Digital Television Transition Update

Posted by: MartinFocazio

Digital Television Transition Update - 12/29/08 12:01 AM

Via this link.

"On the night before Christmas, the Federal Communications Commission proposed rules that would let some full-power TV stations continue streaming a bare-bones analog signal for 30 days after the DTV transition. The "Analog Nightlight" program will allow those stations to keep their analog broadcast going "for the limited purpose of providing public safety and digital transition information," the FCC says. Meanwhile a key member of the House of Representatives is warning Congress that it may need to rush more money to the government's analog converter set top box program.

The analog nightlight rule means that couch potatoes who, as of February 17, still haven't figured out that their old analog sets can't receive digital broadcasts won't be left completely in the dark. After that day, all full-power stations must go digital. The nightlight system will permit eligible full-power license holders to continue to broadcast emergency news and information in analog using both English and Spanish. They can also transmit information about the transition and where to get help—at for roughly a month after DTV Day.
Posted by: Am_Fear_Liath_Mor

Re: Digital Television Transition Update - 12/29/08 12:21 AM

Quote:
"On the night before Christmas, the Federal Communications Commission proposed rules that would let some full-power TV stations continue streaming a bare-bones analog signal for 30 days after the DTV transition. The "Analog Nightlight" program will allow those stations to keep their analog broadcast going "for the limited purpose of providing public safety and digital transition information," the FCC says. Meanwhile a key member of the House of Representatives is warning Congress that it may need to rush more money to the government's analog converter set top box program.

The analog nightlight rule means that couch potatoes who, as of February 17, still haven't figured out that their old analog sets can't receive digital broadcasts won't be left completely in the dark. After that day, all full-power stations must go digital. The nightlight system will permit eligible full-power license holders to continue to broadcast emergency news and information in analog using both English and Spanish. They can also transmit information about the transition and where to get help—at for roughly a month after DTV Day.



One smells the whiff of an impeding almighty screw-up. Perhaps they should play Orson Wells famous productions of HG Wells 'War of the Worlds' 1937 play on all the Radio channels on the same day...That would make for some funny CNN news coverage that evening... whistle laugh
Posted by: OldBaldGuy

Re: Digital Television Transition Update - 12/29/08 01:30 AM

We have a digital in our living room, the bedroom one isn't. I have requested that $40 coupon to go toward a converter box, it has been almost a month and it isn't here yet. Oh well, the bedroom TV has a built in DVD player, we can live on porn films or something...
Posted by: Grouch

Re: Digital Television Transition Update - 12/29/08 01:50 AM

Originally Posted By: IzzyJG99
Wouldn't be surprised if a ton of people wake up the next day and have no idea why their TV's don't work anymore. So this 30 day thing is a good idea. But I wouldn't be surprised if there is a lot of backlash over the transition. I honestly think the government or whoever is in control of this crap to have done a better job at an advertising campaign.

They have been advertising this for at least a year so I doubt that thirty extra days will make much difference.
Posted by: comms

Re: Digital Television Transition Update - 12/29/08 04:15 AM

People who do not prepare will always complain something is not fair and demand something to make them feel better, such as something you've got by working for it. In this case, you've been paying for cable or satellite.
Posted by: el_diabl0

Re: Digital Television Transition Update - 12/29/08 05:01 AM

Originally Posted By: OldBaldGuy
we can live on porn films or something...


I like your style OBG...

Does anyone know the dimensions of the converter boxes? Just wondering how portable they are.
Posted by: Eric

Re: Digital Television Transition Update - 12/29/08 12:56 PM

The product dimensions for the RCA converter are listed as 5.1 x 7.5 x 1.4 inches. It also claims to weigh 1.8 pounds, which is probably the boxed weight, including the wall wart power supply. I would guess most of them are in this general size and weight range. I have had good luck with the RCA converter but know others who haven't.

- Eric
Posted by: haertig

Re: Digital Television Transition Update - 12/29/08 03:34 PM

They should probably broadcast a few days past the cut-off. But only broadcast a static screen that says "Analog TV transmission has now ended. Did you forget to buy your converter box? Here's a website http:/xxx.xxx.xxx and a phone number (xxx)-xxx-xxxx for further information."

Things change, people must too. You can't buy regular gas with lead for your car anymore. Freon-based air conditioners are history. Analog TV is next on the list.
Posted by: KG2V

Re: Digital Television Transition Update - 12/29/08 06:48 PM

Originally Posted By: haertig
...snip.... Freon-based air conditioners are history. ...snip...


That's news to ME - every AC I've seen use Freon or other brand refrigerant. Now if you said "Freon (tm) R-12 refrigerant based ACs are history", I'd say "yes, and Dad should have sold his 70 lbs of Freon when he could" R12 was basically replaced with R134a

R-22 is the next phase out

BTW "Freon" is a trademark of Dupont, not that everyone doesn't use it, or the term "gas" - for instance, F-22 is Dupont's refrigerant, while the generic term is R-22
Posted by: comms

Re: Digital Television Transition Update - 12/30/08 02:15 AM

It was announced today that major broadcast stations will continue to do evening programing in analog for 30 days past the change over.

...because ya know...people may not have heard about this.
Posted by: Chris Kavanaugh

Re: Digital Television Transition Update - 12/30/08 03:36 AM

I remember my first venture rooftop was to help turn our guy wire braced TV antanae to get the best signal. My mother was down below, yelling at us not to fall off the roof, managing to time it at a critical point when her voice distracted us to almost doing so.
My brother was inside, supposedly monitoring our monocrome set ( but in a custom cabinet with stereo player proudly 'handcrafted in the USA')until we got an optimum picture.
We must have made more adjustments than a sailor tacking across San Francisco Bay until he finally yelled at my mother, who yelled at my older brother. He promptly slipped and took out the best producing branch of our grapefruit tree.
That night we watched Red Skelton while my Chandler sheepranch raised mallinois barked at a bobcat that jumped on our cinderblock fence.
It was the Arizona monsoon season, and that night our antannae was quickly tweaked out of any usefullness, just as red said 'good night, and God bless.'
Somehow, the promises of seeing a superior image of Jerry Springer doesn't excite me so much as that first physical adventure at 5 y/o.
I've got my emergency radio, and late at night you can get old time radio broadcasts. Sometimes they play Red Skelton.
Posted by: Mike_in_NKY

Re: Digital Television Transition Update - 12/30/08 07:09 PM

Our only analog set is in our MB and we have bought the converter box. Our local Fox affiliate and other channels have a comment each night during the late news about the switchover. If you watch local TV via antenna and you haven't heard about it by now, there is no hope for you. Most people here seem to have Cable, Satellite or don't watch TV.

I think the comment about the website/phone number is a good idea.
Posted by: Grouch

Re: Digital Television Transition Update - 12/30/08 11:20 PM

One of our local stations has been running periodic tests to drive the point home. During the brief test, viewers who lose the broadcast learn that they are not ready for the switch to be thrown.
Posted by: yeti

Re: Digital Television Transition Update - 12/30/08 11:31 PM

I'm still not over being sold out by our govt (again). We gave the networks free use of the air and then we turn around and make a LOT of appliances unusable. Many of us still have TVs that don't have a cable ready port...including portables. I'm not just becoming aware, I was angry when it was first being proposed.

So now, I need new hardware. Even the $40 coupons don't cover new antennae.

and BTW... Chris has a great point...

Quote:
Somehow, the promises of seeing a superior image of Jerry Springer doesn't excite me so much...
Posted by: MartinFocazio

Re: Digital Television Transition Update - 12/31/08 12:24 AM

The government made 16 BILLION dollars on those "free" airwaves.

Just FYI.
Posted by: UncleGoo

Re: Digital Television Transition Update - 12/31/08 03:28 PM

Originally Posted By: haertig
They should probably broadcast a few days past the cut-off. But only broadcast a static screen that says "Analog TV transmission has now ended.

Or broadcast only the first twenty minutes of a few half-hour shows. Maybe the first twenty minutes of an episode of "Greenacres," followed by twenty minutes each of "Rhoda," and "The Mouseketeers." Rotate through those three same segments every hour, and see how long it takes for people to figure it out.
Posted by: OldBaldGuy

Re: Digital Television Transition Update - 12/31/08 03:33 PM

"...The Mouseketeers..."

If Annette is with them I'll watch...
Posted by: comms

Re: Digital Television Transition Update - 12/31/08 05:01 PM

hey don't forget that Britney Spears, Christian Agulera, Kerri Russell (Felicity on tv and in the new Adam Sandler movie out now) and Justin Timberlake were all Mouseketeers.

Posted by: UncleGoo

Re: Digital Television Transition Update - 12/31/08 05:26 PM

I'd forgotten about her. Guess I'll have to pull up a chair once an hour or so. blush
Posted by: OldBaldGuy

Re: Digital Television Transition Update - 12/31/08 09:33 PM

Maybe so, but Annette puts them all to shame...
Posted by: OldBaldGuy

Re: Digital Television Transition Update - 12/31/08 09:33 PM

Maybe watch an old Beach Blanket Bingo type movie too!!!
Posted by: sodak

Re: Digital Television Transition Update - 01/01/09 08:22 PM

I'm not upgrading, I'm throwing my tv in the trash. Never watch it anyway.
Posted by: Stu

Re: Digital Television Transition Update - 01/01/09 09:24 PM

Originally Posted By: OldBaldGuy
Maybe so, but Annette puts them all to shame...

Agreed
Posted by: MartinFocazio

Re: Digital Television Transition Update - 01/02/09 12:44 AM

Originally Posted By: sodak
I'm not upgrading, I'm throwing my tv in the trash. Never watch it anyway.


We did that in 1999...don't regret it a bit...but we still watch plenty of stuff - just via the computers - Hulu.com and Netflix on Demand.
Posted by: MedB

Re: Digital Television Transition Update - 01/02/09 05:10 AM

I don't understand some of the angst some folks have around this changeover.

* Try and find your favorite new music on reel-to-reel (or 8-track, or compact cassette, or DAT, etc) today
* Try and find a new three-wheeler ATV today
* Try and find coca cola with cocaine in it today

Technology changes. Governmental rules change. Life changes. Sometimes those changes are bad, this time they got it right.

The forum created to study and implement this change has done a stellar job of creating a new system that not only will serve us well in 2009, but far into the future. Are we all aware of the fact that the compromise made way back when color was introduced doomed us to a TV system that lags behind the rest of industrialized world? Or that the system itself was only ever intended for 9" screens because in the 1930's they couldn't imagine anyone having screens bigger than that. We are talking 70 year old techology!

And don't forget, DTV will be alot more than just HD picture. Things like multi-casting, surround sound, local-into-local casting, interactive content are all possible with this new system.

Change is always hard. But this time around, the ATSC and the Govt really have done an amazing job here.

My two cents,

Posted by: ki7he

Re: Digital Television Transition Update - 01/06/09 02:34 PM

Originally Posted By: martinfocazio
The government made 16 BILLION dollars on those "free" airwaves.

Just FYI.


I can't quite decide what you're trying to get at with this statement. This is a good thing... Right?

Those airwaves were free to both the broadcaster and the viewer to view free TV. Those frequencies were simply shifted to a different range and are still free (actually they were shifted to the UHF band which were already part of the "free" spectrum). The new digital broadcasts are much more efficient in regards to bandwidth and in comparison the analog signals are very wasteful. Nothing has changed in regards to free broadcasting.

This move freed up the VHF band that was being used for something else. That frequency sprectrum was sold for other uses which will in turn charge customers for its use. If companies are going to charge for the use of the spectrum then they certainly sould have to pay for it.

In the end there's just as much free broadcasting as there ever was (more actually since the bandwidth each station gets allows for sub-channels) and we're able to accomidate the much needed demand for other spectrum needs while making 16 BILLION dollars in the effort.
Posted by: Mike_in_NKY

Re: Digital Television Transition Update - 01/06/09 04:03 PM

I finally got around to hooking up my DTV converter to the small analog TV in our bedroom that we use to watch the local news at night (we try to stay awake until the weather, 50% success rate!). We use rabbit ears and picked the least annoying local anchor team to watch. Reception with analog signals was fuzzy and often required readjusting the rabbit ears.

With the new DTV converter we get more channels and they are crystal clear. Not a bad investment for $20 out of pocket! Saves the 13" TV from the landfill.
Posted by: comms

Re: Digital Television Transition Update - 01/06/09 06:08 PM

Hey that's cool.
Posted by: sodak

Re: Digital Television Transition Update - 01/07/09 04:24 AM

Originally Posted By: martinfocazio
Originally Posted By: sodak
I'm not upgrading, I'm throwing my tv in the trash. Never watch it anyway.


We did that in 1999...don't regret it a bit...but we still watch plenty of stuff - just via the computers - Hulu.com and Netflix on Demand.


Roger that. We have dvd players for movies also. I lived without tv for several years, it just gave me more reading time. I'm the type who doesn't like background noise anyway - other than good music.
Posted by: Desperado

Re: Digital Television Transition Update - 01/07/09 04:42 AM

Should you move to tornado alley, may I suggest one digital TV. It really helps when mother nature is trying to kill you. Keeps you from sitting in the shelter for a warning called out for the entire county when it is 60 miles away.
Posted by: scafool

Re: Digital Television Transition Update - 01/07/09 12:37 PM

A regular TV set makes a pretty good Tornado detector too, even with no station broadcasting.
So if you have an old set you might still want to hang onto it.

Here is an article published by Mother Earth News in 1971 about it. http://www.motherearthnews.com/Nature-Community/1971-05-01/How-To-Track-a-Tornado.aspx
Posted by: Blast

Re: Digital Television Transition Update - 01/07/09 02:24 PM

Scafool,

Now that was one heck of a good tip. Thanks!

-Blast
Posted by: Stu

Re: Digital Television Transition Update - 01/07/09 02:50 PM

Originally Posted By: scafool
A regular TV set makes a pretty good Tornado detector too, even with no station broadcasting.
So if you have an old set you might still want to hang onto it.

Here is an article published by Mother Earth News in 1971 about it. http://www.motherearthnews.com/Nature-Community/1971-05-01/How-To-Track-a-Tornado.aspx

Thanks. A very interesting read.
Posted by: Desperado

Re: Digital Television Transition Update - 01/07/09 04:27 PM

Interesting... Though I may still use the Doppler Radar broadcast also me thinks.

Between TV broadcast and internet I like to watch the path and approach. That way a family of 5 plus 2GSD, 1 Husky and 2 cats aren't in a shelter when we don't need to be. Gets kinda cramped.

Thanks for the info.
Posted by: TeacherRO

Re: Digital Television Transition Update - 01/27/09 03:19 PM

I think they just moved the cross-over date on this
Posted by: Susan

Re: Digital Television Transition Update - 01/27/09 05:41 PM

June 12 is the new date.

Sue
Posted by: scafool

Re: Digital Television Transition Update - 01/27/09 05:54 PM

Maybe they needed some more time to dig a big enough hole to bury all the old TV sets and radios in?
Posted by: benjammin

Re: Digital Television Transition Update - 01/27/09 08:09 PM

Nothing works quite so well as a government implementation plan, don't you think?
Posted by: harstad

Re: Digital Television Transition Update - 01/30/09 02:34 PM

As of now the date is still the same. It has not been postponed.
Posted by: Mike_in_NKY

Re: Digital Television Transition Update - 01/30/09 03:34 PM

Here is a link to the results. The Senate agreed to move the date to June 2009 but the House did not:

http://news.cnet.com/8301-13578_3-10151809-38.html

Getting rid of all TV's seems like a good idea anyway!
Posted by: JCWohlschlag

Re: Digital Television Transition Update - 01/31/09 04:15 AM

“If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again.”

http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article...sition_Date.php
Quote:
Senate Passes Second Bill Changing DTV Transition Date
Bill expected to be sent to the House for consideration under regular rules

An aide to Senator Jay Rockefeller confirms that the Senate has once again passed a bill changing the DTV transition date from Feb. 17 to June 12.

The bill, which again passed by unanimous consent--no Senator objected--contains a couple of fixes made in the House to language pertaining to budget rules and first responder communications.


(Click URL for full article.)

Just because the first bill didn’t pass the House doesn’t mean we can’t still be up in the air. Whee! crazy
Posted by: Art_in_FL

Re: Digital Television Transition Update - 02/01/09 04:24 AM

Two points:
First, IMHO they should stick to the original planned conversion date. Seems to me they have spent plenty of time and money informing people about the situation and what they need to do and helping finance conversion boxes. In the end there will always be some people who can't or won't cope well even when warned and assisted in the process. Some people will only act after they lose the signal. IMO if they haven't caught on after a years worth of saturation bombardment then odds are they won't. And, white frankly, I'm sick of all the public service announcements on this subject.

Second, anyone getting a conversion box might find it advantageous to buy on with a 'pass-through' feature. This allows analog signals to go through the digital conversion box. This allows you to see analog shows on stations that are still broadcasting them before the time limit.

After the conversion date there are some markets where low powered analog broadcasters will be allowed to operate. These will likely be educational, local school training transmitters and pubic access type channels. If the conversion box lacks analog pass-through you will have to either buy a separate switch or manually disconnect the box and connect the TV to the source to get the analog signal.