The day after digital switch over; we caught up with Ilse Howling to have a quick chat about her views on the switch over and the the introduction of the next stage of Freeview – the ability to easily record the programmes on Digital TV.
Freeview have worked with the Digital Television Group to create the specification of the Freeview Playback, their version of a PVR, or as they’re labeling it a Digital Television Recorder.
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As you’re aware there’s lot of new things being tried out in Whitehaven for the UK’s first analogue/digital switch over.
One that electrical retailer Currys is trying out is a showroom/shop that can be driven to remote areas giving those who are miles away from a shop, or who aren’t that mobile.
It’s a pretty substantial lorry that has side section that extends outwards providing a lounge-type feel.
There’s four flat screens on display (co-sponsored by Samsung) and a selection of eight STBs on show to demonstrated the range of boxes on view.
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Post Digital switchover, Jamie Reed, the MP for Copeland (that includes Whitehaven) and Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group on digital switch over, has a lot of interesting things to say, both about the run up to this week and following it.
We thought we’d have a wander around the shops to try and gauge the feeling of the electronics retailers, as to how things have been with the build up to digital switch over.
Given this is the first place in the UK to switch off the analogue, we thought it would be of general interest.
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Sarah Jane Grey has been working for Digital UK on the ground in Whitehaven since December 2006 – a full 10 months before switch over.
She points out that it’s wrong to assume that older people are less able to cope with analogue/digital switch over – many of the older people in Whitehaven were highly qualified engineers working at the nearby Sellafield, nuclear power plant.
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Mary Bradly is the regional director of Age Concern, a charity that works with the over-50s.
As you may have read/heard in our interview with Ford Ennals, Digital UK see partner organisation vital for the smooth switch over from analogue TV to digital.
Age concern has been working with Digital UK as one of their strategic partners for 18 months, to the point of locating the Whitehaven Digital UK office within Age Concerns.
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We caught up with Ford Ennals, Chief Exec of Digital UK, underneath the relay aerial that was going to be the first to switch off analogue and turn on digital TV – Digital switchover in Whitehaven.
He and his team have been spending huge amounts of time in Whitehaven to ensure the transition would be a smooth as possible.
Ford details how the process has gone to date and how, in particular, they’ve been working together with local voluntary organisations in an effort to get the message out to the public.
We touch on Sky’s proposal for Digital TV service in the UK received through an aerial, rather than there current satellite based system; what does he see the relevance of MPEG-4 and HD services.
Audio after the jump
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MySpace is to introduce MySpace IM with Skype, giving their considerable number of users the ability to directly IM with each other, and talk using Skype for zero cost.
The integration between MySpace and Skype sounds like it’s been considerable, with MySpace users able to block or grant access to them through settings on their MySpace pages, including only accepting calls from MySpace ‘friends.’ In addition MySpace profiles, photos or avatars can also be linked to their accounts on Skype.
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Official timings of the Switch Over last night for the Whitehaven relay.
02:00 – BBC2 switched off after the snooker had finished.
02:10 – ITV switched off
02:17 – ITV back on previous BBC2 channel
02:37 – First digital Mux came up delivering five channels on the old BBC2 analogue frequency.
Each of the other two relays Eskdale Green and Gosforth followed step by step in quick succession, synchronised via mobile phone.
We’ve dragged ourself out of bed to have a quick check that the Whitehaven Switch Over was a success.
You’ll be aware of the considerable build up to this pivotal event for UK TV.
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