TV Programmes

[Fiona1986]

I bought a 32" Smart TV for just under £200 in 2021, after having been without a TV for a couple of years. It wasn't hard to find a smallish TV but I did find that not all TVs have a SCART socket these days. That limited my choice as I wanted to be able to connect up a video player.

We had to replace our TV last year and discovered it had no scart socket. I was able to buy a connector (which requires its own power supply...) so that we can still use my DVD player which must be at least 20 years old now.

[Boatbuilder]

One sitcom I enjoy, which I doubt you'll see on any TV channel again these days, although it is on YouTube, is 'Love Thy Neighbour', with Jack Smethurst, Rudolph Walker, Nina Baden-Semper and Kate Williams. I have the DVD box set which I bought a few years ago.

[Anita Bensoussane]

We had to replace our TV last year and discovered it had no scart socket. I was able to buy a connector (which requires its own power supply...) so that we can still use my DVD player which must be at least 20 years old now.

It's good to know that you found a way round it, Fiona.

I've never seen Love Thy Neighbour, John (Boatbuilder), though I enjoyed Rising Damp which probably wouldn't be shown now for similar reasons.

[Barnard]

Rising Damp has sometimes been shown on ITV3.

[Anita Bensoussane]

Thanks, Barnard!

[Moonraker]

We had to replace our TV last year and discovered it had no scart socket. I was able to buy a connector (which requires its own power supply...) so that we can still use my DVD player which must be at least 20 years old now.

It's good to know that you found a way round it, Fiona.

Unless your video player is archaic, Anita, you should be able to connect using an HDMI lead.

[Bertie]

Yes, I've seen Rising Damp being repeated recently - and it's another that I have on DVD and watch from time to time.

The problem with much of the criticism of shows like Rising Damp and Love Thy Neighbour - and I guess, although I haven't seen them in years, the Alf Garnett shows - is failing to understand the context: that the humour is very much about highlighting the ignorance of the racist and the black characters / non-racists were always reflected as better people than them, and the other characters preferred them.

Although, because the ignorant comments were also often quite funny, and a lot of bigots agreed with them despite that not being the intent, then I guess there is a divide between who is actually laughing at what, and what message is being taken from it.

But I think they've (surprisingly) got the balance about right for now in terms of the repeats of some of those problematic shows / scenes - which is to still show them, but to add a verbal or onscreen warning about some of the comments may offend, etc.

[Anita Bensoussane]

That does sound fair enough, Bertie.

Unless your video player is archaic, Anita, you should be able to connect using an HDMI lead.

My video player dates from about 2000, I think, and it only has a SCART socket. Ah well, at least it's not a 1980s Betamax!

[Boatbuilder]

Anita, here is just what you need - a SCART to HDMI converter on Amazon for £8.99. There are others on there as well.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B083TW2VJK/ ... 9kZXRhaWwy

[Katharine]

I had a discussion with someone not so long about (mid 30s), about a TV that wouldn't connect to a DVD player, and how someone was having difficulty getting hold of a SCART lead. The person I was chatting to asked whether it was worth getting the lead as people rarely watch DVDs now. At the time, that was 'news' to me, as I've slowly been trying to replace my video collection with DVDs, so I asked what people watched instead!

They informed me that most people watch programmes on services such as Netflix. A short while later, I was staying with my son, who at the time only had Netflix (or something similar), and one evening we thought we'd watch something. After scrolling through the various options, we ended up watching the film Paddington, as part from Friends, which I have on DVD anyway, there was literally nothing else that I would have wanted to watch. Even Paddington I didn't think was particularly good!

If what was on offer that evening is a good reflection of what's available on-line, then I'll definitely not be subscribing any time soon!

[Barnard]

Like Katharine, I also watch dvds.
All the 1960s tv comedies like Meet The Wife, Hugh and I and The Rag Trade among many others are on dvd as are many British films from 1930s and 1940s.

[Fiona1986]

That's pretty much what I'm using, BB. Haven't had any issues with it.

Netflix's movie selection isn't always great, and has gotten worse since it has started investing in its own content. But there are some good TV shows and some of its own stuff is actually good. We have that, plus Prime and Disney Plus, as well as a few hundred DVDs... yet how often can we still not find something we want to watch

[Anita Bensoussane]

Anita, here is just what you need - a SCART to HDMI converter...

Thanks, John. My TV has a SCART socket so I'm okay for now, but that may be useful in the future.

Katharine, I also like to have DVDs of my favourite TV programmes and films if possible because there's no knowing whether they'll still be available on iPlayer (or whatever) when you want them. Besides, there are so many subscription channels available that most people can't subscribe to them all!

[Bertie]

Yeah, as I've mentioned previously, I also have plenty of my favourite shows on DVD - and don't subscribe to any of the streaming services like Netflix or Amazon Prime. Very occasionally, when there's been a free trial, or special offer on, then I've had a subscription for a month or so but found there wasn't much on there that I fancied watching any more than the usual options I get from TV or my DVD collection (which, like Fiona's, must comprise of a few hundred!) so I never consider it worth paying for when the trial ends.

[Wolfgang]

I bought a modern DVD-player to replace an old CD-player for my amplifier, they're quite cheap. It also offers a USB port to play files saved as MP3 or mp4 (and some other formats).