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Now, those of you who have been paying attention will start to see the advantages of opting-out of the gizmo arms race.
I got rid of the TV before the analog-to-digital conversion. That allowed me to spend $0.00 on converting to digital TV. As each generation of larger, higher-definition TV has been released, I have spent as little as $0.00 and as much as $0.00 on upgrades. My cable TV bills have also run the gamut from 0 to 0. Now I am going to be offered the opportunity to spend another whopping $0.00 on upgrading to the next generation.
Same thing with cell phones. By ignoring the Blackberry/Pontius Pilot generation of devices, and by continuing to ignore cell phones during the Iphone generation, I have been able to avoid additional upgrades.
I would urge you to consider taking this non-standard approach.
As a major TV addict, you'll have to pry my remote outta my cold, dead hands - and even then you better be sure I'm really dead. I bite hard.
Perhaps most perniciously, Pai took steps toward approving a new broadcast-transmission standard called Next Gen TV, which would require all consumers in the U.S. to purchase new televisions or converter devices.
The Advanced Television Systems Committee (ATSC) is the group, established in 1982, that developed the eponymous ATSC standards for digital television in the United States. These standards have also been adopted by Canada, Mexico, South Korea and recently Honduras, and are being considered by other countries.
ATSC replaced much of the analog NTSC television system in the United States on June 12, 2009, on August 31, 2011 in Canada, on December 31, 2012 in South Korea, and on December 31, 2015 in Mexico.
ATSC 3.0 (Next Gen TV) improves the current version of free, over-the-air TV beloved by a certain population of cord cutters who don't want to pay for cable, satellite or streaming live TV. It promises resolutions up to Ultra HD 4K TV, high dynamic range, refresh rates up to 120Hz, better reception indoors, better mobile reception, and more.
Frankly the rate of improvement of antenna TV is ultra slow compared to most electronics in cell phones, routers, and modems. Furthermore most people who use a television strictly to watch broadcast TV rely on models which cost less than $250.
If you want to rail at a culture that replaces a $1000 iPhone every two years, I am OK with that. But I picture someone who rants about changes in broadcast TV as a kind of Mr. Scrooge ranting about someone taking away his quill pen which works perfectly find except for some ink smudges,
The FCC is testing full real 4k TV transmission in selected cities. When/if it becomes nation wide, there will be millions of upset people learning that their 4k TV will not receive OTA 4k without a signal converter.
I wonder how the bill will be paid for an upgrade in equipment to permit 4K Over the Air Transmissions.
Broadcast stations had a financial incentive to adopt ATSC and digital standards. The bandwidth requirements were so much lower that they could use digital multicasting to broadcasting on 2 HD channels, or more commonly 1 HD channel and up 6 SD channels into the same bandwidth as the old analog channels. These new channels are sometimes called diginets.
Retro Television Network (2005) was among the first networks to be produced specifically for the digital television market. Me TV was launched in Chicago in 2003 as a programming format, and has become one of the most popular and widely distributed network that uses digital subchannels as its primary form of distribution. Antenna TV, This TV , Movies!, GetTV , CosiTV, HandI (Heroes and Icons), LafffTV, Bounce TV , and dozens of others including foreign language networks increased revenue for broadcast stations. More specialized subchannels include Rev'n is focused on automobiles and trucks, Grit (aimed at men with a lineup heavy on western and action films), Escape (aimed at women and featuring mystery and true crime programs), Buzzr (game shows),Comet (focusing on science fiction series and films), and PBJ (children's programs).
I doubt very much that 4K broadcast TV is going to bring in significantly increased rates for commercials.
Last edited by PacoMartin; 11-26-2018 at 12:58 PM..
^^^^
While the 2009 switch from analog to digital was mandatory, 4k will be voluntary. The Tampa area has 13 prime channels with a few dozen sub channels. Seven went with 1080 and six went with 720 with all their subs being 480. I don't know who owns the stations and how deep are their pockets to have 4k with so few TV's capable of receiving the signal in the Tampa viewing area.
Now, those of you who have been paying attention will start to see the advantages of opting-out of the gizmo arms race.
I got rid of the TV before the analog-to-digital conversion. That allowed me to spend $0.00 on converting to digital TV. As each generation of larger, higher-definition TV has been released, I have spent as little as $0.00 and as much as $0.00 on upgrades. My cable TV bills have also run the gamut from 0 to 0. Now I am going to be offered the opportunity to spend another whopping $0.00 on upgrading to the next generation.
Same thing with cell phones. By ignoring the Blackberry/Pontius Pilot generation of devices, and by continuing to ignore cell phones during the Iphone generation, I have been able to avoid additional upgrades.
I would urge you to consider taking this non-standard approach.
Exactly.
Plus, I can see every pimple, pore, and hair growing out of people's follicles now.
Now, those of you who have been paying attention will start to see the advantages of opting-out of the gizmo arms race.
I got rid of the TV before the analog-to-digital conversion. That allowed me to spend $0.00 on converting to digital TV. As each generation of larger, higher-definition TV has been released, I have spent as little as $0.00 and as much as $0.00 on upgrades. My cable TV bills have also run the gamut from 0 to 0. Now I am going to be offered the opportunity to spend another whopping $0.00 on upgrading to the next generation.
Same thing with cell phones. By ignoring the Blackberry/Pontius Pilot generation of devices, and by continuing to ignore cell phones during the Iphone generation, I have been able to avoid additional upgrades.
I would urge you to consider taking this non-standard approach.
I think you’re making the assumption that there’s no value in big TVs or smartphones. It’s foolish to buy things just for the sake of buying them, but it’s also foolish to avoid buying things just for the sake of not buying them.
I think you’re making the assumption that there’s no value in big TVs or smartphones. It’s foolish to buy things just for the sake of buying them, but it’s also foolish to avoid buying things just for the sake of not buying them.
Well, I can tell you that for me there is zero value in owning a TV whether big or small. I honestly have not said at any time in the last 13 years I haven't had one, that I wished I had a TV at home.
I can see there could be a minimal value in owning (renting, really) a "smart" phone but the increased value it would bring is not sufficient to offset the increase in my fixed overhead and the time consumed in setting it up, maintaining the software, managing upgrades, etc.
My point was that people will often be better off DECIDING to make or not make a gadget purchase rather than simply going along with the latest generation of gadgets just because they're new. For me, the default decision will always be NOT to buy the newest and latest, until it's clearly proven to be valuable. My stereo dates back to 1982, for example.
Well, I can tell you that for me there is zero value in owning a TV whether big or small. I honestly have not said at any time in the last 13 years I haven't had one, that I wished I had a TV at home.
I can see there could be a minimal value in owning (renting, really) a "smart" phone but the increased value it would bring is not sufficient to offset the increase in my fixed overhead and the time consumed in setting it up, maintaining the software, managing upgrades, etc.
My point was that people will often be better off DECIDING to make or not make a gadget purchase rather than simply going along with the latest generation of gadgets just because they're new. For me, the default decision will always be NOT to buy the newest and latest, until it's clearly proven to be valuable. My stereo dates back to 1982, for example.
That's all I was trying to say. It's about being engaged with spending decisions rather than reflexively making or avoiding them. Everyone is going to have different priorities and budgets.
I still have a large HDTV I got for free from someone moving out of the country, even though newer models are well within my budget. I will say smartphones are incredibly versatile and useful. I resisted getting one for longer than I should have, to my own detriment. The amount I pay per month (service+amortized phone cost) is less than the value I receive.
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