DAB and battery drain.

VVC-Geeza · 25th November 2021, 17:10

Does DAB radio have a higher drain on the battery than AM/FM stations if the engine isn't running? I know DAB eats batteries in household radio's.

Same question about watching TV on a DD without the engine running.

If you were parked up (engine off) for 1-2 hours while listening to DAB or watching TV would it flatten a healthy battery?I would have no fear of listening to AM/FM radio for a similar period with engine off.

SD1too · 25th November 2021, 18:49

Quote:

Originally Posted by VVC-Geeza

Does DAB radio have a higher drain on the battery than AM/FM stations if the engine isn't running? I know DAB eats batteries in household radio's.

Hi Mick,

I very much doubt that the radio signal transmission system has a significant effect upon radio receiver current consumption.
From where did you get the information that DAB radios "eat batteries"?

Few batteries in cars are "healthy" if the definition of that is fully charged. Therefore it is risky to draw conclusions after listening to the radio or watching TV for a particular length of time.

The answer to your question Mick lies in measuring the current consumption of an analogue radio, a DAB radio and a TV receiver powered by the same car battery.

Simon

VVC-Geeza · 25th November 2021, 21:09

Quote:

Originally Posted by SD1too

Hi Mick,
From where did you get the information that DAB radios "eat batteries"?

I was talking about in portable transistor radio's Simon.It's my personal experience that batteries last no time at all. I was wondering if this also meant extra power draw on a car battery.And also in the case of watching TV.

SD1too · 25th November 2021, 21:54

Quote:

Originally Posted by VVC-Geeza

I was talking about in portable transistor radio's Simon.

Yes I know Mick, because you specifically said "household radios". Sorry if my reply suggested otherwise.

What does the manufacturer quote for your portable DAB radio's current consumption? Are you using alkaline batteries? Are you listening at high volume levels (because the power output stages of the radio will be the highest current consumers)?

It's not an easy question to answer really.

Simon

VVC-Geeza · 25th November 2021, 22:23

Quote:

Originally Posted by SD1too

Yes I know Mick, because you specifically said "household radios". Sorry if my reply suggested otherwise.

What does the manufacturer quote for your portable DAB radio's current consumption? Are you using alkaline batteries? Are you listening at high volume levels (because the power output stages of the radio will be the highest current consumers)?

It's not an easy question to answer really.

Simon

I'll see if I can find the manual for my present DAB home radio Simon.I've always used the mains lead for this one as I distictly remember the previous one consuming batteries very quickly under 'normal' use.

MSS · 27th November 2021, 14:27

DAB radios do consume a lot more power than am/fm - it can be a factor of 3+.

DAB requires a lot of signal processing to decode the digital signal and the early radios used quite power hungry general purpose DSP chips which were programmed to perform the processing. Most major radio chip manufacturers, other than those producing cheap Chinese radios, are working on reducing the power consumtion to perhaps 25 to 50% more for DAB using dedicated signal processors. I believe the UK radio manufacturer Roberts Radio is leading in this field.

Of course the difference may be overshadowed by the power being injected into the speakers at high volume.

25th November 2021, 17:10	#1
VVC-Geeza This is my second home 2005 Connoisseur SE 1.8 Turbo,2004 45 1.8 Connoisseur and my beloved 1998 VVC Coupe. Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Derby. Posts: 8,757 Thanks: 2,022 Thanked 1,016 Times in 739 Posts	DAB and battery drain. Does DAB radio have a higher drain on the battery than AM/FM stations if the engine isn't running? I know DAB eats batteries in household radio's. Same question about watching TV on a DD without the engine running. If you were parked up (engine off) for 1-2 hours while listening to DAB or watching TV would it flatten a healthy battery?I would have no fear of listening to AM/FM radio for a similar period with engine off. __________________

27th November 2021, 14:27	#6
MSS This is my second home Rover 75CDT, Jaguar XF-S 3.0V6, V'xhall Omega V6 Estate, Twintop 1.8VVT, Astra Estate and Corsa 1.2 Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Suffolk Posts: 7,083 Thanks: 283 Thanked 624 Times in 440 Posts	DAB radios do consume a lot more power than am/fm - it can be a factor of 3+. DAB requires a lot of signal processing to decode the digital signal and the early radios used quite power hungry general purpose DSP chips which were programmed to perform the processing. Most major radio chip manufacturers, other than those producing cheap Chinese radios, are working on reducing the power consumtion to perhaps 25 to 50% more for DAB using dedicated signal processors. I believe the UK radio manufacturer Roberts Radio is leading in this field. Of course the difference may be overshadowed by the power being injected into the speakers at high volume.