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Is it just me or are there an annoyingly high amount of commercials about the digital TV switch next year? Do you know anyone that still uses antennas as their primary method to get television? Also I'm not sure if this is right, but if you get your TV thru antennas - doesn't that mean you wouldn't have the higher channels like even USA or TNT? In that case why would they put commercials on those channels talking about the switch.
Not that is surprises me, but couldn't the government be using all this free airtime they are alloted to send out a public message that maybe is more impactful? I mean bring back Smokey the Bear I loved that fella or that Drug dog McGuff (?).
I work for Nielsen TV Ratings and I can assure you...you'd be surprised the amount of homes that don't have cable/use antennas and will be affected. It's not limited to certain areas or even income levels-i've seen it all across the board.
You are correct-they don't get those high channels most of the time. Some people get lucky though. :-) Perhaps they think people are watching TV at a friends house? haha..doubtful.
I second McGruff..he was the best! Wasn't he part of DARE- "Dare to Keep Kids off Drugs?"
My parents live b/n two homes and until recently, used antennae at both. We finally got them on cable at one house, simply so they can get more channels and consistent reception. They are into playing DVDs rather than paying for premium channels - and they are satisfied w/ getting local stations. They have analog TVs that are less than 10 years old (32 ") and they just are not that into tv viewing and so have not cared about switching to digital. We have tried to encourage them to get digital TVs and make the big switch but they ordered coupons to get the conversion "box" (whatever it is) to accommodate antennae and their present TV. I do understand that paying for cable at 2 homes is wasted money . . . and I guess they will make a change if it b/cms a hassle at some point or they can't get good reception . . . At this point, they are fine w/ what they have and they would rather spend $1200 on a trip than on an HDTV.
I am little confuse about this big push for getting the converter box to switch a tv from analog to digital.
Will this have any impact on regular tvs that are not HD that are hook up to cable?
I am noticing alot of channels like wbtv switching over to digital if you have a regular tv will you be able to pick up the digital channels without the box on cable?
The other part of me is suspicious in why are they doing this ?
Did some lobbyist for the cable companies start pushing this so that would get more buisness from those who still use analog and possibly raise their rates since now they will have control over the entire market?
If you think the tv ads are bad now wait til this winter I am sure they are going to be on every commercial break.
I bet the big box stores wil be flooded with buyers to get HD tv's this holiday season
I am little confuse about this big push for getting the converter box to switch a tv from analog to digital.
Will this have any impact on regular tvs that are not HD that are hook up to cable?
I am noticing alot of channels like wbtv switching over to digital if you have a regular tv will you be able to pick up the digital channels without the box on cable?
The other part of me is suspicious in why are they doing this ?
Did some lobbyist for the cable companies start pushing this so that would get more buisness from those who still use analog and possibly raise their rates since now they will have control over the entire market?
If you think the tv ads are bad now wait til this winter I am sure they are going to be on every commercial break.
I bet the big box stores wil be flooded with buyers to get HD tv's this holiday season
The "digital" part of the equation is the broadcast, not the means of transmission. Essentially this means that every station broadcasting will send a digital signal. If you have a digital tv and an antenna you're golden. You can also buy set top converters at most any big box.
Really, the cable companies don't benefit from this, but rather, from High Def transmissions. Congress forced the change because they wanted everyone to be able to receive the higher quality signal. The law was passed in 06 and analog shut down is set for 2/17/09.
I tell you what.... I am going to be personally effected BIG TIME! I have a little 2 inch TV with an antenna that I sneak into my office ;-) I like to watch the news etc.. when I am bored and need a break.. and its small enough that when someone comes in I throw it in a drawer ;-) So, this is really going to effect me!!!! hehe....
I still use an analog antenna with no cable or satellite. Why? Because I don't want to pay satellite companies or cable companies a ridculous amount of money for stations which are 90% crap and overfilled with too many commercials. Also, with the internent, I can still watch shows in their entirity after they are broadcast.
I ordered the two $40 coupons for the set top converters and I must say I love them (they cost between $45-60 without the coupons). Every station in Charlotte already broadcasts a digital signal, so I receive all of them clearly. The converter takes the digital signal received through the normal antenna and converts it back to analog, but the picture is still clear. The stations have more "airspace" with digital, so each one offers additional channels on its main band and they are typically weather related. For example, WSOC TV comes in at 9.1, but you can view weather 24/7 on 9.2. I get about 15 channels total (not including the extra weather ones) which is about how much you get for $10 per month with the most basic cable plan. With the remote, you can also pause live tv (but not the sound) and adjust the picture from zoom to fullscreen to widescreen.
The law was passed to make more airspace available for emergency responders. This was part of the reason the NYFD and NYPD could not communicate on September 11, 2001. Also, February 17, 2009 is the DEADLINE for stations to switch to digital broadcasting. Many will switch before then. Wilmington, NC plans to go all digital in September 2008.
I am little confuse about this big push for getting the converter box to switch a tv from analog to digital.
Will this have any impact on regular tvs that are not HD that are hook up to cable?
I am noticing alot of channels like wbtv switching over to digital if you have a regular tv will you be able to pick up the digital channels without the box on cable?
The other part of me is suspicious in why are they doing this ?
Did some lobbyist for the cable companies start pushing this so that would get more buisness from those who still use analog and possibly raise their rates since now they will have control over the entire market?
If you think the tv ads are bad now wait til this winter I am sure they are going to be on every commercial break.
I bet the big box stores wil be flooded with buyers to get HD tv's this holiday season
Sunny - I believe you've asked a very important question which hasn't been properly answered anywhere. I'm in the same boat as you. I have HDTVs in my family room and master bedroom and a HD cable box from TW on each of them. I have 2 older TV's in the other bedrooms that just have the cable wire going into their 75 ohm inputs. Those commercials on TV say that "if you have digital cable, you'll be fine". Well, I have digital cable, but I wonder if those 2 TVs in the bedrooms will work after Feb 2009. If I have to shell out money for cable boxes from Time Warner to keep them operating, I wont "be fine"! Also, those converter boxes are supposed to be for people that only have antenna reception. I wonder if they could be used as "digital tuners" on a cable system in place of those rental cable boxes from Time Warner . I would get those coupons for those boxes if I knew whether they might be useful for something, but i still haven't heard any good answers.
Sunny - As usual, someone is making some money off of this. The federal government has sold all of those channels from 2 to 69 (the old VHF and UHF channels) to the phone companies and other communication companies for billions of dollars. There was also a plan for cable and dish customers to buy their "cable boxes" either from their cable provider or a store like Best Buy, Walmart, or Circuit City and use the little "cable card slot" on the front of the box. This might save customers millions, since they would own their boxes and not be renting them, while paying only (about $1.75 a month) for the credit-card sized "cable card". I think this is in limbo too! Anything that saves people money never seems to work out. I'm sorry I couldn't answer your first question better. If I find out more I'll let you know!
Last edited by TheEmissary; 07-13-2008 at 11:21 AM..
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SunnyKayak
I am little confuse about this big push for getting the converter box to switch a tv from analog to digital.
Will this have any impact on regular tvs that are not HD that are hook up to cable?
I am noticing alot of channels like wbtv switching over to digital if you have a regular tv will you be able to pick up the digital channels without the box on cable?
The other part of me is suspicious in why are they doing this ?
Did some lobbyist for the cable companies start pushing this so that would get more buisness from those who still use analog and possibly raise their rates since now they will have control over the entire market?
If you think the tv ads are bad now wait til this winter I am sure they are going to be on every commercial break.
I bet the big box stores wil be flooded with buyers to get HD tv's this holiday season
Sunny, I was working as a broadcast tech when this all came down. My Chief Engineer would leave magazines geared to management out for us to read with a note paper-clipped to the cover, with pages noted.
This started out as a debate on whether to adopt the Japanese HDTV system. The Japanese used the same analog system as the US (NTSC) They developed an HDTV system years ago. No new set was needed as it was still NTSC. (like the change-over to color)
When digital was initially brought up, the networks saw a chance to eliminate technician jobs & the TV manufacturers saw a gold-mine for themselves. When this was originally adopted, the technology was not available to do this. There was no date for the change-over. The date came later.
Feel free to check on what I am saying. I will not be insulted. I have known that a change was coming for roughly 20 years.
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Also, those converter boxes are supposed to be for people that only have antenna reception. I wonder if they could be used as "digital tuners" on a cable system in place of those rental cable boxes from Time Warner . I would get those coupons for those boxes if I knew whether they might be useful for something, but i still haven't heard any good answers.
If I find out more I'll let you know!
