100 days left for Winter Hill...

[2cvbloke]

4th November is the date set for those receiving Analogue and digital signals from the Winter Hill transmitter, and as of today, it's 100 days to the beginning of the end of the analogue signals in the Granada region...

BBC2 will be turned off on the 4th Nov., and the rest will follow on the 2nd of December, all digital terrestrial equipment must be retuned on the first and second switchoffs, let's hope slightly older freeview boxes don't commit suicide with the different MUX setups...

 

[Analoguesat]

Good luck - Granada viewers need it if the level of information that was given out in the Selkirk switch off last November was anything to go by!

 

[2cvbloke]

Good luck - Granada viewers need it if the level of information that was given out in the Selkirk switch off last November was anything to go by!

It was just on BBC North West Tonight, apparently there was some DigitalUK do at the base of the transmitter, but that was the first I heard of it!!!

But I did know that the switchoff was set to start in November, whether anyone else did, I dunno, there's been enough ads for the DigitalUK thing, with that annoying robot, "Digit Al", but I don't see why we need to go digital, switching off the channels just opens up the frequencies for more cr*p!!!

 

[Lazarus]

It was just on BBC North West Tonight, apparently there was some DigitalUK do at the base of the transmitter, but that was the first I heard of it!!!

But I did know that the switchoff was set to start in November, whether anyone else did, I dunno, there's been enough ads for the DigitalUK thing, with that annoying robot, "Digit Al", but I don't see why we need to go digital, switching off the channels just opens up the frequencies for more cr*p!!!

DigitalUK are about as useless as t*ts on a Cricket bat :-downt

 

[Topper]

I was aware of the time scale however I fail to see what all the fuss is about, last figures I heard were that 88% of the population have gone digital in this area. Perhaps the 12% are sticking it out thinking they will get a freebee and not have to fork out money......

 

[A nonymous]

Lets just hope they get it right otherwise i can see another month stint in Bolton coming

If its anything to go by whats happening in the Central region at the moment they are going to be in big do do

Its great fun setting up IRS systems when the local transmitter (Sutton Coldfield) decide to switch off the digital mux your trying to level out 'O'-red

I thought my meter had packed up at first, until i had a few phone calls from other work colleagues who were having the same problems.

So nice of them to inform us O-no

:-beer

Nano

 

[bobdisk]

I use Crystal Palace, London. We have started to get a "retune your box on or before 30 Sept" (or else!) banner in the last few days. Didnt think there was any changes in this area yet, anyone know?

 

[2cvbloke]

I use Crystal Palace, London. We have started to get a "retune your box on or before 30 Sept" (or else!) banner in the last few days. Didnt think there was any changes in this area yet, anyone know?

You can check here:

_http://www.digitaluk.co.uk/

They will have all the info you need...

 

[rolfw]

It is not a tune before, it is a tune on or after banner, all that will happen if you don't, will be that you will lose Channel Five, ITV4 and the BBC radio channels.
So nothing too serious to worry about.

http://www.freeview.co.uk/freeview/Press/Freeview-launches-Remember-to-Retune-campaign

 

[2cvbloke]

I'm just not looking forward to the date set for WH, cos I discovered this week that our Sony KD-28DL10U IDTV has a software issue meaning it refuses to retune (gets stuck at 2%), so unless Sony reply to my e-mail about getting it fixed, then the TV will be screwed, cos sony didn't have the foresight to make sure the TV was compatible with future upgrades like other Freeview-based device manufacturers were...

Oh well, best be on the lookout for a decent separate freeview box then...

EDIT:
And that Retune on the 30th, well, we're definitely screwed!!!

 

[2cvbloke]

Well, that's BBC2 Analogue offline, and all Digital stuff off too and needs retuning cos they just changed the transmission layout...

 

[rolfw]

So did you get your software updated on the Sony?

 

[Vipersan]

Obviously some 'in the know' guys on this thread ..
Just curious as to how much of the spectrum will be re-used for digital TV (HD in particular) ...
Or has HMgvt got designs on any spectrum freed up for 'selling' off to private enterprise..

The 3G auction of usuable spectrum springs to mind..
It certainly filled the treasury koffers at the time with some very scary sums of money involved at the time...
rgds

 

[2cvbloke]

So did you get your software updated on the Sony?

Nope, the most helpful answer we got from a sony centre was to "check that the download option is switched on", and that was it, no offer of an update CAM or anything... :mad:

 

[Analoguesat]

Obviously some 'in the know' guys on this thread ..
Just curious as to how much of the spectrum will be re-used for digital TV (HD in particular) ...
Or has HMgvt got designs on any spectrum freed up for 'selling' off to private enterprise..


rgds

Am maximum of 6 frequencies (maybe 7 later) will be used for the digital tv muxes at each transmitter. One HD mux will be available for the next few years.

The government is looking at flogging off about a third of the tv frequency spectrum for other use - if anyone wants to start up other HD channels they will have to pay the commercial going rate for the appropriate spectrum for each transmitter.

 

[Vipersan]

.

The government is looking at flogging off about a third of the tv frequency spectrum for other use - if anyone wants to start up other HD channels they will have to pay the commercial going rate for the appropriate spectrum for each transmitter.

...Thanks for that ..
I had a feeling that would likely be the case..
rgds

 

[Topper]

Less than two hours to go now, will there be any pain???

 

[Vipersan]

Pain is guaranteed ..
..judging by the cockup so far ...
several customers in my shop over the last month fuming at the fact that ...even though they already have 'digitally ticked' equipment ...its destined for the skip ..and are forced to buy replacement tvs and stbs ...
I expect more as of tomorrow..
cest la vie

 

[Topper]

BBC1 ITV1 and CH4 all went very quickly at about 5 minutes past the hour, CH5 still working as of 00:13 but probably not for long

 

[PaulR]

Are you sure about BBC1 as it's there this morning without a retune?