RARPSL
join:1999-12-08
Suffern, NY
| Do the Test CORRECTLY
Instead of turning off the Analog Signal, broadcast as analog (with the normal feed as digital) a SEPARATE Signal that shows a Static Screen and an Audio stream that informs the viewer that if they are receiving it they will no longer be able to view TV after February. Be PRO ACTIVE not just pull the plug on the analog signal as a test. This way you are TELLING the analog viewers of their situation as opposed to just not broadcasting to them during the test. |
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Austinloop
join:2001-08-19
Austin, TX | Best plan I have heard of. Obviously too complex for the FCC. |
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Mutiny32
Network Security Engineer
join:2000-07-04
Lees Summit, MO
| reply to RARPSL
That's not the point of this test. They want to see if completely shutting off analog will cause any issues. While this will most likely cause nothing but a bunch of rural residents some inconvenience until they figure out they need to buy either satellite or get their DTV converter box.
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RARPSL
join:1999-12-08
Suffern, NY
| said by Mutiny32  :That's not the point of this test. They want to see if completely shutting off analog will cause any issues. While this will most likely cause nothing but a bunch of rural residents some inconvenience until they figure out they need to buy either satellite or get their DTV converter box. How will broadcasting a special Screen and Audio via the Analog Signal TELLING the viewer of the problem not be a better test than sending out NO Analog Signal during the test period? My way INFORMS the viewer of the need to get satellite or a DTV Converter box - Turning off the Analog feed only prevents them from getting any signal without offering an explanation or assistance in solving the problem. |
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DataDoc
Nilsson Schmilsson
Premium
join:2000-05-14
Greenville, NC | reply to Mutiny32
If I wasn't aware of the change-over, getting no signal without audio would probably make me think it was just off the air.
Audio telling why there was no video would be much more helpful. |
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amigo_boy
join:2005-07-22
Tempe, AZ
 ·magicjack.com
 ·EarthLink
| reply to RARPSL
said by RARPSL :Instead of turning off the Analog Signal, broadcast as analog (with the normal feed as digital) a SEPARATE Signal that shows a Static Screen and an Audio stream that informs the viewer that if they are receiving it they will no longer be able to view TV after February. I believe part of their concern is all stations going dead on the same day, causing a huge demand for converters. The converter manufacturers and retailers are probably concerned that only ten people are ignorant, and there'll be no demand.
They should require every broadcaster to go dead for one day between Sept. and Feb. 9(?).
Also, the video static should be broadcasted video of static, with a text bar at the bottom displaying what's said on audio. Otherwise the Natl. Assoc. of Deaf people will file suit.
Mark |
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RARPSL
join:1999-12-08
Suffern, NY
| said by amigo_boy :said by RARPSL :Instead of turning off the Analog Signal, broadcast as analog (with the normal feed as digital) a SEPARATE Signal that shows a Static Screen and an Audio stream that informs the viewer that if they are receiving it they will no longer be able to view TV after February. I believe part of their concern is all stations going dead on the same day, causing a huge demand for converters. The converter manufacturers and retailers are probably concerned that only ten people are ignorant, and there'll be no demand. They should require every broadcaster to go dead for one day between Sept. and Feb. 9(?). Also, the video static should be broadcasted video of static, with a text bar at the bottom displaying what's said on audio. Otherwise the Natl. Assoc. of Deaf people will file suit. Mark When I used the term "Static Screen" I should have qualified my meaning. I did not mean a screen full OF Static (ie: what you see if there is no signal) but a static as in "constant" (either a constant crawl or a screen of full of text). The idea is that the analog viewer DOES see some transmission but in lieu of the normal programming, it is a special broadcast explaining of the pending analog shutdown and how to switch to DTV. There would be an accompanying audio explaining the same thing.
As to all the stations going dead, we are talking about a test which is going to occur in a small limited broadcasting market (and I had the impression for a limited period of time not permanently although I could be wrong on this part).
As to the worries of the converter people, this would be a boost for them since my method advertises for the need of the product while just not broadcasting in analog is not as much of a indication that you will need the box. |
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ibcool
@ameritech.net
| Your so called term "static screen" you suggest them to use they have been using....it's called a "commercial" and they've been running this "static screen" umm....commercial for about a year now on TV saying that as of February 2009 your TV signal will go dark. The public has been currently been informed on TV, in newspapers, in magazines, and all over the place for quite some time now. Currently for the past year now all TV stations have been transmitting both analog and digital simultaneously so people can make the change. I'd have to guess that what the FCC wants to test out by turning off the analog transmission is to see if the public has been actually paying attention to all this publicity and to see how many people are going to whine and cry about how it's not fair to turn off their TV transmission and how they weren't told about it with enough notice and they didn't have enough time to do anything about it even though they've been advertising this for the past couple years now. |
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amigo_boy
join:2005-07-22
Tempe, AZ
·magicjack.com
·EarthLink
| reply to RARPSL
said by RARPSL :As to all the stations going dead, we are talking about a test which is going to occur in a small limited broadcasting market I agree. I just think it would be better to do it nationwide, randomly. A day? Or, a few times a day for 5 minutes at a time?
This limited outage doesn't make a lot of sense to me. It won't be representative of the rest of the country because the local news companies will heighten awareness due to it being announced 4 months early. If the idea is to ease the transition for the ignorant, just do it randomly across the country. If there aren't that many ignorant people (and this outage is pointless), then it won't hurt anything to do it randomly across the country.
Mark |
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djrobx
join:2000-05-31
Valencia, CA
 ·AT&T U-Verse
·AT&T CallVantage
·Time Warner VOIP
 ·RoadRunner Cable
·DSL EXTREME
edit:
May 11th, @10:49PM
| reply to RARPSL
said by RARPSL :How will broadcasting a special Screen and Audio via the Analog Signal TELLING the viewer of the problem not be a better test than sending out NO Analog Signal during the test period? My way INFORMS the viewer of the need to get satellite or a DTV Converter box - Turning off the Analog feed only prevents them from getting any signal without offering an explanation or assistance in solving the problem. You leave the analog programming on, but with a large, continuous, annoyingly umissable scroling message over it or under it informing viewers that what their watching is going to go away unless they do something! |
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MrMoody
Under the black helicopters
join:2002-09-03
Smithfield, NC
·Embarq
| reply to Mutiny32
I bet the test finds some mom & pop cable systems, and maybe a small system or two owned and never upgraded by the big boys, that are still receiving analog over the air for their feeds ...
--
The public is a poor business manager. |
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eljay001
join:2004-03-17
South Portland, ME
·Great Works Internet
| reply to RARPSL
So you don't think the white noise will be obvious enough to people that the analog service is gone? There have been TV ads of all sorts going on for months about it. My local affiliates are putting pop-in ads during the programming about it. By January 2009 I expect they'll probably be running a constant crawl across the screen to alert people. |
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systems2000
What? You Say It's Fixed. Hah
join:2001-11-29
Cyberspace | reply to amigo_boy
Not all analog stations will go off the air. Class "A," Low-Power, & Translator analog stations have no requirement to stop transmitting.
Most PBS, educational, community, and fringe area primary networks use these transmitters. |
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