 KylemaulLovin' My FirefoxPremium
join:2001-03-30
North Port, FL | Lowest price for (basic) cable will be? Just wondering what it's going to cost me in taxes to subsidize those that were able to use Over-The-Air broadcasting before this FCC ruling. (I'm also predicting whiny cable lobbying for subsidized digital to analog converters). Also, are there any hard figures as to how many people still use only OTA broadcasts? |
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PDXPLT
join:2003-12-04
Banks, OR | said by Kylemaul:Also, are there any hard figures as to how many people still use only OTA broadcasts? There was a Nielsen study in the past year or so. Well under 10%, most low income, and (interestingly) high Latino portion.
Alot of people have said, only half-jokingly, it made alot of sense to just give this small group of folks free satellite service (like the FTA satellite in other countries), and put this very favorable spectrum to some other, better, use (lie WISP broadband, that's problematic on satellite due to latency, etc.). |
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 BF69Premium
join:2004-07-28
Camden, TN | reply to Kylemaul
said by Kylemail :
Just wondering what it's going to cost me in taxes to subsidize those that were able to use Over-The-Air broadcasting before this FCC ruling. (I'm also predicting whiny cable lobbying for subsidized digital to analog converters). Also, are there any hard figures as to how many people still use only OTA broadcasts?
Well the government had passed the law over a decade ago that eliminated analog broadcasts. This change was to have supposed to happened by December 31, 2006, but kept getting put off. February 17th, 2009 is now the final date when analog broadcasts will end.
There was money's already allocated to help folks get converter boxes for their old TVs( which they will be able to get at the local wal-mart and other places), which in the sum of a $40 coupon.
Really though it's not necessary since all standard definition TVs( which are going the way of the dinosaur anyways ) 25 inches and up built after July 1st 2006 have had to have ATSC tuners built in. After March 1st 2007 all Tv 13 inches and up will have to have built in ATSC tuners. Many people will probably be looking to get new TVs anyways before Feb 2009 and those people that still use antennas to get TV won't need to make any changes. Only change they'll notice is an much improved picture since with a digital broadcast you either get the signal or you don't. No ghosting or snowflakes. |
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 fartnessComputersoc Dot ComPremium
join:2003-03-25
Look Outside | Right now with analog, I can pick up over the air and it's a little staticy but still watchable... does that mean it wouldn't come in at all with digital?
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| Maybe. More likely, given the same transmitter location and power level, it means you'll get a perfect digital signal. However, most stations are broadcasting digital at lower power than analog, and often from lower on the tower, and always on different channels, so what it means is there's no way to tell.
I can get all my local digitals OTA, though only a couple of the analog channels come in clear. Over-the-air could stage a comeback if the cable companies keep up their channel-cutting price-increasing ways. |
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fartnessComputersoc Dot ComPremium
join:2003-03-25
Look Outside | Will the digital channels then switch to the same channel as their analog broadcasts?
Like on analog, does 2-13 come in better on digital than 14-69?
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KylemaulLovin' My FirefoxPremium
join:2001-03-30
North Port, FL | reply to fartness
For the record, fartness, OTA will be GONE when TV goes digital per the FCC ruling. Folks will have to have a physical connection to their local cable lines or get a satellite dish to get TV at all. Correct me if I'm wrong folks. This means those unfortunate folks who are last mile and especially those who are last 10 miles may be completely without access to TV for a while, unless they can get satellite. Not exactly sure if the satellite option is subsidized either. Just shows how short-sighted the total elimination of OTA broadcasting really is. |
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approval from:
John Galt 
| reply to fartness
The FCC is attempting to clear out NTSC channels 2-6 since they do not work as well for DTV. Most will be in the UHF range. All other things being equal, if you can receive an analog signal on a nearby frequency (say, 7 if the DTV is on 8 (but not 6 since that's in a different band) or 12 if the DTV is on 13), even if it is a little noisy, you should have reliable DTV service.
Many people are utterly confused and confusing when it comes to this transition because they really do not understand how it works in the first place. |
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| reply to Kylemaul
OTA TV is alive and well and broadcasting digitally as a simulcast (plus some additional stuff on the DTV side) with analog on two different channels right now. The TV stations must designate which of the two channels they will keep for DTV-only transmission after the much-extended deadline finally arrives. If your TV does not have an ATSC tuner you'll need a converter box. This the same situation we found ourselves in in the 1950's when UHF TV needed a separate receiver connected to a VHF-only TV.
So, your alarm is premature. |
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