Mandatory Digital TV

[flaming]

What will the TV authorities do about viewers in bad-signal areas when the time comes for the change-over? My block of flats has a communal satellite aerial.  To subscribe to it I would have to pay over �100 installation fee, and a monthly rental therafter, or have a Sky monthly rental package - which I don't really want.  I had an engineer come here with a sample set-top box but as predicted it was too weak a signal. What is disappointing is seeing some trailed BBC programmes on their new channels, ones I should like to see.  Is it legal what they are doing?  I thought that all licence payers should be equal, be able to see the Corporation's output?  I wrote to the Radio Times but, natch, it was not published.  What do other ABers with technical knowledge think, please?

[Loosehead]

If you can receive terrestrial TV now you can receive the freeview digital channels. You may have to fit a signal booster but that's a minor detail.

[flaming]

Loosehead: Thanks. I wonder why the TV engineer didn't mention that.  I take it that it would be an internal booster.  I won't be able (terms of lease on flat) to have my own exterior booster.  I am close to the electrified tracks of the overground part of the tube and in between hills, so I guess I'm never going to be lucky.  After I posted a friend sent me a cutting from the Guardian (Philip Inman 30th April on the subject of set-top boxes and aerials). Maybe you have seen the website links  but the article gives

dtg.org.uk/consumer/coverage.html  and cai.org.uk

or   culture.gov.uk

[Loosehead]

There are obviously areas with reception problems, generally though a good ariel with a signal booster usually is sufficient. The booster is a device that sits between the TV and the ariel and simply amplfies a weak signal so I can't see any reason why it can't be inside.