Rich B

Hello Scoobynet,

My first topic and its in the ICE section, seems wrong but anyway...

Anyone have any views on the new blaupunkt with the integrated DAB module/MP3/Blah blah blah. Available now on caraudiodirect with a ariel (internal or external) for about £400. Looks great but is anyone actually using DAB?

Thanks

Rich B

mannyo1

I am thinking about buying one of these as well, but I know somewhere cheaper, www.bluespot.co.uk . if you registered an interest earlier you can now buy it for £339 inc. vat and delivery, the aerial is another £45, glass mount only.

TheNewDoo

Just received my Woodstock from FM2000

http://www.my-blaupunkt.com/acatalog/P_mY_blAuPunkT_DAB_22.html

Total cost £324.30 for the h/u, Onglass DAB Aerial, VAT - delivered.

Installing shortly - will report back.

audio g man

I'm installing on of these in a few days time.

Rich B

FM2000? Who are they?

Greatly appreciate any views after your installs chaps...


Rich

chiark

Now I like the look of this - it has an MMC card allowing you to record DAB onto the card then download it to your pc. hmm...

TheNewDoo

FM2000 Electronic Services Ltd.
Unit 19, Woodlands Business Park
Woodlands Park Avenue
Maidenhead
Berkshire
SL6 3UA
United Kingdom

Contact details
Phone: 44 (0) 1628 825 800
Fax: 44 (0) 1628 829 149
Email: info@my-blaupunkt.com
web: http://www.my-blaupunkt.com

Don't know much about them, but their prices are good, and the web ordering works well and is fast. Just seem to do Blaupunkt and Velocity kit.

mannyo1

I just got one as well, installing at the weekend as well as cd changer. I ordered the combined fm/am/dab aerial so as to avoid two aerials on the car. the combined aerial I am still waiting for as caraudiodirect did not have any on thursday when I ordered it.

polarbearit

Well the question is, what will DAB do for me? Are many stations broadcasting DAB? I was going to buy a different head unit, but if DAB is so good I could be tempted...

Also the FM2000 website isn't working

TheNewDoo

Well DAB is certainly the future - whether you need to dive in now is another matter - the UK coverage map for digital currently looks like to one2one coverage map of 5 years ago - Scotland/Wales/Norfolk forget it - otherwise not too bad.

Plus points:
"near-CD" quality (upto 192 kbits/sec)
National stations always on the same frequency (no re-tuning on the move)
Digital only stations (BBC Radio 6, Bloomberg, Core...) seem to cater more for specialist tastes
No subscription needed like digital TV.

Minus points:
UK coverage area still fairly poor
Expensive kit
Extra (or new combined) aerial needed

Check out http://www.ukdigitalradio.com

polarbearit

hmm, by the look of the URL there isn't anything that I really want. I don't listen to all that much radio anyway.

mannyo1

I have just installed my kit, except for the combined DAB aerial (still waiting for it).

Initial impressions are good. The sound is good and is very adjustable with the parametric equaliser, this has a user setting where you can setup each frequency yourself or you can select from a number of presets ie, pop, rock. classic.

Only thing was the cd changer needing a separate power supply, apart from that all seems ok so far.

polarbearit

Do the pictures online do it justice? They look quite cheap/dated from the photos, but the spec does sound tempting - especially as I have a 32mb MMC card and nothing to use it with, almost justified in buying one for that reason alone

mannyo1

The online pics are I think computer generated, it looks much better in person. I dont drive a scoob but here are some pics of the headunit installed if this works, hope you dont mind these being posted here

FM Radio - EQ display off


Playing CD in CD Changer - EQ Display off


Playing MP3 CD in headunit - EQ Display off


Playing CD in headunit - EQ Display on



[Edited by mannyo1 - 5/12/2002 11:36:33 AM]

polarbearit

Yep the installed pics do look better. I'm tempted now...

TheNewDoo

Well it's all in and working. Many thanks to audio g man - Gordon did an excellent job on the install. Very neat work at a very reasonable price - recommended !

The unit itself is excellent - DAB has won me over. Going from Jap h/u with FM & wave expander to this is remarkable. Crystal clear reception on some 40 digital stations (London Area only). Some stations sending text info about current program, current track being played, news items etc. - good stuff.

The FM/MW/LW radio is fine - all you'd expect.

The MP3 player is excellent. I stuck 12 full albums on a single CD-RW, and the player shows you all the directory and name info of what your're playing, and it's easy to navigate.

MMC - don't know, don't have one. But I don't think you can use the Woodstock to write to it directly, as was suggested earlier in this thread.

Minus points?
Couldn't get the adaptor for the combined FM/DAB arial anywhere, so went for an extra glass mounted aerial a la mobile phone - okay by me, not to everyones taste I guess.
Cost? at £324 all in (see previous post) not much more than non-DAB h/u with MP3....

audio g man

Thank you for your kind words Graham.
Glad you're pleased with it. You'll notice an improvement in sound quality as the speakers run in after a few hours playing.

mannyo1

I am pleased with mine to, excellent sound etc. although I have yet to experience the DAB part as I want the combined aerial, which apparently should be here either late next week or the week after.

audio g man

All ok Graham?

LeeMac

iTrader: (1)

Ive been waiting for these to come out and i'd like to know how the DAB works, i know theres a few stations on this but is it regionalised or UK wide, can you get virgin on it anywhere in the UK for instance, virgin on FM is only available in and around London I think and not here up norf. A BARGAIN THO

Rich B

Thanks for all the info guys,

One more thing, Does it have 2 ariel inputs then, one for DAB and one for the normal anntena?

Also the price on FM2000 seems to of gine up 10% or so

Rich

TheNewDoo

There are some 10 'national' DAB commercial stations, including Virgin, and the BBC broadcast nationally. Scotland reception looks generally poor outside Edinburgh and Glasgow however. Also Switchdigital broadcast local stations in Central Scotland - Ministry of Sound Radio, WSCO, Big Scotland, The Lounge, Jazz FM, Real Radio, Beat 106 and Radio Nan Gaidheal.

See http://www.ukdigitalradio.com

TheNewDoo

Rich - yes the unit has 2 aerial sockets - 1 a regular FM one and 1 for a DAB aerial. You can buy an adaptor to merge them if you install a combined aerial (FM/DAB) - but that adaptor seems in short supply at the moment.