Blue Shirts to solve digital TV transition

Geeks and nerds need not apply, but if you're still one of those facing your 10-year-old analog TV every night, I have some news.

You don't want to have this TV after February 17, 2009.

(Credit: Tech Liberation)

On Tuesday, Best Buy announced that it will host workshops in 25 of its stores around the country to educate consumers about the transition to digital television broadcasting and help them choose the best solution for their television needs.

The workshop will help you understand the difference between the two technologies and, most likely, encourage you to buy a new digital TV. Best Buy, of course, will be ready to facilitate the purchase of said digital television right there in its store, though no purchase is required for you to participate.

The workshops are the collaborated efforts of Best Buy and the National Association of Broadcasters. During the event, local broadcasters will also be available to answer questions.

The workshops will take place at at 10 a.m. on November 17--exactly three months before the switch. You can participate at Best Buy stores in following locations: Atlanta, Baltimore, Boston, Chicago, Cleveland, Dallas, Denver, Detroit, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, Minneapolis, New York, Orlando, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Pittsburgh, Portland, Sacramento, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle, St. Louis, Tampa, and Washington D.C.

[dreyfusse]

What about the South? Seems like a whole swath of the country won't have access to these workshops.

[MadLyb]

Quick question? <br /> <br />Would you expect anyone who reads Crave to need to know this information? <br /> <br />Even if a person who reads this blog hasn't already addressed this issue, I am sure they already know the issue in great detail and have plans for addressing. <br /> <br />*sigh* I miss the old Crave where the background was black and we heard about gadgets other than phones and cameras and we were constantly reminded how Hello Kitty was subverting technology. <br /> <br />Aaahhh, the good ol' days.

[tenc21]

With what the Bush-man did to the economy we'll all be watching analog TV for along time to come---no one can afford a DTV transition. To accommodate that, the regulations for change will be suspended and there'll be no switch until the recession recedes like the hairlines of those Baby Boomer hedge fund managers who haven't committed hara-kari yet.

[archaicforest]

Hmm.... 25 shows in 25 major US cities. What does this do to help the millions of people who do not live anywhere near any of these cities? The FCC's "DTV bandwagon" needs to pull into small towns in the boonies for this to genuinely be effective. And with only three months left, they better start pulling into fifteen county seats a day. While I commend Best Buy for stepping up to educate people, I think that there should be a lot more done. <br /> Did everyone hear the one about the FCC going to a college and having to go outside to get a DTV signal? They set up the display in the rain under a tent so they could demonstrate the "advance" to DTV. If that doesn't underscore the problems for them, they should just go home.

[co789co]

I have a Sony Watchman hand held TV. With this transition from analog to HD. Will my Ltllle TV be DEAD after Feb. 17th ? <br />Paul <br />Ogden, Utah