BT Aviator 10M

31 January 2005

BT's relentless push into the home entertainment market has been boosted by the launch of its first DAB (Digital Audio Broadcasting) radio.

Introduction

The BT Aviator 10M seeks to stand out in an already crowded market through a range of features designed to enhance the listening and user experience. A simple menu system drives access to all functions, such as an auto-scan for DAB stations (a real winner), MP3 support (there's another one), clock, alarm and various other settings.

A substantial external aerial on the back of the Aviator means that you can receive both DAB and traditional FM broadcasts, as well as standing a reasonable chance of serving as a lightning conductor in a thunder storm. This multi-broadcast facility is great for the here and now, but will become less relevant as DAB station choice expands over the coming couple of years.

A major boast is the Aviator's support for recording and playback of stations. So if you are answering the door, popping out for a coffee or simple growing old hanging on hold to BT customer services, you can simply hit record and the Aviator will make a quick, 10-minute recording for you to listen to later.

The thing that turned my head, though, was the support for MP3. A media card slot to the right of the Aviator allows you to insert standard SD or MMC cards. Select MP3 from the menu and you're listening to your favourite downloads. Since the Aviator supports both battery and AC power, this is great for when you are on the move, but you will have to top up your mortgage to cope with the rate at which the Aviator burns through batteries. True, DAB draws on battery life more than FM, but the Aviator seemed to chomp through batteries even on standby.

Design and Use

The Aviator is of striking design, very high-tech with all the controls on the top of the unit. But it is a very masculine design and in our straw poll it did not appeal visually to the girlies. It is also a bit of a brick, and carrying it around is certainly more convenient than going to the gym.

There is a large, backlit display panel to the front that provides useful station information during reception or displays a clock in standby (and probably accounts for the drastic battery consumption). There is an alarm facility, although I don't see the Aviator adorning many bedside cabinets.

You can store up to five stations as preset channels, which seems a little miserly. Despite there being five speakers (two left and right, plus a sub-woofer) you can select from only three music modes (zero EQ, bass-bias and treble-bias) which seems to me a missed opportunity, especially when one considers that superior audio quality is the whole point of DAB.

Verdict

Design issues aside, I like the Aviator. It's great for roaming around the office and boasts some features that cannot currently be found elsewhere. I even got used to the weight after a while and found it reassuring. But something needs to be done to make it less hungry for batteries, and user control of bass tone must be improved.

But BT should be encouraged. It has taken an innovative approach in some regards, and although it has missed in others, we have a new and genuine player in the DAB market. To emphasise this, and shortly after launch, BT has shaved 25% off the price.