A Warning to ALL TV Buyers. Flood of UK surplus TVs on market.

the_syco

channelsurfer2 wrote: »

if you bought one of these and rely on an aerial for your tv reception then you will have to fork out another 100euro in 2012 for a decoder box just for the pleasure of having rte via your aerial.

So... if you buy a TV cheaply, it'll cost you at a later stage? Makes sense. But if you just want the TV to view SKY, XBOX, etc, they'll do fine.

Also, any news on an Irish digital coming about? The last two I heard about failed.

astrofool

Sponge Bob wrote: »

Because many of these TVs are not even sold in the UK any more, simply dumped here where over half of the population do not realise that they will cease to work in 2012. In May 2010 no analogue only TVs were sold in the UK and yet the same chains are still selling them here.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/10535663

Then there is the freeview rubbish.

We're 2 or 3 years behind the UK in the changeover to digital, it's reasonable to assume that analogue tv's can be sold here 2-3 years longer than the UK as well.

And stop saying "cease to work" it's just wrong.

channelsurfer2

the_syco wrote: »

So... if you buy a TV cheaply, it'll cost you at a later stage? Makes sense. But if you just want the TV to view SKY, XBOX, etc, they'll do fine.

Also, any news on an Irish digital coming about? The last two I heard about failed.

technical test launch is october31st this year... full launch to public early to late 2011 with switch off late 2012 of analogue... no commercial muxes will launch only mux 1 and 2 with rte and tv3(possibly no tv3 until dec2012). if you have an mpeg4 tv and an aerial you can watch rtenl's HD test transmission which looks impressive now.

Sponge Bob

astrofool wrote: »

We're 2 or 3 years behind the UK in the changeover to digital, it's reasonable to assume that analogue tv's can be sold here 2-3 years longer than the UK as well.

We will turn off analogue same time as the UK, in two years time. 3 years may be pushing it do you not think?

And stop saying "cease to work" it's just wrong.

It is correct, in two years time you no longer have a television, you just have an overpriced monitor with a junk tuner. It is perfectly reasonable to assume that a proper television will do the job for longer than 2 years.

astrofool

Sponge Bob wrote: »

We will turn off analogue same time as the UK, in two years time. 3 years may be pushing it do you not think?



It is correct, in two years time you no longer have a television, you just have an overpriced monitor with a junk tuner. It is perfectly reasonable to assume that a proper television will do the job for longer than 2 years.

So, all over the country, 95% of televisions will "cease to work" when they turn off digital in 2 years time?

95% of the population will not have a TV when they turn off analogue?

Stop being sensationalist, people will buy a box to use, or most will continue happily using Sky/UPC and not have a clue that analogue has ceased to work, turning their TV into junk....

Sponge Bob

astrofool wrote: »

So, all over the country, 95% of televisions will "cease to work" when they turn off digital in 2 years time?95% of the population will not have a TV when they turn off analogue?

You are the one who pulled this 95% number out of his hole, I never said that 95% of televisions would cease working in 2 years.

Apart from that 95% of televisions in the state are not used with a UPC or SKY receiver box today nor will they be in 2012 so don't bother pulling that one out of the same place you pulled the other 95% either

Read the first post again, and read it carefully this time.

astrofool

Whether that figure is 5% or 50% or 95%, those TV's will not "cease to work", it will not make all old TV's useless, it does not mean that buying a new TV that doesn't work with the system useless.

It means that people who have a TV without an MPEG4 digital tuner and currently use an aerial will have to use an STB in the future. That's the extent of it, we don't need to go scaremongering.

Comments like this:

It will, however, work as an analogue TV with USB recording for two years and as a DVD player thereafter.

Do not help anyone (and is where I responded to you initially in this thread).

Sponge Bob

The Digotal ( aka DTT aka saorview) service was formally launched today.

I note that certain advertisers, eg DID Electric are not claiming that an Mpeg2 unit is a TV anymore. They use the euphemism 'LCD' instead , eg this device which does not have Mpeg4

They are also showing mpeg4 when present, eg this other device ....note the word "TV" is present in this ad and not the other...I have no issue with it being used as long as it shows a DTT Picture broadcast by RTE.

Sponge Bob

Aldi, who are yet to sell a single compliant TV in Ireland ( same as Lidl ) are now giving customers their money back.

If sold with a 3 Year Guarantee and a 'digital' tuner of any sort then the TV could have been bought any time since 1 November 2007, you can get the full money back on it.

If sold with a 2 year guarantee that would be 1 November 2008.

The same EU directive for getting your money back applies to most Tesco TVs, many Curry and PC World TVs ( with small screens) and Argos tellys. This applies EVEN if a 1 year guarantee has run out.

It does not apply to analogue only TVs only those with a digital tuner sold in this country and unable to pick up and decode an Irish TV signal.

The usual giveaway is that you hear sound and see channel names and radio station names but cannot see a picture, nor will you ever.
From this recent post on Techtir.ie

http://www.techtir.ie/blog/cinocat4/no-dtt-get-money-back

Submitted by cinocat4 on 3 November 2010 - 3:53pm If you find yourself in the situation that you cannot receive digital TV due to your TV not having the correct decoder you could get your money back.
Last year I bought a TV from Aldis under the impression it was an Irish "digital TV" . I never asked and they never told me it would not work . All I knew was there was "digital TV" written on the box , the leaflets and even the TV itself. In April of this year I tried to tune in my tv for digital channels following a conversation at work about digital. The channels appeared with sound, epg but no picture. So I immediately contacted Aldi. I had bought the TV in 2009 so when I contacted Aldi about the problem it was well over 12 months old.


This is how I got a full refund and luckily I still had my old TV so I didn't have to rush out for a replacement . I now intend to wait a while longer before deciding what TV to get.


1.If the TV was advertised as a "digital TV" then if it does not work in Ireland the retail is in breach of the Sales of good act 1980 for false advertising.


2.If the TV you bought is over a year old under European law -
Directive 1999/44/EC of the European
Parliament and of the Council of 25 May 1999 on certain aspects of the sale of consumer goods and associated guarantees

Sellers of consumer goods within the EU are obliged to guarantee the conformity
of the goods with the contract for a period of two years after the delivery of the goods.
(I did not have to use this law with Aldi as they give a 3 year
guarantee with all their goods but other retailers are not so generous.)


Retailers pleading ignorance, don't fall for it !.


CEDA (part of IBEC) - The consumer electronics distributor association issued a memo to all it's members (manufactures and retailers) on 1st February 2008 warning of the dangers of making it not clear to consumers about digital TV but from my experience I have never seen a retailer point out that the TV will not work in Ireland.


Members of CEDA include:


Audiovisual Import, Beko, Dimpco, JVC, KAL., LG Electronics, Panasonic, Philips Ireland, Sanyo, Sharp and Sony Ireland.


Retailers might come back to you and say all you need is a set top box and a scart to solve the problem , well I don't want yet another box hanging out of my TV thank you .

Sponge Bob

Right on cue Lidl are dumping another one of these UK standard monitors on the Irish market This is NOT a television in Ireland , it is a monitor.

http://www.lidl.ie/ie/home.nsf/pages/c.o.20101111.p.22inch_Full_HD_LCD_Television

Do not buy this crap.

watty

So Summary as of 4th November

1. The Minister announced to Dáil that Analogue Switch Off is October 2012
2. The Full Service has been announced by all involved parties to be from "Spring 2011" rather than Minister's before 31st December 2011 and RTE's "possible after/from Q2 2011
3. Irish Free DTT AKA Saorsat launched 29th October 2010 as a "technical/Trial" Service, probably close to 94% coverage, more that TV3 Analogue, and similar to TG4 Analogue. It's HD ready from Day1.
4. TV3 joined about 16:30 on 3rd November 2010, just after it they confirmed they would be carried from Feb/Mar 2011 (maybe free till then? Who knows).
5. Proton Launch for ka-sat is being assembled at Baikonur Kazakhstan for late December Launch. If successful, RTE NL can rent space for Saorsat. Tests unlikely before Feb/March, if Launch & commission succeeds

Details http://www.techtir.ie/saortv

Specification of setbox or TV is decided long ago and is not strange, but logical.
MHEG5 because it's free (link explains) and the UK uses it. Freeview HD users on either side of N.I. Border will be able to get Saorview, Freeview and from 2012, FreeviewHD on either "Freeview HD" TV or box. A Saorview TV or box will receive regular Freeview but not freeviewHD in 2012 unless it has DVBT2 tuner, but only near border.
RTE has already stated that most people in Ireland need Freesat* for free UK TV. It will not be on Saorview.
This is underpinned by an MOU.
MPEG4 HD, because simulcast of SD and HD as in UK is wasteful, RTE2 will migrate first to HD only. No SD simulcasting. MPEG2 is obsolete.
More http://www.techtir.ie/saorview/preliminary

By 2013 or 2014 it's likely all four main channels will be HD. TV3 has announced an HD Studio and timeline. RTE2 will be HD shortly (Jan?)

Currently since 3rd November 2010 the content is
Television

RTÉ One
RTÉ Two (HD part time, typically on Sport )
TV3
TG4
RTÉ News Now
HD test loop occasionally.

Radio (all existing RTE radio from VHF-FM, LW 252 and DAB)

RTÉ Radio 1
RTÉ Radio 1 Extra
RTÉ 2 FM
RTÉ RnaG
RTÉ Lyric FM
RTÉ Choice
RTÉ Gold
RTÉ Junior/RTÉ Chill
RTÉ Pulse/RTÉ 2xm

In Early 2011

Children / RTÉ 1 +1 / Euronews (time share)
RTÉ Digital Teletext

In 2011 to Early 2012 additionally when the 2nd Multiplex is running:

Maybe 3e (currently Cable & Satellite Pay TV only)
RTÉ One: Change to HD only
RTÉ Two: Change to HD only
TV3 Change to HD 2012 to 2013 sometime.
TG4 Change to HD

When finance is available and two mux running

Oireachtas TV

Film Channel (HD?)

Perhaps National commercial Radio
via http://www.techtir.ie/saortv/saorview

*Freesat needs a dish and Freesat TV or Box. Ideally HD version.

wmpdd3

So all my tellys are fine as long as i add a 'box' to each 1?

watty

But you may be entitled to replacement, refund, or free box for one year old or two year old TV, depending on interpretation, if the TV doesn't work on Irish Digital Television properly.

Sponge Bob

Lidl have just dumped one of these UK standard TVs into their shops this week.

keithclancy

Again I'll point out that you can get multiple different TV's on the continent with different Tuners builtin

DVB-T
DVB-C
DVB-S
Analog

Yes folks, they still sell TV's with Analog tuners built in
My Samsung LCD Came with a DVB-C tuner (for cable) although I never bothered using it because I have a Media Center.

NO TV is future proof, they sell MPEG4 TV's that cannot be used in Certain countries because they have no conditional access module.

If they ever privatize RTE then your DVB-T Tuner will more then likely no longer work as they'll have to encrypt the system and you'll need a conditional access module which most tuners don't come with a slot for.

I have a HTPC with DVB-T DVB-S and Analog Tuner, so it aggregates everything and I can pause, record and schedule recordings

The Bonus with the national channels being encrypted is whoever doesnt want to watch the rubbish doesnt have to pay for a TV License.

Sponge Bob

You cannot get DVB-C tellys here for legal reasons, whatever about Europe.

The sale of analogue only TVs is probably illegal in most of the EU under the unfair contracts directive of 1999 starting from 1 January 2011 and would be illegal in Holland years ago given that they completed ASO c.2007 .

Under the unfair contracts directive of 1999 a product should work for 2 full years as intended after purchase, as most countries with Analogue will complete switchoff in late December 2012 the TV cannot possbly work for 2 full years as intended when bought. A UK Freeview compatible TV can be sold as an analogue tv this month and next and thereafter cannot be sold as a TV because a) It is not a digital TV in Ireland and b) It will not works as an analogue TV for two full years as per the directive.

It can generally be sold as a Computer Monitor of course if it has hdmi and/or vga inputs ....as long as you tell the buyer that they need a TV Licence for it in 2011 and 2012 but not thereafter, said licence costing annually as much as the monitor itself

watty

I was in Lidl last Friday.

They had a "Full HDTV LCD"
The TV is no use for Digital in Ireland, nor HD TV aerial reception in UK. Yet described as Full HD. There will never be HD on Analogue or on ordinary Freeview. You need "Freeview HD" (UK), "TNT HD" (France) or Saorview (Ireland) for HD. Or an HDMI output BD player, "Freesat HD", "Sky HD" or "UPC HD" box, in which case it is an HD TV Monitor.



Zoom in


The Box


They had a so called "Full HD" Monitor Except unlike the TV above, it's not a "Full HD" Monitor, just a very ordinary PC Monitor. It can't connect AT ALL to any of the earlier mentioned boxes!

"Full HD" only applies to TVs and Monitors suitable for a setbox or disc player, such as BluRay (BD). Why? Because TV's "Full HD" is a Medium resolution for Computers. It's only 1080 lines, and for 100% zoom on A4 documents you need 1200 lines at least. The aforesaid "monitor" is no use for TV display as it has no HDMI input. It should not be Described as Full HD. It is purely a PC Monitor, with DVI and VGA. Very likely it can't do the 50Hz required by European TV video, as most VGA is a minimum of 60Hz (there is exceptions). No mention of refresh rate, so it's very likely 60Hz. 50fps to 60fps conversion looks rubbish.


They also had an HDMI very basic generic non-HD Satellite Receiver. Absolute waste of money and misleading. A decent HDTV with SCART may give a better picture from a cheaper box!. If you want HDMI, then a "Freesat HD" satellite receiver is needed for Free TV.

keithclancy

Sponge Bob wrote: »

You cannot get DVB-C tellys here for legal reasons, whatever about Europe.

The sale of analogue only TVs is probably illegal in most of the EU under the unfair contracts directive of 1999 starting from 1 January 2011 and would be illegal in Holland years ago given that they completed ASO c.2007 .

Under the unfair contracts directive of 1999 a product should work for 2 full years as intended after purchase, as most countries with Analogue will complete switchoff in late December 2012 the TV cannot possbly work for 2 full years as intended when bought. A UK Freeview compatible TV can be sold as an analogue tv this month and next and thereafter cannot be sold as a TV because a) It is not a digital TV in Ireland and b) It will not works as an analogue TV for two full years as per the directive.

It can generally be sold as a Computer Monitor of course if it has hdmi and/or vga inputs ....as long as you tell the buyer that they need a TV Licence for it in 2011 and 2012 but not thereafter, said licence costing annually as much as the monitor itself

Yes, they do sell TV's with Analog Tuners. Cable is still transmitted in Analog in the Netherlands along with DVB-C.

Your DVB-T TV sold in Ireland will never work in the Netherlands at any point in time. However a DVB-C with the correct CAM slot provided by UPC will work in Ireland.

Saying a TV supports DVB-T is just saying it supports the Digital Video Broadcasting Terrestrial standard, this does not mean that it will work with the provider you are using it with.

If RTE decide to enable Nagra on the National Broadcast you'll have no choice but to go buy a set top box and that will happen if they privatise RTE just like it did with the National Service in the Netherlands which is now run by KPN.

I would see it as a case of false advertising if they were advertising it as Saorsat or Saorview compatible, however they do not, they merely say it meets the DVB-T Standard (EN 300 744)

My point here being that there is no future proof system, unless that system specifically says its compatible with Saorsat or Saorview.

Sponge Bob

keithclancy wrote: »

If RTE decide to enable Nagra on the National Broadcast you'll have no choice but to go buy a set top box and that will happen if they privatise RTE just like it did with the National Service in the Netherlands which is now run by KPN.

I have a cam slot in my telly so no, but point taken. I am surprised they still supply analogue on cable in Holland. They have not broadcast analogue in 3 years.

I would see it as a case of false advertising if they were advertising it as Saorsat or Saorview compatible, however they do not, they merely say it meets the DVB-T Standard (EN 300 744)

The problem is the word "TV" not DVB-T. A TV should pick up and decode a signal that is broadcast.....ie not delivered over scart or hdmi from an STB and not delivered by cable.

My point here being that there is no future proof system, unless that system specifically says its compatible with Saorsat or Saorview.

I concede that if it will do picture and sound it is futureproof, the UK 'dbv-t' tellys are not even properly dvb-t compliant because they only find channels if one broadcasts 'false' UK only flags rather than generic ones.

watty

keithclancy wrote: »

Yes, they do sell TV's with Analog Tuners. Cable is still transmitted in Analog in the Netherlands along with DVB-C.

They will not keep analogue much longer. But currently all DVB-T sets include an analogue tuner. A Setbox or PVR is usually digital only. One analogue channel is maybe 4 to 5 HD channels or 16 to 20 MPEG4 SD channels or 40 broadband users. It's not economic.

Even in Ireland, many TVs have DVB-c also. Currently UPC does not provide a CAM. Even in Netherlands, that may end eventually. Switched Video and cardless authentication (I have tested the setbox) is what Cable TV will use, as well as VOD services. These are not TV set compatible. They will use an external PVR.

keithclancy wrote: »

Your DVB-T TV sold in Ireland will never work in the Netherlands at any point in time. However a DVB-C with the correct CAM slot provided by UPC will work in Ireland.

Rubbish. It will receive the National & Regional FTA DTT channels in Netherlands. On Cable you can use the local providers HD PVR box. Cable is not free. Conversely in Analogue days an Irish/UK TV might not have received sound in European Mainland Countries.

A Saorview Spec TV or box will receive TV in all of Europe and Russia, including many HD services except the few places such as UK using DVB-T2 for HD only. A DVB-T2 Saorspec box will work with FTA DTT ANYWHERE that uses DTT. If it has a CI, then many pay services are also possible.

keithclancy wrote: »

Saying a TV supports DVB-T is just saying it supports the Digital Video Broadcasting Terrestrial standard, this does not mean that it will work with the provider you are using it with. .

No. Broadly the services are

1. DVB-T + MPEG2 only (i.e. Freeview, TNT)
2. DVB-T + MPEG2 & MPEG4 HD (most now) (i.e. , TNT HD)
3. DVB-T + MPEG4 SD, MPEG4 HD (Saorview and others)
4. DVB-T2 + DVB-T +MPEG2 + MPEG4 (Freeview HD was 1st, rare)

Boxes or TVs broadly have

• (a) DVB-T, MPEG2: Only (1)
• (b) DVB-T, MPEG2, MPEG4 (1). None in Production. Most made for Sky Picnic which never launched.
• (c) DVB-T, MPEG2, MPEG4 + HD (1, 2 & 3).
• (d) DVB-T2, DVB-T, MPEG2, MPEG4 + HD (1,2,3 &4)

Type (a) is obsolete. Type(b) is being dumped on eBay. There was never a market.
(c) is common
(d) is now common in UK

Additionally few countries use Middleware at all. MHP is only used much for FTA in Italy and MHEG5 in UK. MediaHighway and OpenTV are only used on payTV. South America uses a Brazilian system. MHP requires a royalty per set/box. MHEG5 is free.

China, Japan, North America and South America don't use DVB-T at all, and are incompatible with each other.

You could not get away with the sort of TV selling in Ireland in many other Countries.

keithclancy wrote: »

If RTE decide to enable Nagra on the National Broadcast you'll have no choice but to go buy a set top box and that will happen if they privatise RTE just like it did with the National Service in the Netherlands which is now run by KPN.

That's totally misleading.
The national public television channels Nederland 1, Nederland 2, Nederland 3 and the regional public television channels are free-to-air.
It's just that the Pay TV part of DTT is what UK's OnDigital would have been, rather than TopUp TV.

keithclancy wrote: »

I would see it as a case of false advertising if they were advertising it as Saorsat or Saorview compatible, however they do not, they merely say it meets the DVB-T Standard (EN 300 744)

My point here being that there is no future proof system, unless that system specifically says its compatible with Saorsat or Saorview.

Of course nothing is exactly future proof. But when folk knew two years ago what it would be, and it's nothing strange, then there is no justification for "dumping" UK "HD Ready" or "Full HD" that won't even do HD via aerial in UK, ever, here in Ireland.

How would you like it it ATSC or ISDB-T sets sold in Netherlands simply because the Cable Tuner works (it might actually)?

keithclancy

Sponge Bob wrote: »

I have a cam slot in my telly so no, but point taken. I am surprised they still supply analogue on cable in Holland. They have not broadcast analogue in 3 years.

Not all CAM Slots are compatible with CI Plus

Neotion doesnt work with alot of the Samsung sets.

Yes, Analog is still on cable, Ziggo and UPC still broadcast this on the standard package.

The problem is the word "TV" not DVB-T. A TV should pick up and decode a signal that is broadcast.....ie not delivered over scart or hdmi from an STB and not delivered by cable.

http://www.freesat.co.uk/products/hd-tv-range
TV's capable of recieving a signal that are broadcast and are not delivered over cable, scart or hdmi,

watty wrote: »

They will not keep analogue much longer. But currently all DVB-T sets include an analogue tuner. A Setbox or PVR is usually digital only. One analogue channel is maybe 4 to 5 HD channels or 16 to 20 MPEG4 SD channels or 40 broadband users. It's not economic.

Even in Ireland, many TVs have DVB-c also. Currently UPC does not provide a CAM. Even in Netherlands, that may end eventually. Switched Video and cardless authentication (I have tested the setbox) is what Cable TV will use, as well as VOD services. These are not TV set compatible. They will use an external PVR.

No plans as of yet on the forums anyway.
Two Cams are available since 2009 with Ziggo in the Ranstad and now with UPC as well.

That's totally misleading.
The national public television channels Nederland 1, Nederland 2, Nederland 3 and the regional public television channels are free-to-air.
It's just that the Pay TV part of DTT is what UK's OnDigital would have been, rather than TopUp TV.

RTL 4,5,7,8, Channel 5 ?
They used to be available on Analog.

Of course nothing is exactly future proof. But when folk knew two years ago what it would be, and it's nothing strange, then there is no justification for "dumping" UK "HD Ready" or "Full HD" that won't even do HD via aerial in UK, ever, here in Ireland.

How would you like it it ATSC or ISDB-T sets sold in Netherlands simply because the Cable Tuner works (it might actually)?

I would actually read whats on the box.

My point is that if they decided to encrypt the national stations in a hypothetical privatisation the TV you have purchased may be useless anyway.

By this logic Lidl/Aldi should give a refund on all those Satelite recievers they sold because they are incompatible with Saorview, unless as some point they sold one that supported DVB-S2 ?

Sponge Bob

keithclancy wrote: »

By this logic Lidl/Aldi should give a refund on all those Satelite recievers they sold because they are incompatible with Saorview, unless as some point they sold one that supported DVB-S2 ?

Eh no, we have not been troubled with a Saorsat spec beyond knowing it is Ka not Ku ...but the right LNB will downconvert what will likely be an FTA DCB-S or S2 signal to that receiver.

TV's capable of recieving a signal that are broadcast and are not delivered over cable, scart or hdmi,

What I said...except that I expected the picture to be shown after all that ...not just received.

watty

RTL 4,5,7,8, are pure Commercial Stations. The Irish equivalents are 3e and Setanta Ireland.

Aldi/Lidl Satellite Receivers:
No, they were not sold for Irish use. Though in fact they HAVE given many refunds on them. Currently there is really no Irish Satellite service. Also the Satellite service was only announced July 2010 and won't even exist till April 2011.


Aldi HAS ALREADY refunded for TVs over a year old.

My point is that if they decided to encrypt the national stations in a hypothetical privatisation the TV you have purchased may be useless anyway.

So hypothetical as to be irrelevant.
Where in the entire world has this been done, ever for "ordinary" National PSB stations?


All your points are the sort of poor argument of massive TV importer wanting to justify selling unsuitable TVs. They are not believable, accurate or relevant.

watty

Tesco online and outlet are selling "Freeview HD" boxes and TVs. As are some UK stores. I think even some in N.I.

They will not ship "Freeview HD" box to Ireland.

I was in local Tesco in Limerick this morning. Almost every TV claimed to be Full HD or HD ready, but all are "freeview" so will never work with "Freeview HD" in UK to receive HD via aerial.

None work with Saorview (Irish Digital). A "Freeview HD" set would. So why are Tesco only selling "obsolete" TVs now in Ireland? Maybe in less than 2 years, and two years + 6 weeks max analogue will be off.

Today Digital covers 5% more for TG4 and nearly 15% more for Tv3 and has TV3's 3e, free, which is otherwise only on subscription Sky or UPC.

Why is Tesco depriving us of the up-to-date models in their UK stores that do work here?

Freeview HD and Saorview and N.I.
http://www.saortv.info/about/n-i-digital/

Content on Digital in Ireland since 17th November. To maybe 93% of population.
http://www.saortv.info/2010/11/17/tv3e-joins-saorview/

There is no reasonable excuse for this Tesco situation when Currys, Expert Exchange and Power city have many working models. Though only the Walker has approval.

Tesco assured me they had ZERO "Freeview HD" models.

Sponge Bob

watty wrote: »

I was in local Tesco in Limerick this morning. Almost every TV claimed to be Full HD or HD ready, but all are "freeview" so will never work with "Freeview HD" in UK to receive HD via aerial.

There is no reasonable excuse for this Tesco situation when Currys, Expert Exchange and Power city have many working models. Though only the Walker has approval.

Tesco assured me they had ZERO "Freeview HD" models.

Tesco and Argos are grossly non compliant, Aldi and Lidl are 100% non compliant.

The specialist retailers like Currys and DID and Powercity are doing much better but you can still pick up a dud that won't tune and display a Digital picture in there.

watty

watty wrote: »

They had a so called "Full HD" Monitor Except unlike the TV above, it's not a "Full HD" Monitor, just a very ordinary PC Monitor. It can't connect AT ALL to any of the earlier mentioned boxes!

"Full HD" only applies to TVs and Monitors suitable for a setbox or disc player, such as BluRay (BD). Why? Because TV's "Full HD" is a Medium resolution for Computers. It's only 1080 lines, and for 100% zoom on A4 documents you need 1200 lines at least. The aforesaid "monitor" is no use for TV display as it has no HDMI input. It should not be Described as Full HD. It is purely a PC Monitor, with DVI and VGA. Very likely it can't do the 50Hz required by European TV video, as most VGA is a minimum of 60Hz (there is exceptions). No mention of refresh rate, so it's very likely 60Hz. 50fps to 60fps conversion looks rubbish.

WARNING DANGER!

Lidl recalling 100% of the so called 24" LCD HD Widescreen Monitor sold last week.

There is a fault that can make PC live or any attached or exposed metal work live. Do not use or attempt repair.

Return to Lidl for full Refund.

(They will probably refund the HDMI satellite box that's not worth it and the TV set that will stop working by end of 2012).

Sponge Bob

Aldi chancing their arm again next week with this heap of junk

http://www.aldi.ie/ie/html/offers/special_buys3_15067.htm?WT.mc_id=2010-11-19-11-15

Do not buy their tellies until they stock ones that actually works in Ireland.

watty

Amazingly Lidl appear to be selling a Proper 32" Digital TV on the 2nd December.
An Aldi/Lidl first?
They are advertising it as Full HD in Northern Ireland too. In N.I. it will never receive UK HDTV via an Aerial socket. It's not "Freeview HD" Compatible.
They also claim it needs a Digital Aerial. There is no such device, and never will be. Digital Terrestrial (Saorview) just uses regular UHF aerials like TG4 and TV3 does.

MPEG4, MHEG5

Blog Entry

Lidl Brochure Thursday 2nd December 2010

If you live in N.I. or can receive N.I. TV this TV should be avoided. At this Stage with N.I. ASO being brought forward due to Olympics and progress of Ireland's DSO, any new TV bought for Freeview (N.I. Reception) should be "Freeview HD". All "Freeview HD" sets will receive existing "Freeview" and Saorview.
http://www.saortv.info/about/n-i-digital/

Sponge Bob

I must say that it is good news that they have finally stopped dumping their evidently incompatible rubbish on the Irish market. Let's hope that Aldi do the same, and soon.

Sponge Bob

While Lidl appear to have copped themselves on Aldi are dumping yet another incompatible television on the Irish consumer next thursday the 9th, it is a combi dvd unit. If you find yourself in one of their shops give out stink to them.