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Life Without Television -
Posted: 19 November 2009 04:05 AM  
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I am not being judgemental; each to their own but I haven’t had a television for years. Yet my life is full and I couldn’t be more contented. I don’t miss it at all. As a matter of fact it would cause me a dilemma if I ‘pulled’ as I would not only then be sharing my life with a lady; I would be sharing it with a television. I am not so sure about the latter.

Does anyone else have views for or against? Perhaps thinking of pulling the plug out permanently? I do use the set I have to watch DVDs and play CDs but it just isn’t hooked up to receive television. I cannot imagine myself ever owning a television again.

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Posted: 19 November 2009 04:32 AM   [ # 1 ]  
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I haven’t had television for about six years now, but I do watch a lot of programming via the Internet. I have about 5-7 shows I watch regularly, selected for quality and relevance. I do miss local news TV while cooking dinner sometimes though.

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Posted: 08 December 2009 12:09 AM   [ # 2 ]  
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I am glad I am not the only one who doesn’t need to watch television.  Likewise I use my very old set to watch a DVD or play cd’s.  I would really miss listening to the Radio though,  through my pc.

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Posted: 08 December 2009 08:41 AM   [ # 3 ]  
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I don’t have cable, either. But I am sort of annoyed when people act all self-righteous about not having cable. I find that most younger people who don’t have it, including myself,  spend hours and hours on the Internet every day…  it’s really no different.  I don’t have cable TV because the Internet is better and it’s not worth it for me to pay for both.

I do, however, have an antenna.. and can pick up a few channels. I never watch it though… why would I when I can watch Hulu and see the same programming whenever I want?

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Posted: 08 December 2009 02:11 PM   [ # 4 ]  
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My own take on it is that TV is over hyped; it is their presumptuousness alone which suggests it is more important than it is to people’s lives. Like Sally, I far prefer the PC as it is interactive. I can choose from a much wider diversity of topics, amusements, and self-educational opportunities. Whoever I care to choose to chat to I can; try doing that with a television.

The PC is truly encyclopaedic in its choice. TV watchers have their amusment or interest decided by others - and the viewer can’t respond. If there was a debate on the subject the PC user would win hands down.

I read somewere that only 4% of British viewers watch BBC television. Who is counting the millions like us who have a set largely for other purposes; DVD and CD playing for instance?

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Posted: 08 December 2009 04:06 PM   [ # 5 ]  
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I agree Mike, with the pc you can watch exactly what you want and when you want,  pause and resereach things,  comment and do so much more than just watching television.  You are using your brain rather than letting things wash over you in a semiconsious state of mind.  This is only my opinion of course, maybe it is just me but when I am unavoidably in front of a television I tend to go into a zombie state and have to snap myself out of it.  Television brain washes people.  I was never into watching when living back in UK.  Then I didn’t have a PC.  Then I read more hardcopy, now it’s internet all the way for me.

When I tell people I don’t watch television and I don’t have big black flat screen they put it down to cost and prceed to tell me where I can get these cheaply ! 

I do admit to spending a lot of time on the internet but I am interacting and learning all the time.

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Posted: 08 December 2009 04:35 PM   [ # 6 ]  
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Spot on. People are fast losing the ability to ‘connect’ with the world around them. They walk along like zombies with their headphones super-glued to their ears; heedless of what is going on around them. They seem to have vacant expressions on their faces.

It occurred to me that radio is far superior to television; especially now we can connect via our PCs. At least with the radio you can listen and enjoy while you are doing things using your own brain; model making, reading; playing games, inter-acting with family and friends. The television demands your complete attention; visual and audible.

Actually, more people listen to the radio than watch television but again there is the presumption that we are all gagging for TV. Look at your local newspapers: Entire supplements given over to what’s on tee-vee. God give me patience. A waste of printer’s ink and rain forests. Get real, world.

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Posted: 23 January 2010 12:25 AM   [ # 7 ]  
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Has anyone else noticed just how much thiswhole forum has been inundated with spammers lately….?

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Posted: 26 January 2010 03:37 PM   [ # 8 ]  
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Whatever do you mean Foxbat….

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ODshB09FQ8w


...but to topic, I only bother with the television to watch the news occasionally (British and Spanish), to watch football or if there’ a good film on.

Otherwise, working, reading, exploring or using the PC.

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Posted: 27 January 2010 02:38 AM   [ # 9 ]  
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Heath Hi!

Strangely enough the two spam posts to which I referred seem to have have been deleted…

Nice one moderators! Keep up the good work!

Back on thread…Our TV is used principally as a computer monitor.

Spanish TV especially TDT has too many shopping channels and nice to see though that TVE’s channels have gone ‘sin publicidad’

We have a second TV in the bedroom which is fed from a TDT box and a sat box, but given that the Sat box is connected to a 80cm dish, reception of UK TV programmes from Astra 2D is very limited and non existent at night.

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Posted: 28 January 2010 01:41 AM   [ # 10 ]  
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foxbat - 27 January 2010 02:38 AM

Heath Hi!

Strangely enough the two spam posts to which I referred seem to have have been deleted…

Nice one moderators! Keep up the good work!

We do try :D

Don’t forget to use the “Report” button to the right of any spam post to send us a note directly instead of waiting for us to come around.

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Posted: 28 January 2010 04:35 AM   [ # 11 ]  
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Will do and thanks for the reminder!
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Posted: 28 January 2010 02:10 PM   [ # 12 ]  
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TV is only good if there is nothing else interesting in your day,  we watch Spanish TV now and again for helping with our Spanish, The PC has a lot to offer and we do watch downloaded tv programs that we like /have liked..  sin all the annoying adverts for things you just don’t need..

Another observation :concern’s Mobile phones and the people that walk/travel around constantly looking at those tiny screens , weird or?

times are for sure a changing..

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Posted: 09 February 2010 03:41 PM   [ # 13 ]  
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foxbat - 23 January 2010 12:25 AM

Has anyone else noticed just how much thiswhole forum has been inundated with spammers lately….?

Hi FB

Yes we have noticed on our Gardening Forum that we are having alot of spammers, especially from Russia and USA. They are finding their way in and we dont know how to prevent them. Any ideas?

Fruity

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Posted: 09 February 2010 03:46 PM   [ # 14 ]  
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What about the Nigerian ones? I get about fifty a day. If the one village idiot in a million wouldn’t allow himself to be suckered by these wasters they would move on. I trawled Pravda for news items and received a lot of Russian spam; it has dwindled now though.

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Posted: 09 February 2010 06:23 PM   [ # 15 ]  
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sally2 - 08 December 2009 08:41 AM

I never watch it though… why would I when I can watch Hulu and see the same programming whenever I want?

Sally - Are you located in the States re:Hulu ?
I would love to know your work-around if your not State Side *please*

DSB.

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