USA to delay digital TV switch

[RobertVA]

A lot of network affiliates use transmitters at hundreds of thousand watts power setting. Compare that to a typical household capacity of a 100 amps (voltage X amps = watts). Imagine the electric bill just to run the transmitter!

A big percentage of viewers are already taking advantage of some combination of cable, satellite, TVs that are already equipped with digital tuners and digital to analog converters.

It would not surprise me if stations are looking forward to shutting down that money sucking analog transmitter. There might be stations shutting them down February 17 anyway.

 

[Scout101]

This is just retarded. It's a $50 converter, $40 of which was paid for by the government, unless you chose not to fill out the form, or waited until the last minute to do so. Where's the "hardship", even in these poor economic times? They've had over 2 years to get these converter boxes, and only needed to save up $10 (or $20 for 2 TVs) over that time. Can find .40 cents a month on the ground, or couch cushions! Even with no coupons, or if they want more than 2 boxes, still not talking much money. Last time we discussed this non-topic, I gave the example of my parents in Maine. Their cottage barely gets a signal right now. Which means no DTV signal with that equipment. $100 for an directional uhf/vhf antenna (blue/violet for deep fringe areas), $50 for a pre-amp to boost the signal (channelmaster 7777, if it makes a difference), $15 worth of brand new, quad-shielded RG6 cable to rewire from the antenna to the TV, and $10 for a converter box, after coupon. $175 total, and that's a pretty clear WORST CASE scenario, as I had to replace everything but the TV itself. $100 of that was the antenna, which was old and crappy. If it had been in decent shape, the pre-amp would have done the job itself, so would have only cost $75 total. Where's the problem, exactly?

Why John Picard is putting out a $120 converter strawman to attack instead is beyond me. In any event, he said he's choosing not to participate in the changeover, so he's arguing a lot for someone who says he's opting out.

This ought to be a big hit for the TV and broadcast companies when they get the news. Planning on shutting off all the analog transmitters in a couple weeks, instead they get to run them 4 more months, and pay the bill. Is Congress including bailout money to pay the bill for that? How about for the companies that bought the frequencies, and spent money to gear up to work with them, and now have to put that on hold?

Changing the date won't change the minds of people who aren't ready. They still won't be ready in June. Some people are too stupid, or too lazy, and won't do anything until the tv goes black, and then they'll just bitch and say they didn't know. In Feb, in June, doesn't matter.

 

[Deckerd]

I'm amazed the government forked out for your digiboxes. That's so, well, socialist. We, on the other hand, under a nominally socialist government got nada. The Scottish Borders were the first region to have their analogue transmitters turned off. There wasn't much fuss at all. Most of the rest will be turned off this year.

 

[John Picard]

A "one time payment" of $120 isn't a whole lot, even in our tough economy.

$30 a week for a month? $15 a week for two months? $10 a week for a year?

We've known and been told over and over about this switch for several years. We've been told over and over for several years that those who use OTA TV and do not have an HDTV will need the convertor.

If that one-time payment of $120 is going to ruin you then TV isn't your biggest concern and maybe you shouldn't worry about the damn convertor box.

This isn't new news. We've known about this for a looooooong time. People have had their chance to get the damn box, the rebate, a new TV, a good cable plan, all of that.

It's time to leave them behind. The signals being used by analogue TV broadcasts are needed for other uses -pretty much the entire reason why they're being moved to the higher freqs. for HDTV. People need to get with it!

I am all for progress, but your ranting about how $120 isn't much is a crock of Bee Ess. Some people can't afford it. Also, if one is going to spend $120 for a reliable converter, then it makes sense to go an extra few hundred for a fully digital TV.

Aside from your typical epic failure in analysis, TV isn't an essential service and as such I don't think the government should hand out money for people to buy converter boxes to everyone. The elderly and infirmed could be given a one time shot in the arm with some extra in their SS payment. They are about the only demographic I'd say we should help.

And as usual, everything in my post went right over your head. Not surprising.

 

[Scout101]

It's NOT $120, John. Almost every single one of these tuners costs $49.99, and there's a $40 coupon. I bought one at Walmart, it was $39.99, so free.

Who can't afford free, John? Or the $10 difference? And call it an 'analysis failure' if you like, but I gave a perfect example of where I had to replace the entire setup at a cottage, and the total layout was $175, including replacing the antenna itself, which many people shouldn't have to do if they get good signal with their current one. $175 ISN'T a lot of money, ESPECIALLY if they have known about it for 2 years and had time to plan and save for it. People were given a $600 check for 'economic stimulous last year, might have been a good time to set the $10 aside...

I agree that TV isn't essential, and the government shouldn't hand out the coupons. I don't really care, but I agree. Since TV isn't essential, your argument about how the government should leave it alone so people can watch without having to pay to upgrade kinda fails as well, though. I've got an HDTV and cable, so it's a complete non-issue for me. Only effects me when at my parents' cottage, and for that, $175 rewired the entire house, right up to and including the antenna, and I took care of that a while ago, like we were told to.

Your post didn't go over ANYONE'S head, it was simply a strawman argument that didn't apply, and was treated as such.

 

[Squiggy]

....to June 12.

The government is so stupid. I got my coupons months ago, but only used one of them because they expire in only 90 days. Then they won't give me another because I already got my two, even through I only used one. So this bill will fix that, thankfully.

It's not the government's fault you waited until the last possible second. This has been in the works for a DECADE.

 

[bigdaddy]

....to June 12.

The government is so stupid. I got my coupons months ago, but only used one of them because they expire in only 90 days. Then they won't give me another because I already got my two, even through I only used one. So this bill will fix that, thankfully.

It's not the government's fault you waited until the last possible second. This has been in the works for a DECADE.

I got my coupons last March at the latest! I had to spend more money because there boxes weren't as cheap.

My point was that the coupons shouldn't have expired in 90 days, it should have been 12 months.

The hardship is that people waited until they were cheaper and then signed up for coupons, Congress fucked up and ran out of coupuns! That's the problem that no one here seems to understand, Congress didn't make enough coupons!

They made 40 million coupons, if 2 coupons per household, that's 20 million, there are 100 million households. There wouldn't need to be any issue of switching if Congress made more coupons.

And like I said before, because no one seems to be listening, Congress is slower than dirt, so 4 months will not be enough for them.

 

[Scout101]

the quick expiration on the coupons was stupid. On the other hand, I bought my converters for $50 in December of 2007, so I'm not sure where you were buying these big expensive ones...

 

[Spot's Meow]

As I mentioned in the other thread about this, the website and other sources made it perfectly clear that there would not be enough coupons for everybody. It's not like they lied about it and said everyone in the country was getting one. No, they said you should get yours ASAP because they will run out. So why are people suddenly surprised and pissed off about them running out? You snooze you lose.

And yeah, they are certainly not $120. I bought two for $50, so only $10 each out of pocket. And it is perfectly reliable, I get all of the same channels I did with analog. And many of them will come in even better after they get full power to their digital signals.

 

[John Picard]

As I mentioned in the other thread about this, the website and other sources made it perfectly clear that there would not be enough coupons for everybody. It's not like they lied about it and said everyone in the country was getting one. No, they said you should get yours ASAP because they will run out. So why are people suddenly surprised and pissed off about them running out? You snooze you lose.

It's called the Entitlement mentality. Everyone wants something for nothing.

Perhaps the reviews I read are from tech illiterate people who are not receiving a signal at full power. There's a good chance of that; however, many of the reviews of the "eh cheapo" converter boxes stated that the box stopped working after a couple of months. Oh well, I was prepared to go without receiving a TV signal when Fed 17th came around, so if anyone thinks I'm bitching then you're an imbecile. I can live without TV. I'm saving my pennies to get a nice plasma unit.

 

[trekkerguy]

Totaly ridiculous. If you keep giving them time they'll continue to procrastinate.
Just switch it over now, they'll either switch or be left behind till they do.
People never get urgency till it's shoved up their nose anyways.

 

[Bob The Skutter]

I'm amazed the government forked out for your digiboxes. That's so, well, socialist. We, on the other hand, under a nominally socialist government got nada. The Scottish Borders were the first region to have their analogue transmitters turned off. There wasn't much fuss at all. Most of the rest will be turned off this year.

The government had the beeb "ring fence" something like half a billion to help the "underprivileged" with switchover costs. If you're on income support or pension they will pay for digital TV installation costs. I believe in the borders it was Sky who won the contract, so a digibox, and 3 months of sky was the thing you got.

 

[Sheep]

Last I read, PBS was losing $22 million as a result of this delay. Considering the other broadcast networks aren't getting off scott-free either, I have to wonder about the idea that it's them lobbying for this delay.

Screw the procrastinators. If you can't afford a $10 ($50 box-$40 voucher) or even $50, you have a lot more to worry about than whether your TV works.

 

[Mr. B]

This is so stupid. As if people with analog sets are just going to watch static after the switch... It doesn't matter when you do it. When it happens, the few without reception will know there's a problem and figure out how to fix it.

 

[bigdaddy]

the quick expiration on the coupons was stupid. On the other hand, I bought my converters for $50 in December of 2007, so I'm not sure where you were buying these big expensive ones...

Interesting because I bought it the last week of the coupon and I still had a hard time finding one, I paid $20-$30 for mine.

That's my main complaint, the stupid coupons expire too quickly (Or too quickly then, 90 days now would be fine), and Congress didn't make enough, it was clear they didn't make enough. What they should have done is only give one coupon to everyone, then if they need another after the switch they can get another coupon. That way there would have been enough and the switch could happen on time. EVERYONE should be getting a coupon, they should have made enough, it's not like Congress is going to lose money on it, they could make enough coupons for everyone in the country and still make 10+ billion dollars selling the airwaves.

This is so stupid. As if people with analog sets are just going to watch static after the switch... It doesn't matter when you do it. When it happens, the few without reception will know there's a problem and figure out how to fix it.

Oddly enough I told my grandpa that the other day, make more coupons so everyone who wants one can get one, do the switch and just stick up a feed saying "Go to ____ to get a coupon". No matter when the switch happens 20% of the people will be stupid and complain, but Congress needs to make sure they have coupons.

 

[Brolan]

Don't get me started on the moronic coupon program. I live in a rural area and I got tired of people playing mailbox baseball with my mailbox, so I removed the remnants of my old mailbox, got a post office box, and had all my mail forwarded to it.

So I sign up for the coupons and they insist on having a street address for the coupons, but they also collect an optional mailing address if you wish to input one. Silly me, I actually thought if they collected a mailing address they would send the coupons to it. If not, why the hell would they want one?

So when my coupons don't show up for months I send a message to them (since you can't call them) and ask what happened. They sent the coupons to the street address and since they don't pay for first class mail they don't get returned or forwarded.

I asked for replacements, since the originals were not used, but they wouldn't do that. I had my one shot and that's all I get.

I wonder if they fix this in the new bill as well?

 

[IndyJones]

They made 40 million coupons, if 2 coupons per household, that's 20 million, there are 100 million households. There wouldn't need to be any issue of switching if Congress made more coupons.

But it's not really that many people that need them. 60% of Americans have cable, and anyone with a cable box is covered.

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

Please tell me where I can buy an HDTV for $120.

It doesn't have to be HDTV, it just has to be ATSC.

 

[Bob The Skutter]

They made 40 million coupons, if 2 coupons per household, that's 20 million, there are 100 million households. There wouldn't need to be any issue of switching if Congress made more coupons.

But it's not really that many people that need them. 60% of Americans have cable, and anyone with a cable box is covered.

I don't see the big deal either, I mean we live in commie Britain, and the only people getting help here are low income families, pensioners, and the disabled. And besides that, most people have switched to digital of their own accord over the last 10 years. I'd assume more or less the same is true over there with cable and satellite TV too, and anyone who purchased HDTVs and set top boxes anyway.

 

[RoJoHen]

I'm not sure what the deal is here, but new stations have been reporting that the switchover has only been delayed one day, so it will still be happening in February.

They were reporting this this afternoon.