By 
The switch to digital TV in the UK is happening now and will be complete by 2012, by which time you won’t be able to receive the old analogue signal anywhere. It’s a great thing in the long run and will improve our TV viewing experience, but what are the downsides? The negative side effects for some and the great opportunity for others?
Bad for people who don’t understand
The confusion and ignorance that has surrounded the switch is a perfect breeding ground for unscrupulous traders to move to their advantage. Some TV retailers have reportedly instructed their staff to discourage people from buying a Freeview box (which can only cost around £15) in favor of buying a nice new TV for around £400-500; this would imply giving misleading information to play dismiss the fact that the DTT box is all you need, even lying about the technical specifications to obtain the most profitable sale. Whether or not this is true of high street shops, it certainly doesn’t take much imagination to see dodgy guys going door to door in an area where change is imminent, telling older people they need to change. his antenna (usually not necessary) or bought and installed one of his van boxes (probably costing £10 second hand and selling it to the victim for £40) or “they won’t be able to see Eastenders next week”.
Bad for power consumption
Until the transition of the average household from old to new equipment is complete, much more electricity will be used, as more devices (Freeview boxes, Sky or Virgin boxes, HDD recorders, etc.) are added to the existing setup. of people. This will only be resolved over time, as we will see viewers move to TVs with built-in tuners in the first place, perhaps also built-in hard drive recorders, and, in the long term, much more convergence between the PC, digital TV, music and all the entertainment. system in a house. So by extension…
Good for short term utility companies
Like all those new Freeview boxes left on 24-7 it will add up to a fair amount of extra income. So, by further extension…
bad for the environment
Though only as long as people get the setup right, after which it should be better. The other short-term effect on the environment, I suppose, could be the disposal of unwanted old equipment. Most antennas don’t need to be replaced, so it should be minimal, and in fact, most TVs can be used with whatever digital TV media you’ve chosen (I’m not going to upgrade my TV until I need it, regardless of changes), so TV removal should only increase a little as people buy the necessary equipment and decide to enjoy better TV at the same time. The deletion problem can come from VCRs, and even some older DVD recorders that have an analog tuner, which are useless after the change. Now I’m pretty imaginative when it comes to repurposing old stuff, but I’m having a hard time thinking of a use for a VCR that can’t record – most family game rooms now have better equipment than that for watching Peppa Pig and that is the only idea that comes close.
bad for the owners
If you own or manage a block of flats, for example, you’ll need to consider community television setup; if you had a communal analogue antenna before, it’s fine if everyone in the block wants to get a freeview box, but will you need an adjustment in signal strength, or will tenants suddenly ask permission to install a satellite dish? Possibly a headache the owners could do without at the moment, given their stress levels from the global financial situation and whatnot.
Bad for the blind?
When the first change took place in Whitehaven, Cumbria, in October 2007, the RNIB was concerned that the decoders supplied as part of the town’s ‘Help’ program did not have talking menus, the software that helps navigate to the people with vision problems. your way through the channels and other options. A blind local resident, Sharon Bowell, said: ‘I feel like I’m being left out of the so-called digital TV revolution. I have no way of knowing what channel I’m on or what show is on, I can’t use the on-screen guide to find out what’s happening now or next, and I can’t even record my favorite shows. I just won’t be able to meaningfully interact with any of the affordable set-top boxes or digital TVs that are available in stores.’
Good for those with special needs
Apart from this issue with navigation though, there are plenty of good features to help those who are sight or hearing impaired: Sky TV has 2 channels on their Sky Box Office movie service for the hearing and visually impaired (738 presents signed films and 739 narrative films with audio description). They also employ a team of six qualified interpreters as their sign language team and offer sign language on at least seven of their channels. Sky seems to be leading the way when it comes to helping people with special needs, as they also have an Easy Grip remote control available for people who have hand problems; It also features large, easy-to-read tactile buttons.
Good for retailers and businessmen
Remaining in the pioneering digital city of Whitehaven, retailers have seen that the rush to buy Freeview boxes has the benefit of the secondary purchases that come with it. If you’re already at the store, chances are you’re going to pick up some batteries, that iPod charger you’ve been meaning to buy, and more. In fact, it’s often been the other way around: customers buying the £14.99 set-top box are tempted by the lovely flat-screen HD TV in the window. Craig Carruthers, manager of Currys in Whitehaven, said of the Freeview boxes; ‘Our sales are growing 20 to 30 per cent week on week. A lot of people buy not just a set-top box, but also a flat screen TV.” This rush of customers brought about by the staggered timing of each area’s change makes me wonder about the creation of Freeview shops advertising cheap digital TV, in the same way that fireworks shops and Christmas tree stalls appear during two lucrative weeks and then they’re gone. All the entrepreneur has to do is find out the change date in each area and Bob is your uncle, there is a market ready. Will someone do this? Feel free to take the idea and put it into practice, I need to go and rewind the Peppa Pig videotape in the game room and then sit down and watch our portable black and white television.