[QQQQQ-Trek]

I don't know about the rest of the world but here in the UK we're all going to have digital broadcast TV by 2012. Every region slowly will have their analogue reception switched off and changed over to digital, no matter what.

I'm incensed by this because bo one seems to have given clear reasons why this is happening and the cost implications to Joe Public. Often it is a comment that better quality broadcast can be shown but this is rubbish. As most people with Freeview [current digital TV] is aware yes sometimes the quality is pin-sharp but quite often you get really nice definition of compression artifacts [those little squares you get in .jpeg pictures]. I personally think this is because when sending something digitally, like any wireless transmission, the more data the bigger the cost. Worst examples are football matches where it's practically impossible to follow the ball. I'm wondering if the sudden promotion of HDTV broadcasting isn't some cynical way of getting money for the broadcast quality already promised!

Additionally every TV in the UK will require a digi-box [if not already built in] to view TV, digital or otherwise. That's a digi-box for your big TV, one in the kitcehn or dining room perhaps. The portables in your kids rooms and if you're like my parents then one in the caravan as well. It will also need an aerial capable of receiving digital TV. You're talking about £50 for the two there and as the one in my bedroom attests quite often I don't get any signal whatsoever. Sure pensioners and some folks on benefits will get digi-boxes free but it's still a massive outlay, more boxes/cables/plugs [so much for carbon emissions].

Just wondered if anyone else shared my views and thought this wasn't quite discussed with us as a nation before implementation.