Mundane News

[Jenkins]

My mum & stepfather have just got a new One 4 All remote for their TV & DVD player so their IT support will have to go round tomorrow to set it up for them.

 

[Reynard]

My mum & stepfather have just got a new One 4 All remote for their TV & DVD player so their IT support will have to go round tomorrow to set it up for them.

That would be you, I'd imagine...

 

[tyred]

It's because your call is important to us.

I worked in business telecoms for many years so can answer this.

Companies would usually need to pay royalties to use any commercial music from any recognised act as music on hold. Since few want to do that they use what is called "royalty free music" which roughly means it's shite. The default music on hold music for NEC telephones sound like ice cream van tunes or what you hear when you open a child's music box.

I recall one of our customers who elected to use a Beatles song (because the lyrics cryptically happened to use their company name) had to sort out all sorts of permissions (incase Sir Paul or Ringo are a bit short this week) and what for me was a head-wreck of having to buy a Beatles CD from petty cash (as their music was not available for MP3 download, not sure if it is nowadays) and rip the track, then convert it to one of the weird and generally obsolete audio formats favoured by telephone system manufacturers and experiment with the sampling rate and DSP settings so it was still reasonable sound quality over the reduced bandwidth of a telephone line.

 

[Reynard]

Anyways, time for a

 

[Jenkins]

That would be you, I'd imagine...

Unfortunately, yes.

I know there's some tech savvy seniors out there but, apart from my mum at work for a couple of years, they've never had or used a computer/tablet, see no need for a mobile phone and only moved from a VHS recorder a couple of yeas ago and like it that way. Hence I have to help out with setting up the electronics.

As a result I'm preparing myself with a beer with a decent head on it!

 

[classic33]

I worked in business telecoms for many years so can answer this.

Companies would usually need to pay royalties to use any commercial music from any recognised act as music on hold. Since few want to do that they use what is called "royalty free music" which roughly means it's shite. The default music on hold music for NEC telephones sound like ice cream van tunes or what you hear when you open a child's music box.

I recall one of our customers who elected to use a Beatles song (because the lyrics cryptically happened to use their company name) had to sort out all sorts of permissions (incase Sir Paul or Ringo are a bit short this week) and what for me was a head-wreck of having to buy a Beatles CD from petty cash (as their music was not available for MP3 download, not sure if it is nowadays) and rip the track, then convert it to one of the weird and generally obsolete audio formats favoured by telephone system manufacturers and experiment with the sampling rate and DSP settings so it was still reasonable sound quality over the reduced bandwidth of a telephone line.

I've had
"Hanging On The Telephone"
"You Keep Me Hangin' On"
and
"I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For"

All, and more, from Orange/EE.

 

[Reynard]

Unfortunately, yes.

I know there's some tech savvy seniors out there but, apart from my mum at work for a couple of years, they've never had or used a computer/tablet, see no need for a mobile phone and only moved from a VHS recorder a couple of yeas ago and like it that way. Hence I have to help out with setting up the electronics.

As a result I'm preparing myself with a beer with a decent head on it!
View attachment 542977

Someone's still got a stash of Larry the Lambs left over from Easter.

 

[classic33]

Unfortunately, yes.

I know there's some tech savvy seniors out there but, apart from my mum at work for a couple of years, they've never had or used a computer/tablet, see no need for a mobile phone and only moved from a VHS recorder a couple of yeas ago and like it that way. Hence I have to help out with setting up the electronics.

As a result I'm preparing myself with a beer with a decent head on it!
View attachment 542977

Into head shrinking now!

 

[tyred]

I've had
"Hanging On The Telephone"
"You Keep Me Hangin' On"
and
"I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For"

All, and more, from Orange/EE.

They're paying to use those - or they are breaking the law (which probably is at the bottom of a long list of priorities and not enforced anyway).

 

[classic33]

They're paying to use those - or they are breaking the law (which probably is at the bottom of a long list of priorities and not enforced anyway).

No idea, just odd tunes for a mobile phone company to use, whilst they have you on hold.

 

[Jenkins]

No idea, just odd tunes for a mobile phone company to use, whilst they have you on hold.

Or just somebody with a sense of humour at the call centre.

 

[classic33]

Or just somebody with a sense of humour at the call centre.

Possibly, but the same ones when talking to their Indian call centre as their UK and Irish ones.

 

[Gravity Aided]

A fine actress and avid cyclist that Emma Stone
View attachment 542856

Nice (ahem) Stingray. Quite.

 

[Gravity Aided]

Is that a Schwinn?

Yes. With the famous stick-shift.

 

[Gravity Aided]

Eating a cannoli, (Italian Sausage/mozzarella) and listening to the Korngold 'cello concerto.