Analogue Switch Off - 24/10/2012

Antenna

Antenna wrote: »

There are people known to me who are purely using FTA satellite for their regular TV viewing since 24th October, and using RTE player on their PC for certain RTE shows they are anxious to see.

A friend of the family has done this. He has FTA satellite and hasn't bothered with Saorview.

Thargor

Im doing that, and a €5 USB Saorview receiver on my laptop from the thread in Bargain Alerts if I want the news or whatever, laptop is always on anyway and to be honest Ive found I pay 90% more attention to what Im watching on the laptop because if its on tv Ill be browsing Boards and Reddit and missing big chunks of the programme on the tv.

The Cush

Apogee wrote: »

Full article:
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2012/1102/breaking26.html

Meanwhile some inaccurate reporting in the Sun

The outdated analogue network was replaced by the digital signal in line with the rest of Europe on October 31.

Read more: http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/irishsun/irishsunnews/4624538/Thousands-fail-to-make-digital-switch-as-55000-homes-stay-blank.html#ixzz2B8xxNNsK

formerly scottish paddy

Couldn't even get the ASO date right.................pretty basic stuff

zilog_jones

It seems RTÉ and journalists are finding it hard to comprehend that many people are simply not bothering with traditional TV broadcasts any more, and are just getting their programmes and other media content from the internet. I know many people who do not have a television at all, or only use it for games and DVDs/PCs/whatever.

formerly scottish paddy

zilog_jones wrote: »

It seems RTÉ and journalists are finding it hard to comprehend that many people are simply not bothering with traditional TV broadcasts any more, and are just getting their programmes and other media content from the internet. I know many people who do not have a television at all, or only use it for games and DVDs/PCs/whatever.

Well journalists are the last people you would listen to regarding technology (if you've been following the switch over to Saorview for the last two years you'll know what I mean) Of course the new "smart" tvs let you do that, blend both tv and internet.....................it's the future

touts

zilog_jones wrote: »

It seems RTÉ and journalists are finding it hard to comprehend that many people are simply not bothering with traditional TV broadcasts any more, and are just getting their programmes and other media content from the internet. I know many people who do not have a television at all, or only use it for games and DVDs/PCs/whatever.

I recently heard the new head of RTE current affairs being interviewed. He wants to make more use of the website and smartphones for immediate live coverage of events. He also plans a new two hour news show in the mornings on Rte one and Rte news now to cover breaking events. Little steps but progress none the less. But he also said he wants to randomly move the post 9pm shows like primetime and the frontline around the week so that the viewers will have no idea what is on and what they will be covering. They will have to tune in to see and once they do hopefully they will stick and watch it. That sounds like lunacy.

Either way they seem to have a man with a mindset to embrace the digital era. It will be interesting....

The Cush

touts wrote: »

I recently heard the new head of RTE current affairs being interviewed.

RTÉ Radio 1's News at One interview here - Huge changes in methods of news consumption - RTÉ's Kevin Bakhurst

hughjohn

Antenna wrote: »

I would expect most of those are not people that need any sort of help, but have decided to watch just UK FTA channels on existing equipment that does not also receive Saorview/RTE etc (be it FTA satellite, grey-market Freesat, cancelled Sky subscription box, or MPEG2-only TVs in NI/Wales spillover area) for the time being.
There are people known to me who are purely using FTA satellite for their regular TV viewing since 24th October, and using RTE player on their PC for certain RTE shows they are anxious to see.

Yep, thas exactly what we are doing.

geriatrix

Is anyone experiencing a problem with Saorview from Moville this afternoon?
I have no programmes at all but do have EPG
I tried a manual re-tune for CH45 but found Signal Strength zero and Quality zero
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
8.00pm It's OK again - Quality 95% as measured by one device and Good by another.

Apogee

Irish Independent wrote:

THE digital switchover has had the unexpected side-effect of encouraging more consumers to axe their television subscriptions and move to free TV services.

More than 1,000 consumers have ditched paid television services and moved to free digital TV services in recent months.

Aertv.ie, which provides free TV via computer, said its traffic had soared by 28pc since last month's switchover.

And installation company billfreetv.ie said it had seen a big upsurge in families who can no longer afford pricey subscriptions to Sky and UPC getting systems installed that allow them free access to over 100 Irish and British stations...

Full article
http://www.independent.ie/national-news/consumers-choosing-free-digital-over-paid-television-3304475.html

Apogee

Irish Times wrote:

A total of 36,000 households are still without television, more than a month after the analogue signal was turned off.

This means 2 per cent of all households in Ireland excluding holiday homes did not take part in the digital switchover. The latest figures from Television Audience Measurement Ireland show 19,000 households have moved from analogue to other television providers throughout November.

A spokeswoman for TAM Ireland said they are expecting those numbers to decrease in the new year, but there may be reasons those 36,000 households did not make the switch.

“They could have been light television viewers and other options are not viable for them,” she said.

A spokesman for the Department of Communications said it is surprised at the figures, but is still monitoring the situation.

“We are hearing on Boards.ie and other forums that people are having trouble with Saorview boxes, but that’s about it. We can’t dispute the figures at all, but we find them very surprising,” he said.

Despite the higher-than-expected number of households without television since the signal was turned off on October 24th, the spokesman said there would be no need to run a new campaign for homes without television.

“[We] can only assume that a significant proportion of those reported 36,000 households who did not switch did not do so by choice and not because they did not have the information to make the switch,” the spokesman added.

Last week, the Department of Communications received 22 complaints regarding the switchover, and it has received 55 calls from people claiming they did not switch since October 25th.

[...]

Full article
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2012/1205/breaking22.html

zg3409

We are hearing on Boards.ie and other forums that people are having trouble with Saorview boxes

Boxes, or coverage or DIY or non professional aerial installs? Have they read here about people who did not bother or could not afford.

Maybe they should ask the participants next time if they would accept a free box under a self help scheme. Also ask them are they in a Saorsat only area?

Cathy2012

Hi people just wondering if any one could help me?!? I'v got 2 tv's in my house one is digital ready and the other one isn't so I bought a new set top box for it!!! D only problem is dat I cannot connect the two so I bought an aerial booster thinkin this would help but any time I close d attic door d picture freezes on the both tvs?Any suggestions on how this could be fixed?!? Thanks

Sam Russell

Did they happen to determine how many of the 36,000 households that do not have Saorview actually have a current TV licence?

Jpmarn

Cathy2012 wrote: »

Hi people just wondering if any one could help me?!? I'v got 2 tv's in my house one is digital ready and the other one isn't so I bought a new set top box for it!!! D only problem is dat I cannot connect the two so I bought an aerial booster thinkin this would help but any time I close d attic door d picture freezes on the both tvs?Any suggestions on how this could be fixed?!? Thanks

I presume your aerial is located in the attic. Maybe the aerial should be moved to the side of the house facing the transmitter. Maybe get a larger aerial or install outside on a chimney. Check the cables and connections for condition.

Jpmarn

Quoting the Irish Times article there could allot of people who are financially unable to make the switch to digital.

Capt'n Midnight

Jpmarn wrote: »

Quoting the Irish Times article there could allot of people who are financially unable to make the switch to digital.

396,850 on free TV licenses (2011)

€19.8m to have given all of them a €50 box
(if you are buying 100,000 boxes it's a LOT cheaper - distribution by collection at post office)

I don't know how many had cable / sky - no need for a box
Likewise I don't know how many had VHF only - extra cost for UHF


At a guess it might have been covered by spending some/all of the €12/15m advertising budget on providing free boxes for Grannies who didn't have Cable or Sky (tell-a-woman may be a better advertising medium than television)

Sam Russell

Capt'n Midnight wrote: »

396,850 on free TV licenses (2011)

€19.8m to have given all of them a €50 box
(if you are buying 100,000 boxes it's a LOT cheaper - distribution by collection at post office)

I don't know how many had cable / sky - no need for a box
Likewise I don't know how many had VHF only - extra cost for UHF


At a guess it might have been covered by spending some/all of the €12/15m advertising budget on providing free boxes for Grannies who didn't have Cable or Sky (tell-a-woman may be a better advertising medium than television)

The advertising was a total waste. All that was needed was to put a message on screen. Later the screen could have been shrunk down by 10% a month until it finally disappeared on 24th October. This would have cost nearly nothing and been much more successful. Who could missi t.

The Cush

The Dept's Going Digital website went offline in early Jan and the helpline closed at the end of Dec as was indicated in this Dáil reply from late Nov.

36. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien
asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the number of television licence holders who have yet to make the digital switchover to Saorview; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53342/12]

38. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien
asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if all television licence holders are able to receive Saorview; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53343/12]

Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources (Deputy Pat Rabbitte): I propose to take Questions Nos. 36 and 38 together.

In November, research by Nielsen’s estimated that 55 thousand households were yet to make the change to digital TV. My Department will continue to monitor this situation. I am assured, however, based on the number of calls received by the helpline being operated by my Department, that the actual figures are much less than that at this stage. In this regard, call numbers have continued to drop since 24th October week on week and last week there were 44 calls. The helpline will operate until the end of December to provide assistance and advice to those who have not yet switched to digital TV. In regard to SAORVIEW, as with the analogue terrestrial TV network that it replaces, the new national digital terrestrial TV service operated by RTÉ and which provides access to the national Irish TV channels on a non-subscription basis i.e. free to air covers 98% of the population. 100% coverage is not possible on a terrestrial network.

RTÉ has also rolled out a satellite TV service – called SAORSAT which is available to 100% of the population and provides access to the Irish public service TV channels on a non-subscription basis i.e. free to air. It is worth noting that TV licence holders in Ireland are not required to use SAORVIEW and that the Irish TV channels are also available on subscription TV service such as UPC, (over cable or MMDS) or Sky, (over satellite). According to the latest figures from Neilsen, Sky has circa 49% share of the TV market in Ireland whilst UPC has approximately 25%.

http://oireachtasdebates.oireachtas.ie/debates%20authoring/debateswebpack.nsf/takes/dail2012112900045?opendocument#Television Reception

Capt'n Midnight

Meanwhile in Africa
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-20984880

Kenya's high court has ordered that the date for the switch off of the analogue television signal be delayed, preferably until after the March poll.
...
The Communications Commission of Kenya (CCK) had wanted to turn it off last month, ahead of a 2015 global deadline.
...
According to Kenya's Daily Nation newspaper, the Consumer Federation of Kenya (Cofek) said the first notice about the analogue signal switch-off, planned for 31 December 2012, was given on 7 December 2012.
...
Judge Lenaola told the CCK and Cofek to agree on a new date, which he felt should be after the March 2013 elections.

...
Neighbouring Tanzania went ahead with its digital migration on 31 December, the first to do so of the five members of the East African Community, which had agreed to an early switchover to fix any glitches ahead of the June 2015 global deadline to end analogue transmissions.

kah22

Help me understand

I retuned my Humax PVR recently and whereas before broadcasts from the RoI were all in 800's after my retune the UK stations pushed their way down from 800 to 819 with the RoI signal been pushed down from 833 to 840. (RTE is coming in on Ch55)

Haven't retuned the television and the RoI broadcasts are still sitting at 800 and onwards.

Can't understand why this might have happened

My system Sony Bravia TV, Humax PVR. I have a signal booster installed at the back of the television. Living in Armagh

Peter Rhea

You must have more than 1 set of Freeview (UK) services, maybe you're getting the local Armagh transmitter, along with Divis (Belfast). Check the UHF ch. no./frequency of the UK services in the 800s.

zg3409

kah22 wrote: »

(RTE is coming in on Ch55)

This channel is coming from Northern Ireland, not the republic. It is the Northern Ireland minimux, which is part of the transmissions from a few main sites from the North. In Armagh it's Divis or the other belfast one. From analogue switch off RTE started transmitting from within NI. The signal is not HD nor very powerful.

Peter Rhea

UHF channel 55 is used for Saorview at the Monaghan transmitter. The NImux version of RTE2 is LCN 53 in the Freeview epg.

zg3409

Peter Rhea wrote: »

UHF channel 55 is used for Saorview at the Monaghan transmitter. The NImux version of RTE2 is LCN 53 in the Freeview epg.

Sorry my mistake.

The Cush

I clicked on the Saorview facebook link from the Saorview website earlier this evening and was taken to my facebook homepage.

My Saorview and Saorview Tech & Trade like links have also disappeared.

They appear to be in the process of winding down Saorview as a separate entity, maybe the Saorview website will be next or absorbed into RTÉNL.

I wonder where this leaves Mary Curtis, Brian Geraghty et al.

formerly scottish paddy

The Cush wrote: »

I wonder where this leaves Mary Curtis, Brian Geraghty et al.

Well I would think their jobs are done, and time to move on.

The Cush

Department of Communications - Digital Switchover in Ireland Information and Awareness Campaign final report

http://www.dcenr.gov.ie/Broadcasting/Digital+Television/

STB

The Cush wrote: »

I clicked on the Saorview facebook link from the Saorview website earlier this evening and was taken to my facebook homepage.

My Saorview and Saorview Tech & Trade like links have also disappeared.

They appear to be in the process of winding down Saorview as a separate entity, maybe the Saorview website will be next or absorbed into RTÉNL.

I wonder where this leaves Mary Curtis, Brian Geraghty et al.

? Both are RTE employees.

Brian Geraghty is the Interference Manager in RTENL. Mary Curtis was the Deputy Director of Programming prior to heading up the switchover. ASO/DSO was always a short term priority project.