hussle87
Premium
join:2008-01-06
Sykesville, MD | reply to sansri88
Re: 2/17/2009 - All DIGITAL TV Transition Discussions go here
so that means that by 2012 we will all have to own a DTV right? |
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Greg_Z
Premium
join:2001-08-08
Springfield, IL
 ·Comcast
| said by hussle87  :so that means that by 2012 we will all have to own a DTV right? No. You will though need a Digital Convertor box, or have to upgrade your Television set to one that contains a NTSC/ATSC/QAM tuner. This does not mean to go out and purchase a HD set. |
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Snowcat
join:2004-02-02
Nashville, TN | reply to sansri88
Has anyone received their government coupons yet? I sent away for one on Jan 1, and I thought they would be ready by early Feb. |
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Greg_Z
Premium
join:2001-08-08
Springfield, IL
·Comcast
| It will be later this year as mentioned in the disclaimer, not at the beginning. Even then, unless you do not have a need for the ATSC tuner, due to have CATV or Satellite, it will serve no purpose. Matter of fact, the tuners only do 480i, and nothing else. |
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Snowcat
join:2004-02-02
Nashville, TN
 ·EarthLink
2 edits | said by Greg_Z :It will be later this year as mentioned in the disclaimer, not at the beginning. Later this month, not later this year.
»https://www.dtv2009.gov/RecentUpdates.aspx
TV Converter Box Coupons are plastic cards that look like gift cards. They will be:
-Mailed to households with approved applications, starting in late February.
-Sent based on the date of application, in the order in which the applications were received.
-Mailed on a staggered basis - not all at once.
-Delivered by the U.S. Postal Service.
Coupons cannot be printed or downloaded from the Program Website and are not available to pick up at retail locations.
Remember to call ahead to confirm availability of coupon-eligible converter boxes at the store on the day you plan to shop. |
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Greg_Z
Premium
join:2001-08-08
Springfield, IL
·Comcast
1 edit | »https://www.dtv2009.gov/FAQ.aspx
Consumers who apply at the beginning or 2008 will receive their coupons when TV converter boxes are expected to be available in retail stores, probably in late February or early March.
The Probably in Government terms means when ever we get around to it, and most likely will be late in 2008 when they will be sent, and will not have enough for the number of requests received. |
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Snowcat
join:2004-02-02
Nashville, TN | Give the government some credit. The converter boxes are already in the stores, and I am sure the coupons will start arriving in the next few weeks.
While I don't need one, it might not be bad to have one as a backup or for a portable tv. |
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janewski
@comcast.net
| reply to sansri88
Okay, so in plain English, what happens to us analog subscribers when cable companies are forced to go all digital in 2012? Does that mean that Comcast will now require me to pay for a digital box for each of my TV sets? Can I just use a converter box that you can buy in any electronics store to convert the cable company's digital signal back to analog so that I don't have to buy the cable company's overpriced digital boxes or throw away my three big, expensive analog TVs?
Suppose you have Direct TV or Dish Network...those are already digital, so would you still need a converter box if you are using those services? |
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Greg_Z
Premium
join:2001-08-08
Springfield, IL | NOTHING. If you need a Digital STB, they will contact you. |
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bicker
join:2007-05-10
Burlington, MA
| reply to janewski
To be clear: Cable companies won't be "forced" to go all-digital in 2012. They can go all-digital before that, simply by making converter boxes with analog outputs available. And they can probably continue to provide some analog service after that, if they wish.
Cable companies can probably charge for converter boxes, even after they go all-digital, but we expect most will provide at least one converter box included in the basic fees. Converter boxes you buy from electronics stores will work, but only for unencrypted channels, unless they support CableCards (which you'll have to rent from the cable company).
Indeed, DirecTV and Dish Network already require you to use one of their converter boxes. You cannot even buy one at an electronics store -- the satellite systems are closed to you. |
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pheon
join:2000-08-15
Dayton, OH
| reply to Greg_Z
It looks like the converter boxes are now available at many retail stores. Prices range from $49.97 to $59.99 for the basic models.
I haven't received my coupon yet, but when I checked the status on the dtv2009.gov website, it said my coupons would be mailed out soon. |
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anonomous
@comcast.net
| reply to sansri88
I hope
Comcast goes all digital here. Our HD DVR is one of the new DCH 3416 set top boxes w/160 GB HDD and it only receives digital. I believe in my area, Comcast sends 3 streams for some of the standard cable channels, one is analog for a regular TV to pick up. Another is digital for STBs to pick up. The third is an HD version of certain channels. If they get rid of the analog channels, use SDV, and MPEG-4, it would free up LOTS of bandwidth which can be used for more HD channels, more on-demand, and for faster HSI when they switch over to DOCSIS 3.0. PLEASE COMCAST SWITCH TO ALL DIGITAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! |
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YukonHawk
join:2001-01-07
Patterson, NY
·Comcast
1 edit | reply to sansri88
Re: 2/17/2009 - All DIGITAL TV Transition Discussions go here
Maybe someone can help me with this question. Currently I do not have any set top boxes for my 3 TVs. I just have basic cable and decided not to rent any. With the digital transition coming in Feb 2009 will I need to start renting a STB from Comcast.
Thanks for any help.
Paul |
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Greg_Z
Premium
join:2001-08-08
Springfield, IL | You can either rent the boxes from the provider, or go out and get your own ATSC/QAM boxes, and take the crapshoot to hope that your provider does not encrypt the HD or SD channels. |
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YukonHawk
join:2001-01-07
Patterson, NY | Thanks for the quick reply. |
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bicker
join:2007-05-10
Burlington, MA
| reply to YukonHawk
Do keep in mind that there is not necessarily any relationship between the 2/17/2009 date and your cable provider. Whatever your cable provider will do they can do before that date or after that date. That date specifically only pertains to the televisions you have that are receiving reception via an antenna. |
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YukonHawk
join:2001-01-07
Patterson, NY | Bicker..thanks to you and everyone here. |
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pgoelz
join:2001-12-26
Rochester, MI
| reply to anonomous
Re: I hope
said by anonomous :
PLEASE COMCAST SWITCH TO ALL DIGITAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Maybe good for you but I currently have five TVs and a TV video card connected to our analog cable system. If Comcast goes all digital, those TVs are dead unless I rent a box for each one of them. Most of them are used only occasionally, making it not economical. At best, I can put QAM converter boxes on them, but around here Comcast encrypts most of the basic and extended basic channels so that won't get me much.
Paul |
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shezams
My Other Car Is A Zamboni
Premium
join:2001-08-14
Hyattsville, MD
·Comcast
| In the DC area too most of the Digital cable signals are encrypted and I so do not want a Comcast truck roll to have someone with less skill than I have stick it in my Tivo which I just got, and set up for the analog just fine. There are over 400 digital channels and subchannels which for the most part are encrypted. My Tivo reported them, but without a cable card I cannot view them.
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Simple rules - no offsides, no intent to maim, everything else is all good! |
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Travelfan1
RIP Analog Go Digital
join:2005-08-23
Iselin, NJ
·Comcast
2 edits | reply to sansri88
Re: 2/17/2009 - All DIGITAL TV Transition Discussions go here
EDIT: Article had been previously posted in the dslreports forum, but on the broader News forum:
»Comcast's $35 Digital Conversion Dongle
very interesting article on an approach Comcast is looking to implement a cheap digital to analog conversion product:
Comcast Pursuing $35 Digital Dongle
»www.lightreading.com/document.as···site=cdn
To give credit when credit's due, I found about this after reading markofmayhem post in the Central PA new HD channels about this "DAC Dongle".
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Comcast of New Jersey II(Union)
Verizon DSL
And who would think Eli would outplay Brady... |
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