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All posts by MikeB

Below are all of MikeB's postings, with the most recent are at the bottom of the page.


Nick: And we are off again with the 'BBC is propaganda' theme. And no, I still don't work for the BBC.

We can watch channels from anywhere we like, thanks to the intertubes, plus all the foreign news channels on Freeview and Freesat, etc (7 other news channels on Freesat alone). However, the BBC is rated as the most trustworthy single news source in polls, with 32% going for the BBC, with ITV getting 8%. The BBC World Service also gets 2%, as does BBC radio, and the BBC website gets 3% - so the BBC is the most trusted news source with 39%. The highest scored newspaper is the Daily Mail, with 3%. The BBC is also the most trusted source in the US. But you already know this, becuase I pointed it out last November.

And despite the fact the nobody is forced to watch any BBC programmes or news at all, its still the most watched/listened to media organisation in the UK, and possibly the world (taking into account the World Service, etc). If its so awful, despite so much choice and alternatives, what are we all doing wrong?

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MikeP: Panasonic and Sony do allow you to 'split the audio', whereas LG does not. Apparently Samsung's should do, but at least one model can't. So hopefully the optical splitter won't be needed - good to hear that its working!

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Bob Loader: I know the usb blue tooth transmitters work for keyboards, but you've got to get the audio stream to them, and I'm not sure its possible. I'd start with the sets own bluetooth. If no joy there, then the 3.5mm jack and a bluetooth transmitter sounds the next easiest option.

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stewart: If its a Samsung (its a decent bet), then although it doesn't have a scart, you can still connect it. It will probably have a bag with some cables, including one which has yellow, red and white connectors at one end, and a 3.5mm jack at the other. Thats an RCA attachment, and you can get a RCA/scart adapter really cheaply. Have a look at the manual.

Also have the look at the back of the combi. If its 8 years old or less from a decent brand, there is a good chance its got an HDMI as well - which is easy to swap for the scart. The make/models of TV and combi would help.


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M
BBC News HD
Monday 18 January 2016 3:14PM

Mike: Thats HD channel in on Com 7, so if that was a rubbish signal, then logically so would a load of other channels. I'd check signal stength on other channels/coms - if its too high, then the signal stength might go from very high to very low, etc. A postcode would help.

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Terry Carne: Mr O'Connors original post, you can see that he was missing 2 Muxes, as you say you are, but there are lots of possible reasons for a problem with reception. If the problem has been going on for a long time, then its unlikely to be the transmitter itself. And if you can get the first two mux's, but not the third, then its unlikely to be the strength of the signal, since PSB3 is broadcast at the same strength. There may be a problem that has escaped widespread notice, but the Redruth transmitter covers 97,000 homes. Even if 99% get a perfect signal, thats almost a 1000 homes that have a problem. However, that problem may not be the same problem.

Its worth checking that the transmitter being used is the optimal one - its not uncommon for a set or box to pick up another transmitter, especially if someone has retuned. Next, what is the terrain like - there are some places that are just going to have problems (which is where Freesat might be useful). And then you have to think about what is happening in the persons own house - if the aerial the correct one?, is the system robust?, etc. And is the signal too weak or too strong?

You can put your postcode into the website when you post, and it will give lots of information about possible reception, etc. We need a postcode because simply giving a town is not only hard work, but its also very hazy.

Narrow down the possible cause, and then something can be done.

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Anthony: I totally agree about broadband coverage/speed, and have been saying so for some years, in relation to those people insisting that streaming all TV is feasible in the near future.

4K tuners are more difficult, since, as you point out, Freeview is currently unable to handle that amount of data (sat. systems are a slightly different matter). Since manufacturers have only just agreed on a 4K standard, developing a 4K tuner for terrestial TV might take a while! Although streaming is not practical for many people at present, it is growing are there are a growing number of people who barely use the tuner built into the TV - they are using Virgin or Sky, or beyond that, they are watching everything on demand, from Iplayer to Amazon Prime, Netflix, etc. My brother largely watches that way, and he pointed out to me last year that there was little point in buying a TV with a tuner - he is basically using it as a giant computer monitor.

I'm fairly sure that the tuner will continue to be standard in TV's, but streaming will be the main route for many for 4K, which of course has nothing to do with any transmissions or the technology they use. At some point, there will possibly be 4K capable tuners, but that assumes that there will be 4K channels, which is reliant on transmission technology (plus its large scale use) and the ability to compress 4K signals to an acceptable amount of bandwidth. Whats surprising is how slowly technology moves - think about how perhaps 80% of TV's in the UK are HD Ready, and that the bulk of boxsets sold are still DVD's....

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Nigel O'Connor: Can anyone actually describe what 'the problem' is? As I said before, there are lots of possible reasons for poor reception, and many of them will be within a house, not external to it. It needs to be established if there is an actual pattern and common cause, or are they the usual problems that might be expected, but lumped together as 'something is wrong'.

Looking at your location (which is why a postcode is so useful), we can see that your are just 5km from the transmitter. Thats very close, and too high a signal level would not be out of the question - check the signal strength is not too high, because overloading the TV tuner can result in 'no signal', etc.

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Stuart Newman: A postcode would be a huge help....

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M
BBC News HD
Wednesday 20 January 2016 4:06PM

Mike: Sorry, but my budget barely stretches to a basic radio, so high end hifi is more of a distant dream than reality! I'm on serveral forums, but none for hi end hifi.

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