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Analogue Switch Off

Vote: How long till the Country is Digital? (February 2004)

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CO
Corin
broadband cowboy posted:
multipath isn't a problem if you have a half decent aerial system.

In many cases that is true, but I am sure you will find numerous cases in areas of difficult topology were multipath interference is impossible to avoid.

broadband cowboy posted:
The problem is the cowboys who install the systems

No argument there, and if most people had had a decent antenna system installed in the first place, then many would not be experiencing the difficulties of erratic reception of the digital multiplexes now.

Have a look at some of the work of cowboys at

<http://www.wrightsaerials.TV/roguesgalleryview.html>
BC
broadband cowboy
Corin posted:
broadband cowboy posted:
The question remains - are you happy with the quality of digital tv

No, but the problem is not inherently the fact that it is digital, but it is the UK implementation of trying to stuff too many services on a multiplex at the cost of quality, just as is the case with DAB.

This problem could easily be resolved if the regulations were such that services on the multiplex were individually licensed rather than whole multiplexes themselves, which just results in the multiplex operator trying to stuff as much as possible in to maximize profits, exactly as is the case in the UK.


The fact remains that the analogue services are already compromised by the existence of digital links from o.b.'s such as Twickenham where digital artefacts can be seen on the analogue feed anyway - just take a look next time - everybody's got a lovely little halo . What bit rate are they using ? Is this sort of thing a cunning ploy to get everyone used to the "look " of digtal ? Confused
BC
broadband cowboy
Corin posted:
No argument there, and if most people had had a decent antenna system installed in the first place, then many would not be experiencing the difficulties of erratic reception of the digital multiplexes now.]


Even with a good system the digital is still CRAP ! Mad
:-(
A former member
broadband cowboy posted:
Corin posted:
No argument there, and if most people had had a decent antenna system installed in the first place, then many would not be experiencing the difficulties of erratic reception of the digital multiplexes now.]


Even with a good system the digital is still CRAP ! Mad


The whole basis of D I G I T A L is that information is compressed to ones and zeros and the nature of the beast means that information is lost or hidden to con your eyes into what it is seeing!

There is NO WAY digital signals can ever be as good as the trustworthy analogue signal.
:-(
A former member
Dan posted:

Although a greater percentage of people watch via digital in Wales than anywhere else in the UK.


Probably more to do with the mountainous terrain and it being the only way to get Channel 4.... than being more advanced
:-(
A former member
Corin posted:
We all know that people in Greater London are much more technologically advanced and knowledgeable compared to the great unwashed (and mainly uneducated) peasants living out in the provinces.

Therefore, the government should take a bold move and turn off Crystal Palace analog transmissions first, where the removal of analog transmissions would be negligible due to most people already having a digital set top box, digital cable, or digital satellite, or the economic means to make the changeover.


But it would be a big job - they'd have to re-equip over a third of the population of the UK. Would probably be better off doing the areas with smaller audiences first. The Channel Islands would be a good place to try and switch off analogue - an isolated transmision area where there is already a very high digital penetration
DA
Dan Founding member
Larry Scutta posted:
Dan posted:

Although a greater percentage of people watch via digital in Wales than anywhere else in the UK.


Probably more to do with the mountainous terrain and it being the only way to get Channel 4.... than being more advanced


Indeed. Only an idiot would start spouting off about one area of the UK being more advanced than another.
CO
Corin
Larry Scutta posted:
But it would be a big job - they'd have to re-equip over a third of the population of the UK.

So what would be interesting to see then, is a table of the regions sorted by the percentage of the digital capability of homes, broken down with values for DVB-c, DVB-s, and DVB-t. Are the figures available or are they a well guarded secret?
CO
Corin
Dan posted:
Only an idiot would start spouting off about one area of the UK being more advanced than another.

OffTopic: The East of England has the highest concentration of biotechnology companies than any other region. So would it be idiotic to say that the East of England is more technologically advanced in that field that other regions?
CW
cwathen Founding member
Quote:
The BBC advertising did work very well but infact has MISLED the public.

We all know on this tv forum that the freeview brand is only the bbc and some other muxes BUT the way the bbc branded the adverts and boxes would suggest that the whole DTT box and set of channels (all muxes) were part of the Freeview package and so people were misled into buying their boxes.

I was given a full channel list of what i could recieve FREELY via my box but now some of these channels are going to make way for the PAY channels!

Therefore I have been decieved into buying my box and the channel line up that I was buying into has changed and replaced by subscription channels.

Another con job by the BBC!

You've cut and pasted your own post from another thread. Can't you come up with anything original for this one?

Anyway, I don't believe government claims of digital penetration. A house with a Sky box in the front room has not converted to digital. A house has converted to digital when it no longer has any dependencies on analogue TV reception, and I'd estimate that very few people are in that position. Indeed, it's very hard to be in that position when some devices are either only available or virtually only available with analogue tuners (can I get a DTT pocket TV from Argos? I know someone has finally brought out a DTT VCR, but can I go to Dixons and buy one?).

No way in hell will it be acceptable to switch off analogue reception by 2007. It will be a decade, or more, before it goes anywhere.

Whilst we're at it, i do prefer analogue TV. I have yet to see a digital picture which can top a good analogue one, and analogue performs much better with a weak signal (i.e. you can actually still watch it) and signal degredation effects are much more tolerable (would you rather have ghosting or a slightly snowing picture, or unbearably annoying picture freezes and clicks on the sound?).
:-(
A former member
Larry Scutta posted:
Digital TV isn't really that confusing , it's just pressing numbered buttons. If those who aren't into digital TV just want to watch channels 1-5 they can..... the channel numbers are even the same


Exactly! Nice to hear someone else saying what I've been thinking for ages! Very Happy
NE
Neil__
Corin posted:
So what would be interesting to see then, is a table of the regions sorted by the percentage of the digital capability of homes, broken down with values for DVB-c, DVB-s, and DVB-t. Are the figures available or are they a well guarded secret?

Oh I must sit down and compile this.

No, wait. I was planning to go out with a friend today.

Oh, the choices. Wink

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