U.S. DTV Transition Not Going Very Well

[jkladis]

When compared to the big picture of things like a tanking World economy, two wars, political unrest, pollution and endless seasons of Survivor, the transition to digital television is surely building to become an inconvenience of epic proportions.

There's talk that that the TV converter coupon program has run out of money. To that end, I applied for my parents at DTV2009.GOV. Here are the results:

IMPORTANT:
We have determined that your household is eligible to participate in this program. However, at this time program funding is not currently available to fulfill your request. Your application has been placed on a waiting list. You do not need to apply again. When and if funds become available, coupon requests will be fulfilled on a first-come, first-served basis.

Barrack Obama is calling for a transition delay. Makes sense given the timing. This morning, I heard on my local news station that speculation of it occurring is likely.

More personal of an observation are my discussion with friends, family and colleagues that aren't quite as informed in these things like we are.

-My parents...no frigging clue of what any of this. They have two televisions that still receive airwave signals.

-My sister, an attorney (and Mother of two young children) had a passing familiarity with it.

-Other friends and acquaintances carried mixed results.

February 17 (or whenever) won't be a time of a national emergency, but it sure looks like an awfully lot of confused and pissed people will suddenly emerge.

 

[RoJoHen]

I don't know what the advertising is like around the country, but in my little corner of Illinois, the commercials for the "transition to digital" don't make any sense. It took me over a year of seeing them before I had any idea what they were trying to inform me about. Whoever wrote those commercials doesn't have a clue how about advertising.

 

[Dream]

Thank god I signed up early last year and bought my boxes with the coupons! Sounds like there will be many angry people in the next few weeks.

 

[Trekker4747]

Personally, I don't see how people could not know this is going to happen. It's been all over the news for the last several years and for the better part of the last year tickers and commercials have been on TV explaining the switch over.

Partly, I'm astonished anyone but a very small percentage still recieves OTA signals, but I digress.

Personally, I think those of use awatiing, wanting and loving the digital revolution should just leave the luddites behind.

 

[Dream]

Personally, I don't see how people could not know this is going to happen. It's been all over the news for the last several years and for the better part of the last year tickers and commercials have been on TV explaining the switch over.

I think a big part of it as that they are just lazy. They keep saying they will get to it but they never do. It took me like 30 seconds to fill out the form online to get my coupons.

 

[Spot's Meow]

I don't really have any sympathy for those who have procrastinated. This transition has been plastered all over TV for over a year. You can't watch 5 minutes without seeing a commercial about it or news anchors talking about it. It's everywhere. I don't see what else they could have possibly done to inform people about this.

And a lot of people are complaining that the coupons have run out. But the transition website has always clearly stated that coupons were limited and that supplies WILL run out. It made it obvious that the supply of coupons was not neverending and that there were not enough for every household that may want one, so hurry up and get yours as soon as you can. I got mine months ago.

It seemed clear to me that this was going to happen. That a month or so before the switch people would suddenly all try to get their coupons and find that they have run out. Really, could it have gone down any other way? People are lazy and love to procrastinate. And they never pay attention even when there are a gazillion commercials about it and there has been talk about it for several months. I don't think the date should be pushed back just for these people. They shouldn't have waited until the last minute.

 

[tharpdevenport]

Well, maybe now some people will get ouf of the house, read a book, go to the beach, so forth.


Can someone tell me why they are forcing the chance? What good does it do?

 

[RoJoHen]

Has to happen at some point. Better to set a date and just get it over with.

 

[JonathonWally]

Can someone tell me why they are forcing the chance? What good does it do?

Progress

 

[Temis the Vorta]

The people who can't figure out/don't know about/aren't paying attention to the DTV transition are also the people who still dutifully watch ads because they can't figure out or won't bother with TiVO or even a stupid VCR to help them skip ads.

Which means the DTV-confused crowd are the economic backbone of the TV watching audience now. No wonder the TV networks are running scared about this.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

Can someone tell me why they are forcing the chance? What good does it do?

Frees up much needed bandwidth for other uses.

Count me as one of those who's surprised that this is even news. While I have no desire to see anyone cut off from service...I mean, come on. There's been plenty of time to get a converter. In my local Best Buy there's still hundreds of them. I'm sure that with a minimal amount of effort, they can still be had.

Partly, I'm astonished anyone but a very small percentage still recieves OTA signals, but I digress.

Personally, I think those of use awatiing, wanting and loving the digital revolution should just leave the luddites behind.

Agreed. I also have a hard time lamenting the end of analog TV. It's progress. Analog OTA is obsolete. Get over it, people.

 

[Temis the Vorta]

I don't know what the advertising is like around the country, but in my little corner of Illinois, the commercials for the "transition to digital" don't make any sense. It took me over a year of seeing them before I had any idea what they were trying to inform me about. Whoever wrote those commercials doesn't have a clue how about advertising.

In California, the ads are clear enough. But that doesn't mean people will understand/pay attention/care until it is too late.

Personally, I don't see how people could not know this is going to happen.

Oh I can. Just think about all the people who have to rush to the post office with their tax returns at 11:59pm every April 15. Like they forgot tax day happens every year? Did the date slip their mind? Why not take care of it in January?

LOTS of people refuse to address a problem until it smacks them in the face. And that's going to smack the TV biz in the wallet.

Personally, I think those of use awatiing, wanting and loving the digital revolution should just leave the luddites behind.

The TV biz desperately needs the luddites. Like I said, they actually still watch ads! TV honchos love them. It's us they hate - parasites that we are. If they had the choice, they'd toss us and keep the luddies.

Has to happen at some point. Better to set a date and just get it over with.

Has someone set up a multi-million (perhaps billion) fund to compensate the TV industry when the Nielsons fall thru the floor because the luddites can't figgure out why the TV doesn't work anymore? All the angst over the transition going badly is because the TV industry lobbyists are pounding on the right doors in DC...

This has nothing to do with what we want or like, and everything to do with making those lobbyists happy. And for once, I'm on the lobbyists' side. After all, everyone else has gotten a bailout, despite being morons. The TV industry is facing armageddon for something that isn't even their fault!

 

[Trekker4747]

Well, maybe now some people will get ouf of the house, read a book, go to the beach, so forth.


Can someone tell me why they are forcing the chance? What good does it do?

Frees up the bandwith in those channels for other uses, not the least of which being for communications for public service and, I believe, cell-phone use.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

LOTS of people refuse to address a problem until it smacks them in the face. And that's going to smack the TV biz in the wallet.

Maybe that's a good thing.

On both counts.

As for the question of 'luddites' - meh. This isn't gaddam rocket science. Either get a converter, or get BASIC FUCKING CABLE. Even luddites can do that, can't they?

 

[The Borgified Corpse]

Partly, I'm astonished anyone but a very small percentage still recieves OTA signals, but I digress.

Personally, I think those of use awatiing, wanting and loving the digital revolution should just leave the luddites behind.

Agreed. I also have a hard time lamenting the end of analog TV. It's progress. Analog OTA is obsolete. Get over it, people. [/quote]

It may be an old, technically crappy format. However, I'm quite suspicious of a government mandated change that will render thousands of older televisions obsolete or in need of an expensive converter box. I'm not one to jump on the corporate conspiracy bandwagon but it seems to me that the primary reason for the changeover is to try to force people to buy new TVs, furthering a shallow, consumerist agenda.

This whole changeover business seems like a terrible nuisance to me, especially when I hardly watch live TV anymore. Almost all I ever watch are DVDs. I only watch live TV when its on in the background or occasionally for Saturday Night Live.

I didn't vote for Barack Obama. But if he delays the transition, I might have to kiss that man.

 

[Trekker4747]

Partly, I'm astonished anyone but a very small percentage still recieves OTA signals, but I digress.

Personally, I think those of use awatiing, wanting and loving the digital revolution should just leave the luddites behind.

Agreed. I also have a hard time lamenting the end of analog TV. It's progress. Analog OTA is obsolete. Get over it, people.

It may be an old, technically crappy format. However, I'm quite suspicious of a government mandated change that will render thousands of older televisions obsolete or in need of an expensive converter box. I'm not one to jump on the corporate conspiracy bandwagon but it seems to me that the primary reason for the changeover is to try to force people to buy new TVs, furthering a shallow, consumerist agenda.

This whole changeover business seems like a terrible nuisance to me, especially when I hardly watch live TV anymore. Almost all I ever watch are DVDs. I only watch live TV when its on in the background or occasionally for Saturday Night Live.

I didn't vote for Barack Obama. But if he delays the transition, I might have to kiss that man.[/QUOTE]

The conveter box costs $40 - $50. I would suspect many could "afford" that one-time expense. Sure they may have to skip a carton of smokes or a couple packs of Bud, but it's not a ton of money, exactly.

And as pointed out, the conversion isn't just because of the better qulaity, it's being done for practical reaons.

 

[CommodoreKong]

It's going to be a disaster when all of the old people and people who haven't been paying attention turn on their TVs on February 17.

It's also not going to be good when they can't get half of the stations that they could with analog TV. We recently got a digital TV where I work, and before the only station we couldn't get was CBS (though sometimes messing around with the antenna we could). Now we can't get NBC, Fox and sometimes we can't get ABC (depending on if the television gods are smiling on us or not).

 

[Trekker4747]

It's going to be a disaster when all of the old people and people who haven't been paying attention turn on their TVs on February 17.

I guess The Price is Right will just have to watch itself.

But just think, how else will they find out about getting a new Rascal or what Wilfred Brimley has to say about diabetic testing supplies?

 

[Small White Car]

I don't understand why, instead of switching the analog channels off in February, they don't just change all analog channels to run those converter-box infomercials for a month.

Then, instead of being confused, all the stragglers will at least get instructions on what to do. Wouldn't that be better than a delay?

And by the way, I remember learning about this conversion in High School. And I graduated in 1999!

 

[Trekker4747]

Then, instead of being confused, all the stragglers will at least get instructions on what to do. Wouldn't that be better than a delay?

They've had more than enough time to figure things out. We can ever keep coddling them or leave them in our dust.

I say leave them.