Analog to Digital TV Required on 2-17-09

[David77]

The big names in consumer-electronics retailing are selling analog TVs without alerting buyers that the sets won’t work without conversion devices after February 17, 2009, according to the Federal Communications Commission.

Congress set the 2009 deadline several years ago to free the nation's analog airwaves for public safety agencies like police and fire departments, as those frequencies are useful at passing through buildings and walls

[David77]

The big names in consumer-electronics retailing are selling analog TVs without alerting buyers that the sets won’t work without conversion devices after February 17, 2009, according to the Federal Communications Commission.

Congress set the 2009 deadline several years ago to free the nation's analog airwaves for public safety agencies like police and fire departments, as those frequencies are useful at passing through buildings and walls

[brainyguy9999]

Tis true David77. Although the date has been pushed back at least twice before (the earliest date was 2006) so could be pushed back again.

Most people nowadays get their TV through cable or satellite providers, though. At the most they will need to switch their receiver box out with their provider. They won't get the better picture quality, but they won't have to buy a new TV. I'll bet that their providers will use it as an excuse to raise the rates, though...

People still using rabbit ears will face a dilemma -- purchase a conversion box or buy a new digital TV. You've got until at least 2009 to decide (unless they push the date back again).

I'm still using a 15 year old TV via cable (had satellite until I moved last year) and it will provide digital and HDTV signals now if I care to upgrade. I'm thinking about getting a big LCD or Plasma HDTV next year. Can't wait for that.

Lots of TVs bought now will likely not be around in 2009 anyway. The U.S. has become such a throwaway society that they'll likely be upgraded out of the house or will be trashed when a component fails. It's cheaper in most cases to get a new set than to fix a used one (a shame).

Anyway, it's always good to know information like this if you're going to be in the market for any electronics. One of the questions you need to ask is: What will the life of this X be? And, is it worth it to spend that kind of money on it if I'm going to toss it in X years?

Stay nude.

bg

[nudenwv]

getting tired of the government telling us what to get and where! if they want to change an entire system then give us all the first t.v. or anything to adapt to it instead of having everyone pay out of pocket! i wonder how this will effect the internet provider as we are getting ours through the cable.

[David77]

QUOTE;

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i wonder how this will effect the internet provider as we are getting ours through the cable.

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I have cable TV and I can get a few digital channels on my analog TV already without subscribing to their better digital HDTV system.

However, I understand that those who do not have a TV that can get digital HDTV by 2-17-09 will have to buy a converter box for $50 or $60. to convert the signals from digital to analog.

[usuallylurk]

quote:

Originally posted by David77:
The big names in consumer-electronics retailing are selling analog TVs without alerting buyers that the sets won’t work without conversion devices after February 17, 2009, according to the Federal Communications Commission.

Congress set the 2009 deadline several years ago to free the nation's analog airwaves for public safety agencies like police and fire departments, as those frequencies are useful at passing through buildings and walls

I'm amazed that the stores are still allowed to sell analog TVs at all. It has only been the last month or so, in which the warning stickers were required. My family was in the TV retail business in the 1960s, and the government imposed the "all channel TV" rule - April 1964 , all sets had to have UHF capability, and that was that.

nudenwv -

The government IS giving you the converter box - sort of - it will cost you, the consumer, $50-60. The actual cost will be much higher, each household will be able to get one or two vouchers for converter boxes. The converter box program will be subsidised.

It won't affect internet through the cable, because most cable systems are carrying HDTV signals now.

"D-Day" is still around 18 months away, but the FCC has a good web page on it.

If you rely on over-the-air transmissions, and do not want to buy a new set, you WILL need a converter box.

If you have cable or satellite, the arrangement will be between you and the provider. One big question is - will your local TV stations allow the cable company to downconvert the signals? Another big question is - will the cable system find it worth their while to allocate the bandwidth? And if so, for how long?

The date has been pushed back twice, and it is extremely unlikely that it will be pushed back again. The auctions for the existing analog frequencies are due to begin in 2008, and revenues from it will be used to subsidize the converter box program for those who won't be getting HDTV sets.

Of course, with 32-inch HDTVs dropping below the $800 price figure -- my advice is, save your pennies, and get ready for it.

Here in my town, the cable system is ready, and if you have "basic" cable (not ESPN, HGTV, etc., but "basic basic" and no cable box) the HDTV channels come through at no additional cost.

Of course, if you want HBO, the premium sports channels, movie channels, etc. in HDTV they charge you a few more bucks a month.

But IMHO if you can afford premium cable service, you can afford HDTV.

I already have "made the jump". Made it well over a year ago. I only am ticked about one thing --- the price of the set I bought dropped around 50 percent in the last year. I have a Panasonic 50 inch plasma. We love it. My extended cable service only went up $4 a month.

Don't believe the "don't buy plasma" bunk, the longevity and burn-in problems have been overcome. As long as you're careful the first 100 hours of operation (a few weeks) and don't leave a constant image on the screen (like, the stock ticker or scoreboard trailer) you won't have a problem. There are good deals on plasma and LCD.

HDTV is like nudism. Once you go forward with it, you'll ask "why did I wait so long?"

[BlobbyBob]

The same thing is happening here in 2009 I think, but I heard about it years ago, I don't think it's a big shock or anything here. We can already receive digital channels over the airwaves without the need for satellite or cable services. I've had a digital tuner in my PC for a couple of years now that can pickup these freeview channels.
Even for those with older TV's, you shouldn't need to replace that, only buy a separate receiver to connect, and you can get those very cheap already. Newer TV's have them built-in too.
Personally I'll be glad, given that digital TV is better quality, and you don't need to worry about tuning and getting a fuzzy picture. Hopefully HD will pickup a bit faster here now too. Only Sky and cable I think have a few HD channels, and the BBC are testing one. A lot of people here get suckered into buying shiny new LCD HDTV's without realising that they have nothing to play on them.
Hopefully too a new format will be picked too (given that bluray and hddvd are crap).