The switchoff begins ...

harrogate2 wrote:


Channel re-usage - no channels available on which to put new muxes, so
the only possibility is to switch off one or more of the existing
analogue transmitters (three of four in this case) and use those
frequencies for DTTV.

Interesting to note that nothing is said in the article about
provision of STBs. What about those people who did not want to change
to DTTV or could not afford to? Have Auntie - at our expense -
provided them with a box + fitting + a new aerial and feeder if
required? What about any communal systems, like nursing homes or
warden controlled housing? Who has paid for their upgrades?

The flats where I lived a few years back, have a communal system, I know
someone who still lives there and they want Freeview, but the housing
association who owns the flats will not pay for the upgrade.
so what is the government going to do about that, they can not force any
housing association to pay for a new system./


Interesting what they DON'T print in the spin, ain't it?

"Alan" wrote...
harrogate2 wrote

Interesting to note that nothing is said in the article about
provision of STBs.

It is an experimental area and STBs were provided.

Yes, a previous programme featured this Ferryside/Llanstephan trial and
mentioned that STBs were provided free on a one-per-telly basis. I
wonder what they did about people's VCRs, though -- because if they were
used to watching one channel while recording another they'll suddenly
find they can't do that any more without a second STB for the VCR!

Matti

Mick wrote:


Until they sort out a decent teletext and sort out the picture problem,
then what is the use of shutting down analogue?
I glad I do not live in either of those villages, because I would kick up
a right stink if they cut my analogue off.


Better get used to the idea then hadn't you, cos its coming.....



We are not suppose to change here until 2010, so we have got a while yet
and that is if it happens in the time frame. Nothing is set in stone yet
and knowing this country it will go wrong.

I do not think it will happen for another 10 years or more, they will
find out that from this experiment in Wales that digital is not all it
cracked up to be and things need to be improved, before the whole
country is converted to digital.

Alan wrote:


It is an experimental area and STBs were provided.

That helps for a start, since no one have to pay out for new aerials or
boxes.
It is when people are forced to pay out more money that the problems starts.



From radio reports today it appears that it may have been an
exceptional area in that it didn't even get all the main channels on
analogue.

I noticed that, which explains some things. People may think it is nice
to have the choice, but I wonder how many people in this experiment will
watch the other channels.

John Porcella wrote:



With BBC, Sky and ITV text services on DTT what is your beef?

and sort out the picture problem,

None in my place.


then what is the use of shutting down analogue?


A big wedge of money for The Treasury.

Oh yes, I realise that. But why should we have to pay out money just so
the government can get extra money?



I glad I do not live in either of those villages, because I would kick
up a right stink if they cut my analogue off.


To what effect?



I would think of something, I would make peoples life hell,

Ad wrote:
The flats where I lived a few years back, have a communal system, I know
someone who still lives there and they want Freeview, but the housing
association who owns the flats will not pay for the upgrade.
so what is the government going to do about that, they can not force any
housing association to pay for a new system./

The government can't force housing associations to pay for an analogue
system now, but most of them seem to pay for it anyway. When analogue is
switched off they'll pay for a digital system.

Ad wrote:
things need to be improved, before the whole
country is converted to digital.

Its going to work the other way round. The improvements can only be made
once analogue is switched off. Having analogue and digital sharing the
same spectrum is less than ideal. By 2008 (the proposed start of
analogue switchoff) digital terrestrial will have been with us for 10
years. Countries that rolled out DTT much later than us have a timetable
for switching off analogue before we do. Its time to pull our collective
fingers out and get on with it.

Ben wrote:



The government can't force housing associations to pay for an analogue
system now, but most of them seem to pay for it anyway. When analogue is
switched off they'll pay for a digital system.


But most systems was put in when the flats was built, unless it was an
old building converted. These flats I lived in was only 3 years old,
they are now about 8 years old.
The people in the flats have been told, that the housing ascotiation
will not pay for the system to be converted.

The cost of conversion would be over the budget.

I took my box up there and it would not work, it only just about picked
up a couple of radio stations.


So what are these people meant to do? and I doubt they are the only ones
with the same problem.

"John Porcella" wrote in message
...

From the article:

While up to 75% of households can currently receive digital terrestrial
signals, coverage cannot be extended until the analogue service is
switched off.

How on earth does that work?

Without reading the article, I guess that they need more broadcasting
space
for the digital frequencies, and this can only be found when analogue is
shut down.


--
MESSAGE ENDS.
John Porcella



John,

Can it perhaps be inferred that with the shut-down of analogue allowing
provision of more broadcasting space, there will also be an increase in the
power of the signals being transmitted, which will allow fair reception from
indoor aerials and reduce the dependence on expensive roof-top aerials,
which seem to be almost mandatory for terrestrial-digital TV reception
presently?


Regards,

AJM

Ben wrote:


Its going to work the other way round. The improvements can only be made
once analogue is switched off. Having analogue and digital sharing the
same spectrum is less than ideal. By 2008 (the proposed start of

Most of us knows that, but i doubt things will get any better even when
analogue is switched off. Bandwidth will stay the same, the only thing
that will happen is higher power.



analogue switchoff) digital terrestrial will have been with us for 10
years. Countries that rolled out DTT much later than us have a timetable

Twice it have been put back, we was suppose to be fully converted by
2008, then it was 2010, now 2012. I thin it will be pushed back again.

I do not want to see analogue go, digital is not a patch on analogue and
it never will be.
I have said it before and I will say it again. Just because it got
digital in its name, it do not mean it is any good.
People have this idea, that anything digital is better.




for switching off analogue before we do. Its time to pull our collective
fingers out and get on with it.

Why? Do not give me the same old rubbish that it cost broadcasters more
to transmit in digital and analogue. that is not our problem.
digital need to be improved before analogue is switched off, even Dsat
is not very good considering that i got a much larger bandwidth than
terrestrial.

I find a lot of people I talk to is not happy with digital T.V some even
switch back to analogue to watch the five main channels.
My next door neighbour, only got a Freeview box, so their grandkids can
watch CBeeBees and CBBC when they are there. I been in the house a few
times having a cup of coffee and the box have been switched off.

Looking at the aerials up this street alone, most of them could not even
cope with digital T.V, there are some with Sky I must admit, but not
that many. It is going to be a long hard slog to get the refuseniks to
update and change over. We was told that 95% of people would have to
have access to digital T.V, before the analogue was switched off, the
government can not go back on that.