[mythtv-users] Obama Recommends Delay in Digital TV Switch

[Brad DerManouelian]

On Jan 9, 2009, at 7:54 AM, Brian Wood wrote:

> Allen Edwards wrote:
>> I have several large antennas and a preamp and RG-6U cable.  For  
>> years I
>> had great reception on all except channel 2.  Since this digital
>> transition started we have been watching DTV.   The picture is great.
>> Switching back to analog I now find the signals have so much noise  
>> they
>> are basically unwatchable.  I don't know what changed but if this  
>> turns
>> out to be like the metric conversion I am going to be really pissed.
>>
>> Analog TV is terrible and very wastful of the airways.  We need to
>> switch and now is as good a time as any.  I am writing my  
>> congrersswomen
>> right now.
>
> So in your particular case things got better. This will not be the  
> case
> for everyone. I can receive watchable signals from the Denver NTSC
> stations, I can't receive anything from the digital transmitters at  
> all.

My local NPR affiliate had a representative of the FCC on the air to  
answer questions about the switch. Some very knswledgable person  
called in to complain that he and his friends had all compared digital  
conversion boxes and some very useless and others got great signal  
using the same antenna. He also mentions tests they had done with  
locations and people who were a mere 10 miles away from Sutro tower  
(the big transmitter here in San Francisco) could not get some of the  
channels.

The FCC rep explained that the analog transmitters all currently take  
precedence over the digital. They are on top and the digital are on  
the bottom of the tower and in February when the change-over happens,  
the digital will replace the analog transmitters which are larger and  
will be placed at the optimal position for transmission. I believe his  
quote was, "Don't worry. It will be much better in February when we  
don't have to accommodate the analog transmitters any more."

While I don't fully believe him, there is hope that what he says it  
true and digital transmissions will be better when they take down the  
analog transmitters and move the digital ones in their place. I guess  
the message is that what you're getting now isn't necessarily as good  
as it will get. You should check with your local broadcasters to see  
if this is their plan. They are usually surprisingly happy to talk to  
their customers.

> Also, you do not seem to mind spending the money to convert your home.
> Now that the coupon program has apparently run out of money, people  
> will
> be forced to spend their own cash to continue watching TV. In a lot of
> cases, the people using antennas are the ones who can least afford
> additional expenditures.

We all mind spending extra money but most of us have because we've  
been told over and over to prepare for this.

> It's a huge additional expense to TV stations as well. Themajor market
> stations can handle it, but a lot of small stations are being  
> squeezed,
> and will thus have less money available to purchase quality  
> programming
> (not that they do that now).

They've already spent the money. No one is sitting there at this late  
hour wondering how they will afford to make the transition to digital.