Digital TV switch fears for disabled people
With all the switchovers from analogue TV to digital, it appears that disabled people are about the change. Following Tessa Jowell's last month, the timetable is set to happen between 2008 and 2012, but wanted a more in-depth look at how support should be given to the 4.4 million households who may need it. They said that the installation of complicated TV equipment, protection against "rogue traders" and the cost of concerns all need closer attention. An Ofcom spokeswoman was quoted as saying that it was all about practical support, and that they need more detail about how the switchover will happen.
As for me, I hope they sort it out, as it all seems very technical, and I'm worried about it! Are you?
Comments
Personally, I wouldnt have a clue how to set it all up but if the equipment is provided I would probably get my dad to do it for me
I'm frustrated about digital. I live in a council flat and the communal aerial isn't suitable to attach a Freeview box to. (Dad tried it for me!) The council won't allow more than three aerial/satellite dishes and, when I asked if I could install a digital capable aerial, I was told to wait until the council had decided what they were doing. if I had been given permission for an aerial, my parents would have paid for one for Christmas a year ago. One of my neighbours installed an aerial without permission so I cannot now have one installed. (The 'three only' rule is so unfair to everyone - there are nine flats here so six of us cannot receive digital.) The council are only looking at putting aerials in sheltered accommodation at the moment and are not considering 'general' flats. We cannot get cable as there is no equipment in the nearest green box on the street and I was told that they were unlikely ever to provide it as they wouldn't get enough revenue from installing it! This being despite the fact they keep telling me to "have broadband" or "have digital television" as they insist I'm in a cabled area! Geographically, yes I am by postcode but they never look at street level/house number where they are aware that none of the flats can get cable! Oh well, it seems that come the switch off, I'll be saving money - if I can't get the signal, I won't be paying my TV licence!
As an autistic person i found the digi-box easy to set up, i think offcom's consuemr panal should be more worried about those with physcial disablities
I have both Sky Digital on the main set in my living room and a Freeview box in my bedroom, and not being the slightest bit technically minded, I can assure readers that they have no need to worry about anything. The Sky set up was done by a local TV dealer contracted to Sky, and the Freeview box was simplicity in itself, all I had to do was to unpack it from the box and plug it in to the back of the TV and connect the aerial lead and mains lead then switch on, and two minutes later I was watching digitaal TV.
It seems a common problem in all the places I have tried to use a DVB reciever that there are perfectly periodic interruptions to the signal.
In Lincolnshire some of the channels are interrupted for 40-second intervals every 10 minutes and 2 seconds without fail(I've timed this!) and others every 39 minutes, while in Aberdeen the problem is a similarly periodic interruption to the television.
For some time I was in agreement with my mother and many friends, convinced that the adverts are the only television that gets through unscathed; however I have since come to believe there is a major flaw in the digital system... Is this a scam to ensure people never record television programmes again? Are we doomed to this problem for ever more? Do we have to fork out 100s of pounds to get our viewing quality back? Personally I prefer the old analog system where it gets fuzzy, but you never miss a thing! Admittedly it does give a certain sense of satisfaction each time I can say the TV will break-up a couple of seconds before it does; but I'd still prefer it didn't break up at all! If anyone can suggest a cheap-and-cheerful way of making digital TV less irritating, I'd love to know :)