| I want my gov bailout too. I signed up for my government handouts too on Dec 31. According to their website they are scheduled to arrive next week.
My cable company has already transitioned a couple channels over to ATSC SD already in their usual 6mo channel shuffle for no reason. There is nothing stopping them from doing the same thing in Feb for all, or just more channels. Without a converter the cable provider can now provide a cable box for yet another "modest" fee.
A couple of things that are interesting is the prices of the converters has gone up it seems. Also I went through some info for the online retailers that are on the happy coupon list and on one the domain was registered April 2008, with no record of existing before that. Everyone's lining up for their profit from the transition. |
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 PiggieI Actually use WindstreamPremium
join:2005-11-23
Orange Springs, FL
 ·Windstream
 ·HughesNet Satell..
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First it was known by the FCC that the money would run out before everyone that needed a converter could get a coupon. They have suggested back in late 2007 that they should find additional funding. I guess that didn't happen. It was all over the news here to get one early or loose.
From the people I know and other surveys I have read it's between 5 to 8% of TV's aren't ready. I say it's probably more like a couple of percent. That is now. There will be a lot of conversation to new TVs, cable, etc.
It will probably take about a year and you can get a converter box for free from a neighbor or free cycle.
Yeap, they expire and the money went back in the pool for a new coupon.
Bailout? Why is it some working stiff gets 2 $40 coupons and he is a socialist communist, but wall street has parties on bail out money to the tune a tens of thousands per person at the party and well, that is ok.
Why the coupons? It was mandated. I suspect most of the complaints about it come from those that still believe in free markets. Well if this had of been a free market change, there would have been no mandated cut off date. Not all countries have such a date and are doing it free market.
Probably last but should have been first. There was always going to be people that didn't get ready. Just like here in FL, a hurricane is coming and they die in the tidal surge. Some people will never listen.
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| Speedstream 4200 Modem - 3m/384 plan | W98-W2KSP4-XPSP2 - All AMD | Buffalo WHR G54S with Tomato 1.18 | 3 downstream switches feeding 6 total clients (no wireless) | Including the Data port on the side of my neck |
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| reply to govmnt cheese
said by govmnt cheese :
My cable company has already transitioned a couple channels over to ATSC SD already in their usual 6mo channel shuffle for no reason. There is nothing stopping them from doing the same thing in Feb for all, or just more channels. Without a converter the cable provider can now provide a cable box for yet another "modest" fee.
Are you sure that they moved them to ATSC? Most cable companies use QAM (which the coupon-eligible boxes are prevented from handling) rather than ATSC, and afaik, they were never required to carry even the locals in ATSC. Sure, they carry the digital feeds, but it's in QAM, not ATSC. |
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