Digital TV Conversion Question

[Knowledged_one]

I was back at home for Easter and the discussion came up about TV's and the switch to Digital that is coming up because my parents were still using a TV that had an antennae

My uncle said he wasnt worried because of DirecTV and they just run it through Channel 3 of the TV instead of with a HD input, HDMI input, S-cable, etc etc

Now my brother and I had the contention that because analog is going to be turned off then all analog TV stations including Channel 3 (which is just a empty channel in maryland) will be turned off meaning that they will not recieve the signal from Channel 3 because in essence it wont be there to receive the signal.

While everyone else disagreed.

So oh great seers and seerettes do you know the answer?

[BoondockSaint]

It will work fine.

[Tenbatsuzen]

I was back at home for Easter and the discussion came up about TV's and the switch to Digital that is coming up because my parents were still using a TV that had an antennae

My uncle said he wasnt worried because of DirecTV and they just run it through Channel 3 of the TV instead of with a HD input, HDMI input, S-cable, etc etc

Now my brother and I had the contention that because analog is going to be turned off then all analog TV stations including Channel 3 (which is just a empty channel in maryland) will be turned off meaning that they will not recieve the signal from Channel 3 because in essence it wont be there to receive the signal.

While everyone else disagreed.

So oh great seers and seerettes do you know the answer?

To explain further..

The TV's tuner takes the channel 3 feed from whatever is being fed through it. Currently it's taking it's "feed" from the antenna, but if your uncle plans to feed it through the TV, it'll work fine.

[BeerBandit]

Now here's a different question. If television signals will no longer be broadcast, there is no way to get any kind of service without paying for it, correct? Or will cable companies be offering a local channel package at no cost? I can't see this happening. So, with everyone who has television now making the choice to purchase television service, will the FCC have any say as to what gets "aired?" Will the networks have the same rules as the rest of the cable channels, and only be limited by their sponsors?

So I suppose it's actually one question with a conditional second question.

[BoondockSaint]

Now here's a different question. If television signals will no longer be broadcast, there is no way to get any kind of service without paying for it, correct? Or will cable companies be offering a local channel package at no cost? I can't see this happening. So, with everyone who has television now making the choice to purchase television service, will the FCC have any say as to what gets "aired?" Will the networks have the same rules as the rest of the cable channels, and only be limited by their sponsors?

So I suppose it's actually one question with a conditional second question.


All you will need to do is get a digital converter box.


TV Converter Box Coupon Program

The Department of Commerce's National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) has launched the TV Converter Box Coupon Program (Coupon Program), as authorized in the Digital Television Transition and Public Safety Act of 2005.

As of January 1, 2008, all U.S. households are eligible to request up to two coupons, worth $40 each, to be used toward the purchase of up to two, digital-to-analog converter boxes. For more details on the federal regulations, including the budget information, please see the TV Converter Box Coupon Program Rules.

[PapaBear]

All you will need to do is get a digital converter box.
My dad just got his coupon yesterday. It's actually like a gift card. It's good for $40 off the converter box. I saw on the news today, Wal Mart and other stores sell the box for between $50 and $70, so it's not that bad a deal. Be careful though. Once you get the coupon, use it right away. I think it expires in like 30 or 60 days.

[BeerBandit]

All you will need to do is get a digital converter box.

Thanks. I get it now. I just thought that they wouldn't be broadcasting anymore. I didn't realize that they were just changing the broadcast from analog to digital, or I guess just ceasing the analog.

[PapaBear]

I heard something today that I hadn't thought of. If you want to continue to use a regular antenna, and you also use a VCR to record TV shows, you'll actually need TWO converters. One for the TV, and one for the VCR. However, you are able to get two of the coupons per household.

[TooLowBrow]

My dad just got his coupon yesterday. It's actually like a gift card. It's good for $40 off the converter box. I saw on the news today, Wal Mart and other stores sell the box for between $50 and $70, so it's not that bad a deal. Be careful though. Once you get the coupon, use it right away. I think it expires in like 30 or 60 days.

so for a $20 to $30 flat fee i get to keep watching tv!

and my household can feature up to 2(!) tv's

[Bob Impact]

I heard something today that I hadn't thought of. If you want to continue to use a regular antenna, and you also use a VCR to record TV shows, you'll actually need TWO converters. One for the TV, and one for the VCR. However, you are able to get two of the coupons per household.

Don't forget, you'll also need two extra hand cranks to start all of that gear.

[PapaBear]

Don't forget, you'll also need two extra hand cranks to start all of that gear.
I only know all of this because of my father's obsession with one show on a PBS channel that he just can't do without. I don't know what the show is, but that channel isn't on Comcast. He has one of those huge rooftop antennas and a remote thing to change the direction of the antenna, just so he can be sure he gets that channel and can record it. I think it's some wood working show. He tends to obsess over things like that.

Funny thing is... When using the antenna, any broadcast channel looks MUCH sharper than when viewed through digital cable. I guess it's comparable to people who wouldn't give up their turntables, when CD's came out. I really need to get my dad and Blowhard together.

[TooLowBrow]

I only know all of this because of my father's obsession with one show on a PBS channel that he just can't do without. I don't know what the show is, but that channel isn't on Comcast. He has one of those huge rooftop antennas and a remote thing to change the direction of the antenna, just so he can be sure he gets that channel and can record it. I think it's some wood working show. He tends to obsess over things like that.

Funny thing is... When using the antenna, any broadcast channel looks MUCH sharper than when viewed through digital cable. I guess it's comparable to people who wouldn't give up their turntables, when CD's came out. I really need to get my dad and Blowhard together.

will those big type antennas be able to pick up ANYTHING?

[Mike Teacher]

No one touches on the biggest thing of all; the fact that analog TV dies within a year.

A technology from the 1940s, one of the most successful ever, perhaps The most widely used one by regular people, will utterly disappear. Good or bad, you gotta ponder that.

=

And now The Buggles gotta write "Digital Killed the Analog Star' and I think its gonna suck.

The original has the prophetic end stanza...

In my mind and in my car, we can't rewind we've gone too far.
Pictures came and broke your heart, put the blame on VTR.

[BeerBandit]

No one touches on the biggest thing of all; the fact that analog TV dies within a year.

A technology from the 1940s, one of the most successful ever, perhaps The most widely used one by regular people, will utterly disappear. Good or bad, you gotta ponder that.

=

And now The Buggles gotta write "Digital Killed the Analog Star' and I think its gonna suck.

The original has the prophetic end stanza...

In my mind and in my car, we can't rewind we've gone too far.
Pictures came and broke your heart, put the blame on VTR.
Analog TV's got nuttin' on Radio. Analog TV can suck it. Obsolete hack!

[KnoxHarrington]

I only know all of this because of my father's obsession with one show on a PBS channel that he just can't do without. I don't know what the show is, but that channel isn't on Comcast. He has one of those huge rooftop antennas and a remote thing to change the direction of the antenna, just so he can be sure he gets that channel and can record it. I think it's some wood working show. He tends to obsess over things like that.

Funny thing is... When using the antenna, any broadcast channel looks MUCH sharper than when viewed through digital cable. I guess it's comparable to people who wouldn't give up their turntables, when CD's came out. I really need to get my dad and Blowhard together.

If you're watching HD through digital cable or satellite, the channels are being compressed to be squeezed into the available bandwidth. Sort of like how XM's "CD-quality" audio suffers' from the fact they've had to compress everything to put in 40 play-by-play college sports stations that just broadcast "The game has not yet begun..." It's obvious that, as in satellite radio, quantity trumps quality. They'd rather say "Oh, we have 50 HDTV channels" than deliver fewer channels in better quality.

If you're getting it off an antenna, you're getting an uncompressed signal...to an extent. That signal's still split between 2 or 3 sub-channels. In fact, some people are complaining that even over-the-air HDTV is starting to decline in quality because TV stations split it several ways. For example, one of the stations here has a sub-station that just plays the weather douche's forecast over and over. What the hell?

[TooLowBrow]

i have questions

why are they doing this change? is there a bigger reason behind it than 'freeing up airwaves'? why do we suddenly need more free airwaves?


also, i heard that obama wants to push the date back. the reason being that the govt has run out of money for coupons for the converter boxes. when i got my coupon and bought the box the coupon was for $50 and the box was a min of $70. so to me it seems like someone is making a lot of money from this. i think its weird that obama want to push it back. its fine to limit poorer people from cigarettes, fat and liquor with financial means, but NOT with television. television has become not a privilege but a right. i dont know why the govt wouldnt just say,'fine, if you cant afford the box you cant afford to watch tv.'

[Nothing Sound]

Now my brother and I had the contention that because analog is going to be turned off then all analog TV stations including Channel 3 (which is just a empty channel in maryland) will be turned off meaning that they will not recieve the signal from Channel 3 because in essence it wont be there to receive the signal.

Wow. That's all I can really answer while I sit here with my jaw dropped.

I think you should come up with another user name.

[instrument]

Cel phone companies spent billions to buy that frequency, I'm sure they want to see it freed as soon as possible.

[Doctor Manhattan]

Now my brother and I had the contention that because analog is going to be turned off then all analog TV stations including Channel 3 (which is just a empty channel in maryland) will be turned off meaning that they will not recieve the signal from Channel 3 because in essence it wont be there to receive the signal.

How will they turn off an empty channel?

If someone uses a device that connects to the TV via Channel 3 (or 4, they usually have a switch) then what TV stations do has no effect on that. It is a hardware connection that is at your house. It's just a way for your TV to see the output of the box (VCR, DirecTV box, etc) They can't turn it off. That TV will always have Channel 3.

In fact the ending of analog signals that your TV tuner picks up should make it even better if you have any interference when using Channel 3 or 4 with a device like a VCR.

[OGC]

In fact the ending of analog signals that your TV tuner picks up should make it even better if you have any interference when using Channel 3 or 4 with a device like a VCR.


Yes, they don't turn off channel 3 (or 4). They just stop broadcasting on it. Your vcr or dvd player or video games are essentially "broadcasting" on those channels straight through the wire that connects them to your analog tv.

[SP1!]

I heard something today that I hadn't thought of. If you want to continue to use a regular antenna, and you also use a VCR to record TV shows, you'll actually need TWO converters. One for the TV, and one for the VCR. However, you are able to get two of the coupons per household.

Wow. That's all I can really answer while I sit here with my jaw dropped.

I think you should come up with another user name.

Yeah thats what I was thinking, it either has to be a joke or people are this crazy, saying channel 3 is a little nutty but saying you will need a separate converter for a VCR and TV is mind boggling. The TV is a dumb device, same as the VCR. Its only knows what signal its being fed and it doesnt care that its on channel 3 and once you make the digital converter box the first point in your house everything after that will work fine. You just may have to buy a more expensive box but you wont need one for each device(VCR/TV), you have to think of the converter box as essentially taking the place of a cable box.

[SatCam]

I heard something today that I hadn't thought of. If you want to continue to use a regular antenna, and you also use a VCR to record TV shows, you'll actually need TWO converters. One for the TV, and one for the VCR. However, you are able to get two of the coupons per household.

I know this is an old post, but that simply isnt true.

All you have to do is connect the antenna directly to the converter box, hook the converter box up to your VCR's antenna input, then use the VCR's antenna output, and hook that up to your TV's input. In fact, you don't really even have to use your TV's channels, you can just turn your TV to channel 3 or Line input and watch the stations from the VCR. Either setup requires just one box.

If you think about it, in a current setup, do you have two wires from your antenna/wall, one to your TV, the other to your VCR? No.......... you have one that goes to the VCR, then the VCR connects to the TV


:smoke:

[ToiletCrusher]

Digital tv my ass.... it's probably just milhouse!


If this turns out to be a monumental failure, they will quickly revert back to analog signals. At least, that's what articles I've read say.

[Death Metal Moe]

This digital conversion effects so few people it's hysterical. Everyone thought their TV was going to disappear but this really only effects the poor little old lady who turns her TV on with the bunny ears still on it once a day to see her "stories" on channel 4.

The people who will be most effected by this are the most ill equipped to deal with it.

[ToiletCrusher]

This digital conversion effects so few people it's hysterical. Everyone thought their TV was going to disappear but this really only effects the poor little old lady who turns her TV on with the bunny ears still on it once a day to see her "stories" on channel 4.

The people who will be most effected by this are the most ill equipped to deal with it.


survival of the fittest?

entertainment for the tech savvyest??

[Death Metal Moe]

survival of the fittest?

entertainment for the tech savvyest??

If you get your TV through a satellite company or ANY local cable company, this doesn't effect you in the least. Only people depending on over the air broadcasts will be effected.

How many people still put an antenna on their roof and point it at local signals? I am sure there are some, but I think a vast majority of you TV watchers have Direct, Dish, FIOS or at the very least local basic cable.

These companies selling these stupid boxes are making a killing. Half of them will never be used.

[TooLowBrow]

what % of americans use cable, satellite...etc?

i just dragged 2 nine feet wide antenas out of my attic. theses a lot more space. time/warner just left after running cable to the 4 tvs in the house...

time to see what ive been missing

[Nothing Sound]

time to see what ive been missing

Trust me. It's not much.

[TooLowBrow]

Trust me. It's not much.

hmmm 'Spike' tv.... sounds captivating


omg! court tv is now tru tv!!!

[King Imp]

The one thing that I've never been sure of on this issue is what do those of use who have cable or satellite TV get out of this switch? Will we see any change at all?

[PapaBear]

The one thing that I've never been sure of on this issue is what do those of use who have cable or satellite TV get out of this switch? Will we see any change at all?
No.

BTW... I saw something about this on the news the other day. In the Government sponsored ads, they say you are fine if you have cable. Turns out, that's WRONG! If you get analogue cable (ei don't have a cable box), you're getting an analogue signal. Cable companies are NOT required to switch to all digit. However, many of them are anyway. Comcast is one. For instance... I have several TVs. Not all of them have cable boxes, and don't get the digital channels. When they switch, I will be required to get boxes for the TVs that don't already get digital. Comcast says they will be giving their costomers one free box after the change, and you'll have to rent one for $7 a month for any additional sets. I'll try to find a link with a list of cable companies that are doing this.

EDIT: It turns out, the FCC wants to fine the cable companies over this... (http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20090120-fcc-wants-big-fines-for-cable-giants-over-channel-switching.html)

Outgoing Federal Communications Commission chair Kevin Martin got his last licks in on the cable industry on Monday, proposing a slew of fines (http://www.fcc.gov/eb/) against companies that the agency says migrate analog channels to digital tiers, forcing consumers to buy digital set top boxes or more expensive packages. The Commission wants to fine Comcast, Bright House, Cox, Cablevision and others for not fully responding to Letters of Inquiry asking for details on the practice, or for doing the analog to digital channel switcheroo without giving consumers proper notice.

EDIT again: They already have fined them. (http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hMMNO0-tIjEktXrZDYS_c9iY3mIgD95R3K500)

[PapaBear]

This is the story that I saw that got me all confused. I still haven't figured out what's going on for sure.

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[Edwin]

I work for the cable company. Here's what's happening...

1. If you have an antenna and a TV with no NTSC/QAM tuner, you MUST get a Digital converter. This is receiving an OVER THE AIR signal direct from the station.

2. For right now, if you have satellite or FIOS, you're fine.

3. Cable is fine FOR NOW if you can get the normal channels without a box (The cable co. will take the digital signal and switch it back to analog), HOWEVER...

Cable companies have been migrating analog to digital in many areas. Reason being that analog takes up a HUGE amount of bandwith. Every analog they move to digital frees up enough bandwith for up to 6 digital channel or 3 HD channels. In order to remain competitive, they must slowly get away from analog. This benefits HD, OnDemand, and internet speeds. So, I would recommend going to a Cable Company provided digital box and a digital tier to be ready in the event they decide to do this in your town.

Hope this helps.

[ToiletCrusher]

What the fuck is digital tv?

Is that like atari?

[Edwin]

What the fuck is digital tv?

Is that like atari?

Nah...dat shit like Atari 5200!

[LordJezo]

Forget about it..

http://www.tvweek.com/news/2009/01/senate_agrees_to_delay_digital.php

[epo]

To expand upon the previous post:

Senate Nears Deal To Delay Digital TV (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/01/23/AR2009012303608.html)

Key senators have reached a compromise on a bill that would delay the nation's switch to all-digital television from next month until June 12. A vote on the legislation is expected early next week.

Apparently 12 years isn't long enough for America to make the switch. Seriously....this is totally lame.

[TooLowBrow]

To expand upon the previous post:

Senate Nears Deal To Delay Digital TV (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/01/23/AR2009012303608.html)



Apparently 12 years isn't long enough for America to make the switch. Seriously....this is totally lame.

i dont get this. some americans cant afford the switch without govt help.

so what?

tv is not an american right. if they cant afford the switch, then they cant watch tv.