USA to delay digital TV switch

[Scout101]

seeing scrolling info across at least a couple of my local channels saying they intend to switch as planned anyway. And that's in the Providence-Boston market, so seems like the big areas are just pulling the plug.

About right, I suppose, since this is mostly a rural issue anyway...

 

[Timby]

KWWL and KCRG (not sure about KGAN yet -- but it's a Sinclair station, so to hell with it anyway) in eastern Iowa are switching on February 17, as well.

 

[Kryton]

Our locals intend to go to half-power with the analog signal and to run a non-stop loop of informational bits explaining why you were obviously in a coma or stupid or something to not know about the changeover.

After a month of that on low power, they're shutting down.

 

[Nick Ryder]

Only

 

[Nick Ryder]

Only thing I'll miss about analog is that even a 50 year old TV would still work (theoretically) or those little mini portable TV's, but ah well. And people need to remember that the already low powered stations will still be able to be up. Granted that may not amount to much programming choices but eh, its something. And honestly I am sure that after the switchover date you'll see at least one or two media outlets using some of the UHF bands to broadcast stuff, even if its iffy crap, its still something. I suppose that in a time of emergency or something, they could also use one of the old VHF bands for emergency broadcasting, which would fit into their plans to use the old bands for emergencies, so that every one, no matter if they have a new or old tv will be able to get the information or if something happens to the digital transmissions.

I do merch work at Best Buy and I think they would like to see this switchover happen sooner than later anyway. Pallets upon pallets of convertor boxes all over the place.

 

[John Picard]

Only thing I'll miss about analog is that even a 50 year old TV would still work (theoretically) or those little mini portable TV's, but ah well. And people need to remember that the already low powered stations will still be able to be up. Granted that may not amount to much programming choices but eh, its something. And honestly I am sure that after the switchover date you'll see at least one or two media outlets using some of the UHF bands to broadcast stuff, even if its iffy crap, its still something. I suppose that in a time of emergency or something, they could also use one of the old VHF bands for emergency broadcasting, which would fit into their plans to use the old bands for emergencies, so that every one, no matter if they have a new or old tv will be able to get the information or if something happens to the digital transmissions.

I do merch work at Best Buy and I think they would like to see this switchover happen sooner than later anyway. Pallets upon pallets of convertor boxes all over the place.

The UHF and VHF bands are being freed for use by emergency personnel (fire, ambulance, police) as well as wireless companies to provide Wireless Broadband. No television station is going to keep an old analog transmitter for "emergency broadcasting" if everyone has digital televisions. That's like keeping record players onhand in case people have problems with compact discs.

 

[Alpha_Geek]

....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.

However they need to push it further back, to August at least. You know how slow the government works so the coupons most likely won't be ready until July.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The Senate passed a bill on Monday to delay the nationwide switch to digital TV signals, giving consumers nearly four more months to prepare.
The transition date would move to June 12 from February 17 under the bill that was fueled by worries that viewers are not technically ready for the congressionally-mandated switch-over.
It also would allow consumers with expired coupons, available from the government to offset the cost of a $40 converter box, to request new coupons. The government ran out of coupons earlier this month, and about 2.5 million Americans are on a waiting list for them.
Senate Commerce Chairman John Rockefeller said delaying the TV switch is the right thing to do because the United States is not yet ready to make the transition.
"The Senate acted responsibly to give the Obama administration time to attempt to bring order to a mismanaged process," the West Virginia Democrat said in a statement.
Many lawmakers worry that an estimated 20 million mostly poor, elderly and rural households are not ready for the switch, which requires owners of older television sets receiving over-the-air signals to buy a converter box or subscribe to cable or satellite TV.

Between the power bill for the analog transmitter and other overhead costs, staying on till the new cutoff date, my station would spend an additional $40,000. Adversiting dollars are already scarce, so we've made the decision to proceed with the analog cutoff. This will only effect 1% of the remaining viewers in our coverage area, and we're one of the smallest markets in America.

The cutoff has already been pushed back once. Originally this was set for 2006, but neither local affiliates or viewers were really ready at that time.

Glad to hear others are also following suit and continuing with the plan as laid out since 2006. Plain and simple, it's time.

 

[Trekker4747]

A) I would think it depends on how the TV is set up. My old tube, analogue, TV didn't display static when it didn't get a signal just a blank blue screen. I would suspect, then, that some TVs are just "programed" to display that when there's no signal.

B) It could probably be made that whomever is buying those freqs have to also broadcast the message.

For example, some car radios have a feature where the radio's display will show information being sent by the station -like the name of the song playing, etc. Because -as I understand it- when a radio station is assigned a frequency they are also assigned the neighboring frequencies and it is on those that they can broadcast this information or what have-you.

I would suspect something similar is/could be done with the TV frequencies so whomever bought the frequency, for example, of your local ABC affiliate they also got the neighboring frequencies and on one of these they could broadcast this information for a few months.

I'm sure it "could be done" technologically speaking.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

For example, some car radios have a feature where the radio's display will show information being sent by the station -like the name of the song playing, etc.

I thought it was only HD Radio that could do that.

Because -as I understand it- when a radio station is assigned a frequency they are also assigned the neighboring frequencies

I've certainly never heard of that being done. I always thought that a radio station gets one, and only one, frequency.

 

[Mr. Adventure]

^^ Mine has it and I'm pretty sure it's not HD Radio. Most of the stations in Detroit use it but not so much in other parts of the state so maybe it depends where you're at. It's what the "INFO" button is used for on a GM radio anyway.

 

[Bob The Skutter]

^It's called RDS, or RBDS in the US.

From Wikipedia

Both use a 57kHz subcarrier to carry data at 1187.5 bits per second. The 57 kHz was chosen for being the third harmonic (3×) of the pilot tone for FM stereo, so it would not cause interference or intermodulation with it, or with the stereo difference signal at 38 kHz (2×). The data format utilises error correction. RDS defines many features (see below), including how private (in-house) or other undefined features (such as differential GPS) can be "packaged" in unused program groups.

 

[Trekker4747]

Here it says radio stations are given 200Khz of bandwith.

Anyway, since we're talking about TV and not radio it may not all be the same and whatever those who're buying the signals for TV may use all the bandwith or whatever. So who knows if my "idea" would even work, but something like it (like said) would help in the luddites who didn't know this was coming.

 

[John Picard]

Here it says radio stations are given 200Khz of bandwith.

Anyway, since we're talking about TV and not radio it may not all be the same and whatever those who're buying the signals for TV may use all the bandwith or whatever. So who knows if my "idea" would even work, but something like it (like said) would help in the luddites who didn't know this was coming.

What is it about these people, who are unprepared, that makes you so violet and angry? This is not a "troll" which you complain that I do, it's calling out your irrational and irresponsible behavior. None of your so-called solutions are going to be implemented, and amazingly enough, you have not bothered to read *ANY* of the links provided or keep up with the news on this transition, because if you had, then you would understand that although the transition is being delayed, NO TELEVISION BROADCAST STATION IS REQUIRED TO TRANSMIT IN ANALOG UNTIL JUNE. As such, it looks like every single station will turn off the analog transmitters on Tuesday.

What is so difficult to understand? So ~6.3M households aren't ready (of which I am one). Does that really affect you? Is there a vocal group, out of the unprepared minority talking to the media to claim this is unfair to this group of people? The answer to those questions is a resounding, "NO", so why don't you go do something constructive rather than get all worked up over something that affects you in absolutely no way.

 

[Kryton]

All of our radio stations have RDS with song title and artist plus the radio station's positioning statement.

RDS has nothing to do with HD radio whatsoever.

 

[Nick Ryder]

I see it this way... if someone who didn't FRAKING READ THE BILLBOARDS, THE ADS ON TV, THE MAGAZINE AND NEWSPAPER and suddenly found out they can't get anything on TV... they'd do one of a few things
1. Buy new TV "Huh must be busted... weird."
2. Pop in a DVD or if they're that outdated... VHS tape
3. FINALLY buy a convertor box
4. Freak out that the 'Terrorists have taken over! They knocked out TV!'

 

[Mr. Adventure]

All of our radio stations have RDS with song title and artist plus the radio station's positioning statement.

RDS has nothing to do with HD radio whatsoever.

I wonder how long it will be until they all say "Drink Coke" or whatever, I just can't imagine the radio stations will keep it ad-free for long when they'res a buck to be made unless that's regulated somehow.

 

[Kryton]

It's not. It's only a self-promotional tool at the moment (so that people with ratings diaries can immediately note WHICH station they are listening to).

 

[CommodoreKong]

KWWL and KCRG (not sure about KGAN yet -- but it's a Sinclair station, so to hell with it anyway) in eastern Iowa are switching on February 17, as well.

It will be interesting to see if they boost the power on their digital signal any. In Amana we can't seem to get the digital KWWL or KGAN channels.

 

[Kryton]

I'm sure the Amish are heartbroken about it.

 

[Scout101]

they're supposed to boost the power to the DTV signal once they cut off the analog...