Originally Posted By DAR <a href="http://tech.yahoo.com/news/ap/20090611/ap_on_hi_te/us_tec_digital_tv_transition" target="_blank">http://tech.yahoo.com/news/ap/...ansition</a> Either these people don't care. Are unable to afford it, although I can't see how that's the case since you received a government coupon. Or they're just lazy and somehow think it's going to be pushed back again.
Originally Posted By alexbook >>Are unable to afford it, although I can't see how that's the case since you received a government coupon.<< I applied for the coupon and didn't get one. Fortunately, I was given a converter box for Chanukah.
Originally Posted By piperlynne Ok, I have absolutely no opinion on this because I don't care (and I have cable). But someone tell me what exactly this "digital switch" thing accomplishes and why its necessary and who thought it up?
Originally Posted By alexbook I'm sure mawnck or SuperDry will be along shortly to give the full story. Broadly speaking, by taking all the old analog stations off the air, it opens up more space in the spectrum, so more digital stations can go on the air. I still think they should have done it a station at a time, as their licenses came up for renewal, but nobody listens to me.
Originally Posted By RockyMtnMinnie ARRRRRGGGGHHHH!!!! I'm so sick of the commercials, announcements and tickertape lines running along the bottom of shows. If they haven't figured it out now... TOUGH!
Originally Posted By SuperDry <<< Broadly speaking, by taking all the old analog stations off the air, it opens up more space in the spectrum, so more digital stations can go on the air. >>> That, and also it allows the old spectrum to be re-used for other purposes. The government is hot and heavy to do it for at least two reasons: 1) large corporations with an interest in using newly-available spectrum lobbied heavily for it, and 2) license auctions for the new spectrum will generate billions of dollars for the US government. <<< I still think they should have done it a station at a time, as their licenses came up for renewal, but nobody listens to me. >>> The problem with that approach is that it would unduly burden those stations that converted first. Imagine if in a metro area of, say, 20 stations: the first station or two would likely have many viewers just switch to other channels and do without, many not even knowing what the problem is. This would be devastating to ratings and therefore advertising revenue for those stations that happened by chance to be forced to go first. <<< ARRRRRGGGGHHHH!!!! I'm so sick of the commercials, announcements and tickertape lines running along the bottom of shows. If they haven't figured it out now... TOUGH! >>> Well, the good news is it's almost over. In less than 24 hours, full-power analog TV in the US will be no more. Anyone not set up to receive digital signal won't be able to see any TV, so there will no longer be a need to play the public service announcements and screen crawlers about the switch.
Originally Posted By Kar2oonMan >>license auctions for the new spectrum will generate billions of dollars for the US government.<< See that? We'll have all these bills paid off in no time.
Originally Posted By Kar2oonMan >>it allows the old spectrum to be re-used for other purposes<< Quantum Leap marathons!
Originally Posted By piperlynne mm k. Oh well. .I think that people having to do with out tv is not such a bad thing anyway. I have one. I watch it maybe twice a week. And usually to watch a movie on demand LOL
Originally Posted By SpokkerJones It's time to flip the switch. It doesn't matter how many people are not ready. There will always be people not ready. It's time to do it.
Originally Posted By Kar2oonMan >>It's time to flip the switch. It doesn't matter how many people are not ready. There will always be people not ready. It's time to do it.<< Exactly! Uh, wait a second. We're talking about the same switch, right?
Originally Posted By mawnck >>I'm sure mawnck or SuperDry will be along shortly to give the full story.<< Dang, I knew my ears were burnin'. I stop in after a hiatus, and find this. >>Quantum Leap marathons!<< Close ... Most of it went to cell phone companies who will use it for their own nefarious purposes. The numbers in that article include people who have converter boxes but haven't hooked them up, people who live out in the boonies where they get all their broadcast TV from translators and low power stations (most of which aren't transitioning), and people who don't watch TV. The fun parts are going to be those markets, such as LA, where the digital channel assignments are going to shift around, requiring viewers to do a new channel rescan every time a channel makes the transition. (They can throw the switch any time Friday, unless they have to coordinate with other stations.) The funner parts are going to be those people out in the sub-boonies where they've got 50-foot antenna towers that pull in snowy but borderline watchable analog VHF signals from far far away. They will soon have 50-foot paperweights, since the digital signals don't do snowy. They go straight from perfect to "doesn't work." And the funnest parts are going to be those markets, such as LA, where some digital channels that have been transmitting UHF all this time are moving to VHF, meaning that all those diligent people who acted in a timely manner, but were sold the "digital" UHF-only antennas, will lose digital stations they were getting before. Also ... be watching on Saturday for the "nightlight" stations - analog signals that will stay on for a few more weeks as a sort of "We Told You So" channel. They should be mesmerizing. I plan to tape them on my VCR. (Betamax of course!)
Originally Posted By ADMIN <font color="#FF0000">Message removed by an administrator. <a href="MsgBoard-Rules.asp" target="_blank">Click here</a> for the LaughingPlace.com Community Standards.</font>
Originally Posted By alexbook >>They will soon have 50-foot paperweights, since the digital signals don't do snowy. They go straight from perfect to "doesn't work."<< I'd heard that, but it turns out not to be the case, at least for me. I don't get snow, but there are some stations which give me a sort of "jerky" signal, as though the screen isn't being refreshed often enough. Fiddling with the antenna fixes it, so I'm pretty sure it's connected to signal strength.
Originally Posted By Kar2oonMan >>but there are some stations which give me a sort of "jerky" signal<< Fox News Channel.
Originally Posted By DyGDisney HINT: <a href="http://mb.laughingplace.com/MsgBoard-T-106360-P-2.asp?c=1" target="_blank">http://mb.laughingplace.com/Ms....asp?c=1</a>
