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Wondering Where To Buy a Cheap TV
- Thread starter yorksrob
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IanD
Established Member
There's no problem with sticking with old technology as long as it keeps going. But when it fails and you have to start spending money to fix things then it's time to move on.
They'll be making a lot less from me when I switch to internet/landline only.
The annoying thing is that my old technology will happily carry on until the cows come home. It's their technology that keeps on breaking down.
Do you think they care?
Like all big business, no. But then again, neither will I if I'm not paying for it.
Unless you were paying for premium channels then they'll actually make more percentage profit from you as an Internet/phone customer.
Theoretically that may be true. But I would have thought they have to shell out for the TV channels, regardless of weather I'm contributing to them.
My pay-TV experience is based on the US rather than the UK but I'm confident the model is basically the same.
Cable companies don't make any significant amount of money off basic cable channels - they are used to bulk out their offerings and make them more attractive, the idea being that people who take basic TV are more likely to upgrade to premium channels. (In many cases they're actually a loss leader.)
So losing a basic TV customer doesn't really cost them anything and you're still paying for the products that have a higher per-user profit margin.
That may be true, but essentially they're still left with a sunk cost with one less paying for it. They will have less money coming in with no corresponding reduction in the cost base.
I'm sure when you withdraw we shall see the total collapse of the Virgin Media. :roll:
Howardh
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How's the Baird Televisor going?
Often wondered what mechanical TV would look like today had it developed instead of the electronic version.
Probably be the same as today's TV's with those spinning discs being the size of buttons using holes/dots the size of atoms!
Tried to research this on the web but not really found an answer. If anyone here follows the development of TV...??
As an anecdote, a year or so ago I bought a 40" 4k TV. Seems to others (ie my old man for one!) to be a complete waste of money as I watch so little "live" TV and I haven't a strong enough broadband to carry youtube's 4k stuff - although videos already downloaded and saved to card are fine.
However, videoing (with 4k camera) our trips to steam museums and rail (I hate it...he loves it) watching his beloved engines in all their glory on a 4k TV where you can see every detail changed his mind somewhat!
I'm not expecting Virgin Media to collapse (nor would I want it to, not least because I shall still require it to provide my internet connection), yet how else would you have me signal my dissatisfaction in today's great consumerist utopia, if not by withdrawing at least part of my custom?
DaleCooper
Established Member
Something like this perhaps.
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Howardh
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I hope that's a joke!
They don't pay much (if anything) for basic content. It's advertising supported.
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krus_aragon
Established Member
A key reason for ditching the mechanical TV was the faff and complexity in creating the programmes for broadcast. A recent BBC programme Television's Opening Night: How the Box Was Born re-enacted the first Baird broadcast, and illustrated the problems very well.
It's not currently on iPlayer (last broadcast just over a month a go) but keep an eye out for any further rebroadcasts.
DaleCooper
Established Member
I've often wondered what exactly it was they were charging for, given how many adverts there are.
Again, this is based on US practice but I imagine it is pretty much the same over here.
There are three types of channel on basic cable:
- "Must carry" - these are typcially the broadcast network channels from the local area. Compaines are obliged to carry them for free as part of the licence conditions. They represent a fixed cost to the business, regardless of how many subscribers they have.
- Non-premium cable channels - these are largely ad-supported channels which are typically only available on cable. The cable companies pay a nominal per-subscriber fee to carry them, but it barely covers their costs since the content providers make their money from advertising and so want to get their channels carried as widely as possible.
- Pay to broadcast channels - these are channels that pay the cable company a per-viewer fee to carry them. Typically shopping channels fall into this bracket. Cable companies love these as they help offset the cost of the must-carry channels. (This, by the way, is why there are so many shopping/infomercial channels on US cable providers.
All this to say that the loss of your income from the latter group of channels and the decline in cost for the second group of channels means that moving to landline/Internet only would've had little to no impact on the TV department's bottom line.
cjmillsnun
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Good luck with finding a freeview box that doesn't need SCART. Those that do have an RF out are generally only pass through. I hate to say it, but you need to upgrade.
Tetchytyke
Veteran Member
To answer the original question, if you can be chewed to travel then the Argos Clearance Bargains place at Stanley (completely unbranded, it's where Argos unsold seconds go to die) has some pretty good deals most of the time.
One thing I don't understand is why more free - to - air channels don't have live streaming on their websites ?
I would have thought that being available to stream easily would be a simple way to reach audiences, yet even Channel 5, which purports to be a mainstream terrestrial channel doesn't have a live web feed !
It seems like a half arsed way of doing things to me.
I would have thought that being available to stream easily would be a simple way to reach audiences, yet even Channel 5, which purports to be a mainstream terrestrial channel doesn't have a live web feed !
It seems like a half arsed way of doing things to me.
Who would watch a Channel 5 webfeed? Who would watch Channel 5? Are Channel 5 still going? If so... how?
Live streaming is *very* expensive in network terms. Even if you have a CDN involved there's a lot of bits that need to be supplied very quickly.
They did that very enjoyable documentary on the tube a couple of weeks ago !
All the same, they are TV stations with adverts and everything !
Advertisers pay significantly less for adverts on web-streaming (read 'not at all') though.
I wonder why. We're still forced to watch them !
Pop up blockers.
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