It's Time for TV

It’s 9 weeks and counting. I used to think that I could handle little or no TV, but I am wrong. Unashamedly wrong. I need my TV; I want my TV.

Therein lies not one, but the two issues at hand.

Issue #1: We really need satellite.

Apparently, there's plenty of excellent English programming available, but we need cable or satellite reception to get most of it. People in Germany can get their television three ways: with antennae, via cable, and via satellite. There is not much, if any, television in English without cable or satellite reception. According to a Swiss EDS colleague who shall remain nameless, “the Germans want everything dubbed because they don’t like to read subtitles” (actually, he said “too lazy to read subtitles). I can’t tell you how thrilled I was to see Law & Order on TV, only to find out Jerry Orbach was speaking with a decidedly German accent and vocabulary. So, English language viewing options are essentially “zilch” with option #1.

Option #2, cable, provides us with 2 English stations: BBC World News and CNN News. OK, not really an option as how long can you take only news programs? With Option #2, Jerry Orbach is still speaking with a German accent and vocabulary. Moving on.

Option #3, satellite, provides a number of English language programs. So, you say, why not get cracking on getting a satellite dish? Ah, I agree. On the surface, it seems so simple. Go to a local satellite store (find a sales rep who speaks English), purchase your satellite dish and arrange for installation. Well, not so quick there, Sherlock. Apparently, renters need the “landlord’s permission” to install a satellite on/in the rental property. Here is where the German law gets murky. Supposedly, the landlord cannot legally withhold his permission to allow a renter to install a satellite. However, German law says that renters must notify landlords and get their permission in advance of any installation. So, what happens if my landlord falls into the 1% of landlords who won’t say “yes”? Well, “Scarlett will worry about that later, because after all, tomorrow is another day.” As I type, Buddy and I are preparing the nice, “Hello there, remember us? We are your English speaking tenants who have no TV viewing options and would be ever so grateful if you would allow us to install a satellite dish” kind of request letter.

We’ll see how this one plays out…

Issue #2: We really different TVs.

Regardless of the satellite versus cable issue, we still need new TVs. OK, I know that the electrical current is different in Europe and that my US TVs won’t work. I have lived in 2 other countries and am well aware that current converters will be required. No worries…I have already located those.

The issue is that apparently German broadcasting uses a different frequency, so I must use TVs that use the PAL technology (I am not really sure what that is). All I know is my US and Taiwan TVs don’t have PAL technology. Thus, I am now required to box up my 3 perfectly good US TVs, put them in storage, and buy German TVs….

That is the project for next Saturday….