I have been increasingly annoyed at the unreliability of technology lately. I admit it – I like toys. I like the Internet (duh) I like my cell phone and I even like cable TV. None of that has been working as well as it’s supposed to lately. I’ve already been complaining about my lack of Internet access for the past week so I’ll skip to the other two things.
When we first got our new phones we almost always got two or three bars in and around our house – not good enough for accessing the Internet or sending pictures but fine for texting or just old fashioned talking, but for the last couple of weeks, nothing. No signal at all. Come on, AT&T! What’s up?
Then there’s cable TV. About two weeks ago we suddenly started losing the HD channels. (Notice how everything started not working at about the same time?) After calling for the second time, we finally had a guy from the cable company come out and all he did was whine about how far off the road our house is and how hard it is to get the HD channels to work when your house is this far from the road. I call BS. Okay, I admit I don’t know how any of that stuff works but if they can get the HD channels as far as the road in front of my house from miles and miles away why can’t they get them just 500 feet farther? Anyway he’s going to bring a signal amplifier tomorrow. I am just about done. I’m almost ready to switch to satellite (and then complain because it doesn’t work when it’s raining just like our “wonderful” satellite Internet connection)
I don’t see why all my stuff can’t just work. I live out in the country but it’s not that remote. There are villages in Africa that have high speed wireless Internet. Cell phones work in Iraq and Afghanistan. Why can’t my stuff work here in the USA an hour away from a moderately large city? And what’s up with satellite not working when it’s raining anyway? They were broadcasting television signals through miles of atmosphere over 50 years ago and yes we could watch while it was raining. And yes I know some smart person out there is going to tell me it’s not the same thing and it’s not that simple. I don’t frakking care! I want my stuff to work!
Soooo… did I say a brief rant? I guess I better quit now. Nighty-night.
June 9th, 2011 - 4:58 pm
You should complain to the U.N. They recently decided internet access was a human right.
I get it, though. Tech is so much a part of our lives it’s irritating when it doesn’t work right.
June 9th, 2011 - 7:55 pm
Satellite signals are directional – that’s why your dish has to be aimed just right – while old style TV signals are omnidirectional. Aim doesn’t matter. The reason rain, clouds, and other things play havoc with your satellite signal is similar to the reason a straw sitting in a glass of water looks broken. The density of the air changes, the water vapor and rain and such gets in the way, and the signal bends just a little bit. Keep in mind you are trying to hit an 18″ dish from 25,000 miles away.
Is the cable in your area aerial? I haven’t seen any amplifier peds on the ground out there. You’ll end up with a thing the size of a shoebox on the pole, silver and covered in cooling fins. That’s the amp. And a weak signal could certainly cause problems, and 500 ft is quite a ways away from an amp. Keep in mind the cable may go farther than 500 feet, since it doesn’t go straight to your house.
See? Now you’re getting utility-talk from TWO directions. Electrical, AND telecom.
June 10th, 2011 - 6:04 am
It is so much fun having family working in the utilities industries.