This DTV transition is going to be a disaster.

[SuperBowlNachos]

I am less than 35 miles away from all of my stations transmitters and even with a pretty big sized antenna in my room up about 10 feet off the ground on a shelf pointed exactly right, I cannot get some stations to come in.

My aunt has a smart antenna and went from getting most channels in cleary or at least decent enough to watch, to only getting 2 at all

It's going to suck working in an electronics store come February.

[Herky]

Re: This DTV transition is going to be a disaster.

It certainly is sneaking up on those who still have tube TV's. I have a feeling lots of stores are going to sell out of the converters like it's Black Friday.

[ex carrabba fan]

Re: This DTV transition is going to be a disaster.

Can someone explain the point/motivation/benefit to all parties involved? I really don't get it. I'm assuming it's good for us, but I don't get why there's commercials and such for this "event".

[snepp]

Re: This DTV transition is going to be a disaster.

Can someone explain the point/motivation/benefit to all parties involved? I really don't get it. I'm assuming it's good for us, but I don't get why there's commercials and such for this "event".

http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/consumerfacts/digitaltv.html

Why Are Broadcast TV Stations Switching to All-Digital?


Congress mandated the conversion to all-digital television broadcasting, also known as the digital television (DTV) transition, because all-digital broadcasting will free up frequencies for public safety communications (such as police, fire, and emergency rescue). Also, digital is a more efficient transmission technology that allows broadcast stations to offer improved picture and sound quality, as well as offer more programming options for consumers through multiple broadcast streams (multicasting). In addition, some of the freed up frequencies will be used for advanced commercial wireless services for consumers.

[ex carrabba fan]

Re: This DTV transition is going to be a disaster.

Hmm. For some reason I'm pretty apathetic about this. Guess it's a good thing.

[Herbsinator]

Re: This DTV transition is going to be a disaster.

Anyone who gets their TV from an antenna doesn't matter anyway

[ChubbyBanana]

Re: This DTV transition is going to be a disaster.

I am less than 35 miles away from all of my stations transmitters and even with a pretty big sized antenna in my room up about 10 feet off the ground on a shelf pointed exactly right, I cannot get some stations to come in.

My aunt has a smart antenna and went from getting most channels in cleary or at least decent enough to watch, to only getting 2 at all

It's going to suck working in an electronics store come February.

As some who works in TV news and has been told a little bit about this transition let me give you some reassurance.

As of right now most Digital Transmitters at Stations across the country are only running at about 30-50% of full power. The reasoning is that the government doesn't mandate they go full power until February of 2009.

Those stations are saving money in tough times by not spending the money on the electric bill when they are not required to.

It'd be like if during the high gas prices you had a prius and a dump truck, and they were eventually phasing out the prius. You would drive the prius (analog transmitter) as you could before they made you drive the drump truck. (Digital Transmitter)

The stations I work at are only running about 50% power on the digital transmitters.

I'm not saying that the digital transmitter cost more to operate than the old analog one, but it's like why drive two cars if you can drive one kind of thing.

Hopefully this makes sense. I'm not saying it's going to be a painfree process, but I think your situation will improve once stations start going 100% on Digital Power.

[p_rushing]

Re: This DTV transition is going to be a disaster.

Yeah the digital signal will actually go a lot further. The digital signal also cost less to broadcast with the power than the analog, but right now, no one is going to broadcast both at full power and waste the money.

[TJdaSportsGuy]

Re: This DTV transition is going to be a disaster.

How many people are there actually out there still watching TV with an antenna? Must be a lot more than I think. There's been so much bad information about this thing going around anyway, lol. A friend of mine actually thought this whole thing meant that if you don't have an HDTV, you're screwed. LOL!!

[Jistic]

Re: This DTV transition is going to be a disaster.

How many people are there actually out there still watching TV with an antenna? Must be a lot more than I think. There's been so much bad information about this thing going around anyway, lol. A friend of mine actually thought this whole thing meant that if you don't have an HDTV, you're screwed. LOL!!

You'd also be surprised how many people are still on dial up internet. I'd guess theres a ton of people still doing OTA on rabbit ears.

[Fresh Tendrils]

Re: This DTV transition is going to be a disaster.

I'm assuming that if I can pick up analog signals on my HDTV now, I will be able to pick up digital signals in February once everything goes full power. Am I right with that assumption? Right now I'm just picking up digital PBS channels off my tuner.

[Fresh Tendrils]

Re: This DTV transition is going to be a disaster.

How many people are there actually out there still watching TV with an antenna? Must be a lot more than I think. There's been so much bad information about this thing going around anyway, lol. A friend of mine actually thought this whole thing meant that if you don't have an HDTV, you're screwed. LOL!!

We use an antenna to get our local channels (ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox, PBS) since Dish Network doesn't provide them (yet) - plus its free.

[yamabushi]

Re: This DTV transition is going to be a disaster.

Somebody asked 'Why?' simple. Money. With digital the Govt. has tons more 'airspace' to auction ($) out to broadcasters.

How many people are there actually out there still watching TV with an antenna? Must be a lot more than I think. There's been so much bad information about this thing going around anyway, lol. A friend of mine actually thought this whole thing meant that if you don't have an HDTV, you're screwed. LOL!!

The general public being uninformed!?! why I never.....
Im one of those hold outs with an antenna on the roof. I grew up with cable since the days of Super TV (if anybody remebers that) and once I decided 'bout 5-6 years ago to get rid of it, I havnt regretted it at all. Anything worth watching; Shield, Always Sunny, etc. I can get thru netflix.
$60 a month for 6 years = an extra $4300 for me.

[bkfount]

Re: This DTV transition is going to be a disaster.

We use an antenna to get our local channels (ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox, PBS) since Dish Network doesn't provide them (yet) - plus its free.

I get local channels on my dish network

[jmood88]

Re: This DTV transition is going to be a disaster.

I didn't know that some places made people pay for the converter boxes. The government is giving them out for free out here.