Digital switchover

Here's an idea to assist the old folk with analogue switch-off. It
would require the existing analog channels to be muxed up together.
Then you could produce a very simple device with a single digital tuner
which could be plugged inline into the aerial socket of a TV or VCR and
which would demux those channels into their original pre-switchoff
frequencies.

Matti

On Sat, 14 Jul 2007 16:23:29 +0100, "Matti Lamprhey"
mused:

Here's an idea to assist the old folk with analogue switch-off. It
would require the existing analog channels to be muxed up together.
Then you could produce a very simple device with a single digital tuner
which could be plugged inline into the aerial socket of a TV or VCR and
which would demux those channels into their original pre-switchoff
frequencies.

Sounds simple, but it's not the simplicity that's the problem, it's
the cost. There is a perfectly reasonable[sic] way of demuxing all
channels so why would anyone want anything less?
--
Regards,
Stuart.

"Lurch" wrote...
"Matti Lamprhey" mused:

Here's an idea to assist the old folk with analogue switch-off. It
would require the existing analog channels to be muxed up together.
Then you could produce a very simple device with a single digital
tuner
which could be plugged inline into the aerial socket of a TV or VCR
and
which would demux those channels into their original pre-switchoff
frequencies.

Sounds simple, but it's not the simplicity that's the problem, it's
the cost. There is a perfectly reasonable[sic] way of demuxing all
channels so why would anyone want anything less?

Because it magically makes VCRs continue to work just as they used to.

Matti

On 14/07/2007 16:30, Matti Lamprhey wrote:

"Lurch" wrote...
"Matti Lamprhey" mused:

Here's an idea to assist the old folk with analogue switch-off. It
would require the existing analog channels to be muxed up together.
Then you could produce a very simple device with a single digital
tuner
which could be plugged inline into the aerial socket of a TV or VCR
and
which would demux those channels into their original pre-switchoff
frequencies.

Sounds simple, but it's not the simplicity that's the problem, it's
the cost. There is a perfectly reasonable[sic] way of demuxing all
channels so why would anyone want anything less?

Because it magically makes VCRs continue to work just as they used to.

But then you're asking it to demux 5 separate stations from a single(?)
tuner, which only the top-end boxes do (I don't know how many concurrent
stations the toppy etc can decode) and also RF modulate them all, then
it'll need another tuner to touch the other muxes with as the first one
will be dedicated to the your PSB mux, so this box would probably end up
costing £300-400.

In message , Matti
Lamprhey wrote
Here's an idea to assist the old folk with analogue switch-off. It
would require the existing analog channels to be muxed up together.
Then you could produce a very simple device with a single digital tuner
which could be plugged inline into the aerial socket of a TV or VCR and

Isn't it already sold as a Freeview STB with a modulator.

which would demux those channels into their original pre-switchoff
frequencies.


You may be making the erroneous assumption that the analogue channels
are always transmitted on the same frequency throughout the country. To
make it 'simple' for the intended user you would need a different box
configuration for each transmitter. In my local area aerials point
towards one of four transmitters - which box would the 'old folk' have
to buy? Furthermore, if the existing analogue channels are reallocated
for digital it may lead to even more confusion to have two channels
sharing the same frequency.

BTW, why do believe that old folk are unable to cope with the existing
digital TV technology?
--
Alan
news2006 {at} amac {dot} f2s {dot} com

On Sat, 14 Jul 2007 16:39:02 +0100, Andy Burns
mused:

On 14/07/2007 16:30, Matti Lamprhey wrote:

"Lurch" wrote...
"Matti Lamprhey" mused:

Here's an idea to assist the old folk with analogue switch-off. It
would require the existing analog channels to be muxed up together.
Then you could produce a very simple device with a single digital
tuner
which could be plugged inline into the aerial socket of a TV or VCR
and
which would demux those channels into their original pre-switchoff
frequencies.

Sounds simple, but it's not the simplicity that's the problem, it's
the cost. There is a perfectly reasonable[sic] way of demuxing all
channels so why would anyone want anything less?

Because it magically makes VCRs continue to work just as they used to.

But then you're asking it to demux 5 separate stations from a single(?)
tuner, which only the top-end boxes do (I don't know how many concurrent
stations the toppy etc can decode) and also RF modulate them all, then
it'll need another tuner to touch the other muxes with as the first one
will be dedicated to the your PSB mux, so this box would probably end up
costing £300-400.

Be cheaper to buy 5 cheap freeview boxes with modulators or 5 freeview
boxes and 5 cheap modulators.
--
Regards,
Stuart.

"Andy Burns" wrote...
On 14/07/2007 16:30, Matti Lamprhey wrote:
"Lurch" wrote...
"Matti Lamprhey" mused:

Here's an idea to assist the old folk with analogue switch-off. It
would require the existing analogue channels to be muxed up
together.
Then you could produce a very simple device with a single digital
tuner which could be plugged inline into the aerial socket of a TV
or VCR and which would demux those channels into their original
pre-switchoff frequencies.

Sounds simple, but it's not the simplicity that's the problem, it's
the cost. There is a perfectly reasonable[sic] way of demuxing all
channels so why would anyone want anything less?

Because it magically makes VCRs continue to work just as they used
to.

But then you're asking it to demux 5 separate stations from a
single(?) tuner, which only the top-end boxes do (I don't know how
many concurrent stations the toppy etc can decode) and also RF
modulate them all, then it'll need another tuner to touch the other
muxes with as the first one will be dedicated to the your PSB mux,
so this box would probably end up costing £300-400.

Its primary purpose is to permit the old analogue channels to still be
viewed and recorded -- supporting the new digital channels would be
an optional extra. I would have thought all five could be demuxed
and modulated very cheaply if this is all it's required to do.

Matti

"Alan" wrote...
Matti Lamprhey wrote
Here's an idea to assist the old folk with analogue switch-off. It
would require the existing analog channels to be muxed up together.
Then you could produce a very simple device with a single digital
tuner
which could be plugged inline into the aerial socket of a TV or VCR
and

Isn't it already sold as a Freeview STB with a modulator.

No -- that makes life much more complicated for those with a VCR.

which would demux those channels into their original pre-switchoff
frequencies.


You may be making the erroneous assumption that the analogue channels
are always transmitted on the same frequency throughout the country.

I'm aware that this is not currently planned, but that could be easily
fixed.

To make it 'simple' for the intended user you would need a different
box configuration for each transmitter. In my local area aerials point
towards one of four transmitters - which box would the 'old folk' have
to buy? Furthermore, if the existing analogue channels are
reallocated for digital it may lead to even more confusion to have two
channels sharing the same frequency.

I'm aware that it would need to be configured, but that's not a big
problem. I suspect it could even configure itself if installed
pre-switchoff.

Matti

BTW, why do believe that old folk are unable to cope with the existing
digital TV technology?

On Sat, 14 Jul 2007 16:48:02 +0100, "Matti Lamprhey"
mused:

"Andy Burns" wrote...
On 14/07/2007 16:30, Matti Lamprhey wrote:
"Lurch" wrote...
"Matti Lamprhey" mused:

Here's an idea to assist the old folk with analogue switch-off. It
would require the existing analogue channels to be muxed up
together.
Then you could produce a very simple device with a single digital
tuner which could be plugged inline into the aerial socket of a TV
or VCR and which would demux those channels into their original
pre-switchoff frequencies.

Sounds simple, but it's not the simplicity that's the problem, it's
the cost. There is a perfectly reasonable[sic] way of demuxing all
channels so why would anyone want anything less?

Because it magically makes VCRs continue to work just as they used
to.

But then you're asking it to demux 5 separate stations from a
single(?) tuner, which only the top-end boxes do (I don't know how
many concurrent stations the toppy etc can decode) and also RF
modulate them all, then it'll need another tuner to touch the other
muxes with as the first one will be dedicated to the your PSB mux,
so this box would probably end up costing £300-400.

Its primary purpose is to permit the old analogue channels to still be
viewed and recorded -- supporting the new digital channels would be
an optional extra. I would have thought all five could be demuxed
and modulated very cheaply if this is all it's required to do.

Did you not the post you replied to? It's not just a case of build a
little device and sell it for a fiver.
--
Regards,
Stuart.

On Sat, 14 Jul 2007 16:58:10 +0100, Lurch
mused:

Did you not the post you replied to? It's not just a case of build a
little device and sell it for a fiver.

Clearly that was meant to read;

Did you not read the post you replied to? It's not just a case of
build a little device and sell it for a fiver.
--
Regards,
Stuart.