Forum structure (are the current forum topics still relevant, do we need more, do we need less)

I thought I'd open discussions by suggesting a few changes to some of the hardware related forum titles, and see what people think:

* Digital TV Tuners cards & NMPs -> PC and Convergence Devices

- Subname: PC Digital TV devices, Media servers, Network Media Players

Anything related to PCs or (loosely) related devices would go here. (Yes, I've given up on NMPs being in the Home Theatre section).

* Roll Integrated Digital Widescreen TVs, SD Monitors and Displays, and Widescreen TV Monitors into a single TV Monitors and Displays forum.

(The 4900+ threads in the Widescreen forum dwarf the 500 threads in the other two subforums)

* Consider a new sub forum related to control devices to cover discussions on things like remote controls - as the Home Theatre Systems forum has become a bit of a catch-all for everything that doesnt fit anywhere else (maybe a dedicated subforum related to Audio (or A/V Receiver) Components would be warranted as well).

* Try to figure out a way of encouraging PVR discussions into a single subforum, given that the discussions on PVRs appear to be split across the SD STB, HD/SD STB, and HDD recorders subforums, making it harder for casual readers to find all the useful information they want.

--

I suppose what I am suggesting is that, although the DBA is ostensibly about Digital TV, the forums have grown to encompass all aspects of video and audio recording and reproduction, and it would be better if the structure better represented that.

Thoughts?

I personally have always thought that if the user comes to these forums to gain information, they should receive it. Thus, I have always rejected overtones to link this forum to other forums like HTCentral and so forth. Different participants, different new visitor capture markets.

We should cater for the users' needs. For Sale/Swap needs to come, with long, legal disclaimers that DBA are not responsible or liable.

Hi Tim and everyone else,

It's always been my belief that this should be a technical forum and not a general discussion forum (there are other forums/newsgroups for general discussions)

There are many off-topics that are more political/social in nature that have nothing to do with digital broadcasting. Whilst they are correctly placed (usually) in the off-topic sub-forum, I still believe the DBA Forum as a whole is not the right place for this kind of discussion.

I also believe there should be a minimum age limit (suggest 16/17+), however this is realistically unenforceable (anyone can put in a fake Year of Birth). Instead, I'd suggest banning members who regularly post topics or replies which show a low level of maturity. At least 60% of Brad and his incarnations' posts would qualify as being too immature. Those who regularly post slanderous or other legally questionable content should at least be banned or suspended.

As for Advertising, may I suggest that DBA actively encourage their members to post topics concerning (not a complete list):

1. New products (RRP, features, availability, discounts to forum members perhaps, etc)

2. Issues with products (known faults)

3. In the case of broadcasters, Upcoming events or transmissions issues. SteveB at NBN is particularly good at this (except when forum members start abusing him and his employer). Nine Network were doing this earlier last year as well.

DBA members are the ones paying for this forum. They should be encouraged to post to promote themselves a little.

Maybe their posts should go into a sub-forum where no replies (read-only) can be made....... a DBA Member Announcement Forum.

Evan :->

I think it would help if mods could merge threads etc, like the way they do on Whirlpool. There are far too many duplicated topics here... recently at least five different threads were started about Nine's new logo, each in a different forum. And then several threads about their watermark.

If dup threads could be shut down and linked to the existing thread that would help (not sure if Invision has this kind of functionality; the WP forums use their own custom-built forums I think).

Having multiple threads on the same topic not only clutter the board, but they also make it harder for people who actually use the search function because they get a bunch of threads thrown back at them when one would have sufficed.

Moderators - We need more I agree

Off Topic forum - it was implemented as a community based thing. The benefits of having it there (helps people return daily) outweigh the negatives. I have removed it from the new posts options so the forum is completely optional to go into.

Following HyperReality's thoughts you could also consider merging the three topics under Standard Definition & High Definition into a single one called Standard Definition & High Definition format discussion

WRT DVD Recorders & Hard Disk Drive Recorders could not this be renamed to refer to Personal Video Recorders (PVRs) & DVD Recorders instead? They are much more commonly known as PVRs. At the least it could have a tagline saying (includes PVRs). This might encourage ppl to discuss PVRs here rather than in the SD box section.

*EDIT, changed so that PVR is ahead of DVD-Rs in that title, seeing as DVD recorders are *still* yet to have digital tuners in them in AU. *sigh*

Edited February 24, 200620 yr by Timmy Downawell

Along the same rationalisation lines, consideration could be given to the SD Set Top Box Receivers and HD/SD Set Top Box Receivers sections being merged.

Similarly SD Monitors & Displays and Widescreen TV Monitors & Displays could perhaps be a single TV Monitors & Displays section.

Whoa! Just noticed this topic/section!

I'll have to re-visit my previous suggestions later...

But first, I can't avoid repeating my long-runnning suggestion that "Widescreen TV Programs" is no longer relevant as a title... Few seem to realise that the point of the "Widescreen TV Programs" was the Widescreen ... back in the days of "channel 4:3" etc.

Content related threads belong in "Program Content, Scheduling and Comments".

Perhaps "Widescreen TV Programs" needs to be changed to "Widescreen Issues" or similar, with a subtitle "Not content related issues!"

Santa!

____________________

NB: And as renura mentions "SD Monitors & Displays" has always been a bit wierd ... monitors are going to be HD, so to speak.... Probably separate forums for 4:3 vs widescreen are not required now, anyway.

Further to my thoughts above, what about a hardware section structure along the following lines (the names need some tweaking, but I'm sure you all get my drift!):

Data Sources

* Set Top Boxes

- SD & HD, not including PVRs

* PVRs and DVD Recorders

* PC and Convergence devices

- PC Digital TV tuners, HTPC, Network Media Players, Media Servers

* DVD Players and other devices

Displays

* Directview Displays

- CRT, LCD, Plasma, SED, ...

* Rear Projection Displays

- CRT, LCD, DLP, SXRD,...

* Front Projectors

* Other Display Related Questions

- eg discussions on other hardware such as scalers etc, "what TV should I buy" threads

Audio

* Audio components

- amps, receivers, etc

* Speakers

- including speaker cable discussions/arguments?

Home Theatre Accessories

* Remote Controls

* Everything else HT related: cables, chairs, popcorn makers, other miscellaneous discussions that dont fit in other categories.

Home Theatre Design

- Lots of people argue about the best way to go, so why not encourage the discussion and the subject matter experts to get involved in a dedicated sub-forum?

Product Reviews

---

My aim here is to not only rearrange things a bit to better reflect the hardware that makes up a Home Theatre, but to also split a lot of stuff that currently ends up in the Home Theatre Systems section out into its own specific sub-fora, so as to make it easier to follow areas of interest (eg by subscription to a specific sub-forum).

(Yes, I realise that this is 4 sub-forums rather than the existing 10, but I think that Home Theatre Systems is well overdue for being split into sub-categories).

* PC and Convergence devices

- PC Digital TV tuners, HTPC, Network Media Players, Media Servers

Or Multi-Function or Multi-Purpose devices... I don't know... For some reason, describing a device that can do many things as a convergence device sounds weird to me...

I know what you mean, but I'm just using the common term for these sorts of products.

Finally found these threads after looking all day for it

-----------------------------------------------

You guys are going to laugh at me but

I'd like to see the

"My Controls · View New Posts · My Assistant · 0 New Messages"

at the bottom of the page as well as at the top.

Also I notice with editing that almost always I get two blank lines at the bottom of my post which I have to get rid of by re-editing the post. (This time I wanted it)

Further to my thoughts above, what about a hardware section structure along the following lines (the names need some tweaking, but I'm sure you all get my drift!):

Data Sources

* PVRs and DVD Recorders

Displays

* Directview Displays

- CRT, LCD, Plasma, SED, ...

* Other Display Related Questions

- eg discussions on other hardware such as scalers etc, "what TV should I buy" threads

Not sure that maybe PVR and DVD Recorders shouldn't be kept seperate.

But I agree about display and the stb forums now. I am confused about where to post and where to look in that area and think they could be re-arranged or combined.

I'm still waiting for the Triathlon Forum to be established??

http://www.cyclingforums.com/t314171-triat...n-training.html

I made a suggestion back here

http://www.dtvforum.info/index.php?showtopic=24035

Just some suggestions coral for the naming of some of the forum sections. Might help reduce confusion and give some definite spots for posts on particular equipment ?

Rename the sections:

"HD/SD Set Top Box Receivers" to "HD Set Top Box Receivers" theres already a "SD Set Top Box Receivers" section so you'd just need a HD settop box section I would have thought ?

"Widescreen TV Monitors & Displays" to "HD Monitors, Displays & Scalers" this will give the scaler posts somewhere to go and complement the "SD Monitors & Displays" section that already exists.

"Home Theatre Systems" to "Home Theatre Systems, HTPC & DVD players" will give a definite spot for HTPC posts and thinking they belong here as theyre really a part/heart of a hometheatre system. Also would give a defenite spot for posts on DVD players - which mostly get posted in this section anyways.

alternative to last one above is "Home Theatre Systems" to "Home Theatre Systems & DVD players" giving a definite spot for for posts on DVD players - which mostly get posted in this section anyways. And renaming "Digital TV Tuner Cards & Network Media Players" to "Digital TV Tuner Cards, Network Media Players & HTPC" giving a place for HTPC posts.

Just some thoughts. I might be way off and sure many others have other ideas. But just some suggestions anyway that might be of help.

my thoughts since would be defintely to suggest renaming to have sections

"HD/SD Set Top Box Receivers" to "HD Set Top Box Receivers"

as "SD Set Top Box Receivers" is already there for SD set top boxes

"Digital TV Tuner Cards & Network Media Players" to stay as it is

but give HTPC its own section as theres so much to discuss there.

"DVD Recorders & Hard Disk Drive Recorders" to "HD & SD PVRs, DVD recorders" PVRs deserve their own section given their popularity

rename "Integrated Digital Widescreen TVs" to "TVs with built in digital tuners" as I'm sure reading the posts in that forum people don't realise what that sections for.

"Widescreen TV Monitors & Displays" to "HD Monitors & Displays" agree with points santa makes re were past the poin of putting widescreen every where. Plus we already have a section for SD displays just need one for HD.

"Home Theatre Systems" to stay as it is, think its fine as it is.

Its a huge area covering so many different products think to and to try and break them down to sub forums would be difficult unless you went quite generic with :

- Source (CD & DVD/HD-DVD Blu-ray etc)

- processors (Pre-pros pre amps)

- amps & avrs (power amps and audio video receivers)

- speakers (pc, bookshelf, floor standing, subs)

- ancillaries (switchers and scalers, cables, adaptors)

- HT rooms (design, setup etc)

to be honest I find it easier reading with just one forum for ht though. Gets a bit fragmented otherwise I think breaking it all up as theyve done in HTC.

Data Sources

* Set Top Boxes

- SD & HD, not including PVRs

* PVRs and DVD Recorders

* PC and Convergence devices

- PC Digital TV tuners, HTPC, Network Media Players, Media Servers

* DVD Players and other devices

Displays

* Directview Displays

- CRT, LCD, Plasma, SED, ...

* Rear Projection Displays

- CRT, LCD, DLP, SXRD,...

* Front Projectors

* Other Display Related Questions

- eg discussions on other hardware such as scalers etc, "what TV should I buy" threads

Audio

* Audio components

- amps, receivers, etc

* Speakers

- including speaker cable discussions/arguments?

Home Theatre Accessories

* Remote Controls

* Everything else HT related: cables, chairs, popcorn makers, other miscellaneous discussions that dont fit in other categories.

Home Theatre Design

- Lots of people argue about the best way to go, so why not encourage the discussion and the subject matter experts to get involved in a dedicated sub-forum?

Product Reviews

This is quite good - but if that Product Review takes off - should probably split that over time into sections as well (STB, Monitors, Amps, DVD Players, PVR's etc..)

Also please keep the Geographical sections. These can be really handy to people who just like to catch up with happenings in there own area.

Some good ideas here.

I am particularly interested on feedback to the suggestion from Evan aka GoldCoastGuy for a technical forum.

How about a sub-forum for industry players (broadcasters, suppliers, HT installers etc) where those who have not qualified can view but not post.

I know of a number of industry people who have avoided posting some interesting information as they fear of being caught up in a never ending dialogue on irrelevant issues.

I do foresee a problem if we end up with duplicate forums as people copy the posting to a public forum.

Tim O'Keefe

Might be a good idea to rename Suggestions, Help and Forum announcements to something like "Forum suggestions, help and announcements" or similar to try and make people wake up that it is not a general help forum.

Some good ideas here.

I am particularly interested on feedback to the suggestion from Evan aka GoldCoastGuy for a technical forum.

How about a sub-forum for industry players (broadcasters, suppliers, HT installers etc) where those who have not qualified can view but not post.

I know of a number of industry people who have avoided posting some interesting information as they fear of being caught up in a never ending dialogue on irrelevant issues.

I do foresee a problem if we end up with duplicate forums as people copy the posting to a public forum.

Tim O'Keefe

tim this is comment from laurie, not sure if he has access to this closed forum. think he should.

This is all too much for me! being a member from the first BSB forum [beforeDBA] I was turned off by the constant repeating threads lately, and now only come back a few times each week to see what my mates here are up to. Coral has in my opinion the hardest thankless job of being Judge & Jury but I think the biggest danger is loosing people here that made this forum having people to come here for what I believed was Technicial Information and I still believe we have here the best group of guys bar none loose these people and to me DBA may as well shut down as my signature says "You don't just get an answer,you also get educated" and is that not what it's all about helping each other out

cheers laurie

Does Laurie really feel like that? But thats like any public forum - people come and go. Its been really strange - when I first started it was all about gclark8, groover, kenneth and alanh and access as the most post users but now its Alebonau, DavoNoGo and Santa as the users with the most posts now, with Groover, gclark8 and kenneth now reducing there posts made

One thing that we should keep in mind while thinking about the forum structure, is making things easy for the everday consumer.

I personally thinj that the consumer orientated sections (products and regional areas) should be first with the more tech related sections next and the off topic/forum help at the bottom.

Also, forum names should be descriptive but not technical for the more consumer related forum sections. The description field is really where the technical stuff would more likely fit.

some good discussion in the wider forum on this topic

http://www.dtvforum.info/index.php?s=&show...ndpost&p=380591

any chance of commenting or implementing any of the suggestions coral/Tim ?

To all the Forum Advisors,

Thank you for all your suggestions. I will now need to discuss how we implement as many of the ideas as possible to make the DTV Forum a valuable resource for the visitors.

My initial direction is to encourage discussion and problem reporting/solving between the enthusiasts and the experts in the area. At the same time giving newbies a place to go to find solutions to problems ie a enter question and search facility.

I will be overseas for the next two weeks, but will discuss the options with Julian at Coral when I get back.

I will then ask for your feedback on a strategy to improve the forum.

Thanks again - your enthusiasm for this on-line community is contagious.

Regards

Tim O'Keefe

timo@digitalbus.com.au

All,

From this discussion I see that there are 4 groups of people using this forum

1. The person who wants to buy DTV equipment and wants to know what to buy

2. The person who went out and bought the equipment and cannot get it to go to their satisfaction.

3. A political group who want to get their area DTV, better quality etc.

4. A technical group who wish to discuss the technicalities.

There is also a small group who wish to get in to digital radio.

How to satisfy these groups.

On the home page;

For Newbies links to

A glossary of terms, what to look for in equipment, antenna requirements. Simple block diagram of what is required. No brand recommendations. Requirements for Home theatre such as viewing distances, acoustics, lighting, speaker layouts etc. Types of display.

Specific strand of equipment reviews and comments, with sub forums as mentioned above.

Problem Solving

A highlighted FAQ list which links to;

A series of fact sheets which include diagrams etc to answer the commonly asked questions. These fact sheets could be pinned at the start of each strand.

Monitoring of content possibly by FAQ maintainers could sort the information and write a pinned post.

Political group

Sub forums for pushing for particular DTV transmitters, program quality

Technical Group

Sub forums for Antenna systems, Propagation, Displays, Storage devices, Formats for transmission and compression.

Digital Radio Tim you may wish to come to some arrangement with Digital Radio Australia, which is part of Commercial Radio Australia.

This is a very new area so it could be restricted to;

For Newbies as for TV and explaining why the "Digital Radio" on TV is not suitable.

Political

Technical topics

DAB & DRM

Transmitter openings and allocations could be included in the Geographic Viewers' Forums.

datvman,

I am still posting as much as I used to but I often refer people to existing posts.

In January I produced a spreadsheet of all TV stations in Australia in geographic regions. There is around 800 transmitters! The spreadsheet also works out which band antenna is required.

AlanH

Great idea there Alan. I've just done the same myself in another forum I visit. I posted a Public Transport Intro for SEQ on Railpage for people wishing to visit the GSE.