Digital TV broadcast-

Hanuman · 28-08-17, 07:42 PM

What an utter 'kin pile of shit!

My folks were put in the unenviable position a few years back whereby the gubbinsment* had elected to enforce a change over to DTV, and the total undoing of what little progress** they'd made since mum and dad had to choose between black'n'white or colour, and the subsequent beating seven bells of shit out of the TV in the vain hope that the picture would settle down instead of scrolling up and down like the last remnants of an acid trip.

DTV. Progress** in this instance, making more money by jamming even more broadcasting and communications into an ever tightening space.***

So, it would seem that unlike TV broadcast of old, which didn't like inclement weather, TV broadcast of now also doesn't like it nice, fine, clement, palatable, atypical British, etc

High pressure fecks it up
Low pressure gets it windy, and fecks it up
Diurnal changes, which plagued old fashioned wireless
No doubt, next door's incontinent cat pissy up the begonias, and t'uvvah next door's yapping terrier can also be included in the variables****which, in some manner or other, can completely feck up Her Majesty's initiative in converting Britain into stressed couch potatoes.

In case y'all didn't notice; one is miffed by the UK Digital TV rebellion... oops, revolution.

Why is one miffed?
Well. Normally, one would become gradually accustomed to seeing a whole program or movie in installments due to random sleep intervals brought about by prior hard work (evening naps). Now, one is forced into same by frequent outages of whole blocks of channels, sans the relaxing nap, all brought about by 'atmospherics'.

Up until 2011, the total investment in the yagi roof antenna at chez-hanners was a set of ladders and some rawl plugs over about 27 years. Say 50p per year, despite monumental storms not adequately forecast!
Since 2011, it's two DTV compatible antennas, a visit or several by the installer, two amplifiers, a frigging gert hole in the wall, and reception that might be approaching 50% reliable.

Add in interference by passing motorbikes, plod cars on a blues and twos call to the uk equivalent of dunkin duffnuts, and apparently more 4G masts per square mile than there are non-native-natives in Romford, and it leads me to think summat int quite right!

It leads one to wonder, why the bloody hell are folk still paying for this shit?

*of which, more later

**Progress; apparently, it's not what you'd expect

***the Essex girls would love it if things really did get tighter as time goes on, but more of that later

****atmospherics, my arse

Ben · 28-08-17, 08:54 PM

Freesat

I kinda feel your pain though. I've put up the bestest aerial on the longest pole for my Mum, but still get asked why the tv keeps breaking up.

We're legally license free here, the internet is full of telly

Ringmaster · 28-08-17, 09:15 PM

Somebody somewhere is making a buck.

Health & Safety won't allow egg & spoon races, yet people can buy fireworks!

Somebody somewhere is making a buck...

Hanuman · 28-08-17, 09:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ben

We're legally license free here, the internet is full of telly

I'm not sure that's entirely true, as reception may include all media. The reception of TV by any means mandates a licence.

However, while I'm not against the licence fee in principal, I am rather against the payment of it when it fails to guarantee reception of the very thing it ostensibly licenses.

A strongly worded PFO to the gubbinsment until they sort it out seems in order.

Ben · 28-08-17, 10:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hanuman

I'm not sure that's entirely true, as reception may include all media. The reception of TV by any means mandates a licence.

Just live tv as shown in the UK and any BBC catchup needs a license, BBC radio is ok. All the catchup services are ok to watch too.

Quote:

However, while I'm not against the licence fee in principal, I am rather against the payment of it when it fails to guarantee reception of the very thing it ostensibly licenses.

It doesn't cover transmission, it's to pay for Chris Evans, Graham Norton, etc.

Quote:

A strongly worded PFO to the gubbinsment until they sort it out seems in order.

Good luck with that

Gaz · 29-08-17, 09:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ben

Just live tv as shown in the UK and any BBC catchup needs a license, BBC radio is ok. All the catchup services are ok to watch too.

It doesn't cover transmission, it's to pay for Chris Evans, Graham Norton, etc.

Good luck with that

not a big fan of the enforced 'TV Licensing' scam.

You would think in today's world of digital , it would be easy to implement a true BBC subscription only viewing service .

Of course it is very easy to implement such a simple and fair system. But we all know the BBC won't do it because of the ' unique way the BBC is funded' .. means they they don't want to risk being 'switched off' by Joe public .

Now don't get me wrong, some of the BBC's content has been brilliant , but also a lot is just utter shite I hardly ever watch BBC channels. Almost never in fact .

I don't even listen to radio one in the car cause its 50% rubbish music and 50% talking from the presenters who just seem to go on loving the sound of their own voice

If you want BBC, it should be subscription only.. or require a simple unique code in puted delivered to you in the post after you pay your licence fee .

They claim such changes would cost money, BS . They seem to find plenty of cash to change the shape of the BBC logo and other such pointless things.

Its about time the BBC was fair and forced to compete with the other broadcasters for your hard earned money BS. Rather than just handed our money on a silver platter by default , regardless of whether it's any good or not .

Twoqu · 29-08-17, 03:22 PM

When I looked at this previously it seemed that the biggest problems caused by the switchover from analogue to digital were caused not by the aerials but the coaxial cable! In particular the crappy OE flyleads from the wall plates into the TV/Freeview tuners etc.
I was sceptical but I bought some SAT cable (WF100?) some F plugs and male/female adaptors and knocked up some leads. That cured most of the similar issues I had experienced. Its not that difficult to do just need a stanley knife and a pair of pliers at the most. I think you can buy them ready made as well.
So thats a good place to start. Like everything else, ideally you should replace all the cable and possibly the wall plates if you want it as good as it gets. Seems like the changeover was just another excuse for people to rip off the vunerable with "digital aerials".
Here is a link on how to make a cable with F plugs either end:
http://www.satcure.co.uk/tech/fplugs.htm
Some more info here:
http://www.satcure.co.uk/tech/freeview_problems.htm

sinbin5t · 29-08-17, 03:27 PM

I just don't watch anything on BBC, kill it off and no more licence fee would suit me.

vorsprung durch technik · 29-08-17, 04:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sinbin5t

I just don't watch anything on BBC, kill it off and no more licence fee would suit me.

Got rid of Sky as a waste of money i.e. rip off! Now with Virgin at half the money but might get rid of that if they put it up after the year deal.

I mainly watch BBC 1 and 2. However that's not much. Mainly for the news, political programs, sunday politics etc etc. Channel 4 can be good but i don't watch much telly only stuff i like.

Poldark was excellent and your mate Frank loves it too Bruce.

You telling me you don't watch Last night of the proms Bruce?

Makes you feel very proud to be British! Land of hope and glory and all that.............

https://youtu.be/vpEWpK_Dl7M

https://youtu.be/041nXAAn714

I'm as English/British as they come!

Ringmaster · 29-08-17, 05:21 PM

I'm no fan of the licence fee, but the BBC does make programming where the arts and sciences are concerned that would otherwise not be readily made if the purely commercial aspect was considered. The Proms are a good example.

The BBC World Service is a lifeline to many beyond our shores. I believe its budget is provided by the Foreign Office now, but that sort of thing should be safeguarded.

Some way of reducing the fee should be considered. BBC Worldwide and other BBC areas generate a massive amount of revenue, so maybe they should be made to rely on more revenue from those streams or even a limited amount of advertising allowed? Not to mention a review of all major salaries.

Like any government organisation, there is waste in the way its run.

28-08-17, 08:54 PM	#2
Ben 4 ring whore! Classic Audi Club Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Stockport Posts: 2,348	Freesat I kinda feel your pain though. I've put up the bestest aerial on the longest pole for my Mum, but still get asked why the tv keeps breaking up. We're legally license free here, the internet is full of telly __________________ 1992 80 quattro 20vt

29-08-17, 03:22 PM	#7
Twoqu Grown up member Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 70	When I looked at this previously it seemed that the biggest problems caused by the switchover from analogue to digital were caused not by the aerials but the coaxial cable! In particular the crappy OE flyleads from the wall plates into the TV/Freeview tuners etc. I was sceptical but I bought some SAT cable (WF100?) some F plugs and male/female adaptors and knocked up some leads. That cured most of the similar issues I had experienced. Its not that difficult to do just need a stanley knife and a pair of pliers at the most. I think you can buy them ready made as well. So thats a good place to start. Like everything else, ideally you should replace all the cable and possibly the wall plates if you want it as good as it gets. Seems like the changeover was just another excuse for people to rip off the vunerable with "digital aerials". Here is a link on how to make a cable with F plugs either end: http://www.satcure.co.uk/tech/fplugs.htm Some more info here: http://www.satcure.co.uk/tech/freeview_problems.htm Last edited by Twoqu; 29-08-17 at 03:27 PM.

28-08-17, 09:15 PM	#3
Ringmaster Senior Member Classic Audi Club Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 1,326	Somebody somewhere is making a buck. Health & Safety won't allow egg & spoon races, yet people can buy fireworks! Somebody somewhere is making a buck...

29-08-17, 03:27 PM	#8
sinbin5t 4 ring whore! Classic Audi Club Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Where a spike points skywards Posts: 12,960	I just don't watch anything on BBC, kill it off and no more licence fee would suit me.

29-08-17, 05:21 PM	#10
Ringmaster Senior Member Classic Audi Club Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 1,326	I'm no fan of the licence fee, but the BBC does make programming where the arts and sciences are concerned that would otherwise not be readily made if the purely commercial aspect was considered. The Proms are a good example. The BBC World Service is a lifeline to many beyond our shores. I believe its budget is provided by the Foreign Office now, but that sort of thing should be safeguarded. Some way of reducing the fee should be considered. BBC Worldwide and other BBC areas generate a massive amount of revenue, so maybe they should be made to rely on more revenue from those streams or even a limited amount of advertising allowed? Not to mention a review of all major salaries. Like any government organisation, there is waste in the way its run.