digital tv transition '09
 

Just curious how directv will handle transition?

There is nothing for them to handle. It's already digital.

Correct. The only people affected will be people receiving over the air (OTA) broadcast feeds (e.g. "rabbit ears"). I'm certain that affects more people than most of us realize (everyone *I* know in the DC area has cable or satellite)...

I do, however, get my HD feed OTA because I refuse to pay DirecTV for stuff my TiVo HD can record for free. ;)

I know several people who live in large citiest have rabbit ears. They just don't watch enough to justify paying. Those people will likely go to having no TV (yes, I also know people in major cities without TVs *gasp*).

How about people who have cable, but *no* set-top box, e.g. "analog" cable
only going to channel 100 or so?

Will that disappear, leaving only set-top box options that will render my old, trusty, souped-up TiVo Mach 1 nearly useless?

Common source of confusion. The transition applies to OVER THE AIR ANALOG BROADCASTS.

You will not be affected.

People not understanding that only OTA is affected is going to cost the government billions in vouchers.

Considering how poorly they've communicated the transition to the general public, perhaps it's appropriate, but that money is ultimately ours anyway.

thanks for info.

Where are those convertor boxes and the coupons that were promised? The boxes were supposed to be available in stores this month.

The money is ours, but it isn't like you can buy anything else with the voucher. We're just going to see millions of people with unused converters lying around.

The coupons are here: www.dtv2009.gov

I applied online for them but what I mean is they haven't sent them out.

Not much of a hurry. There's still plenty of time and not many stores have stock.

I "get" how the digital TV transition is going to work in 2009, but I'm wondering if this will only affect US citizens or all of North America?

I have digital cable ('Shaw') in 2/4 rooms that have TVs in them, so if it does affect Canadians; will we get a "coupon" as well?

I know this probably a silly thought, but does anyone think that home video sales (DVDs, Blu-ray) will increase a little because some people just don't "understand" this DTV transition?

You obviously don't get it if you think it will affect cable. The only way it will affect Canadians are those close to the border that can pick up American OTA broadcasts.

The converter boxes look to be going for <$60, and the coupon subsidizes $40 of that. $20 (once) is a pretty modest expense to save your tv.

Some boxes are in stores. AVS forum has some threads on user reviews. I'm not sure anyone has received coupons yet, but they are supposedly in the mail.

Before anyone whines about the cost of coupons, the government is supposed to make $20 billion reauctioning the spectrum they are stealing (taking back?) from tv service (channels 52-69). That will pay for the coupons many times over.

The local TV stations have been talking about it a lot out here. And I expect to see the local stations really ramping it up as the deadline gets closer. They know they are the ones that people will be calling when their TVs stop working and it's in their best interest to get the word out as much as possible.

Yeah, I've seen enough of the PSAs to be sick of them and we have 51 weeks to go.

The digital TV transition date varies throughout the world. Some countries have already gone digital.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital...time_announced

(Shaking Magic 8 Ball)All signs point to NO.

Why would US tax dollars subsidize Canadian viewers, eh? Get yer own government to pay for it, ya hoser! ;)

But many people, myself included (even though I don't have to worry about it), are of the belief that they shouldn't have to pay to save anything; it's the principle of being forced to do something, not the cost. That's how I see it, anyway.

Come on - let's be realistic... That kind of thinking halts advancement of society.

There are no more 5", 3.5" floppy disks, VHS is dead, Cassette tapes, if you want to "save" your old media you need to spend $ on adapters etc. Your tv will still work with your DVD and VHS - you just won't get any NEW content.

I remember when record companies stopped dual releasing albums on both CD and Cassette Tape - I could listen to my old tapes, but if I wanted new releases I would be "forced" to buy a CD player.

Just my $0.02

You're absolutely right. I should learn to stop posting when I'm mentally exhausted.

Nope. No justification for the "lazy" sterotype there. :lol: