Between now and 2012, the UK has to “go digital”. The extra choice is great, and more and more people are switching. But is it all good news? Are you happy with the switch-off of analogue telly? Should we wait till we’re ready, or plough ahead?
We have a new pages of notes at www.frequencycast.co.uk/analogueswitchoff.html
We’re also asking for your votes via this page… as well as your comments here on our blog – for possible inclusion in a future show…
October 2nd, 2007 at 9:01 am
I have embraced the digital age, with D.A.B. and satellite TV and the addition of Freeview boxes in the bedrooms of the B&B I run down here in Cornwall, which is due to be one of the earliest areas to switch over, in 2009.
It is only since doing all this that I have seen the horrendous future that lies in wait when this enforced switchover takes place.
For Freeview television, unless the signal is improved enormously, it is going to mean unwatchable programmes during certain weather conditions and for radio, if that happens, it will mean being unable to listen in most parts of the house.
At the moment, the freeview signal is fine on cloudy, dull days. But as soon as we get high pressure the digital signal breaks up and the picture fragments in horizontal blocks. At the same time, the analogue picture remains crystal clear. Is this how it’s going to be after the switchover? Is there any part of the country where the signal is supposed to be strong enough to counter this problem?
My fear is that the country will only wake up to what has happened after the switchover takes place and that millions of pounds in our taxes and licence fees will have bene poured into an unworkable system.
Radio is even worse, with the signal varying enormously in just a few feet. I have just bought a personal DAB radio and at the top of my garden it picks up 33 stations. Move further down and they drop off one by one and inside the house it picks up none at all, except right by the kitchen window. What a total shambles!
I listen to Radio 5 through AM still and all the time get bombarded by jingles proclaiming “on D.A.B radio, on digital television and on-line” without any mention of the only service that works in many places -AM. This is all part of the BBC’s obsession with digital broadcasting even though the executives must go home and realise the signal just doesn’t work in many places.
Like yourselves, I welcome the choice given by Digital television. I could not live without the horse racing, football and other sport I watch through Sky but the enforced switch off of the analogue system is the biggest confidence trick played on the British public.
I cannot see why we cannot continue with both services and at a time when we are all minded about the environment the extra power being used to run these boxes and the enormous impact of the dumping of millions of out of date TVs is totally wrong and unacceptable. For radio, the impact is also there with these devices being extremely power wasteful, using batteries at an alarming rate.
There, that’s my rant on the subject!
November 20th, 2007 at 4:07 pm
Hi Michalf,
at last someone saying something i can agree with!!
i live in Devon and since i discovered how much more digital is going to cost us, i have been horrified at how many people /organisations just don’t want to know.
most important in your comment was the enormous rate that your radio battery is being used up. i found out the difference between the power consumed by analogue and that used by digital when my children bought me a wind-up DAB/analogue radio. If it is wound up for 60 seconds it gives you one hour of analogue radio time but only 3-5 minutes of digital time!
I think the Maths means this is costing at least 12 times as much – 1200%??
i would love to be proved wron. The only comments i had so far (from my MP)is the amount that will be wasted by leaving tvs on stand by . . – what about the actual amount of electricity consumed to just listen to the radio – never mind TV costs!
I would love to know if you, or anyone in Cumbria, has/have noticed any difference in your bills?
What annoys me is people bang on about how much a light bulb uses?
but the potential waste of energy involved in this switch over is enormous.
it must be the worst ‘green’ issue ever – the whole country going through this waste.
i want to smash that patronising little robots head in – appearing on TV every night. it’s telling you you’ve got to change your Video recorder now.
Must go now but am not finished ranting.
Ve
P.S They will tell you that all will be well when the analogue signal is switched off – but no-one has any proof of this
February 6th, 2008 at 6:18 pm
I’ve just bought two DAB clock radios, after returning the analogue ones purchased last week (on my husband’s instructions). Only to find that DAB is not yet available in our area!!!
How frustrating is this. Now do I return these two (more expensive) radios and buy the analogue versions, only to find that they won’t work once the switch-off occurs? Or hang on to the non-working at present DAB radios, in the hope that one day our area will be included? Or return the radios and wait, at least I shall have a worthwhile guarantee, and in the meantime no radio to wake up to?
Either get on and do the job and provide us with a service that is usable, or leave well alone. It was good enough for my grannie, so for heaven’s sake stop worrying about what else you (the government) can do with all this extra space on the unused analogue lines or wires or whatever they are.
October 21st, 2008 at 4:04 pm
Does anybody see a pattern here, which the UKofGB&NI is just as usual, at the back of the pack?
According to Wikipedia:
The EU recommended in December 2005 that its Member States cease all analogue television transmissions by the year 2012
Andorra
Analog terrestrial television was switched off on September 25th, 2007.
Finland
Analogue terrestrial television was switched off in Finland on 1 September 2007.
Luxembourg
On 1 September 2006, Luxembourg became the first European country to transition completely to DTT.
The Netherlands
The Netherlands was the first country to complete the move to digital terrestrial broadcasting on December 11, 2006.
Sweden
The shutdown of the analogue service in Sweden started on September 19 2005 and was finished on October 15 2007.
Vlaanderen
The shutdown of the analog service will take place on November 3rd, 2008
United States of America
Except for low power repeaters and translators, all TV stations will cease analog operation on February 17th, 2009. (Network stations in major markets have been available terrestrially in HD since day one of their digital terrestrial broadcast.)
January 1st, 2009 at 5:07 pm
There is much to be said for digital television as we have long since switched to Freeview (via On Digital all those years ago!!)
However, the bit rate and compression is obvious on some channels (eg Dave) even on my old 28inch CRT television, the quality on newer large screen tv’s must be dreadful. Is the public perception of digital is always better correct? No.
With respect to radio, please leave well alone. I choose to listen on my old vintage valve sets to Radio 4 LW, short waves are slowly dying but there is still plenty to listen to out there. I also use a DAB radio for Planet Rock. But, the quality and reception of DAB are poor (compared to FM).
Perhaps the dash to digital is more about control? I value the freedom to listen to analogue transmissions from across the world, without someone looking over my shoulder (internet).
There is a place for internet, AM, FM and DAB broadcasting.
January 27th, 2009 at 2:12 am
Quoted from Mark N Pearson “Perhaps the dash to digital is more about control? I value the freedom to listen to analogue transmissions from across the world, without someone looking over my shoulder (internet).”
I am glad I am not the only one with similar thoughts!!
Both sound and vision quality using a digital box is rubbish, frequent crackling and jittery picture display – switch back to the analogue channels and it’s absolutely fine.
June 17th, 2009 at 1:28 pm
Today we hear an announcement that analogue RADIO transmissions in the UK will be replaced by digital by 2015.
Unsurprisingly there has been little comment on this, with all and sundry nodding their heads in sheep-like approval.
No-one has even considered what this will mean in either the practical (millions of obsolete radios consigned to scrap) or the technical (the poor reception properties and technical INFERIOR system of digital transmission) terms.
The whole game for digital radio is about money, not choice. The government gets to sell off a whole range of licences, whilst at the same time kidding everyone they are getting something better than they already have.
I beggars belief how completely the population have swallowed this.
Analogue shutdown will now be a breeze . The people have already been converted.
September 24th, 2009 at 12:55 pm
Replaced a perfectly clear FM radio with Pure DAB version. Reception in a so called good coverage area is appalling.
So much for the hype around technology advance.
You say you are against the change, which seems to offer the government an additional revenue stream, rather than give consumers improved technology, so what is anybody doing about it? Is there a body that people can join and present a dissenting voice to the government?
October 19th, 2009 at 7:28 pm
I live in a large town with a TV transmitter not too far away, we have had an upgraded TV aerial fitted, however, thganks to the latest upgrade shambles the indoor aerials on the digital TV’s no longer pick up any signals! As for the nonsense of being able to pick up more channels what for? looking at any weekday night there are only repeats of the crap which was on at the weekend anyway! for instance on ITV2 tonight is a showing of Harry Hills TV Burp – Saturdays edition already repeated once on Sunday, or on Film 4 ‘Million Dollar Baby’ shows for the 3rd time in as many weeks! It cost more and gives less – if its that good let the Emergenct=y services have it and let me stick to good old fashioned non pixelating analogue.
November 13th, 2009 at 10:43 pm
I am most unhappy with the proposed or enforced digital switch over which is going to rendour my collection of vintage radios usless, i have spent much time and money having some of my valve sets restored only to find they will be usless when the switch over happens , they after all do not have fm on them .I can only imagine living on the isle of wight that signals from digital will be bad with the wheather as when watching tv and bad wheather is here i have to watch analogue channles if i want a crystal clear pic.
The implications from a green issue are horrendous ! and what about all those car radios being dumped too and people having to all these things
How much is this going to all cost us the customer of electronics and the eviorment. ANAlogue should be along siode digital
well thats me done
November 15th, 2009 at 7:09 am
Hi everyone
mark a friend of mine mentioned this site well i have to say i like him also have a collection of antique radio’s, my god i have spent a a small fortune on my radios having restored them and they really are quite fantastic,to make my lovley old radio collection useless after 80 odd years is a dreadful shame , most vinatge radios do not have fm or am if they do keep those bands.
So thankyou goverment for you contribution, and is this enviormentaly friendly i think not!!!!
I can’t see why both digital and analogue can’t be kept!
DID YOU KNOW THAT DIGITAL RADIO’S COST MORE TO RUN ON BATTERYS THAN ANALOGUE SETS! ITS TRUE IS THAT GREEN, I THINK NOT!
SO GET READY FOR BIGGER BILLS IN THE HOUSE ,