Radio, as you know it, is evolving and for the better as well.  Digital Audio Broadcasting (DAB) is a new transmission system which has brought the benefits of digital to the world of radio.

What’s all the hype about?

Well, firstly, DAB aims to make the days of hiss and crackle a thing of the past.  By converting analogue signals in to digital, DAB minimises the risk of interference and also the risk of corruption which may be caused by weather conditions.  All this leads to crystal clear sound.

It’s not all about the sound.  DAB brings other revolutionary features with it as well.  Imagine you’re listening to a nasheed and you wanted to know who it was by, With DAB this is possible. DAB sets come equipped with a small screen which carries information about what you’re listening to.  The information carried on the screen can range from: name of the show, name of the current track playing, latest news headlines, email addresses or even latest sports scores.

In essence, this opens up a new gateway for broadcasters to communicate with their listeners.  The possibilities are only limited by how ambitious or adventurous the broadcaster wishes to be. 

That’s not all, there’s one more handy feature of DAB.  Some of the latest DAB products can even pick up a broadcast E.P.G (Electronic Programming Guide).  This provides free programme information for up to 7 days in advance of broadcast thus allowing the user to plan their listening in advance or to programme the set so that it automatically records the show.

It doesn’t end there.  Some high range DAB even allow you to pause, rewind and record what you’re listening to.  The beauty of it all is that DAB is still relatively new and constantly evolving so I wouldn’t be surprised if we see some more interactive features in the near future.

The only drawback at the moment is the number of stations, however, I do not see this as being a major problem because the benefits for broadcasters are too attractive to simply ignore.

Having read all of the above, you would be forgiven for thinking that the sets would cost you a three figure sum.  You’d be wrong.  DAB sets start off from only £30!  Ofcourse how much you pay depends on what features you want.

If you’re a radio fan, you really have no reason not to take the step in to the digital world.  Once you go digital, there’s no turning back.