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All posts by LindaB

Below are all of LindaB's postings, with the most recent are at the bottom of the page.


Miriam:

Do you have the telephone line connected?

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L
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Wednesday 21 May 2014 8:52PM

I've always wondered why people mount the TV up on a wall so it is above their normal viewing position. That usually gives rise to neck problems as you are forced to look upwards when your neck is not used to that position. I have our TVs at just below head height when sitting so we look very slightly downwards, a natural position for the head/neck.
Plus, having the TVs at that heaight means I don't need to make holes in the wall, so no worries about lease terms or having to 'make good' afterwards.
As far as I know, carpenters are good at woodwork but not necessarily at electrical or electronic work.
PS: gold plated plugs/sockets are no benefit at all, just more expensive.

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My concern is that many in the more rural areas will still not get a decently fast broadband, the current target is only for a 2 Mbps service with no absolute requirement for that to be maintained all the time. Not good enough for watching TV while another family member uses the internet for study, email, etc.

Then consider the many older people who are not savvy with modern technology and already struggle with DTV. Many of the older generation in my family are just not interested in anything internet and don't see any need for it in their lives. Some people who are not yet of retirement age are similarly uninterested. Is it fair and reasonable to make them pay a large proportion of their limited pension income for something they don't see any real need for? Terrestrial TV has served them well since 1936 (start of regular BBC broadcasts from Alexander Palace) but now gives them problems because of the disruption experienced by several with reception of DTV signals. And to hear the comments about the 'rubbish' on TV these days! One Uncle asked my why they broke something that worked well. I had no real answer.

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Briantist
You're still talking as if everyone wants some form of TV service delivery by a form of internet, whether it be 4G , 3G, WiFi or fibre. Many older people will never agree to paying for something they don't see any need for, considering that analogue TV served them very well for a great many years.
Leave internet or IP delivery methods aside as they will not be the 'universal panacea' for everyone, so what other delivery methods do the 'powers that be' plan to use for those not able or willing to use other delivery methods?
Using the UHF spectrum served very well from the mid sixties and it still viable now, even though the encoding method has changed (apparently bring new nighmares for viewers if yiur read these pages as I know you do). The 'modern' ideas just don't seem to take account of customer/viewer inertia, people are loath to splash out good money for something unproven - especially if they have had difficulties with the digital switchover.

By the way, buffering is a fact of life where I am, in a large town in the West Country but still awaiting fibre in our area. Our ADSL2+ is fairly good but still not good enough to view a TV programme uninterrupted by buffering. I suspect that the link from the exchange to us is not the limiting factor.

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Briantist
I'm not conflating at all. Many older people have no intention of paying anything to have a 'broadband' service of any kind. The current model is to pay for the provision of such a service. In the past TV was always 'Free To Air' as is Freeview currently. Many models for the future seem to assume some payment will be required, but again many will not wish to pay for anything like that. Further, many do not see why they have to keep changing equipment just to watch their favourite programmes as they have done for more than 50 years.
You, and others here, are taking a view with a technology hat one. Take that off and wear an 'older customer' hat and you get a totally different [perspective.

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