Analogue Switchoff

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Reply # 904660 29-Sep-2013 18:07

richms:
DjShadow: I can't see them coming down in a hurry unless someone like a community group comes around offering to remove them. Scrap metal places would be loving it

Not really, few 100 grams of badly corroded aluminium with masses of dirt over it, and needing rusted metal fasteners removed from them.

Also they may still be used for FM, so dont go pulling them down in too much of a hurry.

Yep, not to mention sealing up the roof once the mount is removed, if it isn't fascia or eave mounted. I'd be inclined to leave it where it is if it isn't leaking, lest it start doing so.

I use mine for FM...

khull

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Reply # 904693 29-Sep-2013 18:32

The number of questions I've had from friends and relatives (yes old farts) on which 'channel' they should set their fat TV to, I can imagine how it will be a busy new few days. Serve them right - if they are going to be set in their ways, they will have no TV.

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DarthKermit

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Reply # 904739 29-Sep-2013 20:11

khull: The number of questions I've had from friends and relatives (yes old farts) on which 'channel' they should set their fat TV to, I can imagine how it will be a busy new few days. Serve them right - if they are going to be set in their ways, they will have no TV.

They no comprende all the info about the digital changeover?

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JimmyH

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Reply # 904797 29-Sep-2013 21:58

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It's difficult for some people. More difficult than some of the people who inhabit spaces like this one may realise - GZ users aren't exactly a typical cross-section of NZ as far as technology is concerned.

I have just finished sorting a couple of households for the switch-off, although my knowledge isn't pro-grade I'm the nearest in the family to a go-to guy for this sort of stuff.

One elderly relative is still bewildered why I made them get new equipment, why they need a set-top box when they didn't before (they had to go satellite as terrestrial coverage was impossible) and why they have to change channels using a different remote instead of the TV remote "like they always have". And they still can't understand why they need to set the channel on their STB to use their VCR. (Yes, they wouldn't surrender their beloved 2-head VCR, and insisted that it be made to work, they got somewhat distressed at the concept of not being able to "tape"). I still take the tech support calls when they do something like inadvertently change the input on the TV - which they also don't quite understand.

It will be interesting to see how many people didn't prepare and have lost their beloved TV, when I get to work tomorrow though .........

Edit: typing - D'oh.

Jaxson

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Reply # 904822 29-Sep-2013 23:13

The VCR bit has been really funny.
I've had many conversations trying to explain that their previous setup did actually have two tuners, one in the tv and one in the VCR. That's why you'll need a twin tuner unit to view and record a different channel at the same time. External boxes does make older systems more involved now, as you have to set VCRs to the line in option etc. also struggle with the concept that TVs with inbuilt free view tuners usually don't have video lineo outs, which those with VCRs found inconvenient.

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Reply # 904844 30-Sep-2013 07:11

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I expect that if my late grandparents were still alive, they'd find this digital changeover equally bewildering.

They had one old CRT telly in their lounge and never even had a VCR.

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hydroksyde

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Reply # 905164 30-Sep-2013 14:47

At least if they're in a freeview HD coverage area and don't mind buying a new TV, and aren't worried about recording, it's more or less Antenna ====> TV just as it always.

While putting outliers/low population centers on satellite only was a sensible thing to do, having an STB does complicate things... Maybe add in a logitech harmony remote to tie it all together?

aros71

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Reply # 905179 30-Sep-2013 15:22

It's just elevated the complexity of watching TV for the older and less tech-savvy generation. You couldn't beat the old Antenna ---> TV model, which theoretically is still possible *if* they are in a terrestrial covered area and *if* they are prepared to spend the money to buy a new TV with a DVB-T tuner built-in.

Satellite - forget it. Gonna need a STB.

Way back in the old old days of Sky (early 1990s) I had a sky decoder that plugged into my Philips TV with a SCART to SCART connector. I was still able to switch channels on my TV - I think it was some sort of video out/video in loop - the decoder didn't even have a remote of its own - so the TV behaved like it was standalone, not going through a STB.

The same setup for freeview would make it so much easier for those of us who have to support elderly relatives...

And yeah. re the comment on this thread elsewhere about the old person clinging to their VHS... I get that too. My mother still sends me VHS copies thru the mail of things she recorded off TV that she thought I might be interested in... haven't had a VCR for years and if I tell her I can get it on line she says "oh that's nice" and a new VHS arrives in the mail a couple days later :D

wellygary

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Reply # 905191 30-Sep-2013 15:37

aros71:
Way back in the old old days of Sky (early 1990s) I had a sky decoder that plugged into my Philips TV with a SCART to SCART connector. I was still able to switch channels on my TV - I think it was some sort of video out/video in loop - the decoder didn't even have a remote of its own - so the TV behaved like it was standalone, not going through a STB.

Would have been a Sky UHF Setup, your TV would feed the signal to the STB and it would just decode what ever it was fed and send it back, the TV would then display the signal.

mattwnz

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Reply # 905208 30-Sep-2013 15:59

Many people in rest homes still have analogue on their old CRTs I have noticed. I think some could have got a free freeview setup paid for by the taxpayer, but I had heard they are satellite instead of UHF, even though many of these people are in uhf area. Why you would go for satellite when uhf is cheaper to buy the components for and setup, doesn't make sense.

IMHO for an elderly person, it is far better for them just to buy a new freeview TV, and I wouldn't be surpised if it worked out cheaper than what the government were offering with their free STB option for the elderly. Managing two remotes for tv, for many elderly people is confusing for them.

Inphinity

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Reply # 905211 30-Sep-2013 16:08

mattwnz: Many people in rest homes still have analogue on their old CRTs I have noticed. I think some could have got a free freeview setup paid for by the taxpayer, but I had heard they are satellite instead of UHF, even though many of these people are in uhf area. Why you would go for satellite when uhf is cheaper to buy the components for and setup, doesn't make sense.

Quite a few rest homes and other group living environments (including some apartments) do this because they can stick up a satellite dish, split/boost the signal to each unit, and then the occupant can plug in either a freeview, sky, whatever satellite-capable STB they want and use it, rather than having to have both satellite & aerial. Some do the latter (i.e. offer both), but some don't, and satellite has been the only medium over recent years to allow both sky & freeview use.

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DjShadow

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Reply # 905293 30-Sep-2013 19:01

I noticed tonight they have already started the ads for the Upper NI advising of analogue switch off, and this was on TV One HD on Sky too

hydroksyde

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Reply # 905348 30-Sep-2013 19:39

aros71: Way back in the old old days of Sky (early 1990s) I had a sky decoder that plugged into my Philips TV with a SCART to SCART connector. I was still able to switch channels on my TV - I think it was some sort of video out/video in loop - the decoder didn't even have a remote of its own - so the TV behaved like it was standalone, not going through a STB.

The same setup for freeview would make it so much easier for those of us who have to support elderly relatives...

Impossible... that's the SCART decoder loop... The TV's tuner would demodulate the signal, send it out to the decoder, and the decoder would send the decoded signal back.

The problem is your TV can't tune a satellite signal (and if it did, you would have no reason to send it to an STB and back).

I believe there is the odd high-end (and I mean boutique high end, not just big dollars at harvey normal) TV that can have a DVB-S card installed, but probably a bit much just to get the elderly relatives TV working nice and easy.

I'd put in an STB and add a logitech harmony remote, then you one remote with a nice "Watch TV" button that will power on the TV and STB, set the input on the TV (assuming it doesn't go out of sync somehow), and then the volume buttons on the remote will control the TV, and the channel buttons will control the STB.

hydroksyde

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Reply # 905350 30-Sep-2013 19:41

Inphinity:
mattwnz: Many people in rest homes still have analogue on their old CRTs I have noticed. I think some could have got a free freeview setup paid for by the taxpayer, but I had heard they are satellite instead of UHF, even though many of these people are in uhf area. Why you would go for satellite when uhf is cheaper to buy the components for and setup, doesn't make sense.

Quite a few rest homes and other group living environments (including some apartments) do this because they can stick up a satellite dish, split/boost the signal to each unit, and then the occupant can plug in either a freeview, sky, whatever satellite-capable STB they want and use it, rather than having to have both satellite & aerial. Some do the latter (i.e. offer both), but some don't, and satellite has been the only medium over recent years to allow both sky & freeview use.

Odd, if you're going to the extent of SMATV, it's not too difficult to diplex terrestrial reception in as well

I like terrestrial for its intrinsic reliability. A UHF antenna will still do its job (particularly with digital) when heavily corroded, but LNBs will die for no apparent reason from time to time (especially cheap ones)

aros71

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Reply # 905352 30-Sep-2013 19:44

hydroksyde:I'd put in an STB and add a logitech harmony remote, then you one remote with a nice "Watch TV" button that will power on the TV and STB, set the input on the TV (assuming it doesn't go out of sync somehow), and then the volume buttons on the remote will control the TV, and the channel buttons will control the STB.

That "assuming it doesn't go out of sync somehow" is the huge flaw in this plan. Cue tech support calls in 3....2.....1....

"My tv is on but the box with the numbers is not showing anything" and "If I press the button the TV goes off and the box with the numbers comes on"...

There will always be additional complexity and points of failure with a two box (screen + STB) model.

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