Help Tuning 32" Cello LCD from Tesco

garygirl

Help! Just bought TV from Tesco - thought it would work fine in Ireland. Connected it to my UPC digital connection (not through set top box, just direct to aerial in wall) and it can only tune in 2 channels (E4 and Discovery)... it has UK freeview (no interest to me).
I know years ago a UK TV wouldn't work in Ireland. Tried manual tuning via 'country' setting but Ireland is not included in list.

Any advice, or should I just bring it back?
Thanks

STB

Bring it back.

Not alone is it unsuitable for cable tv, its not suitable for terrestrial reception.

First off cable. It has a UHF tuner. NTL use VHF in Dublin. You will need a box otherwise. You do know NTL will be turning off the analogue service very soon. Havent they being moving everyone over to their "digital" service. You will need the box soon.

Secondly Digital Terrestrial TV. With an aerial attached you should receive RTE's digital Tv services. But you wont. Why ? Because we use MPEG4. The UK use MPEG2. They are not compatible going from MPEG2 to MPEG4.

The tuner will be useless so. Bring it back. Tell them that it is not suitable to be sold in Ireland and they should not be stocking Freeview products here. If it said "Freeview HD" then it would have worked, but not for cable. Do not mention cable TV, just tell them it wont work here. Terrestrial tuners are the basics of a TV. Otherwise its just a monitor. You bought it to receive tv signals.

watty

Any Tesco "Freeview HD" sets may work. This is NOT the same as an HD or HD ready set with non-HD "Freeview".

If it doesn't work, take it back. It's not their discretion. If it doesn't work on Digital here it's not "fit for purpose". A TV is expected to last more than 3 years. In 3 years there is no Analogue here.

garygirl

Hi all

Many thanks for your advice. Will bring the TV back tomorrow.

Hopefully no problems with returns. Many thanks.

JDxtra

garygirl wrote: »

Connected it to my UPC digital connection (not through set top box, just direct to aerial in wall)

Errr, why did you not connect it to the set top box?

garygirl

Thanks for all the advice. I was connecting the TV to a digital aerial in the bedroom (no set top box here)...

Anyway, works fine with set top box so have switched around TVs and everything working now. Tesco should tell customers that TV will only work with Sky or NTL set top digital boxes though. Messy.

winston_1

You should have taken it back. Tesco will only learn that UK sets are unsuitable for Ireland is they get everyone rejected as unsuitable.

watty

Tesco have figured it out.
But they still sell the stuff.

Gerry Wicklow

watty wrote: »

Tesco have figured it out.
But they still sell the stuff.

The only info given in my local (big) Tesco is a small note that FreeView is not available in RoI. No mention of Irish reception, analogue or DTT at all.

watty

"Technically", "Officially" there is no Irish DTT till 31st October 2010. So it would be premature to mention it. Yet.

Of course Freeview is available someplaces in "ROI".

Gerry Wicklow

AFAIK many of the UK sourced TVs don't have VHF either. And yes I thoroughly enjoy FreeView every night:)

Antenna

STB wrote: »

You do know NTL will be turning off the analogue service very soon.

How soon is "very soon" ?
Have they actually announced a switch-off date, you make it sound like they have?
Most UPC Digital subscribers in the relevant areas would still be using analogue cable on TVs in bedrooms etc.

STB

Antenna,

Less than half of their subscribers are using analogue still. Foolish them.

Infact in many cases NTL/UPC have been using the digital switchover of DTT and impending ASO of terrestrial TV to get people to move over using these very words. Of course there is no connection, other than to get people into new contracts on the back of their ignorance.

They need to get people into contracts before they realise that what they are paying for is actually free and in many cases the basic UPC has LESS choice than free combo tv land. Also they cant sell Movies/Sport etc via analogue.

So 2012 may not be set in stone for cable, but is certainly a driving point for switching it off. The above poster's problem shows that the technology is just not produced by default these days anyhow.

Old dead. Bit like MMDS. Digital Higher quality Satelitte killed both. They have already switched it of in parts of the UK.

watty

UPC now charge LESS for more channels on Digital. They want the Analogue channel space for Broadband and HD.

Analogue will be closed on UPC, and likely they will use the DTT ASO to help them "sell it" to customers.