The end of analog tv

[rh71]

link

 

[SynthDude2001]

That's just fine with me, I bought an HDTV tuner two months ago :thumbsup:

 

[getbush]

So, worst case scenario, people get off their asses and go outside more?

 

[Sunbird]

I'm wondering, does rain affect a digital signal more than a anolog signal?

 

[nsafreak]

In some cases rain can affect a digital signal more than an analog signal. Btw you don't need an HDTV tuner to receive a digital broadcast a standard ATSC tuner will do just fine.

 

[phisrow]

What I would be curious to know is where the spectrum this will free will end up going. I don't think missing a few shows would do America any harm, and quite possibly a lot of good, given the ghastly statistics with regard to education(or lack thereof), weight(no lack thereof), attention span(or lack thereof), and media consolidation(no lack thereof); but if the spectrum sell-off is twice as honest as it was last time, it will still be a ghastly deal for the public.

Here's hoping that we'll get something more than a few more channels of bad TV (now with FCC mandated DRM) and higher bitrate overpriced bling-bling ringtones for our phones that are too locked down to interoperate with anything. Or, if that is all we'll get, the companies buying the spectrum had bloody well better pay what it is worth.

 

[woowoo]

Originally posted by: Sunbird
I'm wondering, does rain affect a digital signal more than a anolog signal?

No,
Digital uses the same spectrum as analog

 

[woowoo]

Originally posted by: phisrow
What I would be curious to know is where the spectrum this will free will end up going.

The FCC will auction it off.
It will probably go to celular companies.



Sidenote:
Most of the broadcasters that I know would love to turn off the analog transmitters.
Dual power bills are killing us.

 

[Spencer278]

Digital TV sucks.
Change channel
...
...
...
...
See the show sucks
Change Channel
...
...
...
...
...
Repeat.

 

[MrBond]

Wow - I didn't realize that analog TV's just wouldn't work after the switch to digital. I figured stuff would be simucast for a while longer at least.

My parents have 6 TVs in their house - one has Satallite, but still uses OTA signals for locals. They'd have to buy 6 tuners just to continue to use all their TVs.

 

[dragonballgtz]

If the analog signal does die, which I highly doubt, those small HDTVs better cost $300 or less. If not i won't be watching TV for a while.

 

[rudeguy]

Originally posted by: phisrow
What I would be curious to know is where the spectrum this will free will end up going. I don't think missing a few shows would do America any harm, and quite possibly a lot of good, given the ghastly statistics with regard to education(or lack thereof), weight(no lack thereof), attention span(or lack thereof), and media consolidation(no lack thereof); but if the spectrum sell-off is twice as honest as it was last time, it will still be a ghastly deal for the public.

Here's hoping that we'll get something more than a few more channels of bad TV (now with FCC mandated DRM) and higher bitrate overpriced bling-bling ringtones for our phones that are too locked down to interoperate with anything. Or, if that is all we'll get, the companies buying the spectrum had bloody well better pay what it is worth.

the extra BW is goign to go to cellular companies mostly.

 

[WW]

I don't see Joe Sixpack buying an expensive converter boxes. Prices have to come way down.

they are going to have to extend the date, or give tax cuts to companies that produce $10 converter boxes...or there are going to be riots in the streets.

 

[woowoo]

2006 is the extended date.

LG makes a good 5th generation 8vsb reciever chip.
But, they are not including it into their new set top boxes.

 

[Mr.IncrediblyBored]

Originally posted by: dragonballgtz
If the analog signal does die, which I highly doubt, those small HDTVs better cost $300 or less. If not i won't be watching TV for a while.

You are confusing plain jane digital TV with high definition TV. They are not exactly the same thing.

HDTV requires a digital signal, but a digital signal is not necessarily in HD. At worst, you'll have to buy a set-top box that converts the digital over-the-air signal into analog for your television.

 

[aceO07]

There's supposed to be a condition that it's only if the area is 85% DTV ready.

 

[woowoo]

Originally posted by: aceO07
There's supposed to be a condition that it's only if the area is 85% DTV ready.

Cable and sat usually meet the 85% rule.

 

[3chordcharlie]

Originally posted by: aceO07
There's supposed to be a condition that it's only if the area is 85% DTV ready.

"Every TV is DTV ready"

You just have to buy another piece...

Seriously though, advertisers won't stand for analog being turned off if they are going to lose viewers who are not ready.

 

[rh71]

Originally posted by: KnightBreed

Originally posted by: dragonballgtz
If the analog signal does die, which I highly doubt, those small HDTVs better cost $300 or less. If not i won't be watching TV for a while.

You are confusing plain jane digital TV with high definition TV. They are not exactly the same thing.

HDTV requires a digital signal, but a digital signal is not necessarily in HD. At worst, you'll have to buy a set-top box that converts the digital over-the-air signal into analog for your television.

and you can rent those set-top boxes from your cable company for ~$5/mo.

 

[Kaido]

most people I know use cable tv. isn't a lot of cable like Cox Communications already digital?

 

[geno]

digital != HDTV

 

[woowoo]

Originally posted by: Kaido
most people I know use cable tv. isn't a lot of cable like Cox Communications already digital?

I believe we are talking about over the air delivery methods
Not cable delivery methods
The fact that cable companies are carring the downconverted DTV feeds helps satisfy the 85% rule

Most cable companies do not rent 8vbs "Boxes"

 

[DeMeo]

This will happen, just like we (USA) switched to the metric system in the early seventies.....

 

[NiKeFiDO]

the government cares if we use digital TV vs analog? what do they have some sort of control mechanisms they can only use with digital or something? whats their incentive to do this?

 

[Amused]

Originally posted by: woowoo

Originally posted by: Kaido
most people I know use cable tv. isn't a lot of cable like Cox Communications already digital?

I believe we are talking about over the air delivery methods
Not cable delivery methods
The fact that cable companies are carring the downconverted DTV feeds helps satisfy the 85% rule

On cable, only channels above 100 are digital. The vast majority of cable channels, even if you have "digital cable" are still analog.

Like I told my local Insight cable, I'll switch back to cable from Sat when they go 100% digital.