Comments for FrequencyCast UK Tech Podcast News

Comment on Analogue Switch-off. Your views? by maria

maria — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 05:44:17 +0000

This switch over is so obviously under and. what about free choice not to be bombarded with channels with questionable content most times before the watershed and the free choice to watch channels without magnetic or electrical interruptions? The cost of running a digital radio is so much higher not to mention the cost of shipping selling or dumping the defunct televisions and radios.

Comment on Analogue Switch-off. Your views? by Mike Lewis

Mike Lewis — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 15:19:01 +0000

How dare the goverment make over 100 million radio sets useless at the flick of a switch!
If they want it, then they should supply digital replacements free of charge, and exchange radio’s for people who will loose the use of their’s, especially the elderly, many of whome love the radio during the day.
I know digital is supposed to be better, maybe it is, but I have satalite, and get picture break up, picture freeze in bad weather, and sometimes get a message on the screen stating I am not receiving a signal!
Before digital,I never experienced any of these problems, just a few lines across the screen in really bad weather.

Comment on FrequencyCast Show 71: Look back at 2011 by stephen wilton

stephen wilton — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 17:17:23 +0000

hi guys, just read on the radio and telly site about the reduction in hours and channels of topuptv, don’t know why topuptv just leave freeview, they aren’t a patch on what they were, and are still quite expensive, also have seen sone new channels come on the rescan, namely vision and connect, apparently they’re only being broadcast on freeview hd with internet connection and not normal freeview boxes, could you find out more about the sevices, many thanx steve wilton from welling, kent

Comment on Analogue Switch-off. Your views? by cynthia

cynthia — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 17:12:56 +0000

I would like to add my experience to the mix. I live in the United States where the switch to digital has already occurred. Those who warn of signal degradation are absolutely correct. While you might have more digital channels, you probably won’t be able to view them. Any inclement weather, and the signal becomes degraded. If a plane flies over your property (or nearby for the matter) be prepared to lose your signal. Moreover, most stations won’t broadcast with sufficient strength to service outlying areas. So, if you live in a rural area, you should probably consider investing in cable television.

I understand why the migration to digital had to occur (to free up bandwidth for needed emergency transmissions), but little consideration was given to how this change would impact consumers. The switch has been a boon to cable and satellite providers and a burden to the rest of us.

Comment on Save Pollyanna Woodward by Paul Stone

Paul Stone — Sun, 11 Dec 2011 10:59:43 +0000

It seems Wikipedia is loosing sight of its origins. The implication is that you have to be big, rich or famous to stay in ?? I thought that Wikipedia was a repository of knowledge for the planet not any sort of league table. History written by the victors??

You need some ‘bigging up’ !!!

Comment on Analogue Switch-off. Your views? by Adrian

Adrian — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 22:52:45 +0000

We used a set box box for quite a while with our analogue telly but the sound kept cutting out and sometimes cut out completely. This happened using two different set top boxes. Eventually we spent a lot of money on a new LCD telly. The picture is great…most of the time. This evening the picture occasionally turned to a mass of blocks and the sound was unintelligable. I was going to sell/dump the analogue TV but I may now keep it as it has always had a perfect picture. It is incredibly annoying spending money in the hope of curing a problem only to end up with a worse one.

I live in a block of flats in Cheltenham and maybe upgrading the aerial would improve matters but I very much doubt the landlord will make any effort to upgrade the aerial. My girlfriend lives up in Liverpool in a flat and her digital TV reception is even worse, much of the time it is unwatchable.

With the huge cuts the BBC is having to make I expect the transmiited signal will not be improved and the government will not pay for aerial upgrades throughout the country. Basically if we want an uninterrupted TV service we are all being forced to spend yet more money on cable or satellite subscription.

Comment on Save Pollyanna Woodward by Rob Dickson

Rob Dickson — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 12:18:30 +0000

Maybe a picture of Pollyanna in a blue bikini from the Gadget Show titles would convince people more than one of her being groped by Pete! OK, I’m just jealous!

Comment on iOS 5 Battery Issues: A Possible Fix by Jon

Jon — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 11:00:33 +0000

Nice one… I thought it was discharging a little quicker than normal! Taken the advise and will keep an eye on it!
Thanks guys!
Jon.

Comment on Want an iPhone 4S? Switch to Vodafone says o2! by FrequencyCast

FrequencyCast — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 02:11:31 +0000

Hi guys,

There’s some interesting discussion of o2′s handling of the iPhone 4S rollout, plus some comments putting the argument in defence of o2, here: http://forums.digitalspy.co.uk/showthread.php?p=54109184

Any thoughts? Please let us know!

Comment on Want an iPhone 4S? Switch to Vodafone says o2! by Pete

Pete — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 02:09:36 +0000

There’s some comment on this subject, including some defense of o2′s position on this matter, here: http://forums.digitalspy.co.uk/showthread.php?p=54109184

Comment on Bonus Material: Brian The Brain by Georgeo

Georgeo — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 12:06:33 +0000

On a not-very-related note, I have an answer phone from BT that ends each call it takes with “Thank you for calling”. The problem is that it says this after the caller has hung up. Who does it think it’s speaking to?

Comment on Bonus Material: Brian The Brain by Georgeo

Georgeo — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 12:05:06 +0000

V. funny to hear Carl getting wound up by a gadget. A good way to start a Friday lunch break!

Comment on Want an iPhone 4S? Switch to Vodafone says o2! by ohcheers.com

ohcheers.com — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 12:11:21 +0000

Well that’s brilliant. Just tried to call O2 on 202 from my mobile to get a PAC code, and just got an automated message saying they couldn’t take my call – whatsoever! – and advising me to look at the O2 website before cutting me off altogether. Oh Cheers O2! You won’t even let me leave!

Comment on DIY Podcast Kit reviewed by Konstantin Gehring

Konstantin Gehring — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 23:04:24 +0000

there is a problem with the program energyXT 2.5 that came with the podcastkit. when i try to open a new project guitar amp it runs bad. can’t turn off humming onlywith delete guitaramp.

Comment on Want an iPhone 4S? Switch to Vodafone says o2! by Matthew Horspool

Matthew Horspool — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 00:20:26 +0000

In my experience with O2 you actually have to request the PAC before they seriously consider being competitive. I had this problem when I wanted to switch to the iPhone 4 a while ago – they were charging a fortune! I explained that I had found a cheaper contract with Three, in my case, and they agreed that it was a cracking deal and apologised, but said they couldn’t compete with it. I hence bought the contract. However, when I came to asking for my PAC, I was given a much more competitive offer from them and asked if I’d consider. I’d already bought the contract by this point, and anyway their more competitive offer, though better, still wasn’t anywhere near as good as the Three contract, but still. Had they have told me about it in the first place, I might have considered staying out of loyalty.

Comment on Want an iPhone 4S? Switch to Vodafone says o2! by FrequencyCast

FrequencyCast — Sun, 16 Oct 2011 09:54:26 +0000

Michael – doesn’t that depend on where you are?

Comment on Want an iPhone 4S? Switch to Vodafone says o2! by FrequencyCast

FrequencyCast — Sun, 16 Oct 2011 09:01:42 +0000

Hi TechandLife. Yes, I agree… it’s probably worth some clarification. Looking at the spec of the iPhone 4S, the team agreed that there’s no compelling reason for most people to need to rush out and upgrade, so we weren’t planning to queue for one on the day of release, or do what we did with the iPhone 4, and do a “special day one hands-on review”.

We have had a number of mails from listeners asking for our views on the phone though, and as our radio shows are driven by feedback from the audience, we’ve agreed that we need to try to at least include some feedback on the 4S in our next show.

Seeing an opportunity to get a 4S without queuing, Pete thought he’d get one, so we could get some hands-on time before the next show. He was a little surprised at:

a) o2 has changed policy to prevent existing users from a fast track upgrade

b) that you have to move to a new tariff, and one that doesn’t include data

c) that o2 advised him that the only option was to switch to another network operator.

Sure – He could wait six weeks, then upgrade (on a more expensive contract), but the alternative is to get a phone now, and be on a cheaper contract. So, should we a) wait and pay more, or b) switch, get a phone now, pay less and review the 4S in the next show?

Comment on Want an iPhone 4S? Switch to Vodafone says o2! by Michael Johnson

Michael Johnson — Sun, 16 Oct 2011 08:54:04 +0000

The Reception on Vodafone is poor verses O2

Comment on Want an iPhone 4S? Switch to Vodafone says o2! by techandlife

techandlife — Sun, 16 Oct 2011 08:32:12 +0000

Not sure what’s going on here. At the start you said ‘looking at the spec of the iPhone 4S, there seems to be no need to rush out and upgrade’. So why didn’t you just wait the 1 month, i.e. just 4 weeks, for your upgrade without breaking the contract! Is the 4S that much better than the iPhone 4 that you had to change networks to get it straight away? Is it really that important to have Apple shiny without a 4 week wait?

Comment on Want an iPhone 4S? Switch to Vodafone says o2! by FrequencyCast

FrequencyCast — Sat, 15 Oct 2011 19:31:51 +0000

We did look at that as an option… problem seemed to be the price when we looked:

Apple: SIM-only price is £599, plus your £35 a month.
Vodafone: £36 a month, handset is £199.

£300 more expensive to take that route, unless we’re missing something…