Digital TV in 2009 (converter, program, control, channel)
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For those of you that don't have cable nor satellite tv this is for you. The government is giving away plastic credit card type rebates (2 $40 cards per address) towards digital tv converters for the upcoming 2009 switch-over. You can go here https://www.dtv2009.gov/ to apply. I applied expecting a long wait but got them right at 30-35 days. Act promptly, the money may run out (as stated on the site). Now back to our regularly scheduled programming. ..
p.s. HEB was selling them for (guess what ??) $40 a piece..
I'm probably the last person on earth who doesn't have cable or satellite TV. I can get ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox and a couple of local stations with my little antenna. I've had free TV all these years, I really don't want to pay for a box to watch TV (which is mostly commercials). Even with the coupon, the box will still cost me money (maybe about 30 dollars).
It really bothers me that this is a law. Don't our lawmakers have more important things to attend to? I was thinking about applying for a coupon until I saw that commercial that states - "Digital TV is so great that it's going to be a law that all stations have to broadcast in digital" (paraphrasing).
My brother thinks it's some type of Big Brother Conspiracy thing. The government will be able to monitor everyone once was go all-digital. I didn't really think that until I went to the website. So you enter your address and they know where the non-cable people live. Maybe not something as serious as my brother is thinking but something I don't like.
I think I'll call their bluff and wait and see what happens in Feb 2009.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Deep Forest
For those of you that don't have cable nor satellite tv this is for you. The government is giving away plastic credit card type rebates (2 $40 cards per address) towards digital tv converters for the upcoming 2009 switch-over. You can go here https://www.dtv2009.gov/ to apply. I applied expecting a long wait but got them right at 30-35 days. Act promptly, the money may run out (as stated on the site). Now back to our regularly scheduled programming. ..
p.s. HEB was selling them for (guess what ??) $40 a piece..
I'm probably the last person on earth who doesn't have cable or satellite TV. I can get ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox and a couple of local stations with my little antenna. I've had free TV all these years, I really don't want to pay for a box to watch TV (which is mostly commercials). Even with the coupon, the box will still cost me money (maybe about 30 dollars).
It really bothers me that this is a law. Don't our lawmakers have more important things to attend to? I was thinking about applying for a coupon until I saw that commercial that states - "Digital TV is so great that it's going to be a law that all stations have to broadcast in digital" (paraphrasing).
My brother thinks it's some type of Big Brother Conspiracy thing. The government will be able to monitor everyone once was go all-digital. I didn't really think that until I went to the website. So you enter your address and they know where the non-cable people live. Maybe not something as serious as my brother is thinking but something I don't like.
I think I'll call their bluff and wait and see what happens in Feb 2009.
Digital TV is a good thing. It allows more efficient use of the broadcast spectrum. With digital transmission, several channels can be broadcast in the same space as single channel is now. Most stations in SA are broadcasting subchannels right now and without a digital tuner, you cant see them.
I'm probably the last person on earth who doesn't have cable or satellite TV. I can get ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox and a couple of local stations with my little antenna. I've had free TV all these years, I really don't want to pay for a box to watch TV (which is mostly commercials). Even with the coupon, the box will still cost me money (maybe about 30 dollars).
It really bothers me that this is a law. Don't our lawmakers have more important things to attend to? I was thinking about applying for a coupon until I saw that commercial that states - "Digital TV is so great that it's going to be a law that all stations have to broadcast in digital" (paraphrasing).
My brother thinks it's some type of Big Brother Conspiracy thing. The government will be able to monitor everyone once was go all-digital. I didn't really think that until I went to the website. So you enter your address and they know where the non-cable people live. Maybe not something as serious as my brother is thinking but something I don't like.
I think I'll call their bluff and wait and see what happens in Feb 2009.
IT's true!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! the New Warld Arder!! gotta be careful what you talk about these days because are freedom really doesn't exsist anymore.!! Look at the dollar bill it says it in latin. things are changing and it is coming. 2009 aka 1984!
IT's true!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! the New Warld Arder!! gotta be careful what you talk about these days because are freedom really doesn't exsist anymore.!! Look at the dollar bill it says it in latin. things are changing and it is coming. 2009 aka 1984!
...I really hope you're being sarcastic.
As another poster said, its more efficient and provides a clearer picture.
What this means is that we can then use that radio spectrum for something else, more useful. Thats why this is a law, and not just a recommendation.
we can then use that radio spectrum for something else, more useful.
Like bringing in $19 billion. Anyone know where that money's going?
Google, Verizon, AT&T, etc were bidding on that space. There will no doubt be new wireless services being offered by them in the next few years.
Quote:
Originally Posted by shenane
it really bothers me that this is a law.
Me too. The market should have driven this decision, not Congress.
Quote:
My brother thinks it's some type of Big Brother Conspiracy thing.
It's not the government who wanted this - it's the content producers, who happen to have a lot of influence on the government. This change puts the infrastructure in place for them to be able to control what you can or can't record, how long you have to watch it, how many times you can watch it, whether or not it can be transferred or copied to another device, whether or not you can skip commercials, etc.
Like bringing in $19 billion. Anyone know where that money's going?
Google, Verizon, AT&T, etc were bidding on that space. There will no doubt be new wireless services being offered by them in the next few years.
Me too. The market should have driven this decision, not Congress.
It's not the government who wanted this - it's the content producers, who happen to have a lot of influence on the government. This change puts the infrastructure in place for them to be able to control what you can or can't record, how long you have to watch it, how many times you can watch it, whether or not it can be transferred or copied to another device, whether or not you can skip commercials, etc.
It sounds like an economic decision, good for business. $19billion is a good chunk of change.
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