Is it still worth buying into analogue radio
Posted by: Freckles on 17 January 2004
Hi
I'm tempted to buy a NAT 05 tuner as my next purchase but with everything quickly going the way of digital I'm concerned that it won't be too long before analouge transmissions cease. So does anybody have any idea how long it will be before this scenario happens? The cost of the NAT 05 and a decent aerial is quite a substantial outlay and I don't want the NAT 05 ending up as a worthless door stop just a few years down the line!
Posted on: 17 January 2004 by Mick P
Analogue radio will be around for at least ten years, I believe the best estimate of the BBC is that the earliest it will be switched off is 2019.
Therefore you have to decide if the cost of a NAT05 is worth it when spread over a minimum of 10 years.
I have a NAT05 in my second system and it is the best value for money I have in Hifi terms. There is no digital tuner can can even approach it.
You go for it, you will not regret it.
Regards
Mick
Posted on: 17 January 2004 by Geofiz
In North America the switch is supposed to happen in the next 5 years but will, in all likelyhood, take considerably longer. There appears to be a bit of a backlash against the outright move to digital and shut down the analogue broadcasts at the moment. Most of it is spearheaded by consumers groups who are decrying the lack of choice and the fact that consumers are/will be forced into making what has been termed an unecessary switch and a cash grab by the digital radio proponents. Ultimately the switch will happen, but it may be more consumer rather than Government or industry driven.
Just my 2p.
Posted on: 17 January 2004 by prowla
Think about all those cars with analogue radio.
Do any car makers do digital yet?
Paul Rowlands
Posted on: 17 January 2004 by Geofiz
The Big Three automakers in NA are offering Digital Radio in the high end models as some of the high-end Japanese manufacturers in their luxury models. In most cases it seems to be bundled with the onboard GPS navigation systems.
Cheers
Posted on: 17 January 2004 by David Stewart
Mick has it about right. They're not going to turn off analog until they can persuade everybody to buy into digital, which at the current rate of progress will take a long, long time, basically because few people see it as having any real benefits.
David
"Try not to get overly attached to a hypothesis just because it's yours." :Carl Sagan
Posted on: 17 January 2004 by Freckles
It's a hard one to call really. In car terms what provides most satisfaction to the owner? The 1.6 luxury model with all the latest refinements (DAB) or the 2.3 basic model which provides better performance (NAT 05). Fortunately buying into digital radio isn't very expensive these days with freeview boxes available for around the £50 mark. So it is possible to have the best of both worlds. Now wouldn't it be nice if you could also find a NAT 05 for round about the £50 mark! Oh well you can always dream. Maybe Naim are already working on a digital tuner.
Posted on: 18 January 2004 by sean
Jeremy,
Please feel free to drop me a line when you are selling the NAT.
Sean.
seanmonkeylover@yahoo.co.uk
Posted on: 19 January 2004 by greeny
I only live 20 miles from the centre of Manchester and we cannot recive digital transmissions. Until there is 99%+ coverage of the population I can't see the government allowing anolgue to be switched off.
At the moment with DAB's in cars anyone driving over the peninnes would be without reception for 20 odd miles, an obviously large parts of Wales and Scotland are without coverage.
