userious?

"why are the radios so dear????"

Because of the dinosaurs who insist on sticking with FM/AM, of which a few have contributed to this thread, who aren't buying DAB radios.

So, until such time as there's a wider market for DAB, the prices will remain unnecessarily high. An example of simple supply and demand.

I like listening to DAB broadcasts in the car as FM requires multiple retuning(although done automatically by the radio)as I move from one area to another.Unfortunately,I dont possess a DAB radio,it was just something I'd noticed when provided with a hire-car after my last accident.I certainly wont be buying any of the present offerings of DAB radio,as I've yet to see a stereo variety.All the DAB radios I've seen for sale have been "retro" styled & have just the one speaker.I listen to music on the satellite box as I've added stereo speakers inplace of the sound through the TV,I rarely use freeview as we can only receive half of the available channels(though I hear that the channels we're missing are all shopping channels so no real loss)I will be replacing the car radio eventually & prope to do so with a DAB unit as I quite like being able to listen to the exact same station either via the PC/TV/Freesat or in the car.In my house,the radio is on 24/7 as I use it to drown out the noises outside(though we're apparently getting cavity wall insulation installed sometime soon which might allow me to finally desist in having a radio playing while I'm in bed)

The government wants to flog off the band 11 frequencies, so you are going to get DAB radio whether you like it or not ! The reception of DAB in rural Wales is diabolical, so there are going to be lots and lots of moans when the changeover day arrives.

2 DAB Fallacies:

1. There is a huge demand for the extra Radio Stations. Many, but no all, the DAB Radio Stations make do with Listener Numbers in the Hundreds, let alone Thousands. There have already been a Number of DAB Stations that have closed and many are still functioning solely because of Public Subsidies.

2. There is not sufficient FM Wavelengths available. Just slide your Tuner across your FM Dial. About 80% of it is empty.

DAB is a thinly disguised attempt by Government to earn money by "Selling Off" the newly available Wavelengths but after the G3 Fiasco, big Business has learnt its lesson and the only people now interested are a few fringe Ethnic Groups and the BBC, which are under instructions to be so, also there is an assortment of dubious Media Moguls, such as Mr Desmond, sniffing about.