As RTÉ gets set to introduce its free digital TV platform, you might want to think about replacing your television – but make sure you know what spec you need to receive the extra channels

How and where do you watch your favourite television shows these days? An interesting question, isn’t it? Over the coming year, the reasons people have for owning a television and the type of television they use are all set to change.

We’re not talking about 3D televisions or the latest television model with internet connectivity.

In 2011, Ireland’s public service broadcaster, RTÉ, is introducing a free digital television platform called Saorview. This will be great news for about 340,000 households in Ireland who currently receive just the four main free-to-air TV channels, or ‘bog channels’ as they’re affectionately known.

The channels and services to be made available are RTÉ One, RTÉ Two HD, TV3, TG4, RTÉ News Now, 3e, RTÉjr, RTÉ One + 1 and RTÉ Digital Aertel. So, how do you get your hands on this? Well, RTÉ is running its own information campaign. However, as a DoneDealer, the most important thing to understand is that only certain televisions and set-top boxes can receive Saorview – these are known as integrated digital televisions (iDTV). Other televisions must be connected to a Saorview set-top box/digital receiver, which is totally different to a Freeview, Sky or UPC box.

According to the Saorview website: “Consumers should be aware that the majority of UK ‘Freeview’ boxes and iDTVs will not decode the Saorview service (as they use the MPEG 2 standard) and that unapproved receivers may not be fully compatible with all aspects of the Saorview service.”

If you’re using DoneDeal to find a new television for your home and you’re interested in having it ready to receive Saorview, ensure it has MPEG 4 (aka Mp4) and that it is an iDTV model that definitely receives Saorview. You will be able to find this out from Saorview.ie.

For those that have been watching television online through computers, the days of avoiding an extra tax by not having a television may soon be history. It is possible that a different type of licence will be introduced that will cover all media devices and every household. So, if you’re missing the big screen, have a look around DoneDeal for a bargain television set that meets your viewing needs and get that TV licence.

Of course, if you like getting your programmes/films online, you’ll want to connect your laptop or other digital devices to a television and you’ll need to figure out how to do that.

The first thing to check is whether your laptop takes a HDMI cable or a regular monitor cable. Once you have this information, look for a television that has a matching connection. If you’re thinking of selling a television through DoneDeal, these are the type of tech specs you need to write into your ad.

Of course, buyers with their heads on their shoulders will know that, when buying a television, it can be worthwhile to research reviews of it online or read about a particular model direct from the manufacturer’s website. And honestly, if you’re buying a TV that you assume can receive Saorview, do your homework – check and double check. Happy viewing!

February was Safe Ireland month on DoneDeal. For each ad placed we gave 30 cents to safeireland to help them.  Thank you to all DoneDealer’s, you raised a total of €23,580,60.

Safe Ireland are a national representative body for women’s domestic violence services in Ireland. With members all over Ireland working to challenge the serious prevalence of domestic violence in Ireland and to give public voice to the needs and experiences of women accessing there member’s services. SAFE Ireland works closely with members to develop and improve services and responses to women and their children.

SAFE Ireland members provide free and confidential services and supports to women and their children experiencing, or at risk from, domestic violence. Services include; emotional and practical support, court accompaniment, advocacy, outreach, information and many provide a 24 hour helpline and safe, refuge accommodation. All services are free and confidential and available to all women in Ireland.

If you or someone you know needs help, there is support available in Ireland. See www.safeireland.ie for details of supports available.

If you’ve upgraded to the latest model and are looking to sell your old one, or if you’re hoping to pick up a second-hand bargain, DoneDeal is the place to come!

From tablets to touch screens, it can be difficult to keep up with what’s happening in the world of technology. One thing is certain; technology companies are always innovating and upgrading their products, which means the latest thing can become old hat within months.

With the launch in March of Apple’s iPad 2, to paraphrase Apple, everything has changed – again. Or has it? The main change for DoneDealers is that a good selection of second-hand ‘first-generation’ iPads, or tablet PCs from other manufacturers, are bound to become available on the second-hand market from March 2011.

The iPad 2 will probably be replaced in March 2012, 2013 and so on (Apple seems to launch a new version of the iPhone every July, so it’s safe enough to predict it may relaunch the iPad every March).

However, technology-mad DoneDeal sellers who want to sell their old iPads to get some cash towards the newest version will have to watch their pricing very carefully. Apple has brought down the price of its old iPads to try and sell off its stock. However, this is good for second-hand buyers as first-generation iPads should be available at a bargain.

Whether you’re a potential iPad buyer or seller on DoneDeal, it’s worth looking at the full retail prices of the iPad to get a sense of what’s a fair second-hand price. Remember, it might be an idea to throw in all your accessories as well to help make a sale.

Although the iPad, iPhone and iPod are all words that run off our tongues effortlessly, it’s important to understand that they’re just brand names for products that other manufacturers also make, albeit a lot differently. Just as an iPhone is a brand of smart phone and the iPod an MP3 player, the iPad is a touch-screen tablet computer.

There are other tablet computers around so, if you like the idea of a computer that you can carry easily and use for browsing the internet, reading books and magazines on, do some research. Don’t forget competitors such as Samsung, Archos, Dell, any of the big mobile/computing brands and a range of generic tablets that run on the Google Android operating system. You may find that you really want a netbook or a laptop with a touch screen or indeed a smartphone.

Things to help you make up your mind

3G/WiFi

3G means you can easily connect to the internet when you’re out and about, just as you would with a mobile phone.

OS

The operating system will determine the choice of apps you can download.

GB

A higher memory (eg 64GB) may be important if you want to store all your music or photos on the device.

Screen size

Examine a device in person to see if the screen is too small or indeed too large for your liking.

If the iPad is the first piece of Apple technology in which you’re investing, beware – Apple, also the makers of Mac computers, has a massive fan base. As Mac fans say: “Once you go Mac, you never go back.”

Right, the answers are in, all 411 entries have been registered and the 20 winners have been picked at random for all the correct entries.

We have some extra cool Ireland flag press on Tattoos to ad to our goodie bags courtesy of the good folks at Teamcoloursonline.com to brighten up your Paddy’s day look aswell as a fluffy leprechaun hat, cool shamrock glasses and the compulsory Irish flag and make up to complete your look!

And so a drumroll please!!!  The winners are:

Amanda Quinn – Clonee, Dublin

Andrea Doran – Wexford

Declan Rigney – Dundalk, Co. Louth

Tina Reilly – Cavan

Orlaith Mannion – Dublin 8

Imelda Harten – Cavan

Tara Crosby – Galway

Bobbie Lahert – Kilkenny

John Brennan -  Sligo

Denis Hegarty – Waterford

Kerrie O’Neill – Dublin 14

Paul O’Reilly – Waterford

Seamus Reilly – Kells, Co. Meath

Jane Brown -  Kerry

Brian Maxwell -  Clare

David Heffernan -  Cork

Jimmy Mullins -  West Meath

M. O’Hara – Tipperary

Pauric Brophy -  Laois

Tanya Guerin -  Tipperary

Congratulations to all and your packs are in the post TODAY and should be with you in time for your big parade on Paddy’s Day! Remember winners, send in your photos in your full DoneDeal Paddy’s day kit at your local parade, party or celebration and we’ll send you some extra treats!

Happy St. Patricks Day!

If you’re dreaming of a white wedding or something more avant garde, DoneDeal can help you find everything you’ll need for your special day

Whether it’s the traditional church wedding, a civil partnership ceremony, registry office wedding or civil ceremony, one thing’s for sure – people are still planning weddings.

While some couples will spend their weekends attending wedding shows and looking around shops and boutiques for all they need for the big day, there is another option: the internet.

DoneDeal’s wedding section makes it easy to search for the components that are traditionally needed for a ceremony or reception.

From wedding favours to table plans, room decorations to carriages, wedding ring cushions to outfits for ring bearers, wedding dresses to suits, our Wedding section is brimful of everything a bride- or groom-to-be will need. While we can’t guarantee you’ll find something borrowed or something blue, there’s plenty of choice of both old and new on DoneDeal.

According to Rosemarie Meleady of The Wedding Planner, who has been involved in planning many weddings, nobody wants a cheap wedding; good value is important to most people. “Think of the things you don’t buy because of price,” she says. “People want value for money, they want to shop around more and they’re not afraid to buy from sites like DoneDeal.”

She recommends searching for items such as centre pieces, candles and table decor for weddings on DoneDeal.

Though a ‘worn once’ wedding dress is something some women would balk at, even during boom times people would look at bridal divisions of charity shops. Often off-the-peg dresses that have never been worn can be sourced and DoneDeal is no exception when it comes to tracking down a wide selection of beautiful wedding gowns, veils and tiaras.

If value rather than price is top of your wedding list, it may be important to remember Meleady’s words of advice when searching for a wedding dress: “It’s more en vogue to say you got good value than paid a high price… It’s seen as sort of vulgar to have expensive wedding dresses.”

Also worth keeping in mind is that a wedding is the one time, says Meleady, women can treat themselves to designer shoes. Brides-to-be often order designer shoes from abroad only to find they don’t fit or are the wrong shade. Rather than keeping them in a box in the wardrobe, never to be worn, people will try reselling these, meaning that a bride can meet the seller in person, try on the shoes for size and net themselves a good bargain.

There are also bargains to be had for men. “I’d always advise people to buy a good suit.” Second-hand designer or once-worn suits are something a groom-to-be could search for on DoneDeal – or, if they’re a bit more daring, there’s always the option of a kilt.

DoneDeal also has sections for flower girl and page boy outfits. As these are the first to change into something more casual or outgrow the outfit, great value can be found.