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... and this time we really mean it.
Posted: Tue Jun 09, 2009 7:53 pm
by kiramdear
It's the end of an era in television history. Well I think it is ...
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_tec_digital_tv_transition
Re: ... and this time we really mean it.
Posted: Tue Jun 09, 2009 8:21 pm
by mgauction
I grew up on B&W tv until my dad could afford one in 1967.
Re: ... and this time we really mean it.
Posted: Tue Jun 09, 2009 8:45 pm
by deaconblues
I just hope I don't have to hear about it anymore.
Re: ... and this time we really mean it.
Posted: Tue Jun 09, 2009 9:24 pm
by kiramdear
Anyone plan to tune in that last free local broadcast on Friday?
Re: ... and this time we really mean it.
Posted: Tue Jun 09, 2009 10:57 pm
by britinvasion
As sort of an aside to this, I just found out that guitar/ microphone wireless systems that are not recent units will no longer function due to the signal shifts.
Re: ... and this time we really mean it.
Posted: Tue Jun 09, 2009 10:58 pm
by JakeK
Hopefully, Roger McGuinn will have a new setup after the change.
Re: ... and this time we really mean it.
Posted: Tue Jun 09, 2009 11:20 pm
by rickenbrother
britinvasion wrote:As sort of an aside to this, I just found out that guitar/ microphone wireless systems that are not recent units will no longer function due to the signal shifts.
That stinks!
Re: ... and this time we really mean it.
Posted: Wed Jun 10, 2009 12:40 am
by octagon
Can't wait until it is over.I have analog cable and the off air signal gets picked-up by all the wiring in my house and makes it impossible for me to watch local channels on cable.
Re: ... and this time we really mean it.
Posted: Wed Jun 10, 2009 8:46 am
by cjj
WHAT??!??? They're turning off the old style analog TV???
Huh, well, as I haven't watched any sort of broadcast television for about 20 years, I doubt I'll notice...
Re: ... and this time we really mean it.
Posted: Wed Jun 10, 2009 12:08 pm
by jimk
kiramdear wrote:Anyone plan to tune in that last free local broadcast on Friday?
Nah....doesn't matter. Still a vast wasteland out there. It's just that now we can see the garbage in sharper contrast. I got better things to do, like play my Rick, hang out on the RRF,...oh, and play my Rick.
JimK
Re: ... and this time we really mean it.
Posted: Wed Jun 10, 2009 1:29 pm
by jdogric12
kiramdear wrote:Anyone plan to tune in that last free local broadcast on Friday?
Kira, if I may... I don't understand what you mean. Digital TV is as "free" as analog was, right? I got my grandparents hooked up with the coupon and the box, etc. There is no need to subscribe to cable or anything like that.
Re: ... and this time we really mean it.
Posted: Wed Jun 10, 2009 1:46 pm
by kiramdear
jdogric12aolcom wrote:kiramdear wrote:Anyone plan to tune in that last free local broadcast on Friday?
Kira, if I may... I don't understand what you mean. Digital TV is as "free" as analog was, right? I got my grandparents hooked up with the coupon and the box, etc. There is no need to subscribe to cable or anything like that.
Well, I mean in the old days you didn't need a subscription to get some few local stations. All you needed was an antenna. If that still works the same, then good. I thought everyone had to pay for cable now. My mistake, I guess, that's good
Re: ... and this time we really mean it.
Posted: Wed Jun 10, 2009 2:26 pm
by collin
kiramdear wrote:jdogric12aolcom wrote:kiramdear wrote:Anyone plan to tune in that last free local broadcast on Friday?
Kira, if I may... I don't understand what you mean. Digital TV is as "free" as analog was, right? I got my grandparents hooked up with the coupon and the box, etc. There is no need to subscribe to cable or anything like that.
Well, I mean in the old days you didn't need a subscription to get some few local stations. All you needed was an antenna. If that still works the same, then good. I thought everyone had to pay for cable now. My mistake, I guess, that's good
Nope. It's all still free. You just need a digital box between your TV and antenna now.
The only difference is that instead of broadcasting analog radio waves, they will be broadcasting digital (binary code) over the air. Why they didn't do this year years ago, I won't understand---analog television is completely archaic, and the digital technology isn't new. Now they've made a huge deal about it, and people are rushed to get their boxes etc...
Also, I don't have cable, but watch plenty of regular tv, mostly public access or PBS. I was concerned that broadcasting in digital would cost too much to convert for the public stations, but apparently they are all still around, and you actually get MORE stations on the air, and a much better signal.
DIGITAL----bad for guitars, great for TV
Re: ... and this time we really mean it.
Posted: Wed Jun 10, 2009 2:50 pm
by cjj
Part of the reason they didn't do it sooner has to do with government mandates to keep things backwards compatible. The same thing happened when they went to color broadcasts. There are far better ways to transmit the color signal, but they wouldn't work for B&W TVs. So, it was mandated that new broadcast technology had to be compatible with the older sets so people wouldn't have to buy new sets.
The same thing happened when the digital idea came about. It took quite a bit of governmental finagling to finally approve digital since it meant that all the old sets would instantly be useless. That's the reason behind the government sponsored coupons to help people buy converter boxes. This was helped along by the fact that these days a huge majority of people have cable or other such services that wouldn't cause issues.
All we ever watch is DVD's these days, haven't watched "TV" in years...
Re: ... and this time we really mean it.
Posted: Wed Jun 10, 2009 3:00 pm
by jch
I believe its being turned off in my area in 2012,
we're one of the last areas in the UK to switch over.
I've been with (Virgin ,previously NTL ,previously Cable) for several years now.
But the one thing i don't like is that i won't be able to record one program while watching another, as there won't be any terrestrial programs! Yes, i still use a VHS video !
I'll have to get one of these new PVR things to do that!
And that 's more money they'll be getting off me!