Much hype in 2007 of the big digital switch over where analogue TV is switched off and Digital TV or DVB-T is rolled out. The onset of the switch over started with Whitehaven in Cumbria in October 2007. Stores are full of set-top boxes and digital ready TV’s, while analogue TV’s are becoming harder to find or just plain non-existent.

Now this is a good thing, digital TV offers more channels, red button syndrome, where the viewer can see extensions of the same programme or channel, not to mention the HD channels that are the latest must have for the self-respecting broadcaster.

However, there is an issue that right now doesn’t seem a problem but may become more of one soon. We have steamed into digital TV with both remote’s. Viewers everywhere have upgraded hardware and sat back on the sofa to bask in the digital glow. But it;’s not all rosy; pixelation, dead channels, re-tunes, spluttering sound and picture freezes. That’s if you get the channel in the first place  (remind you of channel five?).

Much of the blame is put on the fact that the digital signal is not at full strength yet, it is being increased as the roll-out continues. So it’s just a case of being patient then? Well, after setting up an HTPC (see below), I had to do some investigating to get the signal up to scratch to use it. We receive our signal from the famous Crystal Palace transmitter, the nasa like erection that dominates the south London skyline. Now my investigations have found that the digital signal is currently operating at 20% of the planned output. This figure endorses my HTPC signal monitor that shows it wavering around that, depending on the weather and the drive-bys of scooter hoodies.

At 20% the signal is on the border of what can be accepted, my HTPC TV card doesn’t do a great job of signal boosting or smoothing, something my Phillips set-top box did very well. So I was plagued with stuttery TV and an ear bashing from the missus’! So after much tinkering I found that the best option was to plug the signal into the set-top box and then relay that into the TV card of the HTPC. So after this emergency over, I made some further enquiries about the signal. Turns out according to the official helpline, the signal strength is not set to be increased until the switch over is complete for my area. Naturally my next question was… when? 2012! What, yes 2012. So in our modern life where internet years last three months and mobile phone technology jumps 6 times before your contract renews, computers are becoming the size of a rats nipple, terabyte level drives are in the household, bionic eyes are being rolled out and we will soon need bigger houses for our flat screens. The friggin’ digital TV signal won’t be up to full power until the Olympics arrive in London. Considering we haven’t seen the start of the Beijing Olympics and I can’t remember much of the Grecian episode. So why is it taking so long, four years and two months? How many people will be able to buy a analogue TV  in three years, why all the hype to switch over now?

Anyway, by the time the digital signal is officially rolled out and the whole nation is officially receiving it and so many old analogues will be rolled out the front door in a mass re-enactment of the end the of Poltergeist. Many of us will be using a Home Theatre Personal Computers (HTPC). These are the start of a massive technology conversion that will slowly detach people from those desks in the corner of the room with the humming desktop PC and ease the crick in the neck from being hunched over a laptop. It’s such a natural progression and it epitomises the concept of technology convergence to the core. Two of the commonest items that people will singularly focus on for long periods of time becoming one. With Web content evolving to be more like a hybrid of TV and TV wanting more content, options and choices of supply of information. The two answer so many questions and needs of each other.

~ by Thinker on 23 - January - 2009.