DAB+ App: (real)zoulou's DAB-Z app (official support thread)

[Kullerkeks77]

realzoulou​

Good morning

I installed APKPure version 1.5.60 today and restarted the radio 5 times. What can I say, it works. The app starts automatically and much faster too.

I'm going to try it up version by version now. It will take a while but I'll get in touch.

Kind regards

 

[TorstenH]

realzoulou​

Good morning

I installed APKPure version 1.5.60 today and restarted the radio 5 times. What can I say, it works. The app starts automatically and much faster too.

I'm going to try it up version by version now. It will take a while but I'll get in touch.

Kind regards

Would be interested in the most reliable version, too. On my head unit DAB-Z sometimes stuck on splash screen whereby it's enough to temporarily switch to another activity to continue loading.

 

[NogenLunde]

I installed APKPure version 1.5.60 today and restarted the radio 5 times. What can I say, it works. The app starts automatically and much faster too.

That is interesting. I have two versions installed at the same time, the latest and 1.7.75 for debugging purposes. I see the same, auto starting is working only on the older version. There were some unknown changes on later versions that causes a small audio distortion on station switch, maybe there is a connection, like upgraded dev resources. Could you test 1.7.75 and 1.7.77 to verify that the former is workning for you, but not the latter?

 

[Kullerkeks77]

Hello I've now arrived at version 1.8.87 and it's still running quite well. Although it did not start twice, but from this version the reception is better than with those before. I would be interested to know which adapter you use, attached I'll show you mine.

 

[NogenLunde]

I have a similar DAB adapter, like this: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005004936907826.html

 

[surfer63]

I searched this thread but searching though 191 pages is not easy, so maybe I ask a question which already has been asked and answered.
This morning and afternoon I travelled from North to South and back in the Netherlands.
That means I heavily need Service Following, but that did not work at all.
The stations I listen to all support SF. (Edit: After further posts I do not know for sure anymore)
In the settings it says "Press the SF icon to manually start the Service Following".

Which SF icon? I can't find any.

And I rebooted the unit, disconnected/reconnected the USB-connection.

 

[realzoulou]

@surfer63 See post #3,290. SF was introduced with 1.9.108 (BETA)

 

[surfer63]

@surfer63 See post #3,290. SF was introduced with 1.9.108 (BETA)

Hi, yes, I know (well, not the exact version.) I have 1.9.127.

Edit: I am now confused

I went back into the car and now in the dark I see a faint light-grey transparent SF icon completely in the top-right. So not green and if I tap it it mentions that "Service Following is currently not possible". And it stays grey (gray if you prefer American English) for any station I choose.

Do I now understand that full coverage always on the same channel (12C public, 11C commercial in Netherlands with > 95% coeverage in NL) has nothing to do with Service Following? Does the station somehow has to transmit Service Following information, next to SPI and slideshows? (both supported in NL for all public stations. SPI for all commecrial stations)
Or is the fact that it is always in the same channel in entire Netherlands "guarantee" service following?
The Netherlands is one of the countries that pushed DAB the hardest and last years statistics show that 60% of DAB listening in the Netherlands is inside the car. Without Service Following? I never expected that. I have driven rental cars with "real" DAB radios that keep the station throughout the Netherlands. That's why I simply and automatically assumed Service Following is working in NL and why I purchased the DAB module.

Is there something I can check whether stations have service following or not?

I have now googled for more than half an hour only on service following related to the Netherlands, but can't find anything.

 

[TorstenH]

Hi, yes, I know (well, not the exact version.) I have 1.9.127.

Edit: I am now confused

I went back into the car and now in the dark I see a faint light-grey transparent SF icon completely in the top-right. So not green and if I tap it it mentions that "Service Following is currently not possible". And it stays grey (gray if you prefer American English) for any station I choose.

Do I now understand that full coverage always on the same channel (12C public, 11C commercial in Netherlands with > 95% coeverage in NL) has nothing to do with Service Following? Does the station somehow has to transmit Service Following information, next to SPI and slideshows? (both supported in NL for all public stations. SPI for all commecrial stations)
Or is the fact that it is always in the same channel in entire Netherlands "guarantee" service following?
The Netherlands is one of the countries that pushed DAB the hardest and last years statistics show that 60% of DAB listening in the Netherlands is inside the car. Without Service Following? I never expected that. I have driven rental cars with "real" DAB radios that keep the station throughout the Netherlands. That's why I simply and automatically assumed Service Following is working in NL and why I purchased the DAB module.

Is there something I can check whether stations have service following or not?

I have now googled for more than half an hour only on service following related to the Netherlands, but can't find anything.

Two DABplus multiplexes are broadcast in Germany. Stations on this multiplexes can be received nationwide. I may be similar in the Netherlands. Due to the availability of the station in the whole country on the same frequence SF is not required.

Service Following just means the automatic switch to a frequence with better signal strengt. But this only works if a station is not only available on one frequency (SF grayed out).

Most stations are regional stations and because the DAB signal has only limited coverage, listening on longer trips makes no fun.

Some stations are listed in DAB-Z several times. Maybe the implementation of a "synthetic SF" would be a great idea.

 

[NogenLunde]

I have driven rental cars with "real" DAB radios that keep the station throughout the Netherlands.

Some OEM units are able to switch between DAB+ and FM on the fly when the coverage is bad.

Not all USB DAB modules supports Service Following, by the way, have you verified yours?

 

[surfer63]

Service Following just means the automatic switch to a frequence with better signal strengt. But this only works if a station is not only available on one frequency (SF grayed out).

Most stations are regional stations and because the DAB signal has only limited coverage, listening on longer trips makes no fun.

The two big multiplexers I am talking about, 12C for public and 11C for commerical, ALL have full coverage in the Netherlands. I am not talking about local stations. See below the coverage for those big two multiplexers.

Not all USB DAB modules supports Service Following, by the way, have you verified yours?

I do not know. How do I check that? I bought my module somewhere in 2018-2019 from Joying.

Let me rephrase my question from practical point of view:
I drive very regularly rental cars with a DAB+ unit in it. If I drive in the Netherlands from quite North to South, I pass quite some broadcast stations and I have DAB+ reception, without fall-back to FM, over more than 200 km for the stations in the two big multiplexers.
Yesterday I drove one of the routes with my own car. When in and leaving my home town (where there is a broadcasting station) I had reception. After about 20~30 kilometer I lost reception and could not receive any of those other stations either.

So either Service Follwing is available (the rental cars), or it is not necessary (the rental cars).
Then why can't the DAB module or DAB+ not do the same?

 

[NogenLunde]

Yesterday I drove one of the routes with my own car. When in and leaving my home town (where there is a broadcasting station) I had reception. After about 20~30 kilometer I lost reception and could not receive any of those other stations either.

I would guess that your car has a low quality antenna, not optimal placing, or bad connection to ground/chassis.

Try this: Do a manual scan when you reach an area where you lose reception. If the stations in question get reception now, there is a problem with SF. Else, your antenna is at fault (since we know there is good coverage there).

How do I check that? I bought my module somewhere in 2018-2019 from Joying.

Can you find the specs somewhere?

 

[surfer63]

I would guess that your car has a low quality antenna, not optimal placing, or bad connection to ground/chassis.

That was also my guess, but I tracked my entire route over the map for the stations I use, and when leaving my home town and "driving away", I am long in reach of the next station before losing my home-town station. And of course it can still be a bad antenna or bad grounding, but why still having reception from my home town station and not from the now nearer, stronger next station?

Try this: Do a manual scan when you reach an area where you lose reception. If the stations in question get reception now, there is a problem with SF. Else, your antenna is at fault.

I did not do that yet. That might be a good idea, but that "destroys" the idea of not having to do this. And as it contains a number of actions I should actually stop the car.

Can you find the specs somewhere?

After your previous reply Yesterday ("not all USB DAB ..") I started searching immediately , but I can't find anything.

Still the antenna could be the cullpit. I have used the DAB+ module in my previous car where it did work (not with OMRI, but the previous library. Can´ t remember the name). For my new car I only purchased a new antenna.

And with regard to the Service followind as displayed/demo'ed under the spoiler in post #3290. I do not see that happening (not in the rental car either, but mayby these do that in the background). However, all Dutch stations (I listen to) stay in the same channel and are in the National Ensemble throughout the Netherlands (hence my other question: Is Service Following necessary in the Netherlands?)

 

[NogenLunde]

Still the antenna could be the cullpit. I have used the DAB+ module in my previous car where it did work (not with OMRI, but the previous library. Can´ t remember the name). For my new car I only purchased a new antenna.

If I understand you correctly, you used the same DAB module in a previous car, with DAB-Z in none-OMRI mode (i.e. libdab mode), and had good reception on the same route you now lose signal?

You could always try an older version with libdab (1.7.x or 1.8.x), see link to older versions on the first page.

I would check the your antenna again. Remember ground is important.

 

[theteeth07]

hello.
I use dab-z in france. it works very well but I miss a lot of station logo. can they be installed for each station? are there logo packs for france?

hi, i sent a conversation but maybe this way works better! how do you get dab-z to work in france? I try scanning but get no stations? do i have to retune to different frequencies somehow? thanks in advance

 

[IG_Vasilich]

how do you get dab-z to work in france? I try scanning but get no stations? do i have to retune to different frequencies somehow?

last time i visited France with my car (beginning of 2022, Paris) i had no problems to scan stations and got plenty of stations. So i assume you are doing smth wrong. Have you ever get DAB stations with your setup? What antenna do you use? Where n France do you live? have you checked DAB coverage for your area?

 

[surfer63]

I would check the your antenna again. Remember ground is important.

I did check my antenna. Grounding might be a problem but I can't improve it right now as the airbag is in the way and I certainly don't want to fiddle with the airbag.
I will think about the options and alternatives I have. Hopefully I can report back in some time with a working solution.

Thank you for your suggestions.

 

[gozilla79]

On my Head unit I have seen the SF indication on the top in the middle.
I have only seen this on Radio Flevoland and Radio Noord-Holland.
This doesn't work on any other station I've seen.
I live in the province of North Holland in the Netherlands

 

[surfer63]

On my Head unit I have seen the SF indication on the top in the middle.
I have only seen this on Radio Flevoland and Radio Noord-Holland.
This doesn't work on any other station I've seen.
I live in the province of North Holland in the Netherlands

Yes, you are correct.
By now I found that as well.
For the Netherlands we have a "DAB spectrumlaag 1" for country wide coverage in one channel and ensemble for public radio in 12C. And exactly the same (DAB spectrumlaag 2) for commercial stations in 11C. These don't need SF as they are throughout the country exactly the same from every cell tower in the Netherlands.
And then we have country wide smaller "local" stations transmitting via several channels and ensembles. They have and need Service Following in channels 5A, 5B, 6A, 7C, 8B en 12B.

 

[realzoulou]

DAB-Z v2.0.209 BETA is released. See new thread dedicated to DAB-Z v2.x

DAB-Z v2.x - USB DAB/DAB+ app (official support thread)

Last updated: 2023-04-16 Get DAB-Z on Google Play Release notes of currently active release on Google Play: NONE Release notes of currently active PUBLIC BETA on Google Play: 2.0.209 If you want to become beta user, subscribe in Google Play or...

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