BBC Radio 3

Posted by: Peter S Ross on 04 August 2015

This is my first post, so I apologise if this topic has been discussed ad nauseum.

I have updated my Uniti2 to v4.3 and can now get R3 on HD. Live broadcasts are at 330 mb/s, but on demand are 180mb/s. Sounds like dab! Is this correct?

 

Posted on: 04 August 2015 by Mike-B

Not sure were you get your numbers from Peter,  but whatever .......

BBC 48kHz HLS stream live broadcasts the so called HD service at 339kbs

On Demand is at 128kbs

The other live non HD broadcast is at 135kbs.   

Posted on: 04 August 2015 by Peter S Ross

Sorry......mixing up my ks and ms!

What I am trying to establish is that On Demand is not HD, which is what you are saying, I think.

Shame. What is the point of having high quality hifi if you can only get low quality On Demand?

thanks for your reply.

Posted on: 04 August 2015 by Mike-B
Originally Posted by Peter S Ross:

..........  On Demand is not HD, which is what you are saying, I think.

Shame.

 Yes - Agreed

 

But its not really HD @ 339kbs,  but for me it sounds OK.  

We could discuss the +/- HLS "HD" vs FM,  the frustration of sync'ing audio & vision (thinking Proms),  the quality of BBC TV audio  ..... I can see numbers of areas where BBC could do better.

However getting back to the new HLS,  it is via www & getting real HD high sampling rates does seem to be limited.

 

Posted on: 04 August 2015 by ChrisSU

If the very loose definition of HD is 'higher than CD' then the new BBC HLS streams are certainly not that. They are good compared to most iRadio, though, and it's a shame the OD service is at a lower quality. All of this is significantly lower in sound quality than FM, though.

 

It seems there are almost constant changes in BBC iRadio. OD is in the process of being replaced by a downloadable service which is already available on iPlayer for many programmes. Then there's HLS: the BBC are already working on a new format to replace this.

 

Posted on: 04 August 2015 by Simon-in-Suffolk
Originally Posted by ChrisSU:

If the very loose definition of HD is 'higher than CD' then the new BBC HLS streams are certainly not that. They are good compared to most iRadio, though, and it's a shame the OD service is at a lower quality. All of this is significantly lower in sound quality than FM, though.

A big +1 from me

Posted on: 05 August 2015 by Peter S Ross

I live in the wilds of the Scottish Highlands, so FM is not an option for me. I have difficulty getting a mobile phone signal and broadband is water-powered, so an FM signal is a dream.

 

However iRadio at 339kbs is really acceptable to me when concerts come from good halls such as the Cadogan Hall or Symphony Hall. It does not matter too much with the Proms as the sound from there is rubbish anyway!

Posted on: 05 August 2015 by Mike-B

Don't worry about those old iRadio vs FM naysayers ......

BBC 339kbs is pretty good

 

I am now wondering about the other "new" service(s) that is supposed to be coming,  I just hope its not a repeat of the chaos we had with the HLS startup

Posted on: 05 August 2015 by Peter S Ross

I suspect the "new" services are going to be designed so that "minority" stations such as R3 can be a subscription only service and privatised like everything else.

 

Apparently half of China are getting R3 (and most BBCTV) for free.