I hate television.

[Zaps]

It's so stupid, it hurts. If I'm ever unfortunate enough to see or hear even a tiny bit of it my braincells begin to commit suicide out of desperation. No wonder most of the population are drooling morons with the intellectual curiosity of dead jellyfish. I weep for our halfwitted future.

[mick pinner]

don't watch it.

[Zaps]

I don't, but it seems as if everybody else does, so it can be difficult to avoid sometimes.

[Rod66]

So you don't watch the Simpsons then....

[okiscopey]

Yes, I hate it as well, which is why I won't be watching these programs tonight:

6:05 Time Team ABC1

7:30 Are We Alone in the Universe? SBS1

8:30 Grand Designs ABC1

10:00 Fellini: "I am a Born Liar" SBS1

My loss I suppose.

[[1ponders]]

I can honestly say I don't miss TV at all. When I moved to my new home there was no TV, no mobile phone ( just if I hold the phone in the air at the top of the driveway and use hands free :lol: ), and no broadband internet (that nearly killed me using dialup until I got satellite). But boy I've got great dark skies when there's no cloud blocking it. :lol:

I spent a week at my sisters place over Easter, house sitting, and I could only watch about an hour of TV. I just couldn't do anymore. It must have been a bad period for ABC and SBS :lol:

[lacad01]

I must admit I don't miss it when I've gone bush. But by the same token there are some good things to watch, just have to filter it accordingly :)

[Glenhuon]

Not quite as anti as Zaps, but seldom watch it either. Stopped sitting in front of the goggle box years ago, content went too far down the hill for me. Must admit I do watch things like Are we alone etc. when I get a heads up but only on the ABC or SBS. My considered opinion is that if J.L. Baird could have seen what it would become, he would have been a plumber instead. :)

Bill

[Clarry]

I understand your dissolution Zaps, but maybe your just watching the wrong programs. As okiscopey mentioned, Grand Designs in on tonight, great show. If I miss Foyle's War on Saturday nights then my week is incomplete. Just be more selective in what you watch. Everything in moderation.

[DavidU]

These days I would be lucky to see about 1 hour of TV per week.
That Big Brother really finished my interest with it.

[Nesti]

Television's a brilliant invention. I mean think of it; a device which feeds the masses their daily dosage of emotion, perpetuating some sort of pseudo-lucid detached awareness to reality, so draining that they become well behaved slaves. It's vitally important for Monaco's elite ya-know!!! :whistle:

***ducks under the table awaiting the fall-out***

[mick pinner]

it seems to be the in thing at the moment (oh l don't watch tv), tv does not rule you and you do not have to watch it.
pick and choose the interesting shows and disregard the rest, tv only exist then when you want it to.

[GrahamL]

chefs (reality tv) ..,comedy ( disguised but still reality tv), celebs (reality tv), police ..dramas ?.. sorry .. reality tv ... way cheap and easy to replace thats about it for the networks.. did I miss one?.

abc /sbs :thumbsup:

Shameless:lol: and quite a few late nighters are just great .. but sadly the other halfs remote choices drift towards the above offerings first to often.

[Octane]

Stopped watching it in 2001, after the attacks in New York. In fact, I don't even own a television. As Roger Waters so eloquently put it, over 20 years ago, "I've got 200 channels of sh1t to choose from."

I miss the shows from my youth, such as Beyond 2000 and It's A Knockout, but that's about it.

It's depressing and mind-numbing.

Regards,
Humayun

[Rokketboy]

I just download the few shows I really enjoy of the net. Other than that I use the Tv to watch the odd bit of sport I enjoy thats about it. My wife makes up for me in the idiot box department.

[matt]

I bought myself a TiVo unit specifically for this reason.

Now, with a small amount of effort on my part, I can cherry pick the very small amount of free-to-air TV which I consider worth watching.

It's excellent, actually. I end up with a few hours quality viewing each week...

Yes...there is enough good stuff on free-to-air to make it bearable. Just:lol:

[Robh]

You'd think for the amount we pay for it, we'd get better quality stuff!
Wait a minute ... maybe it's better than the nothing we pay for it!
Or just a second ... maybe it's as good as what we pay for it!
I'll get back to you ... :whistle:

Regards, Rob.

[GeoffW1]

Ah,

Thanks for the alert, will watch them all :lol::lol::lol::lol:

Seriously, what is all the fuss? It is the same with books, which we have had for many generations. Who would give them up?

Some good, some not, fringe rubbish, and gold.

Any media at all will wind up being the same. Take radio. Alan Jones et al at one end, ABC FM at the other. :thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup::thum bsup:

That's my potted polemic.

[Gallifreyboy]

Come on guys, this thread isn't doing much for the wider communities impression of people who like astronomy. TV is the medium of popular culture, it doesn't exist (or persist) unless its popular. Admittedly John Logie Baird might turn in his grave to see television sprout the mind numbing reality TV industry. It probably is one step up entertainment wise from the days of the colisseum and christians versus lions variety shows (last 3 series of big brother perhaps debatable on that point). Long live popular culture (except Rap....don't understand it and can't stand it):scared:

[Kevnool]

Bring back Matlock Police and Solo 1

[MrB]

DOH! forgot about that, was watching Simpsons then switched to Scrapheap on ABC2



Ahhh! cheers, nearly forgot about these two!

TV doesn't rule me, I have the remote.

[Glenhuon]

It's not just our community, I've heard similar viewpoints expressed elsewhere on many occasions.
Actually JLB is quite famous in Scotland, "Spinning Johnnie" they call him ;)
Christians v Lions, nah, never watch Today in Parliament. :)

Rap is spelt with a silent "C". :lol:

Bill

[GeoffW1]

:rofl::rofl::rofl:best of the day

[pgc hunter]

TV is the single best invention in the history of the universe.

[Zaps]

Remember when most people had a real hobby? Now all they know about is "Reality" TV, celebrities, cars, and vacant drooling. Try and have a conversation with most people that doesn't involve those subjects and watch their eyes glaze over and the yawns being stifled. Why bother with the 'war on drugs' when TV has turned brains into something not unlike a cow pat? It's why most people will say "Those scientists don't know what they're doing!" before telling you about the latest breakthrough in psychic ability, trans-dimensional alien fashion tips, UFO sightings in Beverley Hills, or astrology.

But this is not a cynical rant or anything.

[goober]

Wow, bad week to buy a set top box :)

( I couldn't stand rap either, until I listened to MC Lars.... )

[telecasterguru]

Why would I watch telly when I could read New Idea, Who Weekly, Womens Day, Ralph, Dolly etc.

Frank

[bloodhound31]

I agree with Mick.

When I came back from my tour of East Timor, I had not watched television for the duration (Except a movie on VCR) After that I never really wanted to.

When I came home, big brother had started it I think, and all the other reality shows were flooding in. (and still are) Now, every time I turn on the television, it's some sexed up cop show trying ever harder to show you increasingly shocking murders, rapes, child porn rings etc etc with advertisement quotes like, "you wont believe what you see this episode".

If it's not that, its over dramatic, badly scripted reality crud, with grown men crying over nothing on national television, or voyeristic, who's shagging who, or just plain rude, lewd, crude and disgusting. Rampant swearing on more and more shows, adult themes on cartoons, (I remember when cartoons were for kids) Offensive and deliberate mocking of peoples cultures and beliefs...the list goes on. (Freedom of speech is certainly as strong as ever hey? Oh what a good thing.:screwy:)

I'm ex army, so I'm no prude, I've seen it all (to a point). But now, the television seems intent on making sure everyone from infancy, to aged, gets a good dose of all the bad in the world.:rolleyes:

So yeah, I don't have to watch it, so I don't.:D

There are still some good shows on, I'll volunteer that, and when I know they are on I will watch them. During the ads when they advertise a bed full of "Russian babes waiting for you right now call us", I go have a coffee or text away on IIS.:lol:

I went and saw Transformers 2 last night and it absolutely rocked. Flipped open the top of my head, scooped my brain out and left it with the usher, had a great time in the cinema and picked up my brain on the way out.

Thats entertainment.:thumbsup:

[Ric]

I watch Danoz infomercials. :whistle:

I sit down in my comfy chair after a few red wines and promptly fall asleep at 8:30 and then wake up in time for the Danoz show. :lol:

Cheers

[Bassnut]

"It's so stupid, it hurts" bah humbug, thats such a tired rant. Yes free to air is generally crap, but if you bother looking, on Foxtel there is some stunning specialised stuff we have never had access to in the past. And with the IQ1 or 2, with one click save, you see what you want when you want. The IQ boxes have revolutionised TV IMO, TV now is at last entertainment you want on demand. Slumping down on the couch with whatever is on free to air live is for donkeys, no wonder you dont like TV :D:P.

[kinetic]

Totally agree Fred.....
Only thing that spoils it is paying a subscription and getting adverts.
We gave it away after a few years.....You just can't get away from
bloody adverts...
I was just reading the daily headlines on my webpage News service
and it scrolled to the side and a car advert took over the whole page.
I wish you could pay for an advert free service.
Wasn't that the attraction to Foxtel/SBS/ABC years ago? :)

Steve

[Bassnut]

Steve

Yes, I must say, the adds drive me nuts for a paid service. Thats why I almost always select recording in advance, to skip over the adds. And any excuse to pause for live TV, and then skip adds later. That converted me, I never have to watch adds now.

[Satchmo]

I don't have a TV tuner anymore. I watch ABC 1 and 2 programs on ABC Iview ( internet delivery) when it suits me..no annoying promos either, and it still looks great on my theatre projector.

[Glenhuon]

I'm with Barry 100% on this one. Same as all those horror movies, I get horrified enough by the news thank you :scared:

Bill

[stephenb]

Time Team on ABC1 (Tues. 6:05pm) and ABC2 (Wed. 5:35pm) :thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup::thum bsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:

Scrapheap Challenge (Various Times on ABC1 & 2):thumbsup::thumbsup:

Can We Help (ABC1):thumbsup::thumbsup:

Collectors (ABC1):thumbsup::thumbsup:

Media Watch ABC1 (Mon 9:20pm):thumbsup::thumbsup:

Any worthwhile doco on ABC or SBS

That's about it for me. In fact, if I could only get ABC 1 and 2, I'd be happy.


hoo roo.

[stephenb]

I disagree with that, only in terms of the actual technology involved. As a old time TV and radio technician and tradesman myself, I strongly believe that radio was far more important than the invention of television, simply because the television receiver is only an extension of the radio receiver. It was radio that was the invention of the 20th century, because without it, television, in both theory and practice, would never have existed -- My opinion of course.

It is such a tragedy that the beauty of good old fashioned analogue TV and radio technology - technologies that lasted over a hundred years - longer than a human life - will not exist in a year or two, thanks to everything going digital.

Once digital radio is underway and they pull the plug on analogue radio, there will be not more home made crystal sets :(
.
R.I.P. Superheterodyne receiver, you served us well:sad:

[leon]

Interesting post, with interesting responses, we are so lucky we are all different in what we like and dislike.

As for me, I don't really use the telly much, other than the news and maybe some interesting documentaries, all the other stuff isn't worth watching anyway.

Leon

[Zaps]

One thing I have to say for unwatchable TV: it's certainly helped me catch up on all my reading! :lol:

[stephenb]

Those who grew up in country Victoria in the 60's through to the late 80's, prior to TV aggregation in 1990, will remember that in most places we only received 2 channels. ABV-1 was received all over Victoria (callsign indicating ABC for country Victoria). And there was the local commercial station:

Bendigo and Central Victoria: BCV-8 (later became TV-8, then Southern Cross)

Ballarat: BTV-6

Mildura and Sunraysia: STV-6 (Sunraysia Television)

Gippsland and Latrobe Valley: GLV-10 (later became GLV-8 to accomodate Channel 10 in Melbourne to switch across from the old Channel 0 frequency.

Shepparton and Murray Valley: SMV-6

oh, and putting up a TV antenna for a customer in the in-between areas was a nightmare. For example if you lived anywhere from Daylesford to Castlemaine, you could pickup BTV-6 with the right antenna as well as your local BCV-8 on another antenna. One a good day (often Summer) we could get GLV-10, and even TVT Tassie if it was hot enough.

They were simpler times when it came to TV. I'll stop reminiscing now.

[telecasterguru]

In regards to ads on pay tv, I remember when the Howard Government gave them the right to show ads, an executive of the pay tv said, "It's merely another revenue stream"

Absolutely outrageous that you have to provide another revenue stream for a product you are already purchasing. I have pay tv.

[MrB]

Agree with you there, tho Crystal sets with a decent antenna will still be able to pick up SW radio from around the world.
Best I've done is Radio Göteborg (Sweden) with a simple diode crystal set, no amps, no batteries :)

Nah, the new digital technology still relies heavily on superhet design, just the modulation technique has changed.... a lot.
Even the mobile in your pocket is a superhet ;)

[stephenb]

Is it just us or were crystal sets a real traditional, old fashioned boys pastime? Along with making rockets and catching tadpoles?

Yeah, I understand about the superhet, it's still there but fixing old radios, particularly valves and early transistor types will never be the same, will it.