US analog TV switch-off in 2009

BBC ^ | 2/2/06 | n/a

[MikefromOhio]

Couldn't care less, I have DirecTV :)

[OneWingedShark]

"It means,instead of having a fuzzy picture or a few lines on the screen,you will now have green pixels that dot the screen,frozen screens,and a few sounds like cats mating when there is a sound problem." Ahhh... the sweet sound of "advancement". Speaking as a CS major, Digital is not always the best format. Analog is what we see and hear, which means that a truly "faithful" reproduction of these must be analog.

[null and void]

So how am I suppose to use my portable one I use when camping?

You're supposed to stop camping. You might step on a caterpillar or sumpin.

[N. Theknow]

You do. I'd thank you, but I need 4 (one for each set), so I'll be busy picketing The Man.

In most areas, DirecTV gives you a dish and four room setup free with installation when you agree to use the service for a year or two.

Works with any set now. Will work with any set in the future as they do not wish to lose any customers.

If you want HDTV, then that is $9.99 per month extra and requires a different receiver for an extra charge (unless you are a new customer then it is free). Not very good unless you have a television that is HDTV. NOTE: After you have gotten used to watching HDTV, anything else is lousy!

If you want TiVO which means you can throw away all the junk programs with the click of a button, pause live TV, rewind live TV, start watching TV 30 minutes after a show starts and fast forward through the commercials, save an entire season of all the shows you like in their own categories and watch them at your leisure, that is $4.99 extra and also requires a different receiver for an extra charge.

Going from analog to digital in 2009, you won't even notice with satellite or cable.

[Myrddin]

Probably wise. In addition to the factors you list, the MPAA luddites are demanding ridiculous copy protection requirements, and if Congress gives in then existing digital TVs could be obsoleted.

The HDMI output to the HD monitor is encrypted. MPAA forced manufacturers of the chipsets to design them in a manner that precludes tapping a decrypted signal to another type of display. More meddling by the MPAA elitists that will end up costing the end users lots of money.

We only have once HD station over the air in Pocatello that I can receive with sufficient signal strength. Fortunately it is NBC so I can see the single hour of TV that I watch each week in HD if I'm even home to watch.

I have a couple DishNet receivers. My wife and kids watch lots of hours of stuff from the satellite. The local over the air broadcasters could be scraped off the landscape and we wouldn't notice for weeks.

[Sam Cree]

"The US Congress has approved plans to force broadcasters to switch off their analogue television signals by 2009."

Luckily, we all believe in the free market here /sarc

[N. Theknow]

I receive 1 station over rabbit ears. Will I no longer receive this 1 station in 2009? Will I need cable or dish to watch TV?

No. "Digital" rabbit ears are already avilable at Wal-Mart, Radio Shack, etc. Just need a set than can accept the signal or a converter box to accept the signal. Haven't seen a set-top converter/rabbit ears combo, if someone doesn't make it already, they will if the market is there.