Dumbing down the digital question

[Adrian C]

Ye might find this useful, I've practiced it enough this week. I call it the minimal interaction of DSO pain method.

Them: "I got a letter though the door, about digital TV. I'm dumb and read the daily mail. Do I need to go digital?"

Me: "Do you have more than 5 channels on your TV?"

Them: "Why, yes."

Me: "OK, you've got digital."

And that's it. Some people don't understand the word analogue, never mind about digital.

I've just heard of someone who has paid for a £40 visit for 'the change' despite her daughter having previously attended to this some time ago. I'm sure the visiting engineers are regulary coming across this, and have to make up some switchover malary to get paid for the visit. In this case she got a new unnecessarily supplied freeview set top box :-(

[Brian Gaff]

That is why they also say they will do a second set of course.

I've been having terrible trouble with some friends on this one. The problem is that digital is a buzz word for almost everything and people just don't know the difference between delivery systems of said digital tv, or digital anything else I often find.

It makes it worse when the switchover adverts come out on the sat and cble versions of the channels of course. You said we won't have to do anything on Virgin, but I saw an advertabout it on tv last night etc.

Brian

[J G Miller]

Ain't *necessarily* so.

Analog cable TV offers more than 5 TV stations.

Analog satellite TV offers more than 5 TV stations.

If you receive your TV by analog satellite then you do need to do something by April 30th, 2012 and change from an analog satellite receiver to a DVB-s/s2 satellite receiver.

[therustyone]

__ ___________________________________

digital tyre inflators are much better than the old ones !

rusty

[Ian Jackson]

In message , Adrian C writes

I expect a lot of people actually have a mixture of analogue and digital. Some are probably still watching the five 'original' channels on analogue (maybe not realising that these are now available on digital), but also watching the additional digital programmes.

In particular, while they may already have a digital-capable TV set (if necessary using a STB), they could (so far) have been content to record the 'original five' directly on their ageing steam-powered VCR or more-modern hi-tech analogue DVD/disc recorder. In such situations, an additional STB will undoubtedly come in handy.

[Adrian C]

Irrevelant. Highly likely owners of that kit wouldn't be approaching me asking ...

"I got a letter though the door, about digital TV. I'm dumb and read the daily mail. Do I need to go digital?"

[Nightjar]

Not from Rowridge since today.

Until the Rowridge signal was boosted a couple of weeks ago, the reception on analogue was a lot better.

or, if you still have a lot of VHS tapes, a hi-tech digital / analogue VHS / DVD / HDD recorder.

Colin Bignell

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Chatting to a disabled lady the other day. She is on 'benefits' and lives in a housing association place. Her TV is old. She received a leaflet suggesting she could get FreeView free when analogue stops. So she contacted them.

Man arrived and said she'd have to get permission from the housing association for a new aerial. They've said no - and the likely reason follows:-

Asked her how she received analogue - it then got a bit confused as these things often do. But there is a cable which comes in alongside the window. She didn't know where the aerial is, but says her picture is fine. Just to confuse things she has a borrowed FreeView box which works fine...

[Adrian C]

If they have had the wits to understand how to do the above, they would have read and understood the content of the distributed leaflet - been able to distinguish between analogue and digital services, and hence wouldn't have asked me.

So my shorthand response is still valid.

or it could be rephrased.

i.e. If you have LESS than 6 channels on your TV or Video, you should do something about it.....

[Bill Wright]

It's hilarious, all this switchover excitement, from the POV of Yorkshire.

Bill

[Tim Streater]

What switchover excitement?

[Woody]

Is analogue satellite of UK channels still active?

[J G Miller]

On Wednesday, March 21st, 2012, at 21:00:43h +0000, Woody asked:

No, the last stations to be broadcast as analog in Europe (possibly the world) are the main German stations from Astra 1KR 19,2° East; the stations on white background at

The French analog broadcasts from Eutelsat Atlantic Bird 3 at 5.0° West ended November 29th, 2011.

[Doctor D]

I was in our Winchester office this morning. One chap (Sky user) received a phone call from his mother in Eastleigh (Rowridge service area) stating that both her Freeview TVs were not working - he said he would go and investigate after work, I then overheard another chap join in complaining that he could only get Sky this morning!

I reminded them both of the date and what was happening today............both looked very sheepish! These are both intelligent people with a technical aptitude, so what chance?

[Hugo Nebula]

I think he means the stuff that went without a hitch* about two years ago on the warm&wet side of the Pennines.

*Apart from TVs in L'pool, which still tune themselves into Welsh TV!

[geoff]

What?

The tyre is full / the tyre is empty

[198 kHz]

I thought tyres still had valves.

[Tim Streater]

I'll be glad when its over, but that's all.

[Dave Liquorice]

Well they certainly get warm in use.

[tony sayer]

In article , J G Miller scribeth thus

What analogue UK satellite TV?...