Digital switchover

In message , Matti
Lamprhey wrote


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.

Surely the proposal is for a box that uses the existing channels
allocations so the TV and the VCR don't have to be changed or re-tuned?
If this simple box first requires a change to the channels on which the
analogue is broadcast why not make it very simple and buy an existing
Freeview box.

If you are now proposing that the existing transmitter channel
allocation should be change for analogue this would be adding real
confusion to the changeover. You would now have to educate all those
thick old folk that their analogue is going to stop working unless they
re-tune to the same analogue channel elsewhere. Oh and by the way, the
new allocation may mean that you need a new aerial because your existing
band A aerial cannot get band C transmissions.

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.


How do you stop the box picking up signals from multiple transmitters
and then selecting the 'wrong' one.

--
Alan
news2006 {at} amac {dot} f2s {dot} com

"Matti Lamprhey" wrote in message
...
"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

How many old people do you know that are willing to learn to use a VCR?
Most don't need to with freeview anyway as everything is repeated on a daily
basis and then a weekly basis - until it gets to a month and off they go
again.
So really there is no point.
Most go to bed at 6pm, get up at 4am and prepare to annoy the world. First
it's waiting in the post office queue 1 hour early, then off to ALDI to buy
things they don't want just to stop others, then for a drive around in rush
hour at 20mph obstructing people.

"Alan" wrote...
Matti Lamprhey wrote

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.

Surely the proposal is for a box that uses the existing channels
allocations so the TV and the VCR don't have to be changed or
re-tuned? If this simple box first requires a change to the channels
on which the analogue is broadcast why not make it very simple and buy
an existing Freeview box.

I think you've missed the point. The required change would be for the
'old' analogue channels to share a single mux. The device would demux
them into their old frequency positions. Therefore any TV and VCR using
the device would require no retuning and the device itself would need
only one tuner.

Matti

"MarkT" wrote in message
...
Most go to bed at 6pm, get up at 4am and prepare to annoy the world.
First it's waiting in the post office queue 1 hour early, then off to ALDI
to buy things they don't want just to stop others, then for a drive around
in rush hour at 20mph obstructing people.

My dad is 88. He drives far too fast, refuses to queue for anything, is a
very successful fly fisherman, and he builds walls and sheds in his spare
time.

Bill

"Matti Lamprhey" wrote in message
...
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.

One problem would be that the device would be receiving on the same
frequency as one of its output frequencies. There are lots of other snags
that make the idea impractical.

Bill

On Sat, 14 Jul 2007 17:33:44 +0100, "Matti Lamprhey"
mused:

"Alan" wrote...
Matti Lamprhey wrote

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.

Surely the proposal is for a box that uses the existing channels
allocations so the TV and the VCR don't have to be changed or
re-tuned? If this simple box first requires a change to the channels
on which the analogue is broadcast why not make it very simple and buy
an existing Freeview box.

I think you've missed the point. The required change would be for the
'old' analogue channels to share a single mux.

Who would be paying the licensing for this extra mux, assuming it has
somewwhere to fit? The users of it wouldn't want to particularly as
there will only be a few of them so it would cost a fortune.

The device would demux
them into their old frequency positions. Therefore any TV and VCR using
the device would require no retuning and the device itself would need
only one tuner.

So you'd need a box for every area to get the correct channel layout.
More expense.
--
Regards,
Stuart.

In message , Matti
Lamprhey wrote

I think you've missed the point. The required change would be for the
'old' analogue channels to share a single mux.

I understand this.

The device would demux
them into their old frequency positions.

The old (current) frequency positions a
From Crystal Palace BBC 1 analogue is on Ch26
From Bluebell Hill BBC 1 analogue is on Ch40
From Dover BBC 1 analogue is on Ch50
From Guilford BBC 1 analogue is on Ch40
From Reigate BBC 1 analogue is on Ch57
etc.

On which channel would your box output BBC1?

In my area it would have to be C26 or Ch40 or Ch 50 depending on which
way my aerial happens to be pointing. In another area it would be a
different channel number , or multiple channel numbers depending on
local conditions. You target market would probably have to know the
transmitter from which they are getting their signals.

On a bad day my aerial picks up from 3 different transmitters. I can
manually tune my boxes to the transmitter that I want and reject the
other signals but the box you propose isn't aimed at me and will have to
auto-tune.



--
Alan
news2006 {at} amac {dot} f2s {dot} com

"Alan" wrote...
Matti Lamprhey wrote

I think you've missed the point. The required change would be for the
'old' analogue channels to share a single mux.

I understand this.

The device would demux
them into their old frequency positions.

The old (current) frequency positions a
From Crystal Palace BBC 1 analogue is on Ch26
From Bluebell Hill BBC 1 analogue is on Ch40
From Dover BBC 1 analogue is on Ch50
From Guilford BBC 1 analogue is on Ch40
From Reigate BBC 1 analogue is on Ch57
etc.

On which channel would your box output BBC1?

I did say in another post that the box would have to be geographically
configurable to suit the different analogue channel positions. It
seemed to me possible that it could do it automatically if installed
before analogue switchoff.

Matti

On Sat, 14 Jul 2007 21:18:10 +0100, "Matti Lamprhey"
mused:

"Alan" wrote...
Matti Lamprhey wrote

I think you've missed the point. The required change would be for the
'old' analogue channels to share a single mux.

I understand this.

The device would demux
them into their old frequency positions.

The old (current) frequency positions a
From Crystal Palace BBC 1 analogue is on Ch26
From Bluebell Hill BBC 1 analogue is on Ch40
From Dover BBC 1 analogue is on Ch50
From Guilford BBC 1 analogue is on Ch40
From Reigate BBC 1 analogue is on Ch57
etc.

On which channel would your box output BBC1?

I did say in another post that the box would have to be geographically
configurable to suit the different analogue channel positions. It
seemed to me possible that it could do it automatically if installed
before analogue switchoff.

I asume you mean it would need an analyser built in to scan and decode
all existing analogue transmissions and automatically retune its five
outputs to suit, adding more complexity and cost to the unit.

You clearly have this idea in your head that it has absolutely no
flaws whatsoever, so build a prototype, market it and then let us know
how you get on. If you can produce it with a final selling cost of
about 10GBP it will do really well.
--
Regards,
Stuart.

Alan wrote:

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

No, but you would need a way of tuning the modulators to the correct
output frequencies.

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.

Not much more difficult that configuring an analogue system as at the
moment, espcially when the VCR modulator output needs to be moved from Ch37

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

Some will some won't.

--
Cheers,

John.

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