[mythtvnz] Setting up for freeview - idiot's guide please

[Nick Rout]

Hadley Rich wrote:
> On Wed, 02 May 2007 16:42:09 Nick Rout wrote:
>   
>> Andrew Bruce wrote:
>>     
>>> So is there a regional list of installers that are licensed to install
>>> Freeview somewhere then (I mean an entire new setup - satellite,
>>> cable, set top box, the lot)?
>>>       
>> what do you mean licensed? licensed by whom?
>>     
>
> I don't believe it's licensed so much, nor even endorsed, just that there are 
> some listed on the freeview site.
>
> Here's an extract;
>
> "Note: Freeview has offered space on its website to TV aerial and satellite 
> dish installation companies to help the public find an installer that suits 
> their individual requirements. Freeview is not responsible for and does not 
> warrant the products and services offered by these installers. "
>
> hads
>
>   
That makes sense, in Sky's case the work comes from Sky, ie you call Sky 
to get Sky installed or fixed and they send the local sparky.

With Freeview, theoretically anyone should be able to do it, and there 
is nothing to "switch on" from the broadcaster's end.

Hmmmm I just thought of an interesting perspective from a property 
lawyer's point of view. Sky aerials belong to Sky and Sky tells people 
to leave them installed when the homeowner moves on. This leads to an 
expectation that any satellite aerial will just stay. The buyer of the 
house never owns the Sky aerial, but they can use it for their own Sky 
connection. This must have helped Sky with penetration over the years.

However as freeview becomes more prevalent a house buyer is going to 
have to ask "Is that aerial's Sky's, or yours, and if it's yours is it 
included in the price, or are you taking it down?"

I see a Fair Go story...person buys house with settlement the night 
before the World Cup final. They move in and find what they thought was 
a sky aerial has gone. Naturally they are [disabled/can't leave the 
terminally sick relative/some other object of pity] and cannot watch it 
at the pub. The agent, who doesn't know a satellite aerial from a breach 
of contract has assured the buyer that they will be able to get Sky.

The story is resolved when Sky TV, out of the goodness of their hearts, 
give the buyer an autographed full DVD set of every rugger game ever 
broadcast :-) However the reputation of the agent and the buyer's lawyer 
are left in tatters.

Sorry I'll stop prattling now (hey its my mailing list OK?)