Tecsun R-2010D Digital with Analog Display Now Available

The Professor (not to be confused with me) writes (and Paul just made a similar note):

The Tecsun R-2010 has finally appeared on ebay. Only it has a "D" at the end. 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/TECSUN-R2010D-DSP-Analog-Radio-Receiver-12-Bands-Line-in-Digital-Display-/111094719076 

This radio has been widely anticipated as a better vehicle for the Silicon Labs si4831 "analog" chip. 

While I've liked the purely digital Tecsun ultralights, I made the mistake of buying the first radio with the si4831 chip - the Degen DE321. It was cute and tiny. And rather useless. The non-DSP (and slightly bigger) Tecsun R911 (or Kaito WRX321) and is a fine budget receiver. The DE321 is NOT. 

Compared to the pre-release photos of the R-2010, the R-2010D has a digital display along side the analog dial. Nice. And while I was one who kinda liked the "fake" analog dial below the digital display below the digital frequency display on the Degen DE1103, I've been desiring a new true analog radio with a digital display. I prefer analog tuning, but like knowing EXACTLY where I am on the dial. So, this radio interests me. 

And it's cheap enough. Less than $40 bucks with shipping. However, I have questions. Is it really really analog? While the digital DE1103 DOES tune across the dial without muting, the crappy (but analog) DE321 does not. This is important to me as a fine turning dial scanner. But the R-2010D ebay listing says that medium wave tuning can be changed from 9kHz to 10kH steps. OK. While a digital display may move in whatever steps a DSP chip might allow, I guess the actual tuning progresses in "steps" too. 

And if it can does or must move in steps, will there be muting or chuffing when moving across the frequencies? 

Shouldn't true analog tuning be step-free?

-prof

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Comments

[Gary]

The DE321 and KA321 are actually digital receivers made to look like analog receivers. According to this review, this design doesn't work well for tuning weak signals.

http://radio-timetraveller.blogspot.com/2013/04/review-of-kaito-ka321-dsp-receiver.html

It's possible that the R-2010D has the same problem tuning weak signals, since it apparently uses the same DSP chip as the DE321 and KA321.

[Stan]

A real Analog radio wouldn't mention 9 or 10khz steps, there aren't any.
The BCL-2000 is a analog radio with a digital display. What it does have is a freq counter that compensates for the IF.

[Tom Welch]

Jeff, read this article http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20110124005766/en/Silicon-Labs-Cost-Saving-AMFMSW-Receiver-Solution-Tecsun

[Keith Beesley]

It's digital tuning, analog readout. The 350 and the pocket-sized Grundig Mini 300/Tecsun R-919 are analog tuning/digital readout.

For those who prefer a purely analog SW receiver, Tecsun and Degen make many of those, too. The tiny, cheap Tecsun R-911 is very good on AM and SW.

[val]

Si484x DSP chip used in Tecsun R-2010D

[val]

Maybe it's interesting: http://www.silabs.com/Support%20Documents/TechnicalDocs/Si484x-DEMO.pdf

[Paul]

Tecsun R-2010D now in silver:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/121126145588

[vimal oberoi]

In Tecsun radio 2010D,as the analog dial has different dial spreads for FM 1,2&3,so that analog and digital readouts match.
My querry is,then they ought to have similar different dial spreads for AM 9/10 kHz steps(one for 522-1620 & other for 520-1710).Otherwise it will show wrong dial readings when step is 9 kHz on 520-1710 scale,won't it?
And btw Paul siver one looks cute.

[vimal oberoi]

Please see the pic.and the link for this similar radio Shouyu SY-X5(with two dial spreads for AM).This is what I meant in my querry as above dated June 14
http://www.ebay.com/itm/121128084806

[vimal oberoi]

This ShouYu SY-X5 radio has two band spreads for AM-one each for 9/10 khz steps.Thats what I was referring to in my above posting.And it's based on same Si484X DSP chip.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/ShouYu-SY-X5-FM-MW-SW-Full-Band-DSP-Portable-Radio-MP3-Player-/380623319060?pt=US_Compact_Shelf_Stereos&hash=item589eeaf014

[Keith Beesley]

I think you're right, Vimal. I also like that the SY-X5 can be powered by either the rechargeable battery OR standard AA batteries. That's the first time I've seen that feature.