Two TV stations broadcast on a couple of the spare freeview/sky/whatever channels. Each would broadcast a 'random' mix of five and ten minute programmes to learn about and test the function of modern hard disk/DVD recorders. The 'programmes' would just be yellow or red or grren or something, so one could be distinguished from others.
This will provide cast-iron answers to the questions 'so, what'll it do if I try to record one thing in the middle of another?' and 'can I set it to record two things at once?' withouty one having to scan the airwaves for programmes that are about to start/finish before/after/between one another.-- theNakedApiarist, Dec 11 2007 Domestic AV kit is a total nightmare. I make a living doing sound and video professionally and I'd still watch this.
How does scart switching work anyway? And how do I disable it? Why do some devices only loop through composite and not Y/C? What the hell are all those hundreds of little symbols on the remote?
Confused of London.-- wagster, Dec 11 2007 Pastry. As far as content, the test channels could also broadcast color test patterns in various aspect ratios and broadcast formats (NTSC/PAL, EDTV(720i,720p), HDTV(1080i,1080p). Every so often, an audio frequency sweep from 0-24 khZ could be output in one channel of various audio encodings (mono, stereo, dolby pro-logic I, II).
It is easy to tune your home theater system with a test DVD, only to find it looks or sounds awful when you play things off the television receiver or DVR.-- ed, Dec 11 2007 Right with you there. When we only had two channels, BBC1 and BBC2, we would get a test pattern for at least eight hours a night. Now we've got hundreds of channels and not a single calibration tool.
Then again, some channels don't seem to understand much about picture line-up at source, or audio line-up for that matter.
And another thing - <rant, rant, grumble, moan, kids these days, etc>-- wagster, Dec 11 2007 what's DAD short for?-- po, Dec 11 2007 Dull As Ditchwater-- wagster, Dec 11 2007 Dad is not an acronym. Dad is just your dad, who wants to know all the features but can neither understand nor remember what he's already discovered.
I am a Dad now. I will be a Dad twice over come the spring. Aren't these five p pieces little! Where are my keys? Have I had my dinner yet?-- theNakedApiarist, Dec 11 2007 //what's DAD short for?// Because he stopped growing when he was 5 foot 2. (Sorry, couldn't resist...)
As for the idea, outstanding! [+]-- neutrinos_shadow, Dec 12 2007 [theN...] I knew that but tell me, is it your opinion that MUMs are just toooo clever to ever need this advice?-- po, Dec 12 2007 My mum is not interested in learning how it works.-- theNakedApiarist, Dec 12 2007 random, halfbakery