Son of a bitch, Senate OKs 4-month delay of digital TV changeover

[Mr. Gundam]

I WON'T GET NEW HD CHANNELS UNTIL THIS HAPPENS. FUCK YOU, GOVERNMENT!!!!

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/national/1153ap_digital_transition_delay.html

WASHINGTON -- People who have not gotten their TV sets ready for the changeover to digital signals could earn a four-month reprieve under a bill making its way through Congress.

The Senate voted Monday to delay until June 12 the deadline for the changeover from analog to digital television broadcasting. People still getting their pictures through old-fashioned antennas otherwise would face a Feb. 17 cutoff.

Comparable legislation is being readied in the House, and the Obama administration has called for a delay amid mounting concerns that too many Americans who rely on over-the-air broadcast signals won't be ready.

It's estimated that more than 6.5 million U.S. households are still not prepared for the upcoming transition.

[hyp]

blame it on the vocal minority.

spoiler (click to show/hide)

old people

[close]

[CajoleJuice]

Anyone not prepared by now should just be killed off.

[Hitler Stole My Potato]

I blame Idaho.

[Great Rumbler]

The only way that everyone is going to be ready is be switching over to digital TV and forcing people to get the boxes.

[Brehvolution]

They elect that n***er and the first thing he does is shut off my TV!!!!

 - Old people

[Joe Molotov]

The great thing is how good a job they have done educating the general public about this.  I'll ask my parents, or my wife's parents, or anyone over the age of 35* and they don't have a clue what I'm talking about.

*except prole

My Grandma knew she had to have a converter box. She probably heard about it on Sean Hannity's radio show.

[Eric P]

hilariously my gf and her roommate watch the HD channels on their 19" decade old tv now thanks to the converter

[xnikki118x]

I think this is crap. They're been talking about the switch ALL THE TIME for the past like TWO YEARS. If someone isn't ready now, it's their own fault. They're probably stupid and should maybe read a book or two instead of watching TV.

[Rman]

They elect that n***er and the first thing he does is shut off my TV!!!!

 - Old people

Obama was actually in favor of the extension.

[drozmight]

See? The government should have just given everyone every tax payer a United States Branded HDTV that does the converting for you.

Move to Brasil

[DJ_Tet]

The great thing is how good a job they have done educating the general public about this.  I'll ask my parents, or my wife's parents, or anyone over the age of 35* and they don't have a clue what I'm talking about.

*except prole

Do they not watch TV?  It's been EVERY OTHER commercial for over a year now.



Anyway, remember when this was supposed to happen by 2004?

[ToxicAdam]

Anyway, remember when this was supposed to happen by 2004?

It's crazy. I can remember having conversations about this back in the late 90's.

[huckleberry]

If they don't switch over to digital now then the same people will keep procrastinating about getting a box or just buying an HDTV.  No better motivation than turning on the tube to watch your NASCAR race on Sunday and just getting a blank screen.

[Brehvolution]

They elect that n***er and the first thing he does is shut off my TV!!!!

 - Old people

Obama was actually in favor of the extension.

I know. And for now, he was right to do so so early in his administration. Obama has enough to worry about right now.

[Eric P]

i'll admit i only read the last two sentence/paragraphs of the above but was so confused i had to go back and read the whole thing

[dammitmattt]

The great thing is how good a job they have done educating the general public about this.  I'll ask my parents, or my wife's parents, or anyone over the age of 35* and they don't have a clue what I'm talking about.

*except prole

That's because they don't watch network TV.  This shit is blasted all over my network TV, and I rarely even watch anything that's not sports or on my DVR.    What do old people watch?  The news.  And every single fucking news broadcast has something about this.  The general public is educated.  They're just lazy as fuck.

Also, it doesn't help that the government mis-handled the coupon situation, but still it's people's own damn faults for being in the stone age and waiting until the very last minute to do something about it.  Also, newsflash - TV broadcasts aren't something you're entitled to.  If you have to do some work to get them, then suck it up.

[DJ_Tet]

Also, newsflash - TV broadcasts aren't something you're entitled to.  If you have to do some work to get them, then suck it up.

That's the part that bothers me.  TV isn't a public right.  The TV you bought 10, 15, 30 years ago is not 'guaranteed for life.'  The govt does not owe you a 'coupon' so you can buy a box to get free TV.


The whole program is such shit.  They've been talking about this transition for over a decade, if you aren't informed that isn't my problem. 

[TVC15]

The solution is clearly to throw gasoline-soaked blankets over old people and set them on fire.

[Cheebs]

[FlameOfCallandor]

So basically the MARKET isnt ready to change...

[drozmight]

See? The government should have just given everyone every tax payer a United States Branded HDTV that does the converting for you.

Move to Brasil

Wait, Brazil gives out free HDTVs?

The president of Brasil gives out free TVs whenever he's up for election.

[balikeye]

I'm just confussed on why this is such a big issue for people? Aren't they already broacasting the digital channels? The "switch over" is really just a switching off right now, or am I mistaken? I don't think there is going to be anything more added once they turn off the analog, or is there?

 

[dammitmattt]

I'm just confussed on why this is such a big issue for people? Aren't they already broacasting the digital channels? The "switch over" is really just a switching off right now, or am I mistaken? I don't think there is going to be anything more added once they turn off the analog, or is there?

 

They are turning off all analog over-the-air signals, which means your bunny ears won't work anymore.

[DJ_Tet]

Bunny ears will still work.  You just either need a converter box OR an HD/Digital TV.  Wow people  :'(

[dammitmattt]

Bunny ears will still work.  You just either need a converter box OR an HD/Digital TV.  Wow people  :'(

I guess I should've put "JUST" your bunny ears...

[balikeye]

I'm just confussed on why this is such a big issue for people? Aren't they already broacasting the digital channels? The "switch over" is really just a switching off right now, or am I mistaken? I don't think there is going to be anything more added once they turn off the analog, or is there?

 

They are turning off all analog over-the-air signals, which means your bunny ears won't work anymore.

I'm talking about the OP...

"I WON'T GET NEW HD CHANNELS UNTIL THIS HAPPENS. FUCK YOU, GOVERNMENT!!!!"

All of the over the air HD/digital channels are already being broadcasted I thought. So, if you already have the converter...what does it matter if the "official" switch over happens??

Unless there is something I'm missing, I just know here at work...we've been watching the over the air digital channels to close to a year now. I don't think once they shut down the analog, it's going to change anything.

[DJ_Tet]

All of the over the air HD/digital channels are already being broadcasted I thought. So, if you already have the converter...what does it matter if the "official" switch over happens??

Well, they are planning on making more stations available OTA, but that won't happen until the switch.  Also, the range of digital signals is going to be greatly increased.  In my gf's bedroom we have a hard time getting ABC and CBS, but likely won't once they finally switch.  So there are going to be improvements to the signal once they have to stop the analog signals. 

[balikeye]

All of the over the air HD/digital channels are already being broadcasted I thought. So, if you already have the converter...what does it matter if the "official" switch over happens??

Well, they are planning on making more stations available OTA, but that won't happen until the switch.  Also, the range of digital signals is going to be greatly increased.  In my gf's bedroom we have a hard time getting ABC and CBS, but likely won't once they finally switch.  So there are going to be improvements to the signal once they have to stop the analog signals. 

Hokay cool, I did not realize that...

proceed with the fucking of the governments

[demi]

TV sucks, watch LOST and be happy

[Cheebs]

All of the over the air HD/digital channels are already being broadcasted I thought. So, if you already have the converter...what does it matter if the "official" switch over happens??

Well, they are planning on making more stations available OTA, but that won't happen until the switch.  Also, the range of digital signals is going to be greatly increased.  In my gf's bedroom we have a hard time getting ABC and CBS, but likely won't once they finally switch.  So there are going to be improvements to the signal once they have to stop the analog signals. 

Wha? The signal is worse for you in different rooms? God I love my digital cable boxes then. Didn't realize that was even possible.

[DJ_Tet]

All of the over the air HD/digital channels are already being broadcasted I thought. So, if you already have the converter...what does it matter if the "official" switch over happens??

Well, they are planning on making more stations available OTA, but that won't happen until the switch.  Also, the range of digital signals is going to be greatly increased.  In my gf's bedroom we have a hard time getting ABC and CBS, but likely won't once they finally switch.  So there are going to be improvements to the signal once they have to stop the analog signals. 

Wha? The signal is worse for you in different rooms? God I love my digital cable boxes then. Didn't realize that was even possible.

Well yeah, she doesn't have cable or satellite.  Have you never had rabbit ears?  Signal depends not only on the room, but the quality of the ears.  We have the crappy pair back in the bedroom.  She's got an HDTV up front but it's an old CRT projection without an HD Tuner, so we need a box up front as well.  She can get every channel up there though no problem, cause that's where the good antenna is.


I'm sure everyone knows this but just to reiterate, if you have satellite or cable you don't need a converter box, your signal will be fine. 

[castle007]

The OP is on my ignore list and I have no idea why 

[balikeye]

We have a rabbit ear set up at work...the annoy thing about it is when the signal does get weak, the picture gets pixulated and the sound goes away. It took awhile getting used to. At least with analog you could still hear the program even if everything went to strange waves and colors.

[Cheebs]

All of the over the air HD/digital channels are already being broadcasted I thought. So, if you already have the converter...what does it matter if the "official" switch over happens??

Well, they are planning on making more stations available OTA, but that won't happen until the switch.  Also, the range of digital signals is going to be greatly increased.  In my gf's bedroom we have a hard time getting ABC and CBS, but likely won't once they finally switch.  So there are going to be improvements to the signal once they have to stop the analog signals. 

Wha? The signal is worse for you in different rooms? God I love my digital cable boxes then. Didn't realize that was even possible.

Well yeah, she doesn't have cable or satellite.  Have you never had rabbit ears? 

Nope, that is why what you said amazed me. Seems so...useless of a technology for anyone to still use with problems like that. Now that I think about I don't think I have ever seen a tv with rabbit years before.

[DJ_Tet]

Wow    Kids today. 


I grew up with a black and white TV, bet you never saw one of those either huh lol.  And I'm younger than Prole! 

spoiler (click to show/hide)

Sorry, Prole  :'(

[close]

But yeah, rabbit ears are a pretty shitty tech.  The good news is the digital signal is a LOT better.  You either get the channel or you don't.  With the analog signal you can get snow/distortion on the picture yet still 'get' the channel.  With the digital signal, if you 'get' it, it's rock solid visually.  It will be a big step up for these podunk people who don't know any better.


But, they need to let it happen.  As said earlier, these people aren't going to switch until they have to, and their 'have to' date just keeps getting edged out.  I don't know why the govt is so scared that some people might end up without TV.  I have to imagine that people who don't know about this are either elderly with no family or people who just don't give a damn.  Either way, they will figure it out pretty quickly once their TV doesn't work anymore.


It's not like this is rocket science.

[Cheebs]

Wow    Kids today. 


I grew up with a black and white TV, bet you never saw one of those either huh lol.  And I'm younger than Prole! 

Never saw one of those either.  The failures of being 22 I guess.

[DJ_Tet]

Never saw one of those either.  The failures of being 22 I guess.

THINGS WERE SIMPLER BACK THEN!

spoiler (click to show/hide)

God, they will have to pry my plasma from my cold, dead hands.  I'm never going back.  Back in my day we had shitty black and white tvs that were as heavy as an elephant.  God, the horror of taking one of those console TVs in to be serviced.  Things are so much better now.

[close]

[Rman]

The House Republicans defeated the delay.   

From NYTimes:

Two days after the Senate unanimously approved a four-month delay of the digital television transition, the House of Representatives rejected the same proposal on Wednesday, “leaving the current Feb. 17 deadline intact for now,” the Associated Press reports.

The legislation’s failure means that the nation’s television stations will have to switch from analog to digital broadcasting by Feb. 17, unless Congress takes other steps to delay the transition.

Earlier this month, calling the government funds to support the switch “woefully inadequate,” the Obama administration called on Congress to delay the Feb. 17 date. The switch requires consumers without a digital-ready TV who rely on over-the-air signals to install converter boxes for their TV sets. The Nielsen Co. estimates that more than six million households are still unready for the switch.

Some lawmakers have argued that a delay would only exacerbate the confusion about the transition. And local stations have noted that they have already budgeted funds for next month’s switch. Keeping their analog signals on the air for four more months would require more money for power and maintenance costs.

“In my opinion, we could do nothing worse than to delay this transition date,” said Joe Barton of Texas, the top Republican on the House Commerce Committee. “The bill is a solution looking for a problem that exists mostly in the mind of the Obama administration.”

In a statement Tuesday, the Senate Commerce Committee chairman, John D. Rockefeller IV, said he was deeply disappointed by the Republicans’ move to block the transition.

“Instead of delaying the transition to ensure that the most vulnerable among us have the ability to prepare for the transition, they have made certain that far too many consumers across the country will wake up on February the 18th and find that their television sets have gone dark and access to news, information, and vital emergency alerts will be unavailable,” he said. “It did not have to be this way — this situation was unnecessary and avoidable.”

[dammitmattt]

Wow    Kids today. 

I grew up with a black and white TV, bet you never saw one of those either huh lol.  And I'm younger than Prole! 

spoiler (click to show/hide)

Sorry, Prole  :'(

[close]

But yeah, rabbit ears are a pretty shitty tech.  The good news is the digital signal is a LOT better.  You either get the channel or you don't.  With the analog signal you can get snow/distortion on the picture yet still 'get' the channel.  With the digital signal, if you 'get' it, it's rock solid visually.  It will be a big step up for these podunk people who don't know any better.

But, they need to let it happen.  As said earlier, these people aren't going to switch until they have to, and their 'have to' date just keeps getting edged out.  I don't know why the govt is so scared that some people might end up without TV.  I have to imagine that people who don't know about this are either elderly with no family or people who just don't give a damn.  Either way, they will figure it out pretty quickly once their TV doesn't work anymore.

It's not like this is rocket science.

Everything I've heard is that the digital signals will actually be weaker, but you're right that you should have better quality once you get them.  With that said, I briefly had an HDTV antenna and my signal was anything but "rock solid."  Of course, this was 4 years ago so they might be a lot better now.

[DJ_Tet]

Earlier this month, calling the government funds to support the switch “woefully inadequate,” the Obama administration called on Congress to delay the Feb. 17 date.

Reading that made me throw up a little.  NO ONE TOLD YOU YOUR TV WOULD WORK FOREVER.  FURTHERMORE, THIS TRANSITION HAS BEEN UNDER DISCUSSION FOR OVER A DECADE.


Also, you can find a shitty converter box for $30.  Thirty fucking dollars!


But the 'govt funds are woefully inadequate' for a transition.  This is unbelievable.  Thank god the transition is staying (for now.)


If you care so damn much about TV, you should be able to come up with $30 (or $8 a month for basic cable.)  If you can't afford $30 for your TV, I guess you can't afford TV.

[DJ_Tet]

Everything I've heard is that the digital signals will actually be weaker, but you're right that you should have better quality once you get them.  With that said, I briefly had an HDTV antenna and my signal was anything but "rock solid."  Of course, this was 4 years ago so they might be a lot better now.

I got that info from GAF, I have to assume it's accurate.  You know there's no such thing as an 'HDTV antenna' right?  Just marketed differently (likely at an increase in price.)  Most of those 'HDTV antennas' kinda suck compared to the rabbit ears your grandparents might have from the 70s.  They just don't make good stuff like they used to.


I can't imagine they will dial the digital signals back.  The main advantage of a digital signal is it goes a lot further with similar equipment but takes up a ton less bandwidth.  There's no reason this transition will make digital signals any worse than they are now, and they should only improve once they shut off the analog signal.  Your signal may not have been 'rock solid' but that's more the fault of your antenna being inside than any sort of shortcomings of digital broadcasts.  The point is, if you have a really weak signal, you might be able to pick up some snowy analog broadcasts better than the digital, but if you can get 60% on a digital signal you'll get full (HD) picture and sound vs a snowy analog broadcast.  Might see some more macroblocking but it beats snow.

[Brehvolution]

I was always under the impression that broadcasting a digital signal consumes 1/10th of the power of analog and it was the main reason for the switch.

[DJ_Tet]

That's one reason but the main reason I've always heard is freeing up the MASSIVE analog airwaves (which are being chopped up and sold by the govt.) 


Google wants a slice for OTA internet btw    I hope they get it, could mean amazing things for the internet to have it broadcast on this spectrum (I can't wrap my head around the logistics of this but it is being discussed.)

[dammitmattt]

That's one reason but the main reason I've always heard is freeing up the MASSIVE analog airwaves (which are being chopped up and sold by the govt.) 

Google wants a slice for OTA internet btw    I hope they get it, could mean amazing things for the internet to have it broadcast on this spectrum (I can't wrap my head around the logistics of this but it is being discussed.)

I'm not breaking any NDAs since this was all heresay, but I know that a certain huge wireless company has HUGE plans for OTA cable/internet within the next 10-20 years.  This bandwidth plus what they already own is a huge part of the plan.

It's mind-boggling what we'll be getting OTA in the future.

[DJ_Tet]

I just got a stiffy 

[Eric P]

my dad bought me a 100 HD antenna for christmas for my PC.

it picks up like 52 signals in pretty good quality.

HD is nice looking but i don't watch TV so it's pretty worthless to me

[xnikki118x]

Wow    Kids today. 


I grew up with a black and white TV, bet you never saw one of those either huh lol.  And I'm younger than Prole! 

Never saw one of those either.  The failures of being 22 I guess.

I'm 23 and have seen black and white TV and rabbit ears. When I was little my dad's parents had a b&w TV in their kitchen. Hell, the entire time I was in college I lived with my mom's parents and they used rabbit ears.

[Himu]

Wow    Kids today. 


I grew up with a black and white TV, bet you never saw one of those either huh lol.  And I'm younger than Prole! 

spoiler (click to show/hide)

Sorry, Prole  :'(

[close]

But yeah, rabbit ears are a pretty shitty tech.  The good news is the digital signal is a LOT better.  You either get the channel or you don't.  With the analog signal you can get snow/distortion on the picture yet still 'get' the channel.  With the digital signal, if you 'get' it, it's rock solid visually.  It will be a big step up for these podunk people who don't know any better.


But, they need to let it happen.  As said earlier, these people aren't going to switch until they have to, and their 'have to' date just keeps getting edged out.  I don't know why the govt is so scared that some people might end up without TV.  I have to imagine that people who don't know about this are either elderly with no family or people who just don't give a damn.  Either way, they will figure it out pretty quickly once their TV doesn't work anymore.


It's not like this is rocket science.

My family's tv didn't have a remote when i was young. We had to turn it by hand.

My grandma used to watch black and white tv all the time when I was younger. She still has that tv and she still watches it.

[DJ_Tet]

Nice one my son.


I remember the dial on my console TV growing up was SO heavy.  I remember being too weak to change it often, I had to plan ahead on Sunday to make sure I didn't get stuck on Church channels lol.


Made the mistake of waking my dad up to change the channels.  Once.

[Himu]

I miss that tv. Makes a huge CLICK when you turn the station. We had cable so it was torture changing the station. CLICK GRICK CHARIIIIIICK CLICK CLICK

*shoots self in the head*

[Cheebs]

Monsters, all of you.  Himumumu you are younger than me, you shouldn't know of this freakish 70's technology.

[Himu]

I am 23. How old are you.

[CajoleJuice]

my dad bought me a 100 HD antenna for christmas for my PC.

it picks up like 52 signals in pretty good quality.

HD is nice looking but i don't watch TV so it's pretty worthless to me

I'll take it. 

[Cheebs]

I am 23. How old are you.

Less than a year older same thing time wise, I have no idea how you have ever seen these things. Your grandparents had B& W tv when you were a kid? wtf. Because neither of my parents had B&W tvs as a kid and it is not like they had a lot of money or anything either (moms dad was fireman and dads dad worked at a Ford plant).

[DJ_Tet]

Doesn't always have to do with having money, some people just don't put that priority on TV.  Which is exactly why we're in the situation we are now.

My granddad didn't have a color tv until the last decade of his life (and only because my dad bought it so he'd have a decent tv to watch when he visited.) 


Black and white TVs are not that far gone, a lot of people in their early 30s can remember when stores used to actually sell them.

[Himu]

I am 23. How old are you.

Less than a year older same thing time wise, I have no idea how you have ever seen these things. Your grandparents had B& W tv when you were a kid? wtf. Because neither of my parents had B&W tvs as a kid and it is not like they had a lot of money or anything either (moms dad was fireman and dads dad worked at a Ford plant).

They had more than one tv. They also had a 50 inch tv downstairs.

It wasn't the old kind though. It was the small portable kind they were just making in the 80's I think. Real real small. I think it's a 4-5 inch monitor. She used it in the kitchen back when I was young'n until they got a better tv later on for the kitchen. It was mostly for her soap operas, that tv. She later put it in the bathroom so it would turn on anytime you turned on the bathroom lights.

[Cheebs]

I am 23. How old are you.

Less than a year older same thing time wise, I have no idea how you have ever seen these things. Your grandparents had B& W tv when you were a kid? wtf. Because neither of my parents had B&W tvs as a kid and it is not like they had a lot of money or anything either (moms dad was fireman and dads dad worked at a Ford plant).

They had more than one tv. They also had a 50 inch tv downstairs.

It wasn't the old kind though. It was the small portable kind they were just making in the 80's I think. Real real small. I think it's a 4-5 inch monitor. She used it in the kitchen back when I was young'n until they got a better tv later on for the kitchen. It was mostly for her soap operas, that tv. She later put it in the bathroom so it would turn on anytime you turned on the bathroom lights.

ugh that ruined the mental image I had of your family at your grandparents all huddled around some B&W tv

[Great Rumbler]

I remember back when I was younger, my family had this huge antenna that was up against the house at the end of a long pole. In order to get good reception on certain channels you had to turn the antenna. So there was lots of:

"Can you see anything yet?"
"No."
*turn, turn*
"Now?"
"Almost!"

[Eric P]

my dad bought me a 100 HD antenna for christmas for my PC.

it picks up like 52 signals in pretty good quality.

HD is nice looking but i don't watch TV so it's pretty worthless to me

I'll take it. 

52 channels in nyc, mind you.