How To Get DAB Radio In Your Vehicle

With all the talk of radio following Televisions footsteps and becoming a digital service, it can be quite confusing as to what this will mean for your car. In this short blog I will go through the available options on the market today and try to help you find the best solution for your needs.

Firstly, lets look at what DAB actually means for you. The government aim to swap to the digital radio service around 2015. When this happens all of your favourite radio stations will cease to broadcast on the FM wavelength. The only way to pick up these stations will be using a DAB system. If your vehicle does not have DAB already this means you will need to convert your existing set-up.

Integration – Many of the big names in car audio are currently producing kits that will connect to your existing factory spec radio and allow you to listen to DAB stations. These kits are already in the advanced stages or manufacture and we have even had the pleasure of testing a couple of them. Tucking neatly out of site behind the dashboard, the integrated kits offer the ability to hide the kit and simply operate your car stereo as normal. Expect the basic level integration kits to be around the £100-150 mark.

New Stereo – There are a selection of DAB Car Radio’s on the market already. These units have the digital receivers built in and offer an excellent all round solution. The downside is that you will have to replace your factory stereo which is not everyone’s cup of tea. You can find DAB Car Radio’s for around £120.

Separate Unit – Some companies have developed separate units which run along side your stereo and connect via Auxiliary. A good example of this is the Pure Highway. Separate tuners have the advantage of being able to move from vehicle to vehicle and they will also cost slightly less however they are not of the same quality solution as the two I have already ran through. You can find the separate tuners for around £40-80.

All of the solutions I have mentioned will require a DAB aerial to work to there full potential. Again there are many different types of aerial and it is a good idea to speak to the company you use to get advice as to which design will suit your needs best.