Will the switch to Digital TV Be Postponed

[lacywest]

Jan 26 2009 ... Time now in California ... 5:39PM

Moviegeek Posted ...
The Senate approved the delay:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28863961/
_________________


The Consumers Union wants Congress to delay the nation's transition to digital television because it believes the program to help American's transition has been underfunded and poorly implemented. It was announced earlier this week that the $1.3 billion dollar program to offset the cost of buying converter boxes is all tapped out.

http://www.citizensugar.com/2671219

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,478005,00.html

And I heard it on the News last night ... Saturday night news ... Obama is talking about pushing it farther ... to June 2009.

WASHINGTON — President-elect Barack Obama is urging Congress to postpone the Feb. 17 switch from analog to digital television broadcasting, arguing that too many Americans who rely on analog TV sets to pick up over-the-air channels won't be ready.

In a letter to key lawmakers Thursday, Obama transition team co-chair John Podesta noted that the Commerce Department has run out of money for coupons to subsidize digital TV converter boxes for consumers.

People who don't have cable or satellite service or a new TV with a digital tuner will need the converter boxes to keep their older analog sets working.

Lacywest says ... That will give me a better chance of finding the right converter box for my bedroom system

[MOVIEGEEK]

The analog shutoff has been known for several years now,they have been warning us on tv everyday.If people aren't prepared then they need to get off their lazy butts and go to any electronics store and buy a converter box.
I say shut it off on 2/17.

[usually_quiet]

I have been using converter boxes for 6 months now, so I'm prepared. However, if they delay it for a bit, I don't mind much, although one local channel I'd like to have can't broadcast in digital until the shut off because of a conflict with its temporary frequency assignment.

As for getting more choices for converter boxes, don't count on it. I think there will likely be fewer choices instead once the coupon program winds down.

[gadgetguy]

I can't wait for the switchover to occur and the coupon program to end. I need 2 more converter boxes and have already used my allotment of coupons. I expect that after the coupon program ends, within a few months the price will fall to about $20.

[jman98]

Nobody knows if it will be postponed or not. The only logical reason to postpone it is to get more money to the Commerce Department for coupons. The idea that doing it later will somehow make more people ready is a false one. Hawaii has either completely cut over to digital by now or almost completely cut over except for some small islands. There was extensive testing late last year in North Carolina and some other places. Everywhere the cutover has been done, some people are caught off guard by this. Some people will NEVER be ready for the switchover. You have poor people and old people who have no idea that this is going to happen and are extremely unlikely in 6 more months to find out. The only way to get these people to find out is to simply cut off analog TV and wait for them to complain. Some in Congress understand this. Whether enough do to prevent a delay is a good question. My guess is that the switchover will happen simply because Congress won't be able to approve a delay in time even if most of the members want to do so.

[SmokieStover]

With the exception of misleading TV ads and the lack of DTV convertor boxes with analog pass thru, both of which were corrected months ago, I think the digital transition has been handled as well as can be expected.

The middle of February!......what idiot dreamed up that date.....weather too bad to do outside antenna work where over half the people live. The middle of June seems a more natural and doable target date. But there has been enough money and effort spent advertizing the stupid February date and preparing for it. Stick to it unless the broadcasters get behind extending it.....they are the ones footing the bills for analog and digital broadcast.

Off antenna, I will miss KHQA (CBS) analog out of Quincy, IL. I Also have cable, but all the CBS stations on our system (analog and QAM) are more and more prone to audio problems ranging from bad to horrible. If it's on CBS, the only reliable recording I can make is off analog via Antenna. If I'm losing CBS anyway, what does 4 months matter? And who knows, if all that remains is digital broadcasting, maybe KHQA will make the trip in digital when they switch down to their analog frequency (VHF channel 7), or maybe our cable company will get it right! I have done all I can do to be ready, and have wasted no money doing so.

[usually_quiet]

The middle of February!......what idiot dreamed up that date.....weather too bad to do outside antenna work where over half the people live. The middle of June seems a more natural and doable target date.

I have to agree. Anybody in the northern half of the country who connected a converter box after winter set in and found that their outdoor antenna or its cabling is not up to the task is going to be unahppy until the weather improves to the point where it's possible to install a new antenna or replace the cable.

[edDV]

If they delay again expect howls from the broadcasters. They have all their ducks in line to switch equipment and finish work on the towers. Many stations have already cut off analog in expectation of Feb17. Few viewers are complaining.

The cable companies are trying to gain share by offering $10/mo. basic plans for a year.

[Epicurus8a]

Delaying the transition would create confusion and be a huge mistake. It would also be costly to broadcasters who are already budgeted for the year. Keeping both transmitters (digital and analog) on the air could cost several thousand dollars per station. To make up the difference, they might have to have layoffs.

If people aren't ready, it's just their tough luck! According to Nielsen, only 6.8% of the population aren't prepared. IMO, these lazy people can read the paper or listen to the radio (etc.) until they get a converter box.

[lacywest]

The middle of February!......what idiot dreamed up that date.....weather too bad to do outside antenna work where over half the people live. The middle of June seems a more natural and doable target date. But there has been enough money and effort spent advertizing the stupid February date and preparing for it. Stick to it unless the broadcasters get behind extending it.....they are the ones footing the bills for analog and digital broadcast.

Good thought ... why did they come up with February ... if they find out their antenna dont work like they thought ... who wants to be up on their roof ... in February.

[edDV]

The middle of February!......what idiot dreamed up that date.....weather too bad to do outside antenna work where over half the people live. The middle of June seems a more natural and doable target date. But there has been enough money and effort spent advertizing the stupid February date and preparing for it. Stick to it unless the broadcasters get behind extending it.....they are the ones footing the bills for analog and digital broadcast.

Good thought ... why did they come up with February ... if they find out their antenna dont work like they thought ... who wants to be up on their roof ... in February.

Duh, the digital channels have been there since 2004 in most markets.

Affordable rebate tuners have been available for more than a year.

What they should have done is cut analog for a week back last Feb to get attention.

[vhelp]

Well, what worries me is how many channels will carry over. I mean, right now, I get about 15 channels over analog antenna. Most are (you guessed it) connecticut stations: in fact, PBS is one of those

I'm worried that (based on my already experience with reception) I'll only receive those digital channels I already have right now, which isn't much: is less than analog antenna.

I'm also worried that when they switch circuits, that the wattage will in fact raise and I will in fact get greater or much better signal strength/picture qualty: true or false, that is to be the question, soon.

All these are critical to me because I may not decide to go "digital" cable, which will mean the loss of my favoriate channel: Disney.

So, its gonna be very hard for most people..specially when some will actually have to shell out some more money, on-going: because some channels (broadcast content, etc) may no longer be available.

. . .

Oh yeah, almost forgot..

And don't get me started about QAM. That's a dead end to most people. If you ain't go "digital" cable service to begin with, you ain't gonna get QAM in your QAM-capable tuners, be it set-top or pc-based. And if you do get it and shortly there-after decide to cancel the service (you know, so you can cheat by keeping the "free" QAM support) you are so out of luck as QAM will go with it.

-vhelp 5007

[usually_quiet]

The middle of February!......what idiot dreamed up that date.....weather too bad to do outside antenna work where over half the people live. The middle of June seems a more natural and doable target date. But there has been enough money and effort spent advertizing the stupid February date and preparing for it. Stick to it unless the broadcasters get behind extending it.....they are the ones footing the bills for analog and digital broadcast.

Good thought ... why did they come up with February ... if they find out their antenna dont work like they thought ... who wants to be up on their roof ... in February.

Duh, the digital channels have been there since 2004 in most markets.

Affordable rebate tuners have been available for more than a year.

What they should have done is cut analog for a week back last Feb to get attention.

It is not entirely a matter of procrastination. The coupon program started about a year ago, but boxes were in short supply until the end of summer. Some models that were approved for the program didn't come out until even later in the year. During the first few months of the program, many people who ordered coupons, discovered they couldn't find a box to use them for within 90 days, not locally and not via mail order/online either.

I personally spent 2 months trying to find one of the Zenith/Insignia boxes at the three local stores that sold them, and they were never in stock. According to the salespeople, the limited number of boxes they received each week sold out within hours of being put on the shelves. I ended up ordering online again, and had to buy something else, becaues all the online sources were out of them as well.

[edDV]

None of that changes if they delay the moment of truth.

TV stations aren't in the business of cutting their audience. They will find a way to deliver a signal.

Meanwhile you get the bandwidth benefts with more cellular/wireless services while the feds get the $Billions in licencing fees which they will quickly spend foolishly.

[edDV]

many people who ordered coupons, discovered they couldn't find a box to use them for within 90 days, not locally and not via mail order/online either.

I agree the tuner coupon deadline was too short but you voted for these people (both parties). Complain to them.

[conejo99]

I had guessed that the date is as far from the next election as is practical. Making it the day after the election would be too obvious. This gives the people who don't know about it more time to forget.
In that case the Democrates are foolish to wait. Since they're in office they will get blamed.

[usually_quiet]

many people who ordered coupons, discovered they couldn't find a box to use them for within 90 days, not locally and not via mail order/online either.

I agree the tuner coupon deadline was too short but you voted for these people (both parties). Complain to them.

If you read the Consumers Union's complaint, that is one of the issues that they want to see addressed. They started raising questions about the coupon program months ago, by the way. Individuals have been complaining even longer than that, for all the good it has done.

Digital broadcasts may have been around in 2004, but even in the fall of 2006, recording devices with digital tuners were impossible to find, and lower-priced TVs didn't have them either. The market should have been allowed to drive this, but the govenrment and certain business interests wanted the process completed on a different timetable.

[Edit] I live in a metropolitain area with more than a million residents, and even now, the newspapers don't publish a schedule that includes the digital sub-channels.

[Epicurus8a]

With the exception of misleading TV ads and the lack of DTV convertor boxes with analog pass thru, both of which were corrected months ago, I think the digital transition has been handled as well as can be expected.

The middle of February!......what idiot dreamed up that date.....weather too bad to do outside antenna work where over half the people live. The middle of June seems a more natural and doable target date. But there has been enough money and effort spent advertizing the stupid February date and preparing for it.

My thoughts too. If people aren't ready, it's their own darn fault.

Nine out of 10 station managers surveyed by TVWeek* oppose a delay.

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



*TVWeek is a well respected trade magazine.



BTW, the Senate will probably take a vote this week.
And they are likely to vote in favor of a delay.

[edDV]

You won't see the Senate delaying their own pay increase when 90% are opposed but they will delay this when 90% want it done now.

[Epicurus8a]

You won't see the Senate delaying their own pay increase when 90% are opposed but they will delay this when 90% want it done now.

A bipartisan agreement to delay the country’s digital TV changeover from Feb. 17 to June 12 was announced Thursday night...

...If the switch wins Senate and House approval, the FCC and broadcasters face the formidable task of re-educating consumers. Millions of dollars worth of public service ads have been airing telling consumers the switchover would happen at midnight Feb. 17.

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

[kimco52]

From what I hear, most stations will still shut down and convert on Feb 17, even if they do delay the mandated date.
Congress has more important things to do than this. They don't really give a rip about people's TV's, they just want people to think they care so that they can get future votes. For them, it is not about TV or coupons, it is about votes.

FWIW, Feb 17, 2009 was not the original date. It has already been delayed a couple times.

[Nitemare]

They don't really give a rip about people's TV's, they just want people to think they care so that they can get future votes.

I disagree. Politicians love television. The "idiot box" is the new opiate of the masses. It keeps people inside and serene and they can spin most of the information to their advantage. If "the people" paid full attention to what their representatives do while in office, no one would ever get re-elected. Television is the easiest way to distract an already apathetic public.

[usually_quiet]

FWIW, Feb 17, 2009 was not the original date. It has already been delayed a couple times.

As far as the past postponements go, those delays happened because the networks and electronic equipment manufacturers were not ready. The public had little to do with it, and was largely unaware, because there were few stories about it in mass media.

Community broadcasters (the small independent stations) are still very unhappy about the changeover. They have been promised help, but feel they'll be forced out of business anyway.

While the members of this forum, especially those who are "in the business", have been aware of the issues surrounding the transition far longer than a year, the general public has only been living with them them for less than a year. That is not much time for those who have been negatively impacted to organize and ask for changes in the way it is being handled, and explains why it is coming to a head now, at the end of the process.

The "idiot box" is the new opiate of the masses. It keeps people inside and serene and they can spin most of the information to their advantage. If "the people" paid full attention to what their representatives do while in office, no one would ever get re-elected. Television is the easiest way to distract an already apathetic public.

Members of this forum drag out this tired "TV is the opiate of the masses" elitist nonsense far too often. Individuals find ways to be informed to the degree they want to be aware, and find ways to entertain themselves to the degree that they want to be distracted. Spin and sensationalism have been around as long as mass media. Anyone remember hearing the term "yellow journalism" when studying 19th century history?

People do become politically active to change things that are important to them, but it takes time. It is hard to say if enough political will exists to force a change, and time has certainly been short in this case.

[JohnnyMalaria]

Change in February? Why that's as stupid as having elections in November.

Come on - both are publicized well in advance. If you aren't ready, tough poop. Not that there's anything worth watching anyway OTA.

[greymalkin]

Congress has more important things to do than this.

Correct! They have to ship out those $100,000,000 in contraceptives to save our economy!

[usually_quiet]

Change in February? Why that's as stupid as having elections in November.

Come on - both are publicized well in advance. If you aren't ready, tough poop. Not that there's anything worth watching anyway OTA.

It doesn't matter so much when they are held now, but in an agrarian economy, early November was the most convenient time for elections to be scheduled. The crops would have been harvested and the weather would still be good enough to permit travel in most parts of the country. (People may have had to travel a full day or more to vote.) I have yet to hear a practical reason for the changeover to be scheduled for February.

[MOVIEGEEK]

Congress has more important things to do than this.

Correct! They have to ship out those $100,000,000 in contraceptives to save our economy!

I'll bet Trojan and Pfizer employees are happy.

It doesn't matter when the shutoff takes place because there will always be people who will not be ready.

[JohnnyMalaria]

It doesn't matter when the shutoff takes place because there will always be people who will not be ready.

Not being ready is a common reason to need contraceptives!

[JohnnyMalaria]

Why the delay? Blame John McCain - seriously:

On July 22, 2004, the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States (the 9/11 Commission) released its final report. The Commission recommended that Congress support legislation “which provides for the expedited and increased assignment of radio spectrum for public safety purposes.” In response to this recommendation, on September 21, 2004, Senator John McCain introduced S. 2820, the SAVE LIVES Act. S. 2820 would change the digital transition deadlinefrom December 31, 2006 to December 31, 2008. Spectrum for public safety would be freed for use by first responders, and other spectrum would be available for commercial uses

.

http://italy.usembassy.gov/pdf/other/RL31260.pdf

The original date was at the end of the year which is a sensible date but still a "bad" time of year. 17 Feb 09 is exactly 6 weeks after the McCain new deadline which probably explains the apparently odd date.

[MOVIEGEEK]

The Senate approved the delay:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28863961/