Watch the tv or tank?

I think the aliens are somehow responsible.

It's the first step in their plan to destroy us! commercials - they're not just dumb and obnoxious - they're an evil plot!!

Commercials are not only dumb, but soooo frequent. I wasn't used to that anymore and I was at my Mom's watching TV and found it really annoying. Way nicer to just watch DVD's/ripped.

 

American TV is more commercials than shows it seems now. It's not commercials interrupting the show, it's shows interrupting the commercials.

 

American TV is more commercials than shows it seems now.  It's not commercials interrupting the show, it's shows interrupting the commercials.

true over here in the uk too! except for the bbc, but we have to pay a yearly charge to fund the bbc because they don't use adverts which is worse!!

 

Well you don't have to, really. We spent years in fear of 'the van' (aka TV licence guys), but, man, did we feel like rebels!

 

American TV is more commercials than shows it seems now. It's not commercials interrupting the show, it's shows interrupting the commercials.

Yeah, it's really crazy in the US. I cannot take that at all, drives me absolutely insane. It's sometimes as little as 10 minutes of the real show, then 5 mins or more of adverts. I don't know how you don't all protest down the street. It's mental torture if you ask me.

I also really don't like that they turn the sound up during adverts. Grrrr!

 

Oh, Tan, I heard a great thing about ads in the UK. Not sure if it's common knowledge, but you know when they're coming on when you see a little square at the top right corner of your TV. Then you know it's time for a cuppa (and turning the volume down!).

 

Well you don't have to, really. We spent years in fear of 'the van' (aka TV licence guys), but, man, did we feel like rebels!

now they have a central database so they can check your address and whether you have a licence....if you don't they'll be on your doorstep! >

 

I also really don't like that they turn the sound up during adverts. Grrrr!

me neither >! its rude in my opinion to shout to get yourself heard which is in effect what they do!! they make the adverts loud to ensure you pay attention and listen to them.....unless you go for a cuppa at that time or turn it down and log onto fishlore!!

 

Oh, Tan, I heard a great thing about ads in the UK. Not sure if it's common knowledge, but you know when they're coming on when you see a little square at the top right corner of your TV. Then you know it's time for a cuppa (and turning the volume down!).

that was true! they used to have a black and white stripy block in the top right corner of the screen so if you're bursting for a wee you know you don't have to get up and miss a crucial bit of tv as you've a min or so wait for the adverts! (too much info?! :-[)

 

Well you don't have to, really. We spent years in fear of 'the van' (aka TV licence guys), but, man, did we feel like rebels!

now they have a central database so they can check your address and whether you have a licence....if you don't they'll be on your doorstep! >

But can't we just say we don't watch TV? We have a set at home, but it's not linked to anything: cable or aerial. Wouldn't they believe you if you said you were the same?

Bah, your days of wild system dodging must be as over as mine are. Some things are just not worth the hassle anymore. And let's face it, they are bringing us EastEnders, and that's priceless!

 

that was true! they used to have a black and white stripy block in the top right corner of the screen so if you're bursting for a wee you know you don't have to get up and miss a crucial bit of tv as you've a min or so wait for the adverts! (too much info?! :-[)

They don't do that anymore? Man, it's time I went back. I only left 5 years ago, and it feels like everythings' changing behind my back.

They do actually always place the crucial moments before the adverts don't they.

Evil I tell you, evil.

 

But can't we just say we don't watch TV? We have a set at home, but it's not linked to anything: cable or aerial. Wouldn't they believe you if you said you were the same?

Bah, your days of wild system dodging must be as over as mine are. Some things are just not worth the hassle anymore. And let's face it, they are bringing us EastEnders, and that's priceless!

nope! they get their money! people used to say they had a black and white tv to pay less, but they don't fasll for that one anymore either! even if students are sharing in halls of residence etc they need a licence each! what a rip off! I wonder how much income the bbc rake in with the licence?! wish I was on the receiving end of the transaction rather than the payer!!

 

I hate the preview trailers, especially on kids dvds, and even worse is when they won't let you fast forward/skip them and "force" you to watch them! by the time the film you actually wanted comes on you and the kids and got bored and found something else to do! : def better to rip and burn just the film without all at the beginning!
EDIT: purely as a "back-up" of course...not breaching any copyright laws

Try the "dvd menu" button on the remote if it has one....Skips all of the previews and brings you straight to the DVD menu.....My favorite button!!

 

Try the "dvd menu" button on the remote if it has one....Skips all of the previews and brings you straight to the DVD menu.....My favorite button!!

I just get that "no entry" sign on some dvds when I do that! charming! "no entry" indeed!!! its MY dvd!! i'd like to enter it where I want!!!

 

My favorite no entry sign is the one where you try to skip the bit about copyright fraud in 17 languages. Just lovely. I hope they appreciate the irony that these legal warnings are only available on ... legal copies!

 

They don't do that anymore? Man, it's time I went back. I only left 5 years ago, and it feels like everythings' changing behind my back.

They do actually always place the crucial moments before the adverts don't they.

Evil I tell you, evil. 

changed for the worse in many ways!! you'll have to pop and back and visit!!
they always have the cliffhanger before the adverts! or last thing on a friday night in soaps so you have to wait all weekend to see what happens next!! how mean!!!

 

My favorite no entry sign is the one where you try to skip the bit about copyright fraud in 17 languages. Just lovely. I hope they appreciate the irony that these legal warnings are only available on ... legal copies!

lol!! that makes me laugh too! and how crackly and poor quality the pirates are and they do that naf example crackley bit.......they must be doing it wrong cos they seem the same to me!! and how to check for the hologram.....the disc is in the player at the time and you know before you use whether its pirate or not....its obvious!!! they must think we're stupid!!

 

But can't we just say we don't watch TV? We have a set at home, but it's not linked to anything: cable or aerial. Wouldn't they believe you if you said you were the same?

Bah, your days of wild system dodging must be as over as mine are. Some things are just not worth the hassle anymore. And let's face it, they are bringing us EastEnders, and that's priceless!

nope! they get their money! people used to say they had a black and white tv to pay less, but they don't fasll for that one anymore either! even if students are sharing in halls of residence etc they need a licence each! what a rip off! I wonder how much income the bbc rake in with the licence?! wish I was on the receiving end of the transaction rather than the payer!!

Wow! A license to watch TV.....Then again, we have to pay to watch TV here in the states....You can't get a broadcast signal worth watching unless you have cable or a satellite dish...

 

I reckon you are spoilt. In the UK, most people have 4 or 5 channels, and it's quite exceptional (unless things have changed drastically again) to have cable TV. Tan, am I talking out of my .... again, have things changed like mad on that one too? I also lived in Belgium, where people would be considered underprivileged social cases if they didn't have cable. In France, it's a bit like the UK too. I guess it depends on the country, but the US is definitely spoilt for choice!

 

The commercials are placed at the crucial moments because they know we hate them and go do something or channel surf and they want us to be afraid to miss an important part. >

 

Well I guess you could say we're spoiled...But we too have our 'donation' in the form of monthy cable bills. Though for my $60/month I get in excess of over 150 channels...Now before you rave about the 150 channels, only about 20 of them are worth watching.... And that too may be pushing it....Without cable or a dish we'd get 1, maybe 2 channels and that signal would not be clear at all...A lot of snow, white noise and ghosting....So if you enjoy television you have little choice.

 

Well I guess you could say we're spoiled...But we too have our 'donation' in the form of monthy cable bills. Though for my $60/month I get in excess of over 150 channels...Now before you rave about the 150 channels, only about 20 of them are worth watching.... And that too may be pushing it....Without cable or a dish we'd get 1, maybe 2 channels and that signal would not be clear at all...A lot of snow, white noise and ghosting....So if you enjoy television you have little choice.

Isn't that the truth! I go thru the channels and remove the ones I would NEVER watch and channel surfing the entire set of channels that are left doesn't even take a minute.

 

Yes, that's what I mean, though. You'd be in the very small minority if you didnt' have sat/cable in the US, right? Personally I don't know anyone without (in the US). But yep, there's a pink floyd song about that: '50 channels of sh** to choose from, choose from, choose from'. Great song, btw! Love the Floyds.

 

Yes, that's what I mean, though. You'd be in the very small minority if you didnt' have sat/cable in the US, right? Personally I don't know anyone without (in the US). But yep, there's a pink floyd song about that: '50 channels of sh** to choose from, choose from, choose from'. Great song, btw! Love the Floyds.

yea, it is hard to find people without it, but other than sports and a few tv shows, we'd not miss cable tv since it's mostly worthless channels not even worth channel surfing over.

 

I reckon you are spoilt. In the UK, most people have 4 or 5 channels, and it's quite exceptional (unless things have changed drastically again) to have cable TV. Tan, am I talking out of my .... again, have things changed like mad on that one too? I also lived in Belgium, where people would be considered underprivileged social cases if they didn't have cable. In France, it's a bit like the UK too. I guess it depends on the country, but the US is definitely spoilt for choice!

a lot has happened on this post in the past 24 hours!
in the uk about 5 yrs ago people having sky or cable was the minority. however, now sky do great offers...low monthly subscription and free set up etc. cable never really took off as it was only available in city centres. villages and suburbs just couldnt get it so it was a limited market. sky however because its available pretty much everywhere, took off. so now everyone I know except for a few old people have sky or freeview. freeview is what we get through our tv arial and a box. the box costs about £30 or so and you get most of the major sky channels. we still get 5 channels without any effort (just through the tv...no dish or box etc)
so basically.......everyone gets 5 channels, but you have to pay tv licence to own a tv which is about £20 a month I think. if you subscribe to sky/freeview/cable you still pay the tv licence as well! I think its only those over 75 and deaf or blind get it for free. (hardly anyone)
most areas can receive freeview....a set top box and arial one off cost of about £30 providing you have a good arial).
if you live in the city you can get cable to give you a 100 or so extra channels for a monthy fee
nearly everywhere (except really really remote areas) can get sky, hundreds of channels through a dish cost £20-50 or so a month depending how many channels you subscribe too. nearly everyone I know (can only think of 2 households of older people who just have the 5 standard terrestrial channels) have sky/freeview or cable.
armadillo....you really need to pop back to the uk!!!
how does the uk set up of tv options compare to other countries?

 

I also really don't like that they turn the sound up during adverts. Grrrr!

Yeah I have noticed that as well... What do they think?? We have the volume to low to watch what we are actually there for ?? I am so disgusted with TV I just sit and watch my tanks or update my new blog that Mike was kind enough to give me.. ;D I really like that blog...

 

In the US, you buy your TV and you can attach an antenna or HD-antenna to it and if you're close enough to the transmission, receive some channels. To get more, you have to either get cable tv (which can range from dozens to hundreds of channels depending on how much you pay) or satellite (like cable only weather knocks it out).

 

It's the same for us, but we refuse to even have the antenna. That way, noone pushes programmes on us, and we download whatever is recommended to us. More selective I guess.

 

OOO I don't have cable or satelite and I'm in the US. We have eight channels. We have an atennae on our roof and we get clear reception, not as nice as HD obviously but definitely nice.

 

Well done, ATM. Let's start the non-cable club!

 

LOL I'm in. Only thing that comes up in my house is my brother wishes we had espn to see sports.

 

OOO I don't have cable or satelite and I'm in the US.   We have eight channels.  We have an atennae on our roof and we get clear reception, not as nice as HD obviously but definitely nice.

You must be on a mountaintop...No one I know of who's had an antenna get's anything worth watching...In fact my friend tried the so-called HD antenna for his HD set and got one channel....One that he could actually watch that is....But that's good if you can watch it...I wish I'd be able to dump the extra monthly bill...But that also includes my HS internet hook up as well.

 

Check out the poll results. Nice one.

 

No I'm not on a mountain top, I'll have to ask my dad more about it. I just know were one of the few people around here who doesn't have cable and rather an antenae.

 

No I'm not on a mountain top, I'll have to ask my dad more about it.  I just know were one of the few people around here who doesn't have cable and rather an antenae.

I was jk about the moutaintop....What part of the country are you in?

 

When we lived in Denver, for a while I had no cable and could get quite a few channels on antenna totally clear. The broadcast towers were up on lookout mountain and it made antenna reception easy.

 

Check out the poll results. Nice one.

yay!!! long live the fish!!!