Add DAB+ chip to Dudu units

ciubaka

Generally I like the idea and also proposed this to the developers.

Well working FM/DAB radio is still important in Europe.

trap63

ciubaka Since 2018 almost automotive producers introduced in EU car the DAB decoder onto head units (Stellantis, Renault, VAG Group, BMW, Benz and so on, Toyota EU too), therefore the big issue are now the domestic (house) devices and oldest head unit in car. SF works well in Italy and in Northern Italy signal is fully covered. A big help came from the approved in law of 5G rules for freeing frequencies (DVBT/DTT/DAB). A big help might come to adopt and include internal board decoder in head units. Mekede might think to EU sales. Maybe a plus.

surfer63

That Italian law is not in the Netherlands.
All country wide and regional stations in the Netherlands are currently both on DAB+ and on FM and can be received country wide (no mountains in the Netherlands 🙂).
Only some smaller local (city wide) stations are only on FM.
It is not on the stations side. It is on the receiver side.
In NL only 30% of households and/or cars have DAB. I assume it is not different in other countries.
That is the limiting factor.

Edit: I don't drive much, about 10 hours per month. In about 50% of the cases, ~ 5 hours, I listen to the radio. I currently switched to only online radio at 128 or 192 kbps. That is 300-600MBs per month with always crystal clear "reception". Of course it helps that we also have data coverage everywhere in the Netherlands.

surfer63

To add to @trap63 request.
This should include 2 connections:

For cars with a simple FM/DAB+ radio (to be replaced) and already a roof DAB+ enabled antenna.
And for cars without DAB+ antenna which need a windshield or dashboard or other external antenna

BasTijs

What kind of device/antenna can I use to get dab+ on a dudu7 radio?

trap63

BasTijs DAB frequencies aerial enabled, windshield mount or roof mount and USB stick.

surfer63

trap63

Note that based on the metal coatings on your windscreens, your reception may be better or worse with a windshield antenna. In my previous Skoda octavia I had excellent reception. In my current Skoda Octavia, having darker windows, reception is horrible. I simply can' t use DAB anymore.

And I simply don' t want to go through the hassle of replacing my FM/GPS roof antenna for a FM/DAB/GPS antenna and completely remove and re-attach the inner roofing material to install the cables.

MihaiFlorin

I totally support this.

trap63

surfer63 Hello, do you have the part no. of the roof antenna?

gismo

surfer63 I use a splitter, it makes the FM antenna usable for the DAB receiver as well. Works well, just make sure to get one with phantom voltage supply if the antenna needs it.

surfer63

trap63

No, I don't. Of course I searched for it on Amazon, AliExpress and on the briskoda forum, but as I did not want to go through with all the hassle of the inner roofing lining, and in the worst case with a leaking roof, I really can' t remember it.
There were multiple possibilities though and there are videos on YouTube describing how to do it.

surfer63

gismo
🙂 I also tried that, with 2 separate splitters. First one one with phantom power supply. It didn' t work.
Then one without phantom power supply (although I knew it had to have phantom power), and that one didn't work either.

gismo

surfer63 ahh, too bad

surfer63

@gismo
Just to make sure.
I have one of these "Universal DAB AM FM booster splitters".

I assume that is what you mean?

Note also that I have for my Skoda already a facra-2-fm adapter.

That is why I tried both with a powered and unpowered splitter.
(hardware is really my weak spot 🙂 )

Edit: I assumed that the "Keep antenna always ON" setting will set tthe " phantom power" already on the signal, meaning that I could use the simple splitter.
Or should I use the 12V power on the power cable of the splitter and disable "Keep antenna always ON"?
The last time I tried this was early 2022 in my "new(er)" Skoda octavia. I simply can't remember.

surfer63

I now remember that I also consulted my garage in early 2022 about it.
If the sharkfin antenna is an active antenna it will have a frequency band filter. Some of these filters do block the DAB frequency.
So I asked whether that could be the case with my Skoda Ocatavia 2015, but nobody knew in that garage.
That could be another reason why I could not get it to work.

gismo

surfer63 ok all VW (etc) have active antennas though and I have a splitter branded RTA that works for mine. For an active antenna, there are many options, eg at https://www.rta-mobile.com/browse/#/category/528541-1/0/0/0/0/0/0
If you are certain that your antenna amp blocks DAB frequencies then you'll have to swap the antenna or at least the antenna amplifier (have seen replacements somewhere at RTA also, scroll down for Skoda)

JhonnyD

Like older antennas from Suzuki before DAB antennas.
They are blocking DAB frequencys to, so no splitter is working.

surfer63

gismo

Wow, these RTA splitters are much more expensive than the AliExpress ones 🙂
I am afraid we are going totally off-topic, but one last question.
So you use an a splitter for an active antenna without the extra 12V wire?

gismo

surfer63 Not sure I fully understand: My antenna needs 8.5V phantom voltage (same for all VW group) and the splitter uses a 12V input to provide that. I don't remember whether I took the 12V input from the ACC or the motor antenna / amp cable but that shouldn't matter anyway. I left the cable loop on the splitter closed as that configures it for 8.5V, else it would supply 12V phantom.
I got the splitter for about 40 EUR at the time, had it for the previous radios already 😉
I didn't need a replacement antenna amp, these packages are of course more expensive.
AlieExpress may have similar stuff, at the time I just used RTA because they looked reasonable 😉