I just read this:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11...work-years.html


I'm not that tech savvy to realize what kind of radio I have, but I figured if there's no antennae, I must be digital. Anyone care to clarify it? The article says M5s have it.

 

That's a UK article, it won't apply to you guys in North America.

 

That sucks. I always knew about the digital switch over for TV but it didn't occur to me that this would be the radio as well. Oh well, my car has a digital radio option so I'm ok but I never use the radio as I've got all my music on a 32GB USB flash drive

 

The US has Analog Frequency Modulation and Amplitude Modulation. While there is Digital Audio Broadcasting in other counties, the US has "HD Radio" instead.

 

Yep, that's right - HD Radio is exactly the same thing as DAB in other countries.

 

Ah, sorry. Feel silly now.

 

I was going to spec DAB on mine but the dealer advised me not to bother as the reception is very poor!

 

FWIW: I don't know if this pertains in the UK, but when we in the US get the new Navigation and iDrive in a 2010 car (that's a post 3/09 build) HD radio is included at no charge. I guess it is a standard chip in the new electronics.

I can find only one HD station in my part of Connecticut - but then I mostly listen to the music on my iPod.

 

The digital TV signal should increase in strength when they turn of analogue, they can't increase the power before because it would interfere with the analogue signal and degrade it. I image that same is true for the radio signal too. At the moment I don't get great reception but in 2012 when they turn off analogue, should get much better reception for TV and radio.

That's my understanding anyway.