nklb
Premium
join:2000-11-17
Ann Arbor, MI
clubs:
1 edit | I still use an antenna
My house came with an Antenna, and I don't watch much television, so I don't really care either way.
However, the only notices I have seen in the past few months about the transition were cable companies advertising their services and not making it clear that a simple converter box is all that was needed.
Prior to the original deadline I saw a LOT of advertisements with real facts about the looming transition.
Edit: spelling |
|
pnh102
Reptiles Are Cuddly And Pretty
Premium
join:2002-05-02
Mount Airy, MD |  OH NOEZ!
WE'RE ALL GONNA DIE! |
|
tschmidt
Premium,MVM
join:2000-11-12
Milford, NH
 ·Hollis Hosting
 ·Verizon Online DSL
·Fairpoint Communic..
| DTV is nice when it workls
Be nice to see how things work once the dust settles.
We are in a rural area in hilly terrain. Even with high quality rooftop antenna some DTV signals are marginal at best. In fairness those analog stations were also very snowy.
DTV coverage is often somewhat less then analog. Hopefully once stations get better real world experience with DTV transmission they will submit modification to FCC to increase coverage, by increasing Tx power (expensive) antenna modifications, or installing low power translators. Translators are common here in NH to extend coverage to the north country.
/tom |
|
Frank
is chilling
Premium
join:2000-11-03
somewhere
 ·Verizon FIOS
| I dont know of anyone who uses an antenna.
seriously, in the last 10 years I havent met anyone who doesnt have cable/sattelite or fiber. Everybody I know has cable, even the people I know who dont own a tv (they have cable internet).
The only thing that will suck about this transition is that many people who rely on antenna will lose channels because digital signal does not travel as far as analog.
--
At first I thought everyone on the highway was drunk but then I realized I was driving in Florida  |
|
jmn1207
Premium
join:2000-07-19
Reston, VA | Say What?
Certainly, some people that were expecting the change to come in February will be unexpectedly surprised when the transition finally happens. The delay will probably cause more confusion then if the initial schedule was followed. |
|
me1212
join:2008-11-20
Pleasant Hill, MO | reply to nklb
Re: I still use an antenna
Look at it from the cablecos point of view, which gets them more money a dude buying converter box OR a new subscriber. |
|
Gary A
join:2008-03-02
Odessa, FL
·Embarq
·Verizon FIOS
| reply to Frank
Re: I dont know of anyone who uses an antenna.
My in-laws in rural Indiana use an outside antenna and have older analog TVs. I was there last month and connected several converter boxes that we got for them, using the government coupons. After scanning, I found that they were receiving over 20 DTV channels.
Worked out great.  Now they are all set for June 12. All they have to do is re-scan the converter boxes. |
|
me1212
join:2008-11-20
Pleasant Hill, MO | reply to Frank
Most everyone here uses or at least has an antenna. |
|
nixen
Rockin' the Boxen
Premium
join:2002-10-04
Alexandria, VA
 ·Cox HSI
·Speakeasy
| I still don't understand the delay
I mean, you're still going to have the idiots that *somehow* failed to get the message.
But, let's get serious: it's not like this falls into anything approaching a (hypothetical) change from "911" to "999". If people's TVs go dark, they're gonna call someone that's not got a clue. And, contrary to popular belief, it *is* possible to get through a day without TV (I frequently find that I'll look up from my laptop, my books (etc.) and realize, "Hmm... I never turned the TV on, today".
/me shrugs
--
The trouble with the world is that the stupid are cocksure and the intelligent are full of doubt. -- Bertrand Russell |
|
anjorusso
@speakeasy.net
| what about white space broadband???
according to wikipedia, google will start transmission of whitespace broadband on the day that there is a changeover to Digital signal...but i doubt it:(((
Full power analog television broadcasts, which operate between the 54 MHz and 806 MHz television frequencies (Channels 2-69), are slated to cease operating by June 12, 2009 per a United States digital switchover mandate. At that time, full power TV stations will be required to switch to digital transmission and operate only between 54-698 MHz. This is also the timetable that the white space coalition has set to begin offering wireless broadband services to consumers. |
|
DaveNJ
No Fear
join:1999-09-01
New Jersey | reply to pnh102
Re: OH NOEZ!
ROFL
|
|
Matt
Take me down to the paradise city
Premium
join:2003-07-20
Jamestown, NC
·North State Commun..
| reply to Frank
Re: I dont know of anyone who uses an antenna.
said by Frank  :seriously, in the last 10 years I havent met anyone who doesnt have cable/sattelite or fiber. Everybody I know has cable, even the people I know who dont own a tv (they have cable internet). The only thing that will suck about this transition is that many people who rely on antenna will lose channels because digital signal does not travel as far as analog. I dropped Cable and Satellite for a DTV antenna, Netflix and Hulu. Works great and aside from Netflix, it completely free. |
|
Matt
Take me down to the paradise city
Premium
join:2003-07-20
Jamestown, NC
·North State Commun..
| reply to nixen
Re: I still don't understand the delay
said by nixen :I mean, you're still going to have the idiots that *somehow* failed to get the message. But, let's get serious: it's not like this falls into anything approaching a (hypothetical) change from "911" to "999". If people's TVs go dark, they're gonna call someone that's not got a clue. And, contrary to popular belief, it *is* possible to get through a day without TV (I frequently find that I'll look up from my laptop, my books (etc.) and realize, "Hmm... I never turned the TV on, today". /me shrugs The sad part is, there are some stations who still aren't ready, unless my local Fox affiliate is the only one. They've had a number of years to prepare and are STILL going to have to utilize a temporary DTV facility and are running broadcasts saying some people will lose their signal entirely until the new facilities are online. |
|
aeblank
join:2004-09-07
Cadillac, MI
| DTV & HDTV
I'm curious what, if any, stations are doing DTV but NOT HDTV.
My analog stations weren't the greatest. My digital stations are similar, but once the transition hits a more local transmitter goes live and 2 of my 5 stations should become perfect. 2 others will have "much much stronger signal" according to their own newscast. the 5th is PBS and is already digital only and has a reasonably good signal most of the time.
Some of us still like our FREE tv. I could afford dish, but I don't need to spend MORE time in front of the TV. So screw it. My 3 DVRs make it so I always have a show I like available. |
|
SLD
Premium
join:2002-04-17 | reply to Matt
Re: I dont know of anyone who uses an antenna.
So you have free internet access? |
|
SLD
Premium
join:2002-04-17 | Finally!
I'm so tired of CSI being squeezed into 3/4 frame while they run announcements for the transition *every* episode I record. Probably for every other show as well. Ridiculous! |
|
Bobcat
Premium
join:2001-02-04
Bedminster, NJ
·Verizon Online DSL
1 edit | reply to Frank
Re: I dont know of anyone who uses an antenna.
I'm going to cancel my expensive Cablevision service. I can't use an outside antenna, so I doubt I can receive any DTV signals here (analog with rabbit ears was pretty snowy, but watchable). So we won't have any TV service at all.
--
It's nice to be important, but it's more important to be nice. |
|
TKJunkMail
Enjoy the sun
Premium
join:2002-03-03
Avalon, NJ
 ·Sprint Mobile Broa..
·Comcast
| reply to Frank
I use a small indoor antenna as a backup if cable TV is out. The LCD TV can pickup OTA DTV(I get about 25 channels). In fact, the HDTV main network channels actually come in looking better than the feeds from cable(less compression I guess).
--
My BLOG .. .. Internet News .. .. My Web Page |
|
Eat Me
join:2002-09-25
Sussex, NJ | reply to Bobcat
I'm sure Cablevision is saying good riddance. |
|
Matt
Take me down to the paradise city
Premium
join:2003-07-20
Jamestown, NC
·North State Commun..
| reply to SLD
said by SLD :So you have free internet access? What does that have to do with anything? |
|
