The great digital switchover

[Mr Pig]

Analogue TV never skipped, jumped or pixilated, and we can see the transmitter out of the window, it's about two miles away!

My son just got a digital radio, the first one in the house. Sounds considerably less tuneful than the old FM tuner he had up til now. Digital, more is less.

 

[darkstar]

Analogue TV never skipped, jumped or pixilated, and we can see the transmitter out of the window, it's about two miles away!

My son just got a digital radio, the first one in the house. Sounds considerably less tuneful than the old FM tuner he had up til now. Digital, more is less.

I agree it can be a pain but the broadcast space saved could mean this country sorts out our lame excuse for 21st century broadband speeds...

 

[tyred]

In my experience, more channels only means you get more bullshit which isn't worth watching. Apart from the Grand Prix on Sunday, I genuinely can't remember the last time I sat down in front of the TV to watch a programme (probably the previous Grand Prix!). My TV is almost an antique and tbh, I doubt I will bother buying a replacement if/when it goes pop permantently.

 

[siadwell]

"I find television very educational. Every time someone switches it on I go into another room and read a good book."

Groucho Marx

 

[Rhythm Thief]

In my experience, more channels only means you get more bullshit which isn't worth watching. Apart from the Grand Prix on Sunday, I genuinely can't remember the last time I sat down in front of the TV to watch a programme (probably the previous Grand Prix!). My TV is almost an antique and tbh, I doubt I will bother buying a replacement if/when it goes pop permantently.

Me too. I lived without a telly for over twenty years before I started watching F1. Even then, I did two seasons of watching the races at other people's houses, in the pub, through the neighbour's window, etc. before I finally gave in. I could quite easily go back to having no telly.

 

[Mr Pig]

In my experience, more channels only means you get more bullshit

Yip. More quantity, less quality.

 

[661-Pete]

You don't have to be halfway up Snowdon to enjoy a 'no-reception' area! When in the 1970s I lived in a flat in Hove (nice genteel civilised Hove, the populous but 'respectable' side of Brighton) where, I already knew in advance, there would be no aerial reception of any sort. The nearest transmitter up on the Downs was simply in 'the wrong place'.

Luckily for me there was a cable point already installed in the flat (the TV companies were wise to this situation!), so I had to rent a cable-only set plus the cable subscription. Of course digital was a far-off dream in those days (as were channels 4 & 5), but at least I got the three main channels OK.

Don't know whether the aerial reception there has changed, since.

Where I live now, on the other side of the Downs, we can get Freeview via aerial OK, despite the website advising us 'not yet'. I did have to get a higher-gain aerial put up, but I took advantage of the fact that the old aerial blew down in a gale a few years ago, to get the upgrade!

 

[Rhythm Thief]

The digital switchover seems to be another of those things which is being foisted on the public, and passed off as a benefit for the viewer, without anyone actually having asked for it, or even expressed any dissatisfaction with the analogue service. This seems to happen a lot these days.

 

[Theseus]

When someone says that something is for your comfort & convenience, they are invariably lying.

 

[Rhythm Thief]

When someone says that something is for your comfort & convenience, they are invariably lying.

I was reading a Bill Bryson book last night, in which he told how he was staying in a hotel which stated on its room service menu: "For your convenience, room service orders are now subject to an additional 17.5% service charge."

 

[Llama]

check this out - it will tell you exactly which direction to point the TV aerial

http://www.wolfbane.com/cgi-bin/txpath.exe?

 

[Mr Pig]

The digital switchover seems to be another of those things which is being foisted on the public without anyone actually having asked for it

Totally agree. They decide what they want to give you then talk you into taking it.

 

[mark i]

The TV Licensing are a nightmare. They simply do not / cannot believe that in this day and age there may be a property with no TV, and so harrass those that do not have one....

 

[Mr Pig]

We have friends who have never had a TV. The TV snoopers still come round and inspect their house.

 

[Yellow Fang]

Does the digital switchover just affect the Beeb, or ITV and C4 too? I don't think it's due around here till 2012, when I intend to stop buying my TV licence.