I cant see why obama will do something like this !!!! Are people to cheap to buy a 50.00 dtv box?
most stations are going dtv only starting Monday here
most stations are going dtv only starting Monday here
Obama Supports Postponing DTV :(
- Thread starter B_Marius567
- Start date
someone crapped out on the coupon give away for you guys. As far as I know, broadcasters don't want to postpone it, as every effort and money spent on the transition would have been fruitless, because if they do, they are not going to make the transition in a while, just to sort the coupon thing.
nudeyorker
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I guess I'm a little out of touch with this and can't really relate because I've had cable television for 30 years!
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The switchover to DTV only affects those who don't have cable tv. In most areas, that is literally only a handful of people. Supposedly, the digital signal takes up less air space, so it will free up all kinds of air for the signals for cell phones, etc.
I only vaguely remember not having cable. I think we got it when I was in 7th grade or so.
I only vaguely remember not having cable. I think we got it when I was in 7th grade or so.
- Deno,
I stopped paying my money to the cable companies over 2 years ago and have been using digital since, its not new in anyway shape or form, and there won't be any stopping it. The government wants to free up analog for emergency responders and its gonna happen, all they want to delay is the turning off of the analog signal until more coupons are available or more people convert over. Its crazy when people have been seeing this on there freaking tv sets now for like a year.
B_VinylBoy
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I sincerely believe those who are complaining about having to buy a digital box because of the mandate to DTV are just overreacting. It's not as if the digital boxes are that expensive. Plus, flat screen televisions are VERY cheap now. Not everyone is expecting you to go for the latest 60" Plasma or LCD screen with surround sound and Blu-Ray. You can get a flat screen TV for under $400 these days. I found a couple of great deals on MySimon recently and got a great 24" HD Samsung monitor for the bedroom for barely over $300. Better yet, you can get a device called the Elgato EyeTV Hybrid which lets you watch TV on your own computer for less than $100. That essentially brings a TV Tuner to your computer, and all you need from there is the digital cable or antenna connection.
Some people are just too stubborn to move on and learn new things. Being a tech junkie, I have very little to no sympathy for anyone refusing to move on. Technology evolves, and somewhere down the line you either have to catch up or be left behind. Even if there is a recession going on, people need to be reasonable about what they spend their money on. This is not a reason to scream bloody murder because you have to spend money. Just live within your means, and just get what you need.
Some people are just too stubborn to move on and learn new things. Being a tech junkie, I have very little to no sympathy for anyone refusing to move on. Technology evolves, and somewhere down the line you either have to catch up or be left behind. Even if there is a recession going on, people need to be reasonable about what they spend their money on. This is not a reason to scream bloody murder because you have to spend money. Just live within your means, and just get what you need.
Rikter8
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For those that don't want or cant afford Cable/satellite and do want to watch their TV should just use the damn 'pons.
It's just a shame that the converter boxes are such crappy quality.
I bought a ATI HD Dual Tuner for my PC (ATI Theatre 650 Pro) and the picture is phenominal on picking up over air signals.
It's rotten that they are forcing an obsoletion of old electronics and a monopoly to purchase new especially at a time when many people cant afford it.
But then again...this last Thanksgiving...I saw people hauling out 2 and 3 LCD TV sets at over $200 a pop.
My 46" Projection sits and rots away.... Eventually I'll hook the PC up to it, and use it that way until it goes up.
After it dies again..... I'm hauling it to the curb and placing a Sofa or chair in it's place.
It's just a shame that the converter boxes are such crappy quality.
I bought a ATI HD Dual Tuner for my PC (ATI Theatre 650 Pro) and the picture is phenominal on picking up over air signals.
It's rotten that they are forcing an obsoletion of old electronics and a monopoly to purchase new especially at a time when many people cant afford it.
But then again...this last Thanksgiving...I saw people hauling out 2 and 3 LCD TV sets at over $200 a pop.
My 46" Projection sits and rots away.... Eventually I'll hook the PC up to it, and use it that way until it goes up.
After it dies again..... I'm hauling it to the curb and placing a Sofa or chair in it's place.
I see two problems with the logistics of the transition:
1. The converter coupons were made available online -- there've been commercials on for months direction people to dtv2009.gov. But I suspect the correlation between people who still receive television over rabbit ears and people who don't use the Internet is fairly high. There is a way to request converter coupons by phone (888-388-2009), but the phone number has been much less widely publicized. Accordingly, the people most in need of converter coupons are also the people least likely to be able to request them.
2. I suspect a lot of people chose to wait to see if -- like other consumer electronics -- the price dropped after Christmas. This created a 'bottleneck', where demand for converter boxes rose sharply in the last month. According to this article, for example, coupon requests in December spiked to over 60% higher than forecast.
Despite these problems, I don't favor extending the deadline. Television isn't a necessity, really, and I'd rather the government focus on other things than to spend more time on this program. I do favor a plan being discussed to block reuse of the freed-up analog frequencies for one year and to allow broadcasters to continue to transmit emergency information and weather alerts on the old analog frequencies. That way, families who didn't get a converter box in time would still have access to important emergency information for a period of time.
1. The converter coupons were made available online -- there've been commercials on for months direction people to dtv2009.gov. But I suspect the correlation between people who still receive television over rabbit ears and people who don't use the Internet is fairly high. There is a way to request converter coupons by phone (888-388-2009), but the phone number has been much less widely publicized. Accordingly, the people most in need of converter coupons are also the people least likely to be able to request them.
2. I suspect a lot of people chose to wait to see if -- like other consumer electronics -- the price dropped after Christmas. This created a 'bottleneck', where demand for converter boxes rose sharply in the last month. According to this article, for example, coupon requests in December spiked to over 60% higher than forecast.
Despite these problems, I don't favor extending the deadline. Television isn't a necessity, really, and I'd rather the government focus on other things than to spend more time on this program. I do favor a plan being discussed to block reuse of the freed-up analog frequencies for one year and to allow broadcasters to continue to transmit emergency information and weather alerts on the old analog frequencies. That way, families who didn't get a converter box in time would still have access to important emergency information for a period of time.
whatireallywant
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There are people who don't have cable for whatever reason. I have it for now but will probably disconnect it this coming month because I can no longer afford it. My dad doesn't have it partly because he doesn't want it, but mostly because he lives too far out in the country and cable doesn't reach that far out in the rural areas.
- Deno,
yeah there estimating this to effect 30 million tv sets, I don't know how that translates into homes but that's not insignificant. The government is mostly concerned due to the national warning system for weather and other suck dangerous events.
For anyone interested I recently purchased a digital receiver for 24.99 plus shipping on ebay, it was a high quality device with several outputs including s-video and HD-Component. Search Hisence Digital Receiver and you'll find them if there still there. This guy had many of them and I got one being the only bid.
For anyone interested I recently purchased a digital receiver for 24.99 plus shipping on ebay, it was a high quality device with several outputs including s-video and HD-Component. Search Hisence Digital Receiver and you'll find them if there still there. This guy had many of them and I got one being the only bid.
Denby
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It seems to be yet another way for big business to get money from people. The funniest thing I have seen has been each month with my cable bill a slip of paper telling me how to get a converter box coupon. It then indicates that as a cable customer I won't need a converter box. Then why put the paper in with my bill?
