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New York Times:
Millions of households will lose television reception next week when about 1,000 broadcasters around the nation shut off their analog signals and complete their conversion to digital programming, federal officials say.
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Read a book.
Ya know, it's easy for you techno freaks to criticize people for having problems with digital because you can get it. If the shoe were on the other foot, you'd have a different opinion.
This country is not ready for digital TV because the technology is not available to all Americans. It goes beyond just getting a converter box and new antenna. The technology needs to be improved through digital amplification which has not been done. It's nice to be able to use your cell phone or wi-fi, but the reason you can is because of all of the towers that amplify the signal. There is no such situation for digital television.
Now, I know some of you like to spend (or waste) up to two to three hundred dollars a month to have the latest communication devices and that might make you think that you're so cool, but that's a lot of money to spend monthly on communication - especially in a bad economy. What would happen if your devices shut down? You'd freak out wouldn't you? Maybe your friends would think that - well - you're not technically intelligent right? LOL
Once again, we have been sold out by Washington with this new technology.
I live in the mountains of NC and get PBS very clear with analog. It's the only station we get here. We recently purchased our converter boxes at Wal-Mart in addition to a special antenna to place on our chimney.
This was a total waste of time and expense. We won't be getting any signals from anybody after Friday night at midnight because our converter box reads "no signal" even after experimental adjustments of the antenna.
This whole idea was poorly planned in my opinion. Digital broadcasting amplifiers should have been mounted on cell phone towers throughout the USA, so most people could pick up these signals. It's a known fact that digital signals won't travel nearly as far as analog signals and are affected by various types of interference. I would rather receive analog signals with ghost images than no signal at all. And it appears that our cell phone companies will enjoy the use of our analog signals.
I have a friend that lives in Philadelphia in a high rise apartment that had to deal with his landlord about putting his antenna on the roof. Buildings near by his apartment were blocking these signals.
It's a scam to make you purchase cable or satellite service.
There is no more free television after Friday night. I'm sure the local broadcasters in your area will appreciate the fact that their advertising revenues will go down in the advent of poorly planned digital TV.
So the net is that you will longer get PBS. No great loss.
Hawaii did this around the first of the year already. I opted against getting a digital tv or the converter box thing and I'm happier. Had an earthquake here over a year ago and all the tv's went blank anyway. It was a great opportunity to forego tv.
Tv is like a drug.
Moderation is the key.
To much makes you comfortably numb and most probably ignorant.
Boycott MSM!
I clicked on this thread hoping people would be sharing info on how the conversion is going for them; maybe get some helpful tips. Instead I find that by majority opinion I'm a whiney Neanderthal.
Sorry, techno-snobs. Don't think the internet can replace TV for us since we can afford only dial-up. We can't afford cable.
Sorry, anti-TV snobs. I have 9 library books in my house right now, and I'm listening to NPR. They are great, but neither will help us tune in to "On the Contrary' next Friday.
Sorry, flamey haters. We're not old. We're not poor (in part because we are so frugal we do stuff like depending on dial-up and broadcast.). We have our converter box. We experimented with a random wire antenna yesterday and still no dice for PBS or CBS. We wish there had been more early info about the need for more than the converter box. I guess we'll muddle through; hope we don't have to spend too much on an antenna.
So as Father Jack (As seen on TV!) would say: "I'm SOOOOOOOOO sorry."
Or Steve Martin (As seen on TV! 35 years ago!): "Excuuuuuse me!"
www.google.com. seach on digital TV conversion. The info has been there for at least 2 years.
Video killed the radio star; digital might be death to TV. One can only hope.
Now who owns the airwaves?
The Gov. They hold auctions for the right to use bandwidth. This activity has mad the Government Billion's of Dollars over the years.
Well, if there's no television ..there's always radio...or has that been hit too
This is ridiculous. Only someone living under a rock doesn't know that the switch is going to happen. Just make the damn transition already and be done with it. Those not prepared will find a way to watch TV if it is important enough to them. $2 billion dollars spent on this. Unbelievable.
Everyone seems so passive about a flawed system of conversion that is going to effect lives directly and absolutely.
I guess I'll just read books for the rest of my life.
I guess I'll be watching a lot more of Canadian TV. TVO and CBET are just fine with me.
The converter boxes are a joke and don't work for anyone in our area. We are way out there from the broadcast towers and not expected to receive anything after conversion. The test dates for the boxes were our first indication that we would be watching and reading everything online..
Why were all the converters contracted to be made in China in the first place? That would have been a boost for our ailing economy.
Agreed. I'm almost out of range for OTA signals, but get even worse reception with the box. The few signals I do get are ok until they start breaking down into pixels.
I cannot afford a new, expensive TV. Not even cable/satellite at this time, pathetically.
My understanding from what I've seen and heard, even with a new television if you're not getting decent signals with a converter box, and new television will be a huge waste of money.
Be sure and investigate and research that well before you drop $300 - $400 into a new television set.
My dentist office has a new digital televsion with OTA reception and the picture constantly breaks up into pixels, and we're in a city where it should be great reception!
I subscribe to Comcast cable and have a two-year-old TV. My picture pixelizes, freezes, and goes to black CONSTANTLY, especially at night. This isn't an issue exclusive to converter boxes. When I call Comcast they have no explanation.
All of ya. . .GET A BETTER ANTENNA!!!
If you've been getting reasonable reception with analog, and digital just doesn't make it, check your antenna and its lead-in cabling.
Old, corroded antennae are not your friend.
Rabbit Ears: Bringing you crappy pictures for sixty years now. . .why whould we expect that to change with digital????
Well, I don't own a TV haven't had own since the end of 2006, so it won't affect me in the slightest. I suspect that sales in digital converters and HDTVs will go up and they will go down in prices as everybody and their mother will flock to buy, unless they are homeless. In my case though, to paraphrase something that Steve Jobs, CEO of Apple Computer once said, "I don't conspire to turn my mind off anymore".
Don't have to be "homeless" to be unable to afford the new equipment. The converter boxes are relatively uselsss in my area.
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First Posted: 06- 5-09 10:55 PM | Updated: 06- 5-09 11:02 PM