Posted on 12/31/2008 9:48:50 AM PST by ConservativeMind
I encourage everyone to stop spending money on television subscriptions, as these simply help the liberal media to survive.
A good antenna and one of these converter boxes will get you all the local stations, plus new HD and Standard Digital stations (including 24-hour weather and other stations now only broadcast in digital where available), on your older televisions.
My family has done this, and switched to DSL internet from cable internet. We now have more stations than what we had under basic cable, with no monthly costs!
Please drop by the website below and get your coupons. This is the last day to do so.
Same was the student loan program works - schools rake in the cash and then adjust the "student contribution" requirement to get the gravy.
how are you getting more stations without cable?
Maybe some day. I STILL can’t get DSL service where I live, so cable internet is the only option I have for fast internet.
The DTV chipset that all these contain cost at least 4.80 in 1000 unit quantities.
It would not be economical possible to sell the entire unit for 10.00.
“how are you getting more stations without cable?”
I noticed that also when I hooked my digital TV up to a digital antenna. With digital over the air, each signal can carry multiple stations.
The CBS affiliate in may area is channel 4, but over digital there is 4-1, 4-2, 4-3, & 4-4. Four channels comming over a single signal. The religious broad casting station was sending out 6 channels over a single signal.
So, lets say there are 12 channel/signals in your area.
12 signals x 6 channels per signal = 72 channels!
I think this will be the eventual end of cable/satellite service. The marginal cost to add an extra channel to an existing signal is probably close to zero. Eventualy there will be so many free, over the air channels available that people will ask “why am I paying $50 a month for cable?”
Well, maybe, but my Zenith DTT901 converter box is a pretty damn great piece of equipment for $10. I’m not quite buying your suggestion that the $40 subsidy is illusory.
huh?
https://www.dtv2009.gov/FAQ.aspx Your post is incorrect: The coupons can be ordered through March of 2009.
Why would I ever go back to DSL after having FIOS? It’s like the difference between night and day.
I recently got a box for a TV in my garage. I actually kind of like the DTV stuff. Picture is much better.
Because it's not the number of channels that drive cable sales, it's what's on cable. People can't get ESPN OTA, so they'll pay for cable. ESPN drives cable sales.
Are you saying you can make your own for $10?
No. What I am saying is that the major chipset required to make one costs 4.80 if you buy 1,000 at a time. You still have to add a power supply, case, circuit board and related logic to have a working unit.
The bill of materials for one of these units is at least 11.50 each.
Their site says the coupons need to be ordered by today.
This could be because they are saying it takes six weeks for the coupons to appear. Six weeks from today, analog will be gone.
Well, factoring in all the HD and standard digital stations, and analog, it really is more.
Locally, the normal PBS station is only one station, for instance. With digital channels, our local PBS has four stations, one that is a HD channel, three that are standard digital channels. One of these standard channels is the same content that the HD PBS channel has, but the other two are completely different content. We now get a PBS cooking show, McLaughlin Group, and Nova simultaneously via these four channel channels from what was one channel before. In addition, we still get the analog PBS, which is the same content as the HD and one of the standard digital channels, so we actually have 5 PBS channels for one network where before there was only 1, period.
Also, our local CBS station has one of these extra subchannels that is broadcasting 24-hour weather information.
This is an example of what is there when you hook up an antenna and have a digital converter box to help!
Thanks. I found one site that said they post instructions on building your own dtv converter box as soon as they can get your hands on some. Otherwise, nada.
Your typical government stupidity. They could probably get rid of most of their staff by letting one print out the coupon online.
I went to the website a few weeks back to request my coupons. One of the questions that you are asked is to the effect of: “Do you subscribe to a digital or cable company for at least one of your tvs?” I mark yes because I can only afford one tv on a subscription service. By marking yes ... I can’t seem to get the coupons offered by the government.
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