All posts by Michael Perry
Below are all of Michael Perry's postings, with the most recent are at the bottom of the page.
Bob:
The 'DSO', by which it is taken you mean the Digital Switch Over' was the change between analogue and digital transmission of terrestrial TV. That happened mainly between 2008 and 2011.
Recent changes to the digital transmission characteristics has nothing to do with any 'switch over' from analogue to digital. Most recent changes have been aimed at making better usage of available spectrum to allow further services, such as more HD MUXs and more mobile/data communications.
| link to this comment |
Carol Gunner:
I take it that you live in a new development? The Post Office are often slow to add new postcodes into their database that many organisations rely upon to validate post codes. Sadly, that doesn't always work properly because of the admin delays.
I suggest you contact ITV directly and seek their assistance in registering for ITV Player.
| link to this comment |
Michael:
I stated that all *terrestrial* transmissions before switchover were analogue. Sky is not a terrestrial service and has been digital since 1998. There were NO digital terrestrial transmissions (other than brief test transmissions) before 2008. Wikipedia is again wrong or at best misleading. It is confusing the digital services from Sky with those from the terrestrial broadcasters and should not be relied upon.
After my 50 years in the industry before retiring I am well aware of what format the transmissions we using.
| link to this comment |
Mike Davison:
Would you please enlighten us as to which terrestrial services were being transmitted digitally before 2008?
| link to this comment |
I am talking about the reception of TV services from terrestrial transmitters to be received by the general public. There were NO digital terrestrial transmission for general public reception prior to the switch from analogue to digital broadcasting from around 2008. There were no domestic TV sets capable of such terrestrial reception until much later.
The *only* digital broadcasts available until then were from Sky starting around 1997/8 or previously from British Satellite Broadcasting from around 1992/3 (using the squarial), they were bought out by Sky to gain access to the digital technology and contracts owned then by BSB. These digital services did not catch on well due to various technical problems and costs.
All terrestrial broadcasts of BBC1, BBC2, ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5 prior to 2008 intended for general public reception were entirely analogue, any digital transmissions, as mentioned by Briantist, were the links between distribution centres and the transmitter sites (these were then always converted back to analogue format for transmission to the general public). There were, therefore, no digital terrestrial transmissions for reception by the general public - and it wasn't just Ch4. The microwave link system was gradually converted to a digital system in preparation for the full digital switchover from 2008.
Michael, I suspect you were watching analogue transmissions on a TV that was possibly capable of both analogue and digital reception - but with no digital signals being available to the general public you would have to have been watching analogue transmissions. Perhaps you can enlighten us with a model number of your 'digital box', the only ones I know of were for satellite reception and not terrestrial.
Several years ago ITT sold a 'digital' TV set, but it was entirely for analogue signal reception, it then converted the signals into digital format internally for processing before conversion back to analogue to drive the CRT and loudspeakers. It did not have any digital reception capability.
| link to this comment |
One other point. Integrated Digital Televisions (IDTVs) could be connected via a broadband connection and receive programmes via the internet. These would have been in digital format for distribution via the web. However, such receivers could also get analogue terrestrial signals via and aerial and display them. The design could well have 'blurred' the distinction between viewing via the internet and an aerial (of analogue signals). So it could diplay non-broadcast programmes from a digital source, but not received via the aerial.
| link to this comment |
Arminas:
The first question is whether it is capable of running with a 230 Volt mains input as the US uses 110 Volts and connecting it to a 230 V supply could be dangerous and might cause irreparable damage.
The voltage rating should be on a label on the back or bottom of the TV set. If it does not state it can be used with a 200-240 Volt supply do NOT connect it to your mains supply
| link to this comment |
Bill Wardhaugh:
That you are on a communal aerial and others have no problems strongly suggests the problem is with your TV. To check this, try seeking the help of a neighbour who has no such problem and connect your TV set to their aerial socket (hence you need to seek their assistance to let you take your TV into their apartment). If the TV behaves the same, it is faulty and needs attention from a qualified service engineer, or replace it with a suitable new TV set.
| link to this comment |
NONE of the main transmitters nor the over 1000 relays ever broadcast a digital signal prior to the start of switch over from analogue to digital.
BSB didn't start until 1991, Astra started in 1989 and broadcast the Sky services amongst others. I worked at a senior technical training manager for Radio Rentals at that time and developed all the training materials used for several years for the installation and servicing of satellite systems, both Astra and BSB, soI have considerable experience in this field and I know what I am talking about.
If anybody thinks there were digital transmissions available to the general public from terrestrial transmitters before the official switchover starting in late 2007 but continuing until at least 2011they are sadly misinformed.
Setanta Sports was NOT available in the UK on any terrestrial transmitter prior to switchover. It was available via satellite but not terrestrial.
| link to this comment |
Tuesday 24 December 2013 10:55PM
tro:
You don't give any idea where you are located so we have a problem trying to work out what the cause of yo9ur problem might be. A post code , or one of a nearby shop, would help as would a model number of your equipment.
Indoor aerials, as opposed to loft aerials, arew notorious for poor reception of some signals but not others. Just moving the aerial to another location in the room can improve some signals but other may deteriorate.
Only an outdoor aerial on the roof, or possibly in the loft if the location is suitable, is good enough to give reasonable reliable reception. Room aerials are rarely good enough unless you are very,very close to the transmitter aerial.