Does anyone else miss the days with only a few channels and no on demand

[Cosimo]

No, don't miss the old days. Love being able to set up multiple recordings with the press of a button and also watching on demand.

 

[Vonhelmet]

Not many on here will remember the days when if you wanted to watch something, you always had to watch it live. Saturday night in the pub "See you lads, going home to watch Match of The Day".
I was one of the very first people to have a video recorder and I remember a couple of workmates having a right go at me "Don't you watch enough TV?".
I explained that when they were watching Blackadder that evening at 20:30 that I would be somewhere else. I got the point over when more instances happened when they would have to stay in and I could go out.

I remember my dad getting a video recorder and it being a big deal. He got Betamax the first time, but we soon sorted that out by putting lolly sticks in it, and he replaced it with a vhs.

 

[dowie]

TV and technology have taken over our lives I for one long for the more simple times!

Well just stick to 4 channels then - why long for something you already have? The fact other options exist doesn't mean you have to use them.

 

[dowie]

No, on demand is the way to go, I barely watch normal TV anymore due to the high percentage of rubbish on it.

this really, I don't see the point of having a TV license any more - netflix and amazon prime have removed the need for it

 

[Clipsey]

You mean scrolling through the german channels late at night trying to look for stuff......
Oh how the world has changed!

However, I wouldn't complain, we live in the absolute golden age of high quality television currently.
THE only thing that is annoying is conversation, as there is so much out there and easily available, no one is at the same episode, or season...or even program!! Makes difficult to talk about etc

 

[MookJong]

Drama wise, things have never been better. What is desperately missing for me is simply intelligent people being interviewed.

All the chat shows now are gimmicky and based around self promotion comedy and fluff. You rarely get a musician, actor or filmmaker etc. talking about their work and their life in real terms anymore.

I truly believe there is a complete fear of people expressing their opinions and ideas. Everything has to be reduced to the viewer simply sharing happiness or sadness with those on screen.

 

[melmac]

Hell no!! You are looking at the past through rose tinted glasses. Most of what was on TV was drivel but you watched it anyway because there was nothing else on. Then there was the few programs that were really good that you would watch every week. But how many times would you miss that weekly episode? How many time would the video recorder mess up? Or if you were in a bad signal area and it rained or something and just watching a grainy, snowy mess.

Nope I don't miss that at all.

What I do think is that we are living in an age of information overload. What I mean is that in the past We just sat down and watched a movie or a TV show and made up our mind if it was good or bad. Now, people seem to have their minds made up before they even watch anything, they base their opinion on stuff they have read on forums etc.

 

[Domo]

I know what you mean and I kinda miss those days too. Had to wait till Christmas for the big films. I remember getting the festive editions of the radio and tv times and circling all the things we wanted to watch - then the excitement building up to it

My daughter's only ever known on demand and touch screen technology. That's progress I suppose!

 

[a1ex2001]

Well just stick to 4 channels then - why long for something you already have? The fact other options exist doesn't mean you have to use them.

It's not just the four channels it's technology everywhere it is pretty much inescapable, yes I could turn off my phone and pull my internet connection etc but then you become an outsider as everyone else it permanently online. Life was much simpler before the tech revolution!

 

[Rexxar]

To some degree yes, i dislike the way we have become an "instant" / "always on" society.

 

[dowie]

It's not just the four channels it's technology everywhere it is pretty much inescapable, yes I could turn off my phone and pull my internet connection etc but then you become an outsider as everyone else it permanently online. Life was much simpler before the tech revolution!

it still can be... the thread was about TV choice - you have control to restrict that already and have it back as it was. It doesn't matter what everyone else does - you're still able to call land line numbers if you like. There is no compulsion to use facebook etc.. I know a few people who've deleted their accounts - can still meet up/socialise with them.

 

[OspreyO]

I know what you mean, the whole anticipation etc... There are still some series that are available on TV only that cause a bit of a buzz around the office. But I no longer have the free time to watch TV like that. So when I do watch TV I only a small amount of time and I want to watch something good with no ads. On demand allows that.

There might be more content these days but most of it is drivel.

 

[Gambisk]

nope, wouldn't go back to broadcast TV ever

 

[gothic_hobbit]

I miss analogue television.

The picture quality was way better.

 

[Raymond Lin]

I miss analogue television.

The picture quality was way better.

You need a better TV and HD source material.

 

[Limpnoodle]

im not that old

 

[apoclyps]

No.

The shows I care about watching are the ones i want to watch as soon as they are live on TV. For the others, I enjoy finding time that others and myself are both free to watch these. As for the other stuff on TV. I've found I rarely watch trash TV anymore. Most of the shows i now watch can be condensed into a single night and i enjoy having that freedom.