[mythtv-users] US to postpone analog TV death

[Don Bossung]

greg wrote:
> Allen Edwards wrote:
>> On Thu, Feb 5, 2009 at 8:03 AM, R. G. Newbury <newbury at mandamus.org> 
>> wrote:
>>  
>>> Gabe Rubin wrote:
>>>    
>>>> On Wed, Jan 28, 2009 at 11:21 AM, David Schmidt
>>>> <david.schmidt.in.dallas at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>      
>>>>> Or, perhaps not:
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/T/TEC_DIGITAL_TV_TRANSITION?SITE=WHIZ&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT 
>>>>>
>>>>>         
>>>> Or, perhaps yes:
>>>>
>>>> http://www.reuters.com/article/americasRegulatoryNews/idUSN0431416620090204 
>>>>
>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>       
>>> Apparently the first try failed for procedural reasons, so they 
>>> tried again
>>> (Shades of the EU forcing re-votes on the 'Treaty' question)..
>>>
>>> From a link to WBIR TV in Knoxville:
>>>
>>> quote
>>>
>>>
>>> Congress has now decided to give people four more months to prepare 
>>> for the
>>> upcoming transition from analog to digital TV broadcasting.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>     
>> Not quite.  That is just what people think.
>>
>> At least 1/3 of the stations will shut off analog on 2/17, perhaps
>> most will.  Our local stations in SF have said they will shut down on
>> 2/17 unless the FCC tells them they cannot.  I believe the FCC has
>> said there is nothing to stop most stations from shutting off their
>> analog.  There is some question if stations can up the power on the
>> DTV station or move frequencies but it seems clear most stations want
>> to switch if they are allowed to.
>>
>> We have substituted a situation where there is a firm transition on
>> 2/17 and some people are not ready yet to one where these same people
>> are not ready and don't realize they need to get ready.
>>
>> This was a terrible decision and it is my belief the administration is
>> going to pay for it.
>>
>> I have no idea if I need to get up early on 2/18 and rescan.  I have
>> no idea if my wife will find GMA missing as our local channel 7 is
>> scheduled to move from wherever they are now (45?) to 7.
>>
>> With 12 days left, what a terrible outcome.
>>
>> Allen
>> _______________________________________________
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>>
>>   
> You can try www.avsforum.com and search for your local message 
> board...There is a lot of useful information in the forums...Mine 
> Albany,NY, has several station engineers who answer questions about 
> what going on...You may find your answers there..
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>
Here in SE Nebraska (USA, you know where the cowboys and indians still 
fight over the buffalo on the range) the local stations are ALL 
switching from analog to digital at some point on the 17th (unless some 
kind of FCC intervention). Several (including PBS) are now citing buget 
hardship as the additional cost (40K+ US$) to continue for the 
additional 4 months is something they cannot bear. In the local paper a 
number of people are angry because the original converter box coupons 
have an expiration date on them and the date has passed without them 
realizing it. Oddly though, it is estimated there are around 167,000 
households in this area using OTA anolog and over 240,000 coupons have 
been distributed in this area. I read one estimate that claimed as high 
as 25% of those with coupons have digital ready tvs anyway and don't 
know it.