Freeview changes: 29th/30th June as COM7 closes

[Markymark]

One challenge would be need some very good communication to explain to people what tv’s would still work without doing anything and what ones wouldn’t anymore and would need an additional box.

People often don't tend to take any action until whatever is due to happen.

I remember explaining in great deal to a colleague that her analogue bedroom TV would suddenly cease receiving BBC 2 on DSO day, followed two weeks later by the other four channels. She nodded with that 'oh I see, I understand' look. Day after DSO she came straight up to me at 9am and said, 'there was no BBC 2 on the bedroom telly, why's that then?'

[XIII]

One challenge would be need some very good communication to explain to people what tv’s would still work without doing anything and what ones wouldn’t anymore and would need an additional box.

People often don't tend to take any action until whatever is due to happen.

I remember explaining in great deal to a colleague that her analogue bedroom TV would suddenly cease receiving BBC 2 on DSO day, followed two weeks later by the other four channels. She nodded with that 'oh I see, I understand' look. Day after DSO she came straight up to me at 9am and said, 'there was no BBC 2 on the bedroom telly, why's that then?'

No amount of messaging can get through to certain people and as cruel as this sounds, if you haven't got the message that you need to upgrade your equipment or buy additional equipment even though you've had months to prepare then tough luck.

I imagine dumb phones become obsolete once 3G is switched off although there likely isn't many people who still possess one.

[JAS84]

Dumb phones? They're called feature phones, and they actually use 2G, so no they won't.

[natashajacobs]

Dumb phones? They're called feature phones, and they actually use 2G, so no they won't.

Pretty sure the plan is to turn off 2G as well.

[Brekkie]

One challenge would be need some very good communication to explain to people what tv’s would still work without doing anything and what ones wouldn’t anymore and would need an additional box.

It's very simple - even more so than DSO really.   If you receive BBC 1 HD, you're good to go.  

Worth mentioning that in Australia which is all DVB-T, but with a mix of MPEG2 and MPEG4 channels, the networks have been shifting to MPEG4 to switch more of their multi-channels to HD, so it's tough luck to those with sets only capable of processing MPEG2.

[Markymark]

One challenge would be need some very good communication to explain to people what tv’s would still work without doing anything and what ones wouldn’t anymore and would need an additional box.

It's very simple - even more so than DSO really.   If you receive BBC 1 HD, you're good to go.  

People are clueless. Millions will be watching BBC 1 SD thinking it's HD,  because the telly is a great big 65 inch flat screen

As said, having the HD channels hidden away down the EPG means many are blissfully unaware  they are watching SD.
Having no regional BBC on HD doesn't help either. How many switch back to HD for the One Show?

[Newshound47]

Lots and lots of people with Sky still use the non HD channels for everything despite having an HD Tv. I suspect that happens a lot with Freeview as well.

[Markymark]

Lots and lots of people with Sky still use the non HD channels for everything despite having an HD Tv. I suspect that happens a lot with Freeview as well.

The BBC did a survey back in the late 00s, and discovered thousands of folk using a Scart interface rather than HDMI from their Sky HD boxes to the telly. In other words, even the HD channels would have been seen in SD only

[Keith]

Dumb phones? They're called feature phones, and they actually use 2G, so no they won't.

Pretty sure the plan is to turn off 2G as well.

3G will be turned off in 2023/4, dependent on each network. For 2G has a longer date of 2033, I think in part due to the likes of some smart meters using 2G. (Longer term it wouldn't surprise me if the networks agree to a single share 2G network.)

[Markymark]

Dumb phones? They're called feature phones, and they actually use 2G, so no they won't.

Pretty sure the plan is to turn off 2G as well.

That would require refitting millions of smart meters in the southern half of the UK (plus the other stuff I mentioned up thread, though probably that's a less onerous task)

Similar to the idea Keith pointed out through, perhaps establish a bespoke 2G network for such devices. A bit like the private GSM-R network that the train companies use.

[Rexogamer]

It's very simple - even more so than DSO really.   If you receive BBC 1 HD, you're good to go.  

People are clueless. Millions will be watching BBC 1 SD thinking it's HD,  because the telly is a great big 65 inch flat screen

As said, having the HD channels hidden away down the EPG means many are blissfully unaware  they are watching SD.
Having no regional BBC on HD doesn't help either. How many switch back to HD for the One Show?

In my opinion, something like "if you're on Freeview, tune to 101 - if you don't see anything after a few seconds, you need to take action" might work? Communicating the change will probably be tough but I don't think it's undoable

[Brekkie]

It's worth remembering too we've already experienced both switching to digital and then the DSO, so it's not an alien concept. Indeed in other ways we've already seen from the BBC Freeview viewers needing to upgrade to continue receiving their red button services, with those having done so having devices which will meet the requirements for HD.

[James2001]

Lots and lots of people with Sky still use the non HD channels for everything despite having an HD Tv. I suspect that happens a lot with Freeview as well.

The BBC did a survey back in the late 00s, and discovered thousands of folk using a Scart interface rather than HDMI from their Sky HD boxes to the telly. In other words, even the HD channels would have been seen in SD only

Remember how common it was for people with 16:9 TVs watching the 4:3 centre cut-out stretched to fill the screen? In fact I wouldn't be suprised to find the majority of people were watching that way at one time, I can't count the amount of TVs I had to change the settings on, it's only things like integrated digital TVs and HD which stopped it. In fact the TVs at my gym were still like it until they were removed in a recent refurbishment.

[Markymark]

People are clueless. Millions will be watching BBC 1 SD thinking it's HD,  because the telly is a great big 65 inch flat screen

As said, having the HD channels hidden away down the EPG means many are blissfully unaware  they are watching SD.
Having no regional BBC on HD doesn't help either. How many switch back to HD for the One Show?

In my opinion, something like "if you're on Freeview, tune to 101 - if you don't see anything after a few seconds, you need to take action" might work? Communicating the change will probably be tough but I don't think it's undoable

My mother doesn't even have the manual dexterity to punch in three digits on her tv remote quickly enough

Not saying that's not a valid method, but you can see the problems that would be encountered

[Markymark]

Reports on Digital Spy that PSB 3 is carrying capitions with words to the effect that BBC 4 HD and CBeebies HD will return to Freeview soon, and in the meantime use SD. That indicates there may well be gap, and we won't see the channels on that mux until after July 1st.

The captions cannot yet be seen by normal domestic receivers