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New RDS on Ebay
Posted: Mon Oct 19, 2015 7:35 pm
by radio-berlin
Just giving peeps a heads up..
PCB Wizard on ebay has bought out a new RDS encoder, item 111801069908
I cannot stress enough how dirty the RDS signal is from this encoder.
Its an unfinished internet project (I cannot find a link) that has a very dirty waveform on output. It has Data and 57khz on same pin for output.
It also has no way of changing PI code so everybody running this RDS in same area will have peoples car radios skipping between stations as the car radio will think its the stronger station.
Now if im wrong please correct me, but this encoder and hex has been on the net for years. It causes a lot interferance to people either side of your frequency. Please stay clear of this RDS..
Re: New RDS on Ebay
Posted: Mon Oct 19, 2015 7:37 pm
by radio-berlin
The RDS for £13.50 from Turkey on ebay piss all over the above encoder..
Its very rare I slate somebody's stuff, but he shouldnt be churning these out, they are terrible
Re: New RDS on Ebay
Posted: Mon Oct 19, 2015 8:36 pm
by KatRuud
If you want a good but simple RDS-encoder just try one of my versions of the Pira MicroRDS.
For example the Pira MiniRDS USB for direct synchronisation (picture)
Yes you will have to pay a bit more (about GBP 28).
But you have a very good RDS-encoder, you’ll not regret buying.
Just a suggestion
Re: New RDS on Ebay
Posted: Tue Oct 20, 2015 8:21 am
by RF-Head
Re: New RDS on Ebay
Posted: Tue Oct 20, 2015 12:47 pm
by KatRuud
They use the same core, Pira MicroRDS chip.
Re: New RDS on Ebay
Posted: Wed Oct 21, 2015 3:42 pm
by Hyperadio879
radio-berlin wrote:Just giving peeps a heads up..
PCB Wizard on ebay has bought out a new RDS encoder, item 111801069908
I cannot stress enough how dirty the RDS signal is from this encoder.
Its an unfinished internet project (I cannot find a link) that has a very dirty waveform on output. It has Data and 57khz on same pin for output.
It also has no way of changing PI code so everybody running this RDS in same area will have peoples car radios skipping between stations as the car radio will think its the stronger station.
Now if im wrong please correct me, but this encoder and hex has been on the net for years. It causes a lot interferance to people either side of your frequency. Please stay clear of this RDS..
Why do builders continue to sell this gear. Knowing it's going to cause trouble. Unchangable PI code. Big mistake.
Re: New RDS on Ebay
Posted: Mon Apr 20, 2020 8:24 pm
by rigmo
Hyperadio879 wrote: ↑Wed Oct 21, 2015 3:42 pm
radio-berlin wrote:Just giving peeps a heads up..
PCB Wizard on ebay has bought out a new RDS encoder, item 111801069908
I cannot stress enough how dirty the RDS signal is from this encoder.
Its an unfinished internet project (I cannot find a link) that has a very dirty waveform on output. It has Data and 57khz on same pin for output.
It also has no way of changing PI code so everybody running this RDS in same area will have peoples car radios skipping between stations as the car radio will think its the stronger station.
Now if im wrong please correct me, but this encoder and hex has been on the net for years. It causes a lot interferance to people either side of your frequency. Please stay clear of this RDS..
Why do builders continue to sell this gear. Knowing it's going to cause trouble. Unchangable PI code. Big mistake.
Re: New RDS on Ebay
Posted: Tue Apr 21, 2020 10:02 am
by Polecat
I asked about this board on here recently and the only bad thing said about it was that it's got an rs232 socket.
So I bought one.
I dont have any test equipment but you can definitely change the pi code. Where are you getting your info from?
Re: New RDS on Ebay
Posted: Tue Apr 21, 2020 3:35 pm
by Polecat
Ok wait a minute, the op was from 2015 and there's no picture. Is it the same one as in the pic posted by rigmo?
The one I bought looks like that. It's the 2019 version based on the pira chip. The ebay ad said it conforms to the european rds broadcasting standard and, as I said before, you can definitely change the pi code.
Does anyone know if the 2019 version is ok?
Re: New RDS on Ebay
Posted: Tue Apr 21, 2020 3:58 pm
by XXL
What’s the issue apart from the PI code ? It’s only RDS. As long as it shows text on the radio that’s fine for me.
Re: New RDS on Ebay
Posted: Tue Apr 21, 2020 4:11 pm
by rigmo
Normally pi code (Program identifier mean) to radio station gives by the authorities... yes
Pirates use random
Re: New RDS on Ebay
Posted: Tue Apr 21, 2020 4:29 pm
by thewisepranker
XXL wrote: ↑Tue Apr 21, 2020 3:58 pm
What’s the issue apart from the PI code ? It’s only RDS. As long as it shows text on the radio that’s fine for me.
A fair amount of RDS capable radios use the PI code first to find the station when you press the memory button, rather than the frequency you think you stored. They store the PI code in non-volatile memory so that the PI code is kept associated with that memory/preset whereas the frequency information isn't stored anywhere. It will then look for the strongest signal matching that PI code and tune to that one.
If it can't it starts going down a checklist of what's closest and will ultimately find something. What it finds depends on what your PI code was set to and what the nearby stations' PI codes are set to. You could actually get quite clever with it to put yourself in a place within the structure of the codes to acquire listeners randomly but the PI codes are already set up to be a bit clever so you'll usually find that the one you want is taken.
So in the case where you change RDS encoder and can't put your PI code back to what it was before, many people will press the preset they've saved (thinking it saves the frequency), not find you and redirect them to another station based on what I just described above. You've then lost listeners.
rigmo wrote: ↑Tue Apr 21, 2020 4:11 pm
Pirates use random
Not all of us.
Re: New RDS on Ebay
Posted: Tue Apr 21, 2020 5:22 pm
by Polecat
I assumed it works the other way round as well ie you have the same pi code and people driving past will auto-tune to your station?
Anyway, can anyone answer my question about this 2019 version of the rds board? And I'll say it again, there is no problem programming the pi code on it.
Re: New RDS on Ebay
Posted: Tue Apr 21, 2020 9:08 pm
by thewisepranker
That's probably the second best way to generate complaints and get taken off. Second only to setting the TA flag.
Re: New RDS on Ebay
Posted: Wed Apr 22, 2020 12:06 am
by Polecat
Don't worry wisepranker, I wasn't suggesting it. Just wanted to check my understanding.