A digital radio will provide you with a great deal more functionality than what you will get from an old-fashioned analogue radio. You will get advantages including an LCD screen, and the ability to pause and rewind the radio broadcast. However, when you are looking to buy one of these radios, there are some factors you will need to consider. You will want to take price into account, of course, along with your personal needs.
One major advantage to digital radios is that they come with EPG or electronic program guide. You can use this guide to find different digital radio stations. Of course, the EPG also offers an easy way to find new programs. Plus, the digital radio will automatically find all the stations that are available in your given area. You will have the opportunity to store the stations that you will listen to most.
Your EPG, or electronic program guide, will allow you to rewind, pause and sometimes even record live radio broadcasts. An important thing to know as you choose your radio is that not all systems can record programs. Before choosing your radio, think about your listening and recording needs. If you plan on recording a lot, it may be worth investing a little more for a radio with a memory card. If you wont be recording much radio, save your money and buy one without this capability. The recording works similar to a TIVO or DVR device.
Also make sure you consider the sound quality that you require. Some systems do not even have stereo speakers. While this is not a big deal for everyone, for some, good speakers are a priority. Is you are listening to the radio in a large open space and only plan on using one speaker, the sound quality probably wont be great no matter what you do. Sound quality on a digital radio can be great, but sometimes isnt any better than a standard radio. It all depends on the broadcast you are listening to and their method of compression.
Finally, make sure you can actually get a digital signal in your area. Some places dont yet have digital radio broadcasts available. In fact, even if there are ample broadcasts, some people find they cant get a good signal in their home for some reason or another. Find out the return policy before you purchase so that you can make sure you can return the radio if it doesnt work as you were hoping.