  Romney2012Defeat Obama 2012-Chg we can believe inPremium
join:2002-03-03
USA
kudos:4 |  Maybe Walmart didn't get the memo on the cutover
quote:
At a Wal-Mart Supercenter the night before the changeover, in the electronics department, a clock counted down the hours until the changeover. Beside it hung this sign: "Attention customers. We are out of converter boxes at this time until further notice. Sorry for the inconvenience."
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Ask yourself one question: 'Do I feel lucky?' Well, do ya punk? | |
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 |  tiger72SexaT duorPPremium
join:2001-03-28
Saint Louis, MO
kudos:1 | Re: Maybe Walmart didn't get the memo on the cutover does it come as any surprise that people wait until the last second to get what they need, and then complain that stores run out of inventory? | |
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| |  algPassionately apatheticPremium
join:2001-04-10
Houston, TX
kudos:3 | Re: Maybe Walmart didn't get the memo on the cutover said by tiger72:does it come as any surprise that people wait until the last second to get what they need, and then complain that stores run out of inventory? In their defense the few times I've been to Walmart they never had a single converter box and were always out.
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Put's and End's due too it's english Abuse's!!!!!! | |
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 R4M0NBrazilian Soccer Ownz Joo
join:2000-10-04
Glen Allen, VA | Honey, look! They have this newfangled program on TV that rains all the time. It's kinda soothing actually. Must be really good cause it's on all channels. | |
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 XBL2009------
join:2001-01-03
Chicago, IL | Last Minute Still need to get one... | |
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| | Still all UHF? So does this DMA have any stations that are changing from UHF to VHF-hi? Our DMA (Baltimore/Washington) has four channels that are! Channels 7, 9, 11 and 13 are going back from their current UHF digital frequency to their current analog VHF frequency on Feb 2009.
It's going to require those of us with UHF-only antennas to get UHF/VHF antennas as well as the digital boxes.
Any idea if Wilmington did this switchover as well?
-John | |
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1 edit | Re: Still all UHF? said by jgantert:So does this DMA have any stations that are changing from UHF to VHF-hi? Our DMA (Baltimore/Washington) has four channels that are! Channels 7, 9, 11 and 13 are going back from their current UHF digital frequency to their current analog VHF frequency on Feb 2009. Wilmington, NC market is going to be all UHF for the four full power stations and the low power CBS station. They have two low VHF analog stations - WWAY-DT ABC 3 and WECT-DT NBC 6 - that are and will stay on UHF 46 and 44 respectively. The low power CBS station, WILM-LP, was on VHF 10 at very low power analog (75 Watts), but is now on UHF 40 digital with much improved coverage.
This is the opposite problem for long time analog OTA viewers who may not have bothered if they had lousy UHF reception because ABC, NBC, and CBS were all on VHF. Don't know how well the local stations are explaining that people may need to get a better UHF antenna because the general approach has been to ignore technical stuff like the VHF vs UHF broadcast bands and channel mapping. | |
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 r81984Fair and BalancedPremium
join:2001-11-14
Katy, TX | How can you not know? They run those commercials all the time. Unless some people watch tv only once every 2 years they have no excuse to not know about the change.
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»www.ryanoneill.us | |
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| tiger72SexaT duorPPremium
join:2001-03-28
Saint Louis, MO
kudos:1 Reviews:
 ·T-Mobile US
| Re: How can you not know? said by r81984:They run those commercials all the time. Unless some people watch tv only once every 2 years they have no excuse to not know about the change. stupidity and laziness play big roles...
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"What makes us omniscient? Have we a record of omniscience? ...If we can't persuade nations with comparable values of the merit of our cause, we'd better reexamine our reasoning."
-United States Secretary of Defense (1961-1968) Robert S. McNamara | |
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| | | | Re: How can you not know? said by tiger72:said by r81984:They run those commercials all the time. Unless some people watch tv only once every 2 years they have no excuse to not know about the change. stupidity and laziness play big roles... DING DING DING!!!!! WE HAVE A WINNAR!!!!
There was a middle aged woman on NBC Nightly News who is a real estate agent and she said she was "too busy" to get a box.
Next thing you will hear is that the government should have delivered these boxes to houses for free.  | |
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| | | wierdo
join:2001-02-16
Tulsa, OK Reviews:
 ·Cox HSI
·T-Mobile US
| Re: How can you not know? said by moonpuppy:There was a middle aged woman on NBC Nightly News who is a real estate agent and she said she was "too busy" to get a box. She'll be OK. I'm sure she's too busy to watch TV. Heck, she's probably even too busy to have gone out and bought a TV in the first place!
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It's wierdo, not weirdo. Yes, I know that's not the 'proper' spelling of the similar english language word.  | |
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| | | | | | Re: How can you not know? said by wierdo:said by moonpuppy:There was a middle aged woman on NBC Nightly News who is a real estate agent and she said she was "too busy" to get a box. She'll be OK. I'm sure she's too busy to watch TV. Heck, she's probably even too busy to have gone out and bought a TV in the first place! No, she had a TV that looked like something from the Sears Catalog. | |
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|  JammerMan79Premium,VIP
join:2004-05-13
Prince George, BC
kudos:10 | I can't even remember the last time I watched a commercial.
I only watch TV that I've PVR'd. = | |
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| | ughh I'll be glad when this is over and I won't have to hear about it anymore. I'm glad they finally updated some of the commercials to say over the air will need it and not cable. So many people I know bought them and don't haven't used an attenna in years. | |
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| | Perfect Example of Government Intervention... This program is going to cost taxpayers (or already has) millions, if not billions...simply because Congress thought it was "better" to force everyone to switch over to 100% digital.
They should have let the market-place work; you'd likely have analogue and digital broadcasts running parallel for years...and by the time things were 100% digital, there would only be a few percentage points of the population that would be effected, and have to get converter boxes.
But no...government always knows best....
also, this is an example example of what happens when you subsidize something; when you make something really cheap/free via government money, you only get more of it...and low and behold, it also causes shortages and other problems...big surprise.
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"True Patriotism is more closely linked with dissent than it is to conformity and a blind desire for safety and security...I accept the definition of patriotism as that effort to resist abusive state power." -Ron Paul | |
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|  Morac
join:2001-08-30
Riverside, NJ
kudos:1
·Comcast
1 edit | Re: Perfect Example of Government Intervention... The Government gave the broadcasters free radio frequencies to implement digital TV. In exchange the networks were supposed to turn in their old frequencies for use in things like emergency services communication and licensing out to wireless communication.
It's not the Government's fault that the broadcasters dragged their heels in getting things working. The Government got sick of waiting and gave them a deadline, postponed it a few times and finally said enough is enough.
If anyone is to blame it's the broadcasters and TV manufacturers for not getting their act together. You might as well throw in retail chains as well for trying to sell TV's that they knew wouldn't work in a year or two to customers.
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The Comcast Disney Avatar has been retired. | |
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| tiger72SexaT duorPPremium
join:2001-03-28
Saint Louis, MO
kudos:1 Reviews:
·T-Mobile US
| unfortunately it's not that simple. First of all, the government owns and manages the spectrum. So, if, as in this case, the government wants to better manage our frequencies by forcing broadcasts from analog to digital, and to a smaller broadcast spectrum, then that is the government's job to work out.
In this case, the government wants to open up spectrum to sell. The cost of implementation is expected to be less than the profits from selling the unused broadcast bandwidth.
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"What makes us omniscient? Have we a record of omniscience? ...If we can't persuade nations with comparable values of the merit of our cause, we'd better reexamine our reasoning."
-United States Secretary of Defense (1961-1968) Robert S. McNamara | |
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|  BF69Premium
join:2004-07-28
Camden, TN | said by Fox McCloud:This program is going to cost taxpayers (or already has) millions, if not billions...simply because Congress thought it was "better" to force everyone to switch over to 100% digital. They should have let the market-place work; you'd likely have analogue and digital broadcasts running parallel for years...and by the time things were 100% digital, there would only be a few percentage points of the population that would be effected, and have to get converter boxes. But no...government always knows best.... also, this is an example example of what happens when you subsidize something; when you make something really cheap/free via government money, you only get more of it...and low and behold, it also causes shortages and other problems...big surprise. Show me where taxpayer $$$ are being used for this? Boy you are ignorant of how this switchover works. | |
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|  tschmidtPremium,MVM
join:2000-11-12
Milford, NH
kudos:5
 ·Fairpoint Commun..
 ·Hollis Hosting
| said by Fox McCloud:They should have let the market-place work; you'd likely have analogue and digital broadcasts running parallel for years. You are aware I assume reason FCC is forcing conversion from analog to digital is to free up UHF channels 52-69. They have already auctioned off most of this spectrum for billions of dollars. A little is being spent on the Converter box coupon program but most goes directly to the treasury.
Exploiting this spectrum ought to generated lots of new business opportunity.
/tom | |
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| XBL2009------
join:2001-01-03
Chicago, IL Reviews:
·EarthLink
·AT&T Midwest
| said by Fox McCloud:This program is going to cost taxpayers (or already has) millions, if not billions...simply because Congress thought it was "better" to force everyone to switch over to 100% digital. They should have let the market-place work; you'd likely have analogue and digital broadcasts running parallel for years...and by the time things were 100% digital, there would only be a few percentage points of the population that would be effected, and have to get converter boxes. But no...government always knows best.... also, this is an example example of what happens when you subsidize something; when you make something really cheap/free via government money, you only get more of it...and low and behold, it also causes shortages and other problems...big surprise. It cost the taxpayers $5 billion but the government will resell the spectrum for $50+ billion and turn a tidy profit.
It's also long over due since it took them 20 years to finally get everyone to agree to it.
PS: Your government is involved with everything. | |
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Morac
join:2001-08-30
Riverside, NJ
kudos:1
1 edit | . never mind | |
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roveer
join:2004-01-18
Mendham, NJ | Some will die... I'm sure there will be at least one case where an elderly person loses TV because they couldn't understand what "transition to Ditial TV" meant (were weren't all born in the 60's, and as a result will deteriorate to a point and succumb. Happens all the time in heat waves where older people don't know what to do when it gets over 100 degrees in their apartments and they die. Not much anyone can do about it. Can't blame it on marketing campaign after all, how many bought decoder boxes and have cable. I know my parents would have if I didn't advise them. | |
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| | | Re: Some will die... To go OT here for a bit, since you brought it up...
Elderly people don't die in hot weather because they're senile, stupid, or whatever other reason you might have implied. It happens because their bodies can't perceive heat like we do. Basically, they can't tell they're getting overheated. Quite the opposite, they might perceive the hot weather as comfortable, with a lower temperature feeling cold to them. It's the same reason they might become dehydrated or malnourished. They may need food or water, but they don't perceive that need. In fact, they might perceive eating and drinking as unpleasant things, so they avoid them. It's similar to when you get sick and don't want to eat. You know that you should, but your body is telling you not to.
Just wanted to clarify so no one will think that these people die simply because they don't know what to do. It isn't mental; it's physical.
Now back to your regular programming. | |
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 timcuthBraves FanPremium
join:2000-09-18
Pelham, AL
·AT&T Southeast
| The switch will be a pain, even with digital receivers in pl Here is what is going to be a pain in the ass, for me. All of my sets are either digital (two) or have a digital converter attached (one). However, not a one of them can receive all of the channels in digital. Different sets cannot receive different subsets of the channels. Our overall favorite channel (13 / NBC) cannot be received by any of our sets in digital. We will no longer be able to watch it after the "switch" is thrown in our area. 
Tim
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"Life is like this long line, except at the end there ain't no merry-go-round." - Arthur on The King of Queens
~ Project Hope ~ | |
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| | | Re: The switch will be a pain, even with digital receivers in pl I don't understand your dilemma. None of your sets will receive channel 13 whether digital or analog?
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"It's all coming down!!" - Mike Holmes | |
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| | timcuthBraves FanPremium
join:2000-09-18
Pelham, AL Reviews:
·AT&T Southeast
| Re: The switch will be a pain, even with digital receivers in plsaid by mr weather:I don't understand your dilemma. None of your sets will receive channel 13 whether digital or analog? They receive it in analog, now. But, when analog stops being broadcast, I will no longer be able to watch my favorite channel because I cannot receive it in digital. Sorry if I wasn't clear on that.
Tim
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"Life is like this long line, except at the end there ain't no merry-go-round." - Arthur on The King of Queens
~ Project Hope ~ | |
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| | | said by timcuth:However, not a one of them can receive all of the channels in digital. Different sets cannot receive different subsets of the channels. Our overall favorite channel (13 / NBC) cannot be received by any of our sets in digital. We will no longer be able to watch it after the "switch" is thrown in our area. Sounds like you need a better antenna setup. Are you using antennas at each TV or have a common antenna for the house? The channel 13 / NBC station may be at low power on the digital signal; can't say more without the call sign of the station. But since your location is listed as Pelham, AL that suggests your NBC station is WVTM-DT NBC 13 which is currently broadcasting on UHF 52. WVTM-DT will be switching back to VHF 13 next February. If you need advice on antenna type and setup, the HDTV Technical forum at avsforum.com is a good place to start: »www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/forumdis···php?f=25.
Digital reception works great for me. I get 18 digital stations over the air and expect to get 2-4 more after February 17. The key is a good antenna setup for the specific situation. | |
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BF69Premium
join:2004-07-28
Camden, TN | Has Wilmington imploded yet? I thought not.
I suspect that 99% of the people have not noticed a thing. | |
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 Unit649I B U, Who U B?Premium
join:2000-01-22
Stockton, CA | Books Heck, maybe people will go back to books instead. Lord knows the newspaper industry wishes people still liked "paper" news. | |
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| | hill coverage I may self have satellite but a lot of people who live in the hill aren't going to fair so well..
In the mountains of WV, KY and PA lots of communities get together and have mountain top TV antenna systems "VHF" some more than a 1000' up to get the signal... No UHF available..In the mountains UHF does not propagate as well as VHF.. 20 miles from the UHF transmitter and signal is gone....
most cannot afford satellite...20% of those who can afford cant get satellite because of terrain...
No TV, DSl or satellite .. So it is back to AM radio to hear how the gov. has screwed them today!!! No wonder mountain people are so paranoid ... TV prohibition | |
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| | hmm Well since my coupons expired before they even arrived here I am left out without being able to get the discount so guess full price here I come and yes I called them and got told they wont replace them. | |
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mworks
join:2006-06-13
Faison, NC | Wilmington was well prepared I live near wilmington and they didn't have total chaos after the switch because they were well prepared.
They did not just do the switch and hope everyone had what they needed. Instead they did it aggressively.
They mailed out flyers, got the senior citizen organizations involved, had booths on the beaches to inform people and had people in stores like walmart to explain things to people.
That is how it needs to be done. Don't just put an ad on tv that most everyone will ignore. Go out and talk to people and explain what it all means. | |
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1 edit | Re: Wilmington was well prepared alot of people will be Feb-O-Nined in my opinion
Febonined = people left in the dark after the transition to digital tv. | |
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| algPassionately apatheticPremium
join:2001-04-10
Houston, TX
kudos:3 | said by mworks:That is how it needs to be done. Don't just put an ad on tv that most everyone will ignore. Go out and talk to people and explain what it all means. I agree. The problem with the ads on TV is that the people it's directed towards are likely to ignore it thinking that it doesn't apply to them or that somebody is just trying to sell them something they don't need. (My TV works just fine I don't need whatever it is they're selling!) Or on the other extreme you have people thinking they need to get the converters even though they are on satellite or cable.
While Wilmington appears to have transitioned smoothly I still think there's going to be a huge mess in February when all these people come out of the woodwork claiming that they never heard about any transition. | |
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Re: The switch will be a pain, even with digital receivers in pl
