Comments on: Campaign to delay DTV transition gets a boost

Senate Republicans are now backing a bill that would delay the transition from analog to digital TV until June of this year.

[techman21]

How silly! We've known about the transition for well over a year, and converters have been available for at least a year. If you don't know what to do by now, get informed! Get off your butt! It's not that hard! There's no good reason to delay it any longer and many financial reasons to keep it on schedule.

[sanenazok]

Awful and useless. These two words apply both to Congress and analog broadcasts.

[wilmepe]

Yes indeed!

[Pete Bardo]

I don't know about all this. Digital sucks, too. At least with analog when there is a weak signal I can still see something through the snow. With digital everything just stops until the transmission catches up. Sure it's great when you have good reception, but what about when it rains or snows or if it's foggy? I'm a bit dumb about these things, but weather conditions have a big impact on my _cable_ reception quality.

Hey, maybe analog broadcasts are useless because of the crap they are broadcasting?

[dwkmi]

"I'm a bit dumb about these things, but weather conditions have a big impact on my _cable_ reception quality."

A bit dumb is an understatement. If you have cable, this doesn't effect you one bit.

[timber2005]

TV stations cannot broadcast analog and digital at full strenght. Once they shut off the analog broadcast, they can boost the digital signal and you'll see a much better strength.

[georgiarat]

There is more than enough to blame the Republicans for but this is a bipartisan mistake. The Democrats want it as much or more than the Republicans. Time to get out of campaign mode folks.

[skillingssucks]

Einstein, no one is in "campaign" mode. The majority of Republicans were against this last week, now many have changed their minds. That's all the article is saying. did you even read the article?

[groink_hi]

I live in Hawaii. Use us as a model! We made our cut-over this past January 15. The call centers received only 900 calls. That's 900 out of about 500,000 TV sets. Further delay of this process is unnecessary.

http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/162329-Hawaii_DTV_Switch_Causes_Limited_Confusion.php

[XoneDaGnome]

This is BS, I applied for coupons just in case I would loose Satellite, I received them and used them, and this was back in early 2008. We knew this was coming for 10 years and several warnings from the local media, Satellite/Cable companys for the last 2 years. This is not a FCC problem, it's a Personal problem. Upgrade or get Static.

[dwkmi]

Now how would you lose satellite?? Clearly people like you are the ones that need more than a year to become prepared, or in your case informed.

[ftaok]

dwkmi,

I think you misread Xone's post. He's saying that he got the CECBs for when his satellite signal craps out. That way, he switches on his CECBs and he can at least watch local TV.

[LinuxRules]

X, you were not suppose to receive the coupons. You already had sat/cable, the coupons were for only people that did not have sat/cable. In that sense you stoled from people that needed more than you. Shame on YOU.

The form that you filled out to get the coupons, you lied that you did not have sat, that is how you got coupons.

[rapier1]

@LinuxRules

Actually the application doesn't say anywhere that people with sat/cable can't get coupons. They only ask that you acknowledge it if you do. I checked that box and still got a coupon some 7 months ago.

[templetonrl]

Damn!!! 4 more months of those STUPID tests and annoying commercials!!

[martin_c_e]

HERE HERE!! I am bored to tears of those ads. My household has been watching dtv for 3 years now.

[jpmays]

@martin_c_e: I hear you brother... I've been watching DTV since I first signed up for DirecTV back in 1997! Couldn't stand the friggin' cable... haven't been disappointed yet! Satellite TV is the way to go!

[DrollTroll]

THis couldn't have turned out better. America will finally be weaned off stupefying TV because they're two friggin lazy two get a friggin coupon. America is far better off with NO TV. Its high time the rest of America joined those in the Ozarks and watched the stars in the sky at night instead of on TV.

[mpitogo]

hog wash, what the heck are these guys doing.

[bgnm]

The new administration and Congress are demonstrating how out of touch with reality they are. The Democrats only interest in this is to appear that they're taking care of the little guys that the nasty Republicans want to take free television from. It's all utter nonsense. The transition should occur on schedule so we can get on with the business of using the freed-up spectrum productively.

[malynj]

Please, lets just get this over on the original schedule and get past this.

Another site was talking about other projects that would be delayed or impacted by further delays in the transition. One was a case of a broadcaster that will be selling one of their extra digital transmitters to another set of broadcasters after they complete the transtion, and that could be affected by any delay in the transition date.

Also the issues of the analog transmitters using more power, and running two transmitters. One site indicated it cost around $20,000 a month for the extra transmitter.

I hope most stations opt to shutdown their analog signal anyway. One station in my area has already shutdown their analog transmitter early, partly to help people ensure they have what they need to keep getting channels after the complete shutdown.

[CitizenX]

I wonder what kind of "amendments"... cough, cough, hack.... "pork" was added to the bill to convince the republicans to sign on to the delay.

[globalist_agenda]

Doesn't this fall under "economic stimulus"? Unemployed and foreclosed Americans (and their illegal brothers) can make converter boxes. Let's spend a few $trillion and proceed with the Feb cutover.

[jumpjetta]

Gee, you'd think people were going to die without TV. Maybe a few weeks without it would do people some good.

[ericP3]

Who cares.. its just TV. Cable and Sat subscribers don't need to do anything. There is no "panic" about the switch.

[jasonrubik]

My primary TV has been ready for months now, and I like to watch the digital channels. But I am SO GLAD that the switch "might" get delayed. 13 years ago I built a Heathkit Color Television from individual parts (which had been in storage for 18 years when I found it) that has yet to finally work. So now I'm the procrastinator who didn't finish it fully and get it up and running before the impending deadline. I might finish more easily by June than by next month. Yes, I know that a converter box will work on it, so why hurry?, but its tuning circuitry is awesome being push-button (high tech for the 70s) which will soon be totally obsolete.... :(

[clamenza]

Here's an idea: Implement DTV as scheduled, by extend coupon program for six or more months, or even indefinitely. There, problem solved.

[KeotaKrew]

Ok people; time to get some facts straight. 1. George W signed the economic bill without votel from either senate or house, mandating the Feb. 17th, 2009 date. 2. The feds have run out of money, as usual...for their own program, and have a waiting list of 2 million consumers needing coupons 3. Analog serves millions of Americans who depend on news, weather, and information via the TV. 4. Digital TV is not always truly "DIGITAL". Some carriers are choosing to compress analog into NTSC digital.... its compressed analog...not digital. The picture is the same, delivery method different. 5. Digital TV still depends on content, that?s how the show is recorded....,again...mostly not digital HD content.

Plenty of good reasons to delay it...as usual and will be the case for years....Obama inherited the flawed, flunked programs and policies of W Jr. Incompetence and mis-management can't hide forever, and Obama will have to clean up yet another W. mess. Is there a common theme going on in America today? .....YES.... the government and private industry are bankrupt and out of money....where are they electing to get more.....hahaha.....Yes....you and I...the common people. Ok, enough ranting, but lets ensure we have a progrqam that is supported, funded and EXECUTED before we launch Milions of Americans into the "snow storm in hell."

Live, Learn and Awaken!

Agreed. This was more about money than anything else and the FCC is supposed to represent the public's best interest, not make money over frequencies they really don't own. I sent off for coupons for my sister and mom 2 months ago and still nothing.

With DTV you need a stronger S/N ratio or you will have problems. We have already had local folks (who actually were able to get the coupons) say they now receive fewer channels compared to analog. They will have to put up an outside antenna to get the S/N ratio they need to equal analog coverage. Yes, not a super big deal or expense yet no one bothers to mention this during those no stop silly ads they play about the benefits of dtv
.
In the end it will probably be for the better but this plan was well, not very well planned. Like what about folks on the Gulf Coast who depend on battery powered TV's during hurricanes?

[Heebee Jeebies]

What they need to do is stop being so greedy. Converter boxes should have been free. It is the government and others that are going to make the killing with this move not the consumers so the boxes to do so should have been 100% free.

DTV needs to be rolled out for 1 year while the analog airwaves are still going for that year with constant messages telling people that analog goes in one year please make sure their dtv boxes are working and setup right. This gives people time to install and test without having to worry about loosing TV while they do it.

Another Bush screw the people move. DTV is a joke to start with and only benefits corporations and the government.

Robert

[easenski]

Didn't DTV get rolled out over analog already? It has been sense last spring when I got my converter box and sense then I have been able to receive both analog and digital signals. I much prefer the digital, but use the analog when the digital does not come in well. I have been well prepared for the switch, and its a shame to the people who are not, but you have had PLENTY of time to get out and get your converter boxes. It needs to be realized that not everyone will be ready for the switch over no matter how much time we will have. Just get it over with and those that aren't ready maybe will get their butts in motion!

[edorsey2]

This is a complete waste of time. If this bill passes, it will bring a ton of financial stress to a lot of companies. If people are dumb enough to not know what is going on, on February 17 they deserve not to be able to watch TV. Who cares if they can't watch TV anyways? We still have radio, and the phone to communicate. It is not a big deal, and if they haven't gotten off their lazy <delete expletive here> to prevent a problem from arising then they might actual be forced to once February 17th rolls around. If I could I would personally go slap each member of the senate in the face and tell them to get real, and 4 more months will not effect the situation enough for it to matter. This is complete and utter B.S.