Digital TV

[jaybee]

Has anybody else received a communique from RB about the big analogue switch-off?

Having replaced the TV a few years ago to the one RB suggested (even though it was more expensive than a comparable one bought locally) I'm a bit annoyed that RB is now saying that the TV they pushed is not suitable for digital reception.

Now, they are proposing more spend, a new TV at 370€ (LG 32" 32LN540B, same model available in Worten for 300€ and through comparison sites for as little as 250€) or the 'cheap' option, a TDT box, price at nearly 80€!

I thought things might get better under HPB. I was wrong.

[dennisg]

Haven't heard anything from them about that. I think our old one is digital anyway, although it is a big old fashioned thing.
Was thinking about replacing it with a flat screen anyway as the picture and sound on the present one are not brilliant, but the shelf by the fireplace will not take a much larger screen.

[EMM]

Surely ALL tvs are suitable for digital reception. all you need is your receiver which you allocate to one of the imputs.
When the UK went digital we just bought a freeserve box, plugged it in an no problem.
Sounds a bit odd to me.
Are they pushing a TV with a built in digital receiver ???

[jeremy]

Jaybee - I agree - we've also been told that we need a digi box, although we bought the new TV from RB only 12 month ago - seems strange (and irritating) to me

[EMM]

It has nothing to do with the TV, you need a digibox because like the UK Portugal is dropping its anologue signal and going digital.

[jeremy]

Point taken EMM - but here in the UK "Digital Ready" TVs were available for about 3 years before the switch off - Surely Portugal should have been the same ?

[jaybee]

It's not Portugal going digital - they did this some years ago, see below - it's Rocha Brava's internal distribution network going digital. As is said in the detail copied from Wikipedia, Portugal has been digital for 2 years. If, as Jeremy says, assuming TVs with digital tuners were available for sometime before then why did RB recently install non-future compatible ones? I bought a TV and a PVR in early 2009 that had digital tuners.

"Digital terrestrial television in Portugal (Portuguese: Televisão Digital Terrestre, or TDT) started on 29 April 2009 with 4 free-to-air (FTA) channels, including a High-Definition test channel. In the Azores and Madeira Islands, the respective regional channel (RTP Acores or RTP Madeira) is also available.[1] In June 2010 TDT coverage reached 83% of the population and was expected to reach 100% by the end of 2010. The analog switch-off is planned for 26 April 2012.[2] The four existing analog FTA channels are currently simulcasting in DVB-T, MPEG4 (digital),[3] and PAL (analog)."

[EMM]

Freeview has been around in the UK for a long time, the PT digital equivalent is still in its infancy with just a few channels.
It would not be commecially viable for those building TVs for the PT market to add a digital TV option , hence the need for a set top box.

Question is RB actually going over to an Internet based system ??

[jaybee]

EMM, what I was saying is that twin tuner TVs were available at least as far back as 2009, when I bought for my personal use. RB however, seems to have chosen to buy - around the same time - analogue only TVs for it's owners.

[EMM]

Maybe that was because there were only 2/3 digital channels which are in Portuguese.
Who is the provider of TV to RB are they now on cable, or installed something like Meo Sat.
A lot has happened in the last couple of years.

Also remember PT is not the UK things are done differently .