History of Scotland

[Anthony Darby]

We used to buy lots of BCC stuff Anthony but local TV is now very much ratings-orientated which means the lowest common denominator. The very little bit we do get is played late at night. I guess they assume that anyone who wants better quality has Sky and the various channels which do good things. We don't have Sky - can't afford it and don't want to watch TV to an extent that would make it worth while. Means I miss almost all the cricket though.

If Sky is "better quality" you must be bad. I tolerate it because of the sport, but the content of the other channels is just drivel. The adverts are mind-numbingly boring and irritating at the same time. Thank goodness Formula 1 is coming back to BBC.

[ChrisB]

I dread the onset of F1.  And if its on the BBC, it means there is no let up, just droning cars for hours on end.  Enough to drive me to drink.....

Maggi, hi, thanks for that.  We do have DVD player/recorders here that PLAY all formats, but what I was wondering about was if there is one that RECORDS to any format.  On reflection however, I can ask them if their DVD plays any format, in which case, I can send my PAL ones over to them and they will be able to play it back ok I guess.  Hadn't thought this thing through properly duh!  Must join the 21st century soon and get one though....

[Lesley Cox]

The only things on Sky that would interest me are the Arts and Natural History channels. And cricket.

There's a car race at Bathurst in New South Wales that does round and round and round for about 18 hours I think. And we get every beastly, smelly, noisy circuit of it on what is laughingly called our "public service" channel.

Roger watches it and I go away for the day.

[Maggi Young]

BD and I are avid followers of F1.....makes a change from the cycle racing that is another of our televisual passions!! We're wondering if the return of F1 to the BBC will mean the return of "the Chain" by Fleetwood Mac as the signature tune..... worth watching if only for that!! Perhaps the best marriage of tune and programme ever!

The various Sky Arts programmes are SUPER!! Covering all art forms... really grand... and all are included in the basic package    The History channel isn't bad, either!!

[ChrisB]

I'm quite pleased with Sky too.  If you look around there are some very interesting programmes on.  On FX we saw the first of a Canadian series called Border last week, all filmed in and around Toronto.  Its nice to see the old home town on the tube, but it was very good too.  And they have a series called The Wire that I've been told to see, starts mid Feb.  But we also watch the History channel and occasionally the Biography channel too.

I just can't see what there is in F1, and Harry is besotted with it, has been since first I knew him and probably beyond that.

Wish we could get that Scottish gardening programme down here, can't remember its name, but saw it when I was in Perth and found it interesting.

[Anthony Darby]

I think some of these interesting channels are on Sky by default. As for Scottish gardening channels, you will find BBC1 Scotland in the far reaches of the Sky channel programmes, before you get to the 'how's your father' . I do it in reverse (BBC London) when there is some heuchter teuchter stuff on the Beeb and I want to watch, say, Film 2009. Btw, the reporter who was commenting on Andy Murray's first match on the Scottish news at 7.30 a.m. today said he was playing on the Rod Lava arena. Where do they get them from?

[Maggi Young]

Btw, the reporter who was commenting on Andy Murray's first match on the Scottish news at 7.30 a.m. today said he was playing on the Rod Lava arena.

 But, Anthony, temperatures have been 40 degrees air and up to 60 dgrees surface  at the Australian Open Tennis.... perhaps he meant that the place was as hot as a volcano???
 

[Anthony Darby]