Coming to a TV set near you

[RogerS]

...or maybe even yours. 4G interference.

Raised in the House of Commons....http://www.theyworkforyou.com/whall/?id ... dale#g64.0

Estimated 40,000 will have no alternative but to either get FreeSat, cable or Sky!

I knew that Vaizey was a few kilocycles short of a full bandwidth but his response borders on the ridiculous.

There is also talk about them moving DTT (that's Freeview to you and me) further down the spectrum to free up more space for 4G. Which could mean a retune or a new aerial. Didn't we just go through all that?

Not to worry. There is good news. I am reliably informed by the minister that 4G is going to kickstart our economy. #-o

 

[Lons]

It's all cr*p. I don't believe anything they say anymore.

My freeview signal is now worse after the switchover than it was before and it's pushed me into finally accepting the inevitable and swithing over to Sky where I now get a superb picture and a good range of HD (couldn't get it at all on freeview).

Goes against the grain to give them money but ! :roll:

Bob

 

[SBJ]

...or maybe even yours. 4G interference.

Raised in the House of Commons....http://www.theyworkforyou.com/whall/?id ... dale#g64.0

Estimated 40,000 will have no alternative but to either get FreeSat, cable or Sky!

I knew that Vaizey was a few kilocycles short of a full bandwidth but his response borders on the ridiculous.

There is also talk about them moving DTT (that's Freeview to you and me) further down the spectrum to free up more space for 4G. Which could mean a retune or a new aerial. Didn't we just go through all that?

Not to worry. There is good news. I am reliably informed by the minister that 4G is going to kickstart our economy. #-o

40,000 out of how many Rog?

 

[RogerS]

...or maybe even yours. 4G interference.

Raised in the House of Commons....http://www.theyworkforyou.com/whall/?id ... dale#g64.0

Estimated 40,000 will have no alternative but to either get FreeSat, cable or Sky!

I knew that Vaizey was a few kilocycles short of a full bandwidth but his response borders on the ridiculous.

There is also talk about them moving DTT (that's Freeview to you and me) further down the spectrum to free up more space for 4G. Which could mean a retune or a new aerial. Didn't we just go through all that?

Not to worry. There is good news. I am reliably informed by the minister that 4G is going to kickstart our economy. #-o

40,000 out of how many Rog?

Does it matter out of how many?

 

[SBJ]

Of course it does, you can't just quote absolute numbers without reference - they don't mean anything.

 

[RogerS]

Then read the link. It's all there.

 

[SBJ]

I had a quick scan, but didn't spot it. I searched for the 40,000 figure and it says "the Government have put aside a budget to address that problem"

 

[RogerS]

Try reading it slowly. Then you might understand it.

 

[bugbear]

Try reading it slowly. Then you might understand it.

It says a tiny proportion of the viewing population won't be able to get Freeview, will need an alternative, and there's a budget to cover this.

Thanks for pointing me to such a comforting article.

BugBear

 

[SBJ]

Sorry Bugbear, you are going to have to read it slower than that to understand it the way that Roger does.

 

[RogerS]

Well, I read the minutes differently. The Chairman made some very good suggestions regarding trial sites and testing along the lines of what they did at Whitehaven prior to the TV digital switchover. They learned an awful lot from that trial and explains why the TV digital switchover was remarkably painless. Contingency plans in place.

Not so for 4G. Vaizey, Ofcom and the mobile providers are hellbent on getting 4G in place ASAP. So it's going to be fire-fighting all the way. You try explaining to your kids why they can't watch anything anymore on the TV or the missus why she can't watch Corrie. Simple answer is that they just don't know despite what Vaizey says.

There are no detailed contingency plans in place. That is all hype and bullsh*t (I know a mole inside Ofcom).

Let's take a look at Ofcom's figures. They estimate out of the 2.3 million homes that are close enough to the base stations to risk interference that only 40% are watching Freeview. That's an awfully broad brush guess. That is also across the country. So there are going to be some areas....chav estates ...where they only watch Sky. So that 40% holds good, probably. In cities, chances are that rules on satellite dishes could be more stringent...listed buildings for one. So that 40% is probably going to be far lower meaning many more households might get affected.

So you are one of the lucky ones and only slightly affected. They'll send you a wee gubbins to stick in your aerial feed. You can fit. I can fit it. But granny won't be able to. So where are the plans to assist? Remember they are talking about this 4G going in within months....not years. They are ready to roll. But the backup and assistance isn't in place. They haven't even agreed who is going to pay for this.

OK..so you're only slightly affected and a gubbins will work. You got one. What about all the other TVs in your house. You'll have to pay for the extra ones. You wouldn't, of course, if they had taken on board the eminently sensible suggestion to stick a filter at the base station. But they haven't.

So finally drill down to the odd 40,000 households for whom filters won't work. Vaizey talks about a complete platform change.....{hollow laugh} ...and what is that? FreeSat (needs a satellite dish. Living in a Listed Building..might not be so easy. Anyway, not everyone wants a satellite dish. Sky. Ditto. And who is going to pay for the subscription? OK..cable then....um, depends where you live. Cable isn't everywhere.

Thing is that is just the start. They are talking about increasing the bandwidth available to 4G and shoving Freeview further down the sp[ectrum and reducing its bandwidth. If they then, as is there stated aim, want to create more shopping channels then that limits the available bandwidth for the other TV channels. So maybe you don't care about crappy digital artefacts but a lot of people do.

If you believe what Vaizey says then you're more gullible then I give you credit. You only have to look at the lies, spin and hype surrounding their hope of switching off the FM transmitters.

 

[SBJ]

You accuse the government of using a "broad brush" then use a phrase like "chav estate". That's why you have no credibility.

As for having a "mole" on the inside, well at least that made me laugh!

 

[Cheshirechappie]

There's a very simple answer to this problem. Just sling the telly out. Advantages - more space in the lounge, you no longer have to put up with Newsnight's shoddy journalism, and you no longer have to part with £145-50 a year in telly tax. Disadvantages - can't think of any. If there's anything you really want to watch, you can see it on't I-player at a time to suit you.

Go on - you know it makes sense.

 

[RogerS]

You accuse the government of using a "broad brush" then use a phrase like "chav estate". That's why you have no credibility.

As for having a "mole" on the inside, well at least that made me laugh!

Glad I could make Miss Goodie-TwoShoes laugh.

 

[SBJ]

You accuse the government of using a "broad brush" then use a phrase like "chav estate". That's why you have no credibility.

As for having a "mole" on the inside, well at least that made me laugh!

Glad I could make Miss Goodie-TwoShoes laugh.

Why did you edit your post?

 

[RogerS]

You accuse the government of using a "broad brush" then use a phrase like "chav estate". That's why you have no credibility.

As for having a "mole" on the inside, well at least that made me laugh!

Glad I could make Miss Goodie-TwoShoes laugh.

Why did you edit your post?

Thought this read better ! :lol:

 

[Benchwayze]

It's all cr*p. I don't believe anything they say anymore.

My freeview signal is now worse after the switchover than it was before and it's pushed me into finally accepting the inevitable and swithing over to Sky where I now get a superb picture and a good range of HD (couldn't get it at all on freeview).

Goes against the grain to give them money but ! :roll:

Bob

I'm in that boat too Bob. I am most reluctant to have Sky. but the only other alternatives are Virgin & Tivo, iPlayer et al, and 'Love-Film' plus a top of the range DVD player. I think I'll wait and see what happens, but O2 did recently erect a mast about fifty yards from my home. They claimed the Planning Department hadn't contacted them when they made an application. A load of rubbish, and our Council allowed them to get away with it! I'm hoping it won't affect my signal. I realise of course, it's called progress!

 

[Benchwayze]

There's a very simple answer to this problem. Just sling the telly out. Advantages - more space in the lounge, you no longer have to put up with Newsnight's shoddy journalism, and you no longer have to part with £145-50 a year in telly tax. Disadvantages - can't think of any. If there's anything you really want to watch, you can see it on't I-player at a time to suit you.

Go on - you know it makes sense.

Agree... But being a little gullible, I recently bought a new TV with all the bells and whistles, all ready for the switch-over.
As there's someone in my household who is over 75 years, the Telly-tax doesn't apply. (I know that could change of course!)
And, although I have a nice big Monitor on my PC, but I still prefer my sport on the 'big(ger)' screen! :lol: :lol: :lol:

Maybe I'll 'bend', and have Sky. :?

 

[dickm]

According to what I've read, the main sufferers will be those with weak TV signals who already use an aerial amplifier. That's us, so I'm not hopeful. The only saving grace MIGHT be that if they introduce 4G up here, we could get a mobile signal - the mast is about 1/2 mile away, but we currently get only intermittent mobile reception, and in different places on the plot depending on the phases of the moon, leaves on the trees, sunspots, the colour of the grass or something!

As Roger says, it's a complete farce. And don't get me started on the equal iniquity of the FM switch off..................