DTT in Ireland & PC World

For those of you who didn't already know it, Ireland's economy is
booming. The 'Celtic Tiger' means that everyone is driving around
in brand new Mercedes and using 100-euro notes to light their turf
fires with.
To take advantage of this new found wealth many UK stores and
businesses are setting up shop. (Including yours truly who is making
far more as a rigger than he ever could in penny-pinching Northants.
Some are welcome, after 6 years without I now have a Halfords within
reach, even a B&Q to stock up on No More Nails. Some are not.....
After picking up some lovely new ratchet spanners from Halfords to
replace the ones I've left on chimney stacks, I popped into PC World.
I was after a USB to serial adaptor so I could download software to
satellite receivers from my laptop. I was assured by a very confident
young fella that such a thing does not exist ..err um..
Anyway, as I was there I had a nose around and was surprised to see a
large range of DTT and tuner cards and USB devices. Now one or two of
the DVB-T PCI cards also had analogue tuners, but the majority did not.
None of the USB devices had analogue tuners, as far as I could see. I
had a look at the LCD tellys. Some had integrated DVB-T tuners and
were being promoted as digital TVs. The showcard said "Over 25
digital channels available". NOT!!
There is of course not a hope of getting DTT in Cork or most of the
Republic for the
foreseeable future. Trials are currently being run from one transmitter
covering the Dublin area, and people close to the Northern Ireland
border can pick it up from Divis, also the Wexford coast in the South
East can get a sea path from Presley, but Cork? Not a hope in hell! I
found the (English) store manager and pointed put to him that he was
selling products that did not work in the area where they were being
sold. He told me he was aware of this, but there was nothing he could
do about it. He was sent the products and had to put them out. He had
already contacted head office and they said to sell them. I then asked
if it would be a good idea is put a sign up saying-
" At the moment there are no Digital Terrestrial broadcasts in this
area and this product will not work". He did not think he would be
allowed to do this. Good to see that DSG are maintaining their usual
standards!
I have had one or two service calls in the past to check out aerials
where it has turned out they are trying to use a digital tuner, I guess
I should be ready for a good few more!

I McD wrote:
For those of you who didn't already know it, Ireland's economy is
booming. The 'Celtic Tiger' means that everyone is driving around
in brand new Mercedes and using 100-euro notes to light their turf
fires with.
To take advantage of this new found wealth many UK stores and
businesses are setting up shop. (Including yours truly who is making
far more as a rigger than he ever could in penny-pinching Northants.
Some are welcome, after 6 years without I now have a Halfords within
reach, even a B&Q to stock up on No More Nails. Some are not.....
After picking up some lovely new ratchet spanners from Halfords to
replace the ones I've left on chimney stacks, I popped into PC World.
I was after a USB to serial adaptor so I could download software to
satellite receivers from my laptop. I was assured by a very
confident young fella that such a thing does not exist ..err um..
Anyway, as I was there I had a nose around and was surprised to see a
large range of DTT and tuner cards and USB devices. Now one or two of
the DVB-T PCI cards also had analogue tuners, but the majority did
not. None of the USB devices had analogue tuners, as far as I could
see. I had a look at the LCD tellys. Some had integrated DVB-T
tuners and were being promoted as digital TVs. The showcard said
"Over 25
digital channels available". NOT!!

Hmmm, I'm not sure I believe this bizarre story. Why would PC World waste
their time doing such a ridiculous and probably illegal activity? It would
be scandalous and kill their credibility in Ireland stone dead.

Hmmm, I'm not sure I believe this bizarre story. Why would PC World waste
their time doing such a ridiculous and probably illegal activity? It would
be scandalous and kill their credibility in Ireland stone dead.

Believe it or not, I guess they have just shipped their entire product
range over and bugger local market conditions. Either that or the
manager is an arrogant llittle sod talking complete and utter bollox.
I will email DSG to see what they have to say. Anyone got a good
contact there?
I have not had a chance to look in the Currys next door yet. I bet they
have Freeview STBs.

"I McD" wrote:

Anyway, as I was there I had a nose around and was surprised to see a
large range of DTT and tuner cards and USB devices. Now one or two of
the DVB-T PCI cards also had analogue tuners, but the majority did not.
None of the USB devices had analogue tuners, as far as I could see. I
had a look at the LCD tellys. Some had integrated DVB-T tuners and
were being promoted as digital TVs. The showcard said "Over 25
digital channels available". NOT!! ...

I wondered if this should be crossposted with an Irish technical
newsgroup, but I see that none exist. Ireland seems to be poorly
represented on Usenet. A web search on keywords related to this post
turned up a copy of the above that you'd posted on www.boards.ie which
seems to be a popular site, so I guess that the Irish prefer web forums.

--
Dave Farrance

Hmmm, I'm not sure I believe this bizarre story. Why would PC World
waste their time doing such a ridiculous and probably illegal
activity? It would be scandalous and kill their credibility in
Ireland stone dead.

Believe it or not, I guess they have just shipped their entire product
range over and bugger local market conditions. Either that or the
manager is an arrogant llittle sod talking complete and utter bollox.

Both probably.

I will email DSG to see what they have to say. Anyone got a good
contact there?


I have not had a chance to look in the Currys next door yet. I bet
they have Freeview STBs.

Same company so probably the same attitude. Is there an Irish Trading
standards equivalent?

Peter Crosland

"I McD" wrote in message
ups.com...



Hmmm, I'm not sure I believe this bizarre story. Why would PC World waste
their time doing such a ridiculous and probably illegal activity? It
would
be scandalous and kill their credibility in Ireland stone dead.

Believe it or not, I guess they have just shipped their entire product
range over and bugger local market conditions. Either that or the
manager is an arrogant llittle sod talking complete and utter bollox.

In PC World? Surely not!

..

I expect they consider themselves to be part of the UK.

Absolutely not! Most Irish people take every opportunity to inform you
of there independent status.
Try expressing such views in a pub in Kilburn and see what you get!
(Of course everybody knows that NW6 and NW2 (Counties Kilburn and
Cricklewood) are really part of the Republic of Ireland.)
It's PC World who do not know where they are-
'Where in the world? - PC World!'
they sing in that annoying jingle, do you think someone should tell
them? IRELAND.

Alan Pemberton wrote:
Dave Farrance wrote:

"I McD" wrote:

Anyway, as I was there I had a nose around and was surprised to see
a large range of DTT and tuner cards and USB devices. Now one or
two of the DVB-T PCI cards also had analogue tuners, but the
majority did not. None of the USB devices had analogue tuners, as
far as I could see. I had a look at the LCD tellys. Some had
integrated DVB-T tuners and were being promoted as digital TVs. The
showcard said "Over 25
digital channels available". NOT!! ...

I wondered if this should be crossposted with an Irish technical
newsgroup, but I see that none exist. Ireland seems to be poorly
represented on Usenet. A web search on keywords related to this post
turned up a copy of the above that you'd posted on www.boards.ie
which seems to be a popular site, so I guess that the Irish prefer
web forums.

I expect they consider themselves to be part of the UK.

Don't be ridiculous!

"Adrian A" wrote in message
news
Alan Pemberton wrote:
Dave Farrance wrote:

"I McD" wrote:

Anyway, as I was there I had a nose around and was surprised to see
a large range of DTT and tuner cards and USB devices. Now one or
two of the DVB-T PCI cards also had analogue tuners, but the
majority did not. None of the USB devices had analogue tuners, as
far as I could see. I had a look at the LCD tellys. Some had
integrated DVB-T tuners and were being promoted as digital TVs. The
showcard said "Over 25
digital channels available". NOT!! ...

I wondered if this should be crossposted with an Irish technical
newsgroup, but I see that none exist. Ireland seems to be poorly
represented on Usenet. A web search on keywords related to this post
turned up a copy of the above that you'd posted on www.boards.ie
which seems to be a popular site, so I guess that the Irish prefer
web forums.

I expect they consider themselves to be part of the UK.

Don't be ridiculous!

Sorry for hijacking this thread but I bought a Belkin USB wireless adapter
from PCWorld. Says on the box works with Windows 98SE up to Windows XP. I
have 3 computers one Windows 98SE, one Windows 2000 and third Windows XP.
The adapter works on the Windows 2000 and Windows XP computers but would not
even install on the Windows 98SE computer. When plugged in the computer went
through the motions then said it could not find the device although it knew
it was plugged in. So I thought, I'll just take it back and get another
make.

No chance.

Their technical person plugged it into a Windows XP computer and said it
works so no refund or exchange. I then asked to see the manager and guess
what? an arrogant little prick turned up and said that the adapter was not
faulty I was not getting a refund and that it was my settings on the Windows
98SE computer. I even said I would buy a more expensive adapter but the
arrogant little prick said no. So does anyone have an email address that I
can complain to about this arrogant little prick?
If I had paid £3 more and bought another type out of my local ASDA I would
had a refund no bother.
Thanks Ron

I McD wrote:
.
I expect they consider themselves to be part of the UK.

Absolutely not! Most Irish people take every opportunity to inform you
of there independent status.

Maybe that, but looking at some Irish TV on the west coast and content
in the 'red top' tabloid press, you might be supprised at how much UK
influenced non-political stories and programmes dominate. Even
Eastenders gets an airing on RTE.

Try expressing such views in a pub in Kilburn and see what you get!
(Of course everybody knows that NW6 and NW2 (Counties Kilburn and
Cricklewood) are really part of the Republic of Ireland.)

Nah. Guniness still tastes strange ...

It's PC World who do not know where they are-
'Where in the world? - PC World!'
they sing in that annoying jingle, do you think someone should tell
them? IRELAND.


So Ireland looks like they may be having a go with MPEG4 DTT as well as
MPEG2 8k. Probably they will get a better DTT HD service before the UK
does ;-(

Glenn has previously posted this URL which I thought I'd repeat as it's
of relevance to this thread.

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/forumdisplay.php?f=56

--
Adrian C