Death By Digital

[PlecMama]

Ok. Digital switch over.

How do you feel about this?

I'm not happy, it seems to me that they are taking away something we have and giving us not a lot else in return. I have cable TV, I pay for it. I also pay the BBC so I can ignore their stations - so now we all have to have digital TV does it mean they will do away with the licence fee? I haven't heard it will...

So what this means is that I am forced now to go buy either new TV's or set top boxes for all my teles. Well, We have one in the living room, one in our room, one in Dylan's room and another in the kitchen. My tv in the kitchen is 27 years old now, bless it. I just watch the news over coffee in the morning, and sometimes a bit if I am cooking something that keeps me in the kitchen because it needs to be tended.

It's not really worth buying a £30 box to translate for an elderly and partially deaf, black and white TV. (by deaf I mean that sometimes the sound works, sometimes it doesn't - you have to sort of tap on the button to make it come back on. Hey, it's old, it still has a dial. I love it though.)

And what about the travel TV? I sometimes take that on the bus with me, little Casio portable thing. I have an hour and a half bus ride every day, to and from work. I sometimes take the minitv and watch the news or what ever (Deal Or No Deal!) - that won't work now either.

So what do you think? Ours is happening in 2011 according to that below. But since my oldest TV is 27, and I usually look after my stuff, I can see no reson to be updating my other sets in the next 4 years - except now I have to. Maybe we are the only people that own old TV's? I don't think so. Oh and did you catch that bit about seven lines down in the text below that says it's going to mess up your video recorder too? the bit about oh and you have to watch what you're taping so you can't watch one channel and tape something on the other side? no, they didn't make a lot of noise about that, just sort of sneaked it in there.

Digital switchover involves the switch-off of the analogue terrestrial transmissions network that has been in place since the 1930s and its replacement with all-digital terrestrial network. At the moment digital and analogue signals are broadcast simultaneously. But whilst the analogue signal is maintained, the digital signal can’t be broadcast in full and at full power across the UK.

Switchover will affect all viewers who have any televisions through which they can only receive analogue services BBC1, BBC2, ITV, C4/S4C and (where available) Five services through the TV aerial.

To receive TV services after switchover, all these televisions will need to be converted either by the purchase of a set-top box, or by the purchase of an integrated digital television (iDTV) which has an in-built digital tuner, or through connection to a cable or satellite digital service. Video Recorders will lose some functionality, for example they will no longer facilitate time-shift recording or record a different channel to that being viewed.

It will take around four to five years to complete the switchover process. It will take place region by region (very likely to be based on ITV regions). Viewers in each region will have a minimum of two years’ notice about when the switching process will start in their region.

The process of switchover will take place between 2008 and 2012, ITV region by ITV region:
2008 – Border
2009 – West Country, HTV Wales, Granada
2010 – HTV West, Grampian, Scottish Television
2011 – Yorkshire, Anglia, Central
2012 – Meridian, Carlton/LWT (London), Tyne Tees, Ulster

In each region, consumers can expect changes to take place over a period of weeks. This could happen as follows:

* Messages appear on screen saying that from next month one analogue service (for example BBC TWO) will no longer be available
* On the named date, the analogue service stops and the digital multiplex carrying BBC TWO (and also BBC ONE, BBC THREE, BBC FOUR, CBBC, CBeebies) will move to the frequency channel vacated by analogue BBC TWO
* Shortly afterwards, messages appear on screen saying that some or all of the other analogue services are about to stop
* On the named day, or days, BBC ONE, ITV1, Channel 4 (or S4C in Wales) and Five stop transmitting in analogue, and the multiplexes carrying these digital services move to the frequency channels vacated by the analogue service

Each of these changes should happen overnight. Each set top box or integrated digital television for terrestrial services will need to rescan (either automatically or manually) so that the viewer can watch the digital services at their new settings.

Some households can’t receive digital terrestrial television at the moment and won’t be able to until switchover. This sequence of changes at switchover in a region will provide an extra prompt to them to get equipment, and give them the chance to connect and test it before the analogue is completely switched off.

A new aerial may be required as some aerials are old or damaged, and in some parts of the country, Digital Terrestrial signals use a different frequency or transmitter to the one you normally use for your analogue reception.

The cabling which connects your aerial to your TV set may also need to be upgraded. If opting for digital satellite you will need a dish installed and connected to a digibox (stb) or satellite based iDTV (with built in digibox).

Where you live and the age and condition of your aerial and quality of the installation will determine whether you may require a new roof top or loft aerial to receive digital terrestrial TV (DTT).

 

[Darkstar]

I'm not happy, it seems to me that they are taking away something we have and giving us not a lot else in return. I have cable TV, I pay for it. I also pay the BBC so I can ignore their stations - so now we all have to have digital TV does it mean they will do away with the licence fee? I haven't heard it will...

How the signal is transmitted has nothing to do with the license fee which is why you haven't heard anything about it. Please explain why you think it should?

So what this means is that I am forced now to go buy either new TV's or set top boxes for all my teles. Well, We have one in the living room, one in our room, one in Dylan's room and another in the kitchen. My tv in the kitchen is 27 years old now, bless it. I just watch the news over coffee in the morning, and sometimes a bit if I am cooking something that keeps me in the kitchen because it needs to be tended.

No-one is forcing you to do anything at this point just like no-one forced you to fill your house with tv's (inc. one in your 3 year olds room....does a 3 year old even need a tv I think is the main question in this whole thread for me) but if you expect technology to stand still so you can keep your 27 year old tv, you are sadly in the minorty. I applaud technological progress and am right behind it.

And what about the travel TV? I sometimes take that on the bus with me, little Casio portable thing. I have an hour and a half bus ride every day, to and from work. I sometimes take the minitv and watch the news or what ever (Deal Or No Deal!) - that won't work now either.

that won't work now either?! Great, try reading a book!
jesus how much tv do you need to watch?!?!?...considering the general standard of tv in todays society I'm surprised anyone can find more than 2hrs a week of anything worth watching and that certainly doesn't include 'deal or no deal'

Oh and did you catch that bit about seven lines down in the text below that says it's going to mess up your video recorder too? the bit about oh and you have to watch what you're taping so you can't watch one channel and tape something on the other side? no, they didn't make a lot of noise about that, just sort of sneaked it in there.

Yes and technology means by that time you won't need a video recorder, as there are already existing applications provided by sky and now cable which allow you to watch programs when you feel like rather than having to conform to any tv schdeule. Should we now expect a thread about that too?

 

[The-Wolf]

Well, We have one in the living room, one in our room, one in Dylan's room and another in the kitchen.

so you have 4 TV's, doesn't the licence only cover 3?

Ok. Digital switch over. How do you feel about this?

I care not for the switchover as I have sky+ , as such analoge is irrelevant to me
and has been since the lauch of sky digital (circa 1997)

 

[Squid]

Well, We have one in the living room, one in our room, one in Dylan's room and another in the kitchen.

so you have 4 TV's, doesn't the licence only cover 3?

Ok. Digital switch over. How do you feel about this?

I care not for the switchover as I have sky+ , as such analoge is irrelevant to me
and has been since the lauch of sky digital (circa 1997)

Yay sky+.. heheh.. good stuff.

SuzieQ.. i'm affraid im one of those techie people that loves all this stuff. I have sky+ and sky multiroom, with two additional (variable signal) tv senders and receivers so that can watch either sky box in 2 other rooms that don't have one of the two sky boxes. I also consider my 36" Widesceen to be a little dated an in need of an update.. hehehe

As for the mobile tv.. I can put whole DVD's at a really good bit-rate and frame rate on my mobile.. or you could get a different MPEG-4 player and put the day befores deal or no deal on it and watch it in better quality than on you handheld analogue one.

However.. a 27 year old tv.. i must applaud that...

Squid..

 

[PlecMama]

Darkstar the entirety of your reply is extremely hostile and does nothing to foster a friendly exchange of ideas or opinions.
I'll decline to reply to the rest of your reply except for this:

(inc. one in your 3 year olds room....does a 3 year old even need a tv I think is the main question in this whole thread for me)...

If I chose to let my 4 year old have a television, that's my family's business. Your comments on that matter as well as your
unwarranted implications are uncalled for and unwelcome.


Squid, we're high tech in computers, have cable, have DVD's and the usual junk, but I resent being forced to buy all new stuff so the TV companies can make some money, and they have to be, they didn't do this out of the goodness of their hearts so we could all enjoy digital. If they suddenly stopped making petrol I bet a few people would have something to say about having to go buy a new car.

Seems to me that the only people it doesn't bother are the people that already have it. So that's great, I don't mind computers, we have lots of those, but if they suddenly told me I had to pay a fee to use them, I wouldn't be happy with that. I bet there are a lot of elderly people that can't afford the upgrades,

There's no limit to how many TV's you can have on one licence, never had been as far as I know. I checked with licencing today to see if it had been updated to include this and it hasn't.

 

[three-fingers]

Squid, we're high tech in computers, have cable, have DVD's and the usual junk, but I resent being forced to buy all new stuff so the TV companies can make some money, and they have to be, they didn't do this out of the goodness of their hearts so we could all enjoy digital. If they suddenly stopped making petrol I bet a few people would have something to say about having to go buy a new car.

Personally i think they are doing it because thats the way the world works, technology advances and electronics become obsolete . Did you really think you could buy your TV and it would last for ever, 27 years seems like a good run for any piece of electronics to me. Would you rather that the digital switchover would never happen? Would you rather technology never advanced (or was just never implemented) so that it's more convenient for you in the short run?
A good thing for you however is that in 5 years time set top boxes will be dirt cheap, especially for rubbish ones(to go with your 27 year old tv ), just look through any argos catalogue and you'll see they are falling in price very quickly .

Oh and btw i heard they are going to stop making petrol soon................soonish.
Even if they stopped within the next 20 years, that would be a good thing, but i guess you not the kind of person who sees it that way...since you seem to be focused on the short term a little bit .

 

[The-Wolf]

There's no limit to how many TV's you can have on one licence, never had been as far as I know.

thats ok then
maybe it is a myth my mother told me to stop me buying lots of TVs'

 

[Underwurlde]

Hi,

Interesting issues....

we're high tech in computers, have cable, have DVD's and the usual junk,

So how much have you spent on computers so that you can keep up and remain high tech?
I know I've spent a fortune - but we live with it and indeed welcome the advances in technology.
The speed of this technology has gone through the roof and yet the cost of an average PC is half what is was 15 years ago.

You have cable & DVD's - you've kept up.

So why bemoan advances in terrestrial TV? It's been around for the best part of 60 years, far longer than anything else mentioned (as vindicated by your 27yr old telly). The whole thing is WAY overdue for a change - it had to happen sooner or later, no?

I think as things are allowed to advance, the technology becomes more widespread and mass produced, the cost of things will reduce. It's not a consipiracy of electronics manufacturers - its progress! And I welcome it.

Andy

 

[PlecMama]

Even if they stopped within the next 20 years, that would be a good thing, but i guess you not the kind of person who sees it that way...since you seem to be focused on the short term a little bit

erm, so, can we talk about the digital and not continue with the general slighting of me? I didn't do anything to anyone here except ask a question about how you felt about digital TV, so far I've been told that I am a crap parent, that I need to learn to read, that I am short sighted and narrow minded and old fashioned. You may protest those points but anyone can read it and see that. Judgements made by the posters on this thread, who know basically as much about me as my profile says - if they've read it.

Now, if anyone wants to put their opinion about digital TV and not the life and times of Sue, I'd like to read it, since that's what I asked in the first place.