Digital switchover is 'a mystery'

Agamemnon wrote:

"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.


Hmm. 20 quid a box, gives 10 million boxes.

there's around 20 million households in britain, so that's around
half the number you'd need.

On might argue, however, that giving away that many
would also generate publicity...

BugBear

bugbear wrote:
|| Agamemnon wrote:
|||
||| "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.
|||
||
|| Hmm. 20 quid a box, gives 10 million boxes.
||
|| there's around 20 million households in britain, so that's around
|| half the number you'd need.
||

That's assuming that with that kind of purchasing power they wouldn't get
more than a healthy discount


|| On might argue, however, that giving away that many
|| would also generate publicity...
||
|| BugBear

Ian Jackson wrote:

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 possible a new aerial install?

Guy

On Thu, 26 Jun 2008 23:06:44 +0100, Ian Jackson
wrote:

In message , Graham.
writes


"Agamemnon" wrote in message
t.uk...

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

"Java Jive" wrote in message
om...
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.

As I understand it a lot of people will need a new aeriel if they want
freeview before switchover but not after since they will revert to
re-using the same frequencies as analogue used.

--
(\__/) M.
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(")_(") their inaction to the problem. I am blocking most articles
posted from there. If you wish your postings to be seen by
everyone you will need use a different method of posting.
See http://improve-usenet.org

In message , Bigguy
writes
Ian Jackson wrote:

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 possible a new aerial install?

Guy

As it has been pointed out, after DSO, all the digital signals will be
in the original aerial grouping. Assuming that the analogue reception
has been OK, there should be no need for a new aerial.
--
Ian

Agamemnon wrote:

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


Close though. This one has a modulator - now £29 quid in ALDI
http://www.tvonics.com/mfr200.html

Problem is 'little old lady' has no one telling her about it.

--
Adrian C

On 27 Jun., 10:15, 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.

NOT true. Ofcom has urged the 2 COM MUX operators
to extend there coverage to most or all relays.

The COM MUXes did not find that economically attractive.
They only wanted to transmit from the 80/81 current
transmitters, but with increased power.

"We also note that Ofcom would be keen to
assist any application from any of the commercial
multiplex operators to extend the coverage of their
multiplexes." /Ofcom 6.40 dttfuture consultation

Lars :-)

On 26 Jun., 18:23, Java Jive wrote:
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.

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

But it is the wise thing to do, if your area
has no digital coverage.
The £20 STB will be there next year or
in 2012 it that is when its time for DSO.

But the the new DVB-T2 standard, that will bring
3 HDTV programs to Freeview from DSO, will need
a new box anyway. If you do not need a DVB-T
receiver just now - then your are much better off waiting
to late next year or 2010 when DVB-T2 STB will be
in the shops.

Lars :-)

PS! Such 'little stupid lady' stories are very often
political manipulations or even worse.

wrote:
On 27 Jun., 10:15, Mark Carver wrote:

Because Ofcom are selling off UHF channels 31-35, 37,39,40, and 63-68.

NOT true.

So are you saying Ofcom are not selling off that spectrum ?

Got a URL to Ofcom that says that ?

Ofcom has urged the 2 COM MUX operators
to extend there coverage to most or all relays.
The COM MUXes did not find that economically attractive.
They only wanted to transmit from the 80/81 current
transmitters, but with increased power.

I attended a speech by Greg Bensburg, Principal Advisor of Broadcasting
at Ofcom only two days ago where he stated that currently the COM muxes
will only be available from 81 sites giving 90% population coverage.
For 98.5% coverage (parity with analogue) you need 1150 sites.

"We also note that Ofcom would be keen to
assist any application from any of the commercial
multiplex operators to extend the coverage of their
multiplexes." /Ofcom 6.40 dttfuture consultation

Again, post the URL so we can read that in context. I really can't see
the COM operators extending beyond a 100 or so sites, it simply won't be
economic for them.

On 27 Jun., 15:06, Mark Carver wrote:
wrote:
On 27 Jun., 10:15, Mark Carver wrote:
Because Ofcom are selling off UHF channels 31-35, 37,39,40, and 63-68.

NOT true.

So are you saying Ofcom are not selling off that spectrum ?

Got a URL to Ofcom that says that ?

But the lack of COM MUXes at the 1100
relays are not due to this sale - not at all.
There are are enough channels for the COM
MUXes.

Ofcom has urged the 2 COM MUX *operators
to extend there coverage to most or all relays.
The COM MUXes did not find that economically attractive.
They only wanted to transmit from the 80/81 current
transmitters, but with increased power.

I attended a speech by Greg Bensburg, Principal Advisor of Broadcasting
at Ofcom only two days ago where he stated that currently the COM muxes
will only be available from 81 sites giving 90% population coverage.
For 98.5% coverage (parity with analogue) you need 1150 sites.

But the COM MUXes had a deadline - last year, I think -
to inform Ofcom.
The answer was 80/81 sites only.

... multiplexes." /Ofcom 6.40 dttfuture consultation

Again, post the URL so we can read that in context. I really can't see
the COM operators extending beyond a 100 or so sites, it simply won't be
economic for them.

The text "Ofcom 6.40 dttfuture consultation" into Google
gave the first answer line:
http://www.ofcom.org.uk/consult/cond.../dttfuture.pdf

So I will say, I did post the URL.

Lars :-)

There is a lot to be said - good and bad - about
the sale of the spectrum - but this is NOT it.