Upgrading DAB

A new DAB+ upgradeable radio has been released by Pure.

In the opinion of some, all existing DAB radios will become obsolete in a few years time when the existing DAB compression standard (MPEG2) is replaced by the new DAB+ standard of AAC+.

Pure Digital has released its first DAB+ upgradeable receiver, called the Siesta, a clock radio with an recommended retail price of £50.

The software upgrade will be via a USB socket on the back of the radio and should become available later this year - at a small cost (in the region of £7 or £8).

Officially, the UK has no plans ever to move from, what some regards as, the low-quality MP2-based version of DAB the manufacturers are currently selling.

If the expected upgrade of the DAB system goes ahead, all current DAB radios could be unable to receive anything in a few year's time due to use of the new AAC+ audio codec instead of the old MP2 format.

Pure Digital recently announced their intention to switch over to DAB+ receivers by the end of 2008 and other manufacturers are expected to follow suit.

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