with my PVR-10, lockups, non record then nothing. Unit looked dead. Took off the cover, heard the HDD clicking, thought dead drive. Took out the drive and the unit fired up just as digital set top bax, all good. Replaced with an identical WD HDD, same noise and no startup. Looked at the low voltage electro caps in the PSU, all bulged tops. Did the replacement with higher voltage caps. All perfect and working now with original drive. By the way measured the 5v & 12v rails and they were correct with a DMM, if I have checked AC ripple I would have seen the issue. Thanks Casey saved me a couple of hundred. Stew

I did a rescan on my box the other night and I noticed it locked in two 7 digital packages. I was amazed that one was Mackay, as I live in Rockhampton. It is not always clear but most evenings it is. As an ex Mackay bloke I can watch thier local 7 news. Around 300+ km from the transmitter as it is north of Mackay. Bloody amazing. Cheers

Thought it was just me but talking with two other who have dvb they have the same problem with WIN. Seems to be only them as ABC, SBS, 7 & 10 are all fine. Tried rescanning, no change ANyone else with the problem.

Forget the PVR, get a TiVo it does it all FTA and payTV http://minnie.tuhs.org/twiki/bin/view/Main/WebHome I got one from the states at less than half the cost of a PVR 6 months ago and it is the best thing since the TV!

Are you in any position to try and get Mt Hopeful. I know you have hills but you are only about 50km as the crow flies. I know of people north of Marlborough getting digital at 200km. Cheers

Happy to bring a box down for you to try. If it doesnt work, so be it. If it does you have the option to buy. www.cqsat.net

Digisol, I am not far up the road toward Rocky and I get good digital, crap analog. I use a 13 element VHF and 18 Element UHF, Shielded masthead amp 34Db VHF and 40Db UHF. I was told that it wouldnt work, its great. Try it out with the gear .Using an Opentel ODT3000F www.kristal.com.au . Very sensitive receiver. Cheers

BVW1705, if you contact Branco @ Oatley Electronics and ask, he can give you a copy of the design of an OMNI using 300ohm ribbon cable, and his $15 34dB masthead amp kit. Did one up for the caravan and it works brilliantly. Have not tried it on digital yet but I will today. It looks pig ugly, two 2 foot bits of 1" pine in a cross, some plastic glass edging in a circle with the 300ohm ribbon glued in. The reason for this is no one will steal it in a van park. The ribbon is crossed over at the halfway point opposite the amp connection. Make one! Cheers

Hi, if DIGISOL is interested, I am about 15 k up the road. If he would like to borrow a box and try his reception. Cheers

Think that you will find that impulse noise is a problem in low signal areas. But GO FOR IT!