[Macworld]

Post your comments for FAQ: The transition to digital television here

[bigpoppa206]

Of course if you are a Comcast subscriber, there might be new hardware in your future later in 2009!

[Fixx]

You are late. Here it has been DTV-only almost a year already.

[ibeetle]

In my area Cablevision (trying desperately to rebrand its self Optimum) is using this as a money grab.
According to eMails and automated phone calls (paraphrasing) if customers have basic cable they will have to subscribe to a digital tier; say good-by to $14.95 and hello to $19.95.

If customers have a third party device that uses a CableCard (such as a TiVo HD) they will loose the 15 channel high definition block formerly VOOM HD; And there will be no discounting due to this loss. So, in effect you will be paying for channels you are not receiving.

If the customer wants to regain the use of these channels they will have to... wait for it... can you guess?... obtain a cable control box. For... hope you are sitting down... $14.95 a month. This is on top of the $2.00 a month charge for having the CableCard.

Sad, really because if you do not have a CableCard and/or TiVo HD and let Cablevision completely take over your television to provide your complete viewing habits the cable box is only $9.95 a month.

[jdukovac]

I don't think the government should extend the date for the switchover. I can't honestly believe that there isn't a person who hasn't heard of the switch who lives in the general vacinity of civilisation.

If you're too lazy to cough up the $10 bucks for the box, then too bad for you. Maybe you can get some comfort from your HAM radio.

[wtbard]

DTV in some ways is worse than analog TV. Where as before you could watch weak signals, now you need a good signal strength to see anything. Good luck on watching any but the strong stations in the area.
Also, I have yet to see any portable TVs that work very well.

[jrandersoniii]

Your whole section on VCR's is deceptive. VCR's and internal VCR tuners will work fine on cable. Your description is indeed correct for over-the-air reception and tuning via a VCR.

[scfischer]

{quote:title=jdukovac wrote:} I don't think the government should extend the date for the switchover. I can't honestly believe that there isn't a person who hasn't heard of the switch who lives in the general vacinity of civilisation.

If you're too lazy to cough up the $10 bucks for the box, then too bad for you. Maybe you can get some comfort from your HAM radio.{quote}


It's not that these people don't know about the switch (although I'm sure there are some who don't), it's that a lot of people have waited until the last minute to make the switch and now the government has run out of money for the coupon redemption. These "lazy" people of which you speak are only lazy in that they waited as long as they did. But they did not foresee the government running out of cash so they can't be faulted in waiting. I think delaying the switchover until the government can get the coupon program back on track might not be such a bad idea.

[chasd]

Antennas:
Digital reception from my inside antenna is much better when I place it in a window. If your digital signal strength is low, an outside antenna might be a better choice. You can make an inexpensive attic digital antenna from wood, metal coat hangers, and aluminum foil. Google is your friend.
Analog vs. digital reception:
If you can pull in poor to acceptable analog signals, you might be out of luck with the switch to digital. Even though many broadcasters will increase the power of their digital signals after they can turn off their analog transmitters, the on-off nature of digital reception will likely put many people out of reach of a digital signal. For some, an outside antenna with a remote-control rotator might be a solution.

[spim]

Fixx said:

You are late. Here it has been DTV-only almost a year already.

he's not "late" with the article ... the date has not changed for the country to switch

if a particular area has switched earlier - well good for them ... but, it has NOTHING to do with the deadline set by Congress

[theloniousMac]

You would be surprised how many people are completely clueless about the DTV switch over. My grandmother, for instance, is 97 years old. She watches her television with the closed captioning. She primarily watches religious stations. She doesn't know about the switch and doesn't care. She's lucky that I will put a converter box on her television.

On the weekends I sometimes accompany her to a senior center and volunteer to help teach folks about computers. Nary a one could be found that's heard about the switch over.

These are people who have lived through the development of television. It's always just worked. They don't believe that this is going to change. Even the ones that know there's some kind of digital box don't realize that this is something they need.

The other night I was in a neighborhood fish market. They have an older television with antennae up on a shelf in a corner. Out of curiosity I asked about whether or not they are going to get a convert box for it. The owner was surprised to hear about the switchover.

I would bet there are literally millions of people, easily, that are not aware, and don't know what they're supposed to do.

[hhhofer]

The article starts: "The biggest change to television broadcasting since the advent of color will occur on Tuesday, February 17, when radio towers will start sending a digital signal".
I thought radio towers have been sending digital signals for quite a while. I thought that what is going to happen on February 17 is that they will stop sending analog signals.

[IsleHdwGuy]

Here in Hawaii the "Big Switch" is tomorrow. Hawaii is changing to digital before the rest of the country so that the endangered Hawaiian petrel's nesting season on the slopes of Maui's Haleakala won't be disrupted while the old analog transmission towers nearby are removed. Wish us luck!

[Quiet_Desperation]

Aren't those government coupons intended for the poor? MacWorld not paying you enough, Jackson? Your TV viewing needed a bailout, I guess. Thanks for glomming my tax dollars.