Is the US Ready For the Switch To DTV? 423
tonsofpcs writes "On Monday, September 8, Wilmington, NC will be the first television market (#135) to make the switch to DTV by shutting off their analog transmitters. This forum will be posting updates throughout the coming months to keep everyone updated on how the transition works so that we are all prepared come February 17, 2009. So far, it seems Wilmington will still be going ahead as planned, despite Tropical Storm Hanna's proximity."
I have a feeling (Score:4, Insightful)
Re:Despite Tropical Storm Hanna? (Score:5, Insightful)
This is going to happen in February, why on earth should a tropical storm delay it if it's still September? For that matter, why would it be delayed at all? Is there something mystical and magical about tropical storms that we don't know here?
The use of TV as a warning mechanism for evacuations / seeking shelter. If you turn that off fro those still on analog you've added to the complexity of an evacuation.
Re:Short Answer (Score:1, Insightful)
It has nothing to do with being a troll... you simply have no basis for that assumption. Bigotry at it's best.
Will they broadcast a notice? (Score:5, Insightful)
Seems that would be better than just turning it off. Maybe just run it for a week or so.
recession (Score:4, Insightful)
Re:Short Answer (Score:4, Insightful)
It is not called trolling; it is called elitism. ... and it is wrong. Your "demographic" probably leaves out the majority of those affected, those who shop at Walmart and purchased Chinese-made NTSC sets. Walmart got slapped a few times in the recent past for selling non-DTV capable sets - we're talking months ago.
See? It's possible to introduce a demographic you're not a part of, without a snide twist of the knife. All seriousness aside, there's plenty of bad stereotypes that could be made with the Walmart crowd (meth and prescription addiction anyone?). (I suppose even acknowledging the possibility of this counter stereotype is the same as saying it, but I'm trying to draw a distinction).
Good luck with your views
Disaster Radios (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:Will they broadcast a notice? (Score:5, Insightful)
I can't speak for other markets, but here in Portland at least one station recently ran a prime time demonstration. They said "Right now we are going to turn off the analog transmitter for 60 seconds. You will know if you are affected if your picture goes away."
That's pretty smart IMO, and they should start doing that more often, perhaps every evening as we get closer to the switch, maybe even several times a day.
Re:UK is *very* different (Score:3, Insightful)
That's largely my experience. I don't get so many channels that I can't count with digital,but I definitely get all the broadcast channels I was plus a few others which weren't close enough to be visible.
And all of those are in better quality than what they were when I had comcast delivering the video. Not quite a good as DirecTV, but quite a bit better than either comcast or the older over the air programming.
I don't think that when I was growing up my parents would have gotten cable if we could have gotten this kind of good picture on a consistent basis.
Re:More $$$ for Hollywood (Score:3, Insightful)
I call "bullshit" on that.
The spectrum "giveaway" you speak of was actually an unfunded mandate. The broadcasters were forced to operate dual, redundant facilities for a few years and on 2/17, the "extra" spectrum is going to be summarily taken away from them.
In the meantime, the top 100 MHz of the UHF TV spectrum is being removed from TV service was auctioned off to the wireless industry for billions and billions of dollars.
How, exactly, did Hollywood benefit from that?
Re:I have a feeling (Score:3, Insightful)
Obviously YMMV, but generally and for most people, DTV provides better quality reception and more channels. Of course it depends on the transmitter you're tuned to, and antenna you're receiving with and there can be difficulties particularly when switching the broadcast systems like now. But this happened all the time with analog aswell, with channels going lost and having to re-tune your TV.
A simple rig. (Score:3, Insightful)
Any Slashdotter could do this
1. Get Digital receivers to decode only the channels you want them to watch.
2. Hook up the outputs to some UHF modulators.
3. Output the signals to your existing Television cabels.
4. Re-tune the TV's
Could be done for a few hundred dollars at most.
Re:I have a feeling (Score:3, Insightful)
I realize you weren't asking for advice, but the Samsung H260F just might dramatically improve your viewing experience.
Re:Who cares? (Score:3, Insightful)
TV is done. It's going to die faster than radio, because I can listen to radio in my car.
You haven't got the faintest clue, have you? The majority of the population (in the US or in the UK where I live) still come home from work and slump in front of the TV. They don't want to choose a DVD or find something on youtube, they just want to flick through a few channels and settle on something comfortable and familiar while they wind down. Maybe later they'll do something else.
Yes, TV isn't as important and central as it was; but it'll still be broadcasting (profitably) to millions in 5, 10, 20 years.
Re:UK is *very* different (Score:3, Insightful)
I think you may have hit the nail on the head. I can't remember the last time I saw rabbit-ear aerials here and I'm a student.
Re:Slashdot only making half-hearted effort (Score:3, Insightful)
Well goody for you; I'm so happy you can afford multiple TVs (one for each eye?). However, not everyone is in your income bracket. Many are struggling just to keep their homes, and the rising price of gas has made things even tougher (I assume with all those TVs, you must have watched the news at some point).
For over a year now I have been predicting riots in the streets when the people living in our ghettos are suddenly thrust into a situation where they have no more bread and circuses. Without their steady opitate of "American Idol", they might suddenly notice they are living in a country with no freedoms and a repressive government.
I'm not poor and neither are the people I associate with. Despite that, I know exactly TWO people with HDTV setups, and yet, I know even more with TV antennas and no digital boxes. I myself have DirectTV, so I'm unaffected, but I'm still watching it on a standard NTSC box, and I suspect I'm far from alone.
So just because you have two nice plasmas, don't assume the rest of America is the same as you. And have fun with them next time a nasty storm knocks out your power. Pull out your battery powered TV to get a weather update and then find out it doesn't work without your digital box.
Fortuantely, we have radio as backup, but how long until they make that unaccessible to us as well without paying fees, making it entirely digital, relying on a broken infrastructure, and causing more problems than it's worth.
Minimal effect (Score:3, Insightful)
It doesn't really affect me because I haven't watched TV on a regular basis for a couple of decades. If there is a show I want to watch, I wait for it to come out in DVD. If I want current news, I check the web or read a newspaper. If there is an emergency that requires extremely current information, I listen to the radio.
I do pity those people who rely upon broadcast TV for their entertainment and/or information. But that IS a life style choice that they make and this change has been talked about for quite a few years not.
They'll adjust. I do suspect that there will be a lot of calls to the local TV stations from people that never listen to public service ads warning of the changes. (I wonder how many of these calls will be from channel flippers that never listen to commercials or public service ads?)