Fix for Desire useless FM radio reception?

[tanchoboy]

Hi all,

Had the Desire for a week and it is driving me mad. I liked listening to BBC radio 2 walking to work - Chris Evans made me laugh and woke me up gently but since the Desire, the reception is intolerable and I don't bother (prev. Sony K800i was great). Have read and searched all I can on tinternet and although others have similar, I have yet to see a fix - I have today emailed HTC but wonder if anyone has found an answer? I have seen mention of thinner headset cables are better (HTC supply is thick) - anyone found a replacement headset that improves this please - you truly would make my week. I am still in the return period but doubt that would work, so would rather find a fix.

Other bits 'n bobs I have found which may help you and balance my question are:-

1. don't use Advanced task killer to close the radio - it doesn't shut it down properly and you can't reuse the radio - if you get this, turn the phone off fully and then it shall work.

2. I like the 3G watchdog app to stop me going over my usage - give it a go

3. Shopsavvy is cool and works really well to scan a barcode and find better prices - Pkt Auctions Ebay app in contrast has never worked for me and seems useless in the wake of Shopsavvy

4. You may well need a new in car handsfree kit - A2DP requirement I think it is - my 2 old ones weren't up to it but a new Parrot kit for

 

[Demache]

Well my Eris doesn't have a FM receiver. But old Nokia E63 did, and what headset/headphones you used made a BIG difference. I used these Sony in-ear type earbuds (that I still use today), and I could pick up stations nearly 70 miles away! And these were stations that normally only car antennas could pick up. However, I started using these over-ear headphones that had much thicker and a much longer cable. That one would struggle even getting local stations.

I can't really give recommendations since going by what you typed, you live in the UK. And I don't have a clue what they have over there.

 

[tanchoboy]

Thanks Demache,

Seems to confirm the problem is with the headset/antenna and maybe I'll try and find a Sony 3.5mm jack set and try them?

Someone out there must have cracked this by now though....surely???

Cheers
Mark

 

[dlorde]

I'm finding exactly the same problem - moving from a Sony-Ericsson K700i with good FM reception, I find the Desire fails to pick up any stations when scanning outside London, and is really poor even with the main BBC radio stations in London. The noise suppression is non-existent, and when the radio can't find the signal, you get even louder noise. I'm using the same headset with the Desire that I used with the K700i.

I tried downloading the MyPlayer app, which gives you excellent streaming BBC iPlayer radio, but it's a bit heavy on the data traffic if used for several hours a day...

I guess the more people complain to HTC, the more chance of them taking notice, but it looks like FM is now considered old tech, so I doubt they'll do anything about it.

 

[sarahlaw]

you are not going mad, i have had the htc desire and it has never scanned the fm radio unless you listen over the internet.
i have complained to the 02 shop , they sent it in for reapir and it came back the same. i have complained to htc but not yet got a reply, i would not have purchsed this expensive andriod phone if the simple fm radio did not work. my headphones work but all phone shops i have checked, vodaphne 02, orange and friend htc desire phones all do not scann the fm radioeither . This is pants! my old sony erricson was ace on the radio , so why cannot htcs

 

[Demache]

This is pants!

I'm going to say that every time my phone misbehaves from now on.

 

[zaax]

you are not going mad, i have had the htc desire and it has never scanned the fm radio unless you listen over the internet.
i have complained to the 02 shop , they sent it in for reapir and it came back the same. i have complained to htc but not yet got a reply, i would not have purchsed this expensive andriod phone if the simple fm radio did not work. my headphones work but all phone shops i have checked, vodaphne 02, orange and friend htc desire phones all do not scann the fm radioeither . This is pants! my old sony erricson was ace on the radio , so why cannot htcs

 

[emmit123]

I have had my desire 2 days and have just gotten round to the F.M radio,,Well I thought it was my location,I am 10 miles east of London central, I like to listen to LBC 97.3 and bbc radio 2 Well I can get them just through the hiss which is a waste of time...I don't think it is aerial / antenna related The

 

[Usta]

FM radio is OK if I'm stationary. However, there is too much distortion when I'm on the move. For that reason, I use mp3player on the move, or internet radio streaming.

 

[labarnes]

I have the same issue. I travel in from Essex to the City of London on the train and used to listen to Radio 1 on an old Nokia 6303 and the signal was permanently excellent. However, I have had two HTC Desire's and they're both the same. I can hardly hear Radio 1 through the hissing radio noise for the whole journey and whilst walking through the City. I've tried different types of earphones (cheap, expensive, think, thick) and they all give the same poor results; they all give perfect results on other phones!

Shame as its such an awesome phone other than this... HTC Sort it out!!