The Countdown to Digital TV

[Ray Pointer]

As the alleged deadline for the ditigal broadcast switchover gets nearer, how many of you are ready? There continues to be confusion as to whether the deadline has remained, or will be extended since the government has run out of money for the converter coupons.

When I first learned of the changover eight years ago, I predicted that it would not happen overnight because people will not be willing to discard their televisions for this technological change. I also predicted that this resistance in buying new televisions would be based on economics, and that woud would see a higher percentage of converter boxes being sold during this transitional period.

I also predicted that many others will be left behind not being able to afford the converters, or simply fed up with another technological change combined with a mounting dissatisfaction with the programming being offered on broadcast and cable television, and simply create their own programming out of the tapes and DVDs they have in their own libraries.

What's your take on the situation, and how many of you are ready for the switchover? How many of you are dissatified with what is being offered and are considering alternative programing at home?

[dandu]

Well, I have a converter box I am definitely not going to throw away my precious Panasonic VCR. I don't really spend too much time watching the tele as i do listen to records and work on projects, especially the redrawing one.

TV programming these days has really gone down the tubes, now it's either sports or info commercials. I do like to watch what's on channel 4.2 at night since they air old movies and TV shows.

[cbrubaker]

Since I have cable I should be able to watch TV without any interruption due to the switch.

[Tim Lones]

TV programming these days has really gone down the tubes, now it's either sports or info commercials. I do like to watch what's on channel 4.2 at night since they air old movies and TV shows.

dandu:
You are fortunate that you have Channel 4.2 (WCMH-NBC Columbus', Ohio .2 digital channel) They just added RTN-Retro Television Network..

My wife and I have one HDTV and one digital TV (non-HD).Along with Time Warner Cable in our town..While we are ready, I am looking to do what is called Free-To-Air Satellite..Buy the dish (larger than dbs dishes) and special FTA reciever, one can pick up any unscrambled channels that are out there..Including a number of RTN affiliates.

[cpdavison]

I got the $40 coupon and picked up a converter.

On the plus side, I now get 10 more channels than I used to get with the rabbit ears. (That is to say, I now get 11 versus only one channel!)

On the minus side, the nature of the digital signal can cause the signal to freeze and cube out if the signal strength drops below a certain level.

I don't watch that much broadcast TV, so the whole change-over has had a minimal impact at my house.

Craig D.

[Tom Stathes]

My family has bought a bunch of converter boxes...but coming from someone who occasionally loathes his cell phone and uses a rotary phone in his room, this "transition" (aka greed on the part of the television industry) is something I personally would not have given into. I don't watch television anywhoo. :rolleyes:

[Ray Pointer]

My family has bought a bunch of converter boxes...but coming from someone who occasionally loathes his cell phone and uses a rotary phone in his room, this "transition" (aka greed on the part of the television industry) is something I personally would not have given into. I don't watch television anywhoo. :rolleyes:

Point of order: It is not the "greed" of the television industry that has brought this changeover about, but the government.

[Tim Lones]

Point of order: It is not the "greed" of the television industry that has brought this changeover about, but the government.

True..The TV industry would not have done this on their own..

[zavkram]

Well, back in October 2008 I went ahead and requested two of those coupons online that the Government was handing out (they were offering two per household, so I figured what the heck).

In late November I took my two $40.00 coupons to Radio Schlock, thinking I would pick up two converter boxes for free; since the least-expensive ones go for $40.00 apiece. The sales clerk informed me, however, that they didn't have the really cheap ones in stock (surprise, surprise) and made me an offer on two models selling for $60.00 apiece.

He also talked me into signing up for an extended 1-year warranty on both of them for an additional $20.00. I initially purchased two boxes, just in case I decided to purchase a 2nd TV set; but then I realized afterward that if I purchased a new set, it most likely would already be digital-ready(!)

Oh, well... maybe I can give the 2nd box to someone as a gift, or sell it.

In any case, I haven't had too many problems with reception since hooking up the box to my existing TV set. I don't have a roof aentenna, so I purchased a new, digital-ready set of rabbit-ears which do a decent job of pulling in stations. Right now I can get 20 stations with the box, as opposed to just 10 without it. One of them is a local independent station that broadcasts "Deutsche Welle". On Christmas Day I tuned in to a rather comely Haus-Frau who took viewers on a tour of her elaborately-decorated home in Dusseldorf.

So far, the only station that freezes up on me is my local FOX affiliate.

One thing I don't like is the fact that the screen image for HD and SD TV is somewhat smaller than with analog TV; that is, when viewed on a standard TV screen. I know that the image would normally be cropped at the top and bottom edges in order to accomodate widescreen broadcasts; but why are the left and right edges black during non-widescreen programming?

[Studio Toledo]

I also predicted that many others will be left behind not being able to afford the converters, or simply fed up with another technological change combined with a mounting dissatisfaction with the programming being offered on broadcast and cable television, and simply create their own programming out of the tapes and DVDs they have in their own libraries.
This is how I feel.

[Studio Toledo]

Well, I have a converter box I am definitely not going to throw away my precious Panasonic VCR. I don't really spend too much time watching the tele as i do listen to records and work on projects, especially the redrawing one.

TV programming these days has really gone down the tubes, now it's either sports or info commercials. I do like to watch what's on channel 4.2 at night since they air old movies and TV shows.
Is that RTN (Retro Television Network)?

[Studio Toledo]

dandu:
You are fortunate that you have Channel 4.2 (WCMH-NBC Columbus', Ohio .2 digital channel) They just added RTN-Retro Television Network..
One of my stations (WNWO NBC Toledo) has had RTN since the end of '97. Though now with "NBC Weather Plus" gone, they replaced that subchannel with cruddy AmericaOne.

My wife and I have one HDTV and one digital TV (non-HD).Along with Time Warner Cable in our town..While we are ready, I am looking to do what is called Free-To-Air Satellite..Buy the dish (larger than dbs dishes) and special FTA reciever, one can pick up any unscrambled channels that are out there..Including a number of RTN affiliates.
More or less, you can go the DX route and try to pick up stations many miles away with a regular antenna.

[Studio Toledo]

My family has bought a bunch of converter boxes...but coming from someone who occasionally loathes his cell phone and uses a rotary phone in his room, this "transition" (aka greed on the part of the television industry) is something I personally would not have given into. I don't watch television anywhoo. :rolleyes:
I feel so much like you. Hell, I got one cool rotary phone to share here (not to mention a payphone in mint condition)!

[Studio Toledo]

Point of order: It is not the "greed" of the television industry that has brought this changeover about, but the government.
Again, in the spirit of youth everywhere, the government sucks! :p

[Studio Toledo]

Well, back in October 2008 I went ahead and requested two of those coupons online that the Government was handing out (they were offering two per household, so I figured what the heck).

In late November I took my two $40.00 coupons to Radio Schlock, thinking I would pick up two converter boxes for free; since the least-expensive ones go for $40.00 apiece. The sales clerk informed me, however, that they didn't have the really cheap ones in stock (surprise, surprise) and made me an offer on two models selling for $60.00 apiece.
Leave it to them for ruining the joy I had in going there 20 years ago.

He also talked me into signing up for an extended 1-year warranty on both of them for an additional $20.00. I initially purchased two boxes, just in case I decided to purchase a 2nd TV set; but then I realized afterward that if I purchased a new set, it most likely would already be digital-ready(!)
I really hate it when they do that to you. I once had something that was defected when I bought it, only to get the run-around of having to send the aforementioned product to some place for 'repairs' or whatever they may do, and that took a couple weeks at best. In the time it took to do all that, I would've just asked for a replacement with another one they may have in stock.

Oh, well... maybe I can give the 2nd box to someone as a gift, or sell it.
I say sell it, or best, stick it in a Goodwill or Salvation Army, and see what that may do. :D

In any case, I haven't had too many problems with reception since hooking up the box to my existing TV set. I don't have a roof aentenna, so I purchased a new, digital-ready set of rabbit-ears which do a decent job of pulling in stations. Right now I can get 20 stations with the box, as opposed to just 10 without it. One of them is a local independent station that broadcasts "Deutsche Welle". On Christmas Day I tuned in to a rather comely Haus-Frau who took viewers on a tour of her elaborately-decorated home in Dusseldorf.
Sounds like you get a lot more than I can (12 channels). It's neat when one station actually sticks on something like that channel, but most of the time, it's usually radar maps, news and other misc. stuff I would care less about (not to mention some new channels like RTN or ThisTV, I sorta miss The Tube when that was around).

So far, the only station that freezes up on me is my local FOX affiliate.
Could always be the reception itself since many stations often operate under different power frequencies. I can get the two VHF channels in town very good while some of the UHF's need a little kick.

One thing I don't like is the fact that the screen image for HD and SD TV is somewhat smaller than with analog TV; that is, when viewed on a standard TV screen. I know that the image would normally be cropped at the top and bottom edges in order to accomodate widescreen broadcasts; but why are the left and right edges black during non-widescreen programming?
It just is, I have to deal with it too, and I don't have a problem with it either.

[J. J. Hunsecker]

One thing I don't like is the fact that the screen image for HD and SD TV is somewhat smaller than with analog TV; that is, when viewed on a standard TV screen. I know that the image would normally be cropped at the top and bottom edges in order to accomodate widescreen broadcasts; but why are the left and right edges black during non-widescreen programming?
I usually get the black bars on the sides of the image when I watch a program or movie in 4:3 aspect ratio on my 16x9 TV. Maybe the signal you're getting is for a 16x9 TV? Does the image look compressed?

[J. J. Hunsecker]

As for me, I'm all set for the digital conversion. I have the HDTV set, and digital cable. I usually don't watch the cable programs much (luckily it was free). Mostly I watch DVDs of cartoons and films.

[Tom Stathes]

I feel so much like you. Hell, I got one cool rotary phone to share here (not to mention a payphone in mint condition)!

That's a beaut! The one I'm currently using is more of a common model and I actually fished it out of a dumpster. Works fine, cleaned it up of course :D

[Studio Toledo]

That's a beaut! The one I'm currently using is more of a common model and I actually fished it out of a dumpster. Works fine, cleaned it up of course :D
There may be one or two others in my house that were from the 70's with that similar generic design I came to know and love!

The phone I got I noticed it showed up in the film "Misery" when the James Caan character tried to use the phone in the house and finds out it was just the shell as the rest of the phone was removed.

[zavkram]

I usually get the black bars on the sides of the image when I watch a program or movie in 4:3 aspect ratio on my 16x9 TV. Maybe the signal you're getting is for a 16x9 TV? Does the image look compressed?

No, it doesn't look compressed at all... and usually all I have to do is play with the rabbit ears to "unblock" the local FOX station. Otherwise, the picture quality is superior to analogue (no "ghosts" to be seen anywhere!)

[zavkram]

BTW, the only other reason I don't have cable (mainly because I can't afford it right now) is because if I did I would never leave my apartment; I would be home all day watching TCM and Boomerang! I would eventually get fired from my job for not showing up to work and I would starve to death from not going out to buy food on a regular basis! :D

[Ray Pointer]

BTW, the only other reason I don't have cable (mainly because I can't afford it right now) is because if I did I would never leave my apartment; I would be home all day watching TCM and Boomerang! I would eventually get fired from my job for not showing up to work and I would starve to death from not going out to buy food on a regular basis! :D

Well, at least you still have a job, a roof over your head, Internet service, and food in your stomach.:p

[frizfrelengfan]

We have three TVs in the house, one digital/HD and the other two analog. One of the analog sets is used only for games (PS2 and Wii) so it's not hooked up to anything (although the Wii is connected to the internet via Wi-Fi). The digital set is connected to a cable box and the other analog set is connected to cable directly. I haven't received TV over the air in 20 years or so. The cable box has a DVR (which I love) but I hate the way the box operates (after you turn it on it takes about 5 minutes before it responds to the remote, and it's noisy).

So, we are ready. But, I don't think the country as a whole is ready and I think the government should delay the switchover. If they choose not to delay, it means they care more about Verizon and AT&T (who are supposed to get the freed-up frequencies) than the common person.

As far as going the DX route, it is difficult to do that with the digital TV frequencies (which are UHF). You would have to put up a tower as high as possible and mount your antenna on it. UHF propagation is line-of-sight.

[zavkram]

Well, at least you still have a job, a roof over your head, Internet service, and food in your stomach.:p

Amen to that (knock wood)!

[Ray Pointer]

The switchover is being delayed by order of legislation according to what I just heard on NPR.

[Gasmask Ted]

Delay does not necessarily mean the government cares more about cellular carriers than individuals; individuals benefit from the increased cellular bandwidth of course, but more importantly people are likely to become additionally confused if the long touted transition date is suddenly meaningless; they have had plenty of warnings to this point, and if they end up being meaningless, they are much more likely to ignore them from now on (and the people who aren't ready have done a pretty good job of ignoring them up to this point, it would seem). Best to rip the bandaid off quickly.

And then there's the stations who have had to make long term plans to transition on the specified date, with the concomitant contracts to tear down the old towers, purchase of material for use on subchannels that they have expectations people will be able to have access to in order to have any OTA access, etc.

[Studio Toledo]

Well, at least you still have a job, a roof over your head, Internet service, and food in your stomach.:p
I can only wish I had a REAL job for once. :(

[Studio Toledo]

The switchover is being delayed by order of legislation according to what I just heard on NPR.
Well, someone wanted it after all.

[Studio Toledo]

Delay does not necessarily mean the government cares more about cellular carriers than individuals; individuals benefit from the increased cellular bandwidth of course, but more importantly people are likely to become additionally confused if the long touted transition date is suddenly meaningless; they have had plenty of warnings to this point, and if they end up being meaningless, they are much more likely to ignore them from now on (and the people who aren't ready have done a pretty good job of ignoring them up to this point, it would seem). Best to rip the bandaid off quickly.

And then there's the stations who have had to make long term plans to transition on the specified date, with the concomitant contracts to tear down the old towers, purchase of material for use on subchannels that they have expectations people will be able to have access to in order to have any OTA access, etc.
Again, we can't have everything!