Last Saturday, there was a definite problem with five on FreeView: the 
picture had frozen (in a sort of sync-bar inspection position, i. e. 
with a big cross on the screen), whereas the sound was continuing as 
usual. I could switch to another channel, then back, and it was the 
same.

Being away from home and offline, I only had access to the Radio Times 
for contact details. I rang five, but they were closed; I rang FreeView 
(no I don't know who that maps to), and - after much waiting - was 
connected to a woman who _insisted_ it was a problem with my box (and 
that I should call them - like Panasonic would be there on a Saturday 
evening), despite being told that all other stations were coming in fine 
on it. (This was _after_ I'd "retuned" it.)

I was very cross - to some extent with her for being so stupid, and to 
some extent with her management for putting her in that position. At the 
next ad. break, it was clearly a national fault - the picture changed to 
a low-colour-depth animation of liquid sloshing around a hole, with a 
rather harassed person repeatedly apologising for the problems they were 
having.

Surely to not have the telephone person even have the ability - though 
this one didn't seem to have the inclination - to _ask_ if there's a 
fault, is Not Good Enough.

It was moderately interesting, actually - hearing faint voices when the 
announcements paused, I turned up the volume, and heard odd discussions, 
clearly on an open mike/line somewhere; not enough to be able to figure 
out what the problem was, but interesting nonetheless.

(I'm sure such a fault would not have gone on for so long unnoticed 
[over ten minutes, I'd say] in the recent past, but that's what we 
expect - and accept! -  nowadays.)
-- 
J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/<1985 MB++G.5AL-IS-P--Ch++(p)Ar@T0H+Sh0!:`)DNAf
** http://www.soft255.demon.co.uk/G6JPG-PC/JPGminPC.htm for ludicrously
outdated thoughts on PCs. **

Some cause happiness wherever they go; others, whenever they go. - Oscar Wilde

"jamie powell"  wrote in message 
news:hbd1l5$99v$1@aioe.org...
>
> "J. P. Gilliver (John)"  wrote in message 
> news:L28DL7Uhke2KFwBe@soft255.demon.co.uk...
>> Last Saturday, there was a definite problem with five on FreeView: the 
>> picture had frozen (in a sort of sync-bar inspection position, i. e. with 
>> a big cross on the screen), whereas the sound was continuing as usual. I 
>> could switch to another channel, then back, and it was the same.
>>
>> Being away from home and offline, *snip rant*
>
> Next time, find a more interesting and fulfilling holiday destination, 
> where you've better things to think about than TV :p

Jamie leaps in and makes another enemy.

Bill

"Bill Wright"  wrote in message 
news:V82dnX4tgeIAkUfXnZ2dnUVZ8u2dnZ2d@pipex.net...
>
> "jamie powell"  wrote in message 
> news:hbd1l5$99v$1@aioe.org...
>>
>> "J. P. Gilliver (John)"  wrote in message 
>> news:L28DL7Uhke2KFwBe@soft255.demon.co.uk...
>>> Last Saturday, there was a definite problem with five on FreeView: the 
>>> picture had frozen (in a sort of sync-bar inspection position, i. e. with 
>>> a big cross on the screen), whereas the sound was continuing as usual. I 
>>> could switch to another channel, then back, and it was the same.
>>>
>>> Being away from home and offline, *snip rant*
>>
>> Next time, find a more interesting and fulfilling holiday destination, 
>> where you've better things to think about than TV :p
>
> Jamie leaps in and makes another enemy.

You're making an enemy of me there, Bill.

"J. P. Gilliver (John)"  wrote in message news:L28DL7Uhke2KFwBe@soft255.demon.co.uk...
> Last Saturday, there was a definite problem with five on FreeView: the picture had frozen (in a sort of sync-bar inspection 
> position, i. e. with a big cross on the screen), whereas the sound was continuing as usual. I could switch to another channel, 
> then back, and it was the same.
>
> Being away from home and offline, I only had access to the Radio Times for contact details. I rang five, but they were closed; I 
> rang FreeView (no I don't know who that maps to), and - after much waiting - was connected to a woman who _insisted_ it was a 
> problem with my box (and that I should call them - like Panasonic would be there on a Saturday evening), despite being told that 
> all other stations were coming in fine on it. (This was _after_ I'd "retuned" it.)
>
> I was very cross - to some extent with her for being so stupid, and to some extent with her management for putting her in that 
> position. At the next ad. break, it was clearly a national fault - the picture changed to a low-colour-depth animation of liquid 
> sloshing around a hole, with a rather harassed person repeatedly apologising for the problems they were having.
>
> Surely to not have the telephone person even have the ability - though this one didn't seem to have the inclination - to _ask_ if 
> there's a fault, is Not Good Enough.
>
> It was moderately interesting, actually - hearing faint voices when the announcements paused, I turned up the volume, and heard 
> odd discussions, clearly on an open mike/line somewhere; not enough to be able to figure out what the problem was, but interesting 
> nonetheless.
>
> (I'm sure such a fault would not have gone on for so long unnoticed [over ten minutes, I'd say] in the recent past, but that's 
> what we expect - and accept! -  nowadays.)
> -- 
> J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/<1985 MB++G.5AL-IS-P--Ch++(p)Ar@T0H+Sh0!:`)DNAf
> ** http://www.soft255.demon.co.uk/G6JPG-PC/JPGminPC.htm for ludicrously
> outdated thoughts on PCs. **
>
> Some cause happiness wherever they go; others, whenever they go. - Oscar Wilde

30+ years ago it was quite common to hear talkbacks etc on transmission.

-- 
Graham.

%Profound_observation%

On Sat, 17 Oct 2009 19:57:28 +0100, Graham. wrote:

> 30+ years ago it was quite common to hear talkbacks etc on transmission.

That's 'cause there was more than one man and his dog(*) putting
stuff on air. These days computers don't use audible methods of
communication.

(*) The man is there to feed the dog, the dog is there to bite the
man if he dares to touch any of the technical kit.

-- 
Cheers
Dave.

Dave Liquorice wrote:

> That's 'cause there was more than one man and his dog(*) putting
> stuff on air. These days computers don't use audible methods of
> communication.
> 
> (*) The man is there to feed the dog, the dog is there to bite the
> man if he dares to touch any of the technical kit.
> 
Love that!!

Richard

In article , Ian Jelf 
 writes

>Interestingly, so far one quote has come in 60% lower than the other.

It's only the last ten degrees or so of the felling that matters!
-- 
SimonM
                            ----- TubeWiz.com -----
           Video making/uploading that's easy to use & fun to share
                  Try it today! (now with DFace blurring)

On Sat, 17 Oct 2009 11:43:22 +0100, "DAB sounds worse than FM"
 wrote:


>
>Coincidentally, someone else accused me of not having much in the way 
>of qualifications, so in order to shut them up I took a few pix of my 
>3 degree certificates as well as the rather high exam results I got 
>and uploaded the pix to my website:

Aah, bits of paper
-- 
Cheers

Peter