Digital switchover is 'a mystery'

"Agamemnon" wrote in message
. uk...

"Ian Jackson" wrote in message
...
In message , Agamemnon
writes

"Java Jive" wrote in message
...
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7473807.stm

"Many people are still buying analogue TV sets unaware that they will
soon need extra equipment to make them work, according to a report
from MPs.

Then why isn't anything being done to stop people selling them?


A parliamentary report claims that many viewers do not understand the
implications of the digital switchover, despite a £200m campaign."

A complete and utter waste of tax-payers money. The £200 million would
have been far better spent in giving every household in the country a
free set-top box.

Only a couple of weeks ago (I think on Radio 4 'Today' programme), there
was a little old lady complaining that she didn't understand this digital
thing, and was worried that she would not be able to watch TV any longer,
as she couldn't afford a new TV set. The interviewer made absolutely no
attempt to tell her that all she would need would be a £20 STB.

And a TV with a SCART socket since for £20 you'd be unlikely to find a box
with an RF modulator.

Plus we have no way of telling if all the MUXs will be in her existing
aerial's
passband.

--
Graham

%Profound_observation%

In message , Graham.
writes


"Agamemnon" wrote in message
.uk...

"Ian Jackson" wrote in message
...
In message , Agamemnon
writes

"Java Jive" wrote in message
m...
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7473807.stm

"Many people are still buying analogue TV sets unaware that they will
soon need extra equipment to make them work, according to a report
from MPs.

Then why isn't anything being done to stop people selling them?


A parliamentary report claims that many viewers do not understand the
implications of the digital switchover, despite a £200m campaign."

A complete and utter waste of tax-payers money. The £200 million would
have been far better spent in giving every household in the country a
free set-top box.

Only a couple of weeks ago (I think on Radio 4 'Today' programme), there
was a little old lady complaining that she didn't understand this digital
thing, and was worried that she would not be able to watch TV any longer,
as she couldn't afford a new TV set. The interviewer made absolutely no
attempt to tell her that all she would need would be a £20 STB.

And a TV with a SCART socket since for £20 you'd be unlikely to find a box
with an RF modulator.

Plus we have no way of telling if all the MUXs will be in her existing
aerial's
passband.

True, but, as I understand things, it's only a minority of viewers who
will need a new aerial. [Is there an estimate of the numbers?] However,
unless she's very unlucky, the one thing she won't need is a new TV set.
--
Ian

"Graham." wrote in message
...
Plus we have no way of telling if all the MUXs will be in her existing
aerial's
passband.
After ASO all the PSB muxes will be within the 'historic' group.

Bill

Bill Wright wrote:
"Graham." wrote in message
...
Plus we have no way of telling if all the MUXs will be in her existing
aerial's
passband.
After ASO all the PSB muxes will be within the 'historic' group.

Indeed. That info (thankfully) is available on Ofcom's site:-

http://www.ofcom.org.uk/tv/ifi/tech/dsodetails/


--
Mark
Please replace invalid and invalid with gmx and net to reply.

In message , Mark Carver
writes
Bill Wright wrote:
"Graham." wrote in message
...
Plus we have no way of telling if all the MUXs will be in her
existing aerial's
passband.
After ASO all the PSB muxes will be within the 'historic' group.

Indeed. That info (thankfully) is available on Ofcom's site:-

http://www.ofcom.org.uk/tv/ifi/tech/dsodetails/

So, apart from finding a little old man to connect up her £20 STB, the
little old lady really has nothing to worry about.
--
Ian

Ian Jackson wrote:

After ASO all the PSB muxes will be within the 'historic' group.

Indeed. That info (thankfully) is available on Ofcom's site:-

http://www.ofcom.org.uk/tv/ifi/tech/dsodetails/

So, apart from finding a little old man to connect up her £20 STB, the
little old lady really has nothing to worry about.

She has nothing to worry about, as long as she receives sound help,
advice, and services from properly informed people. Unfortunately they
would appear to be in short supply.

Mark Carver wrote:
Bill Wright wrote:
"Graham." wrote in message
...
Plus we have no way of telling if all the MUXs will be in her
existing aerial's
passband.
After ASO all the PSB muxes will be within the 'historic' group.

Indeed. That info (thankfully) is available on Ofcom's site:-

http://www.ofcom.org.uk/tv/ifi/tech/dsodetails/


Hi,
I am on the Kerry relay on page 7 of the Wales document. We currently
get four analogue channels, Beeb1 and 1, ITV1 Wales, and S4C. Why will
they not give us four mux's when DSO has completed?

Cheers,

Rob.

Robert Wilson wrote:
Mark Carver wrote:
http://www.ofcom.org.uk/tv/ifi/tech/dsodetails/


Hi,
I am on the Kerry relay on page 7 of the Wales document. We currently
get four analogue channels, Beeb1 and 1, ITV1 Wales, and S4C. Why will
they not give us four mux's when DSO has completed?

Because Ofcom are selling off UHF channels 31-35, 37,39,40, and 63-68.
Kerry currently uses 21,24,27,31. The first three are to be reallocated
for three PSB DTT muxes post DSO. The forth is channel 31, part of
Ofcom's great sale.

There is not enough spectrum to transmit all six muxes from all 1154
transmitters, but even if there was it wouldn't be economically viable
for the COM mux operators to equip them. In fact, the COM operators will
only be extending their coverage to one more transmitter from the
current 81 sites, that's Fremont Point on Jersey.

However those three PSB muxes will give you, initially BBC-1, BBC-2,
ITV-1, C4 (UK), S4C, C5, and most of those broadcaster's additional
services (BBC News Channel, ITV-2, BBC-4 etc). Plus after 2009, three or
four HD services.

Mark Carver wrote:
Robert Wilson wrote:
Mark Carver wrote:
http://www.ofcom.org.uk/tv/ifi/tech/dsodetails/


Hi,
I am on the Kerry relay on page 7 of the Wales document. We currently
get four analogue channels, Beeb1 and 1, ITV1 Wales, and S4C. Why
will they not give us four mux's when DSO has completed?

Because Ofcom are selling off UHF channels 31-35, 37,39,40, and 63-68.
Kerry currently uses 21,24,27,31. The first three are to be reallocated
for three PSB DTT muxes post DSO. The forth is channel 31, part of
Ofcom's great sale.

There is not enough spectrum to transmit all six muxes from all 1154
transmitters, but even if there was it wouldn't be economically viable
for the COM mux operators to equip them. In fact, the COM operators will
only be extending their coverage to one more transmitter from the
current 81 sites, that's Fremont Point on Jersey.

However those three PSB muxes will give you, initially BBC-1, BBC-2,
ITV-1, C4 (UK), S4C, C5, and most of those broadcaster's additional
services (BBC News Channel, ITV-2, BBC-4 etc). Plus after 2009, three or
four HD services.
Well in that light it does'nt look too bad. Most of the COM seervices
are home shopping, but am disappointed to nto be getting Virgon and the
UKTV channels though. Am I right on this point or amd I wrong?

Cheers,

Rob.

Robert Wilson wrote:
Mark Carver wrote:

However those three PSB muxes will give you, initially BBC-1, BBC-2,
ITV-1, C4 (UK), S4C, C5, and most of those broadcaster's additional
services (BBC News Channel, ITV-2, BBC-4 etc). Plus after 2009, three
or four HD services.

Well in that light it does'nt look too bad. Most of the COM seervices
are home shopping, but am disappointed to nto be getting Virgon and the
UKTV channels though. Am I right on this point or amd I wrong?

Well, as they say; you don't miss what you've never had. ;-)