My Broadband Lacks Muscle
I get all my broadband, TV, mobile phone from EE.
Usually, it works fine and I can watch football and Formula One, when I want to.
Occasionally, I get picture break-up, when I watch something popular.
Even more occasionally, the picture and sound is lost and a No Signal message appears on the screen.
And then, a couple of weeks ago, I was unable to watch the FA Cup Semi Final on BBC1. I just got the dreaded No Signal message.
Yesterday, was the Tuesday after Bank Holiday Monday.
- I was watching BBC Breakfast, when the signal disappeared about 09:00.
- Despite two calls to EE and a visit to their shop, by 18:00, the signal had not returned.
- I was reduced to watching the news on either my television in the bedroom or my computer.
- And then at 18:30, the signal returned miraculously and I was able to watch the television normally.
It has performed immaculately since.
So What Happened?
I had no problem on Monday, but Marks and Spencer did as this article on the BBC, which is entitled M&S Customers In Limbo As Cyber Attack Chaos Continues, explains.
Did this this cyberattack mean that everybody had spent the Easter weekend checking their systems?
Whether they did or not, when the City started up again after the Easter Holiday, they needed so much capacity, my television signal over broadband was switched off.
Only when City workers adjorned to the bars and restaurants at 18:30 and switched off their systems, did I get my television signal back.
Next Monday, is Another Bank Holiday
I don’t know what will happen! Do Openreach?
I Am Not Watching Crystal Palace And Aston Villa
I must be the only person in the UK, who can’t watch the FA Cup semi-final. on his main television.
- I can watch it on my computer using iPlayer.
- I can watch it on the TV in my bedroom on Freeview.
- I can watch it on the TV in my bathroom on Freeview.
As I want to use my computer, I am listening to the Radio 5 commentary on BBC Sounds.
My main television is driven by a BT/EE system, that works on broadband and all it shows is this screen.
This is an enlarged view of the bottom-left section of the screen.
Can I please have a signal?
The signal is supposed to come through my broadband, but because everybody is watching the football, there’s nothing left for me.
But how come I can watch the football using iPlayer on my computer.
As an experienced programmer, it looks like a bug to me. Or it could be a broken cable.
This third picture shows the Freeview picture in my bedroom.
Nothing wrong with that!
But now at 82:30, I’ve got my signal back and I’m able to watch and listen to the match. But not in high-definition. Although, that is now back at 87:16.
I seem to have a demonic touch with hardware and if it fails with anyone, it will fail with me.
Is Another “I Was There” Event Happening At Brisbane Road?
As I start to write this amazingly, Leyton Orient are one-nil up in the F. A. Cup at home to Manchester City.
Is it going to be one of those events, where in years to come, people will claim they were at Brisbane Road to watch it?
I thought about going, but didn’t buy a ticket. In a way, I’m glad I didn’t, as the weather wasn’t too good today.
The goal that Leyton Orient scored was one of the most spectacular goals ever scored in the F. A. Cup. But I saw everything on television!
This page on the BBC is entitled ‘Strike of a lifetime’ – an own goal that belongs in FA Cup folklore.
It contains a video clip which shows the goal, which was an own goal scored off a rebound of a shot from Jamie Donley.
The classic event of this type happened on the 31st October, 1972, when Llanelli famously beat the All Blacks 9-3 in a Rugby match.
The Wikipedia entry for the match has this first paragraph.
As part of their 1972–73 tour of the Northern Hemisphere, the New Zealand national rugby union team’s fourth match saw them take on Llanelli RFC of Wales at Stradey Park, Llanelli, on 31 October 1972. In one of the most famous results in rugby union history, Llanelli won the match 9–3 in front of 20,000 spectators. Llanelli centre Roy Bergiers scored the only try of the game, charging down a clearance by All Blacks scrum-half Lin Colling after a penalty from Phil Bennett rebounded back into play off the crossbar. New Zealand full-back Joe Karam scored a penalty to give them their only points of the game, before Llanelli wing Andy Hill hit a penalty to secure victory for the Scarlets. The result was immortalised by Welsh entertainer Max Boyce, whose poem 9–3 appears as the opening track on his Live at Treorchy album.
A much larger number of people claimed to have been at the match, than actually were.
Sadly unlike Llanelli, Leyton Orient didn’t hang on.
But according to the BBC, the goal has acquired legendary status.
FA Cup Match Two – Ipswich 0 – Southampton 1
Every year these days, Ipswich never seem to get past the Third Round.
And this year was no exception!
I agree with Mick McCarthy’s comments.
I’m always disappointed when I lose but I thought the game was a damp squib. We were OK until they scored and then they killed the game.
At least because there was no extra time, I did get home easily, if very slowly.
FA Cup Match One – Southampton 1 – Ipswich 1
Ipswich took around 5,000 supporters to Southampton.
And with a bit of luck we might have come away victorious. The BBC said this, when describing Mick McCarthy’s reaction.
“I just said to the lads, ‘well done, it’s the last thing we really wanted’ – but that was tongue-in-cheek.
“I didn’t want to lose, that’s for sure. Why can’t we have a cup run as well? I came down here and watched Arsenal play and Southampton were worthy winners.
It will hopefully be an interesting replay at Portman Road on the 14th.
The Anonymous Widower 