Is anyone else confused about the reason behind the transition from analog to digital tv in the US? Or more importantly, if anyone understands the reason behind it could you please explain it to those of us who don't. Jim
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Is anyone else confused about the reason behind the transition from analog to digital tv in the US? Or more importantly, if anyone understands the reason behind it could you please explain it to those of us who don't. Jim
From the FCC's website:
Why Are Broadcast TV Stations Switching to All-Digital?
Congress mandated the conversion to all-digital television broadcasting, also known as the digital television (DTV) transition, because all-digital broadcasting will free up frequencies for public safety communications (such as police, fire, and emergency rescue). Also, digital is a more efficient transmission technology that allows broadcast stations to offer improved picture and sound quality, as well as offer more programming options for consumers through multiple broadcast streams (multicasting). In addition, some of the freed up frequencies will be used for advanced commercial wireless services for consumers.
Thank you Ray.That makes sense to free up frequencies for safety. I've been hearing about the transition for a few years and never understood why. Jim
Here in the thriving Megopolis of Dresden, TN, the conversion of analog signal to digital signal appears to be resulting in us losing TV reception for 4 of the 5 channels we currently receive on our rooftop antenna. Apparently, we are too far from the "local" TV stations to receive the digital signal. The analog signal we currently receive is more than a tad grainy, but at least we can get some news and weather. When the changeover occurs, we will be down to one station (according to the TV station testing that has been occurring), and it will only have spotty reception.
The digital signal from our nearest station (60 miles) that is currently being broadcast is watchable less than 50% of the time. Our area is not served by any cable companies. We tried Dish TV about 3 years ago, but every time a cloud passed over, we lost reception. After numerous calls/complaints to the Dish TV folks, we were essentially told "that's the way it is; live with it". We cancelled service and will not deal with those customer-unfriendly "people" again. So, we have bought a DVD/VCR, bought a bunch of old movies and TV shows (such as Rawhide, Gunsmoke, Laredo, Andy Griffith, etc.) and are now watching better quality entertainment than we used to get with Dish. I will miss getting local news and weather, however.
The question I have with this is why did the government have to get involved? In almost all other tech transitions that I know of (in my very limited experience) was industry driven, not government regulated.
The freeing up of bandwidth for emergency use puzzles me. All the tv stations in my area will still be broadcasting on the same channels, but we get several subchannels... whoopee... how does this free up bandwidth if they are still broadcasting on the same channels? (I am assuming that each channel corresponds to a certain bandwidth signal) Just confused I suppose.
Geoff
Hello garyj, your local channel may be online in case you haven't checked that out...
Cheers,
MontanaMoose
My suspicions are that this is another example of industry lobbying congress for forcing a transition to a technology that will make them a bundle of money. An expensive technology that most of us would still opt out on if given the choice. Emergency services, police and military operate at frequencies higher than analog TV.Quote:
Originally Posted by shadesofsisyphus
Even though there are substantial quality increases in digital signal vs analog signal and more data can be transmitted simultaneously by the digital signal, digital is still just a niche market that not all are willing to buy into. We are being forced to buy this technology by the equipment manufacturers who now appear to have congress working for them to create a huge market for them. In short it is all about money. The freeing up of frequencies thing is a "Red Herring".
To me this is another blatant example of government, industry and do-gooders eroding away your freedom of choice.
MM hit it before I did. Most of your news, favorite older shows and some new ones too are available at your broadcast network's web site. For instance if you are a Trekkie or Trekker, like me, you can watch most of the Star Trek original series at cbs.com:Quote:
Originally Posted by garyj147
http://www.cbs.com/video/?showname=c...wtype=classics
Note the other great classics available there too. I get almost all of my news and weather online too. For weather I find accuweather hard to beat:
http://www.accuweather.com/
Sorry Weather Channel but these folks pretty much blow you guys out of the water.
Why are we switching to DTV?
An important benefit of the switch to all-digital broadcasting is that it will free up parts of the valuable broadcast spectrum for public safety communications (such as police, fire departments, and rescue squads). Also, some of the spectrum will be auctioned to companies that will be able to provide consumers with more advanced wireless services (such as wireless broadband).
Consumers also benefit because digital broadcasting allows stations to offer improved picture and sound quality, and digital is much more efficient than analog. For example, rather than being limited to providing one analog program, a broadcaster is able to offer a super sharp ?high definition? (HD) digital program or multiple ?standard definition? (SD) digital programs simultaneously through a process called ?multicasting.? Multicasting allows broadcast stations to offer several channels of digital programming at the same time, using the same amount of spectrum required for one analog program. So, for example, while a station broadcasting in analog on channel 7 is only able to offer viewers one program, a station broadcasting in digital on channel 7 can offer viewers one digital program on channel 7-1, a second digital program on channel 7-2, a third digital program on channel 7-3, and so on. This means more programming choices for viewers.
Thanks for the accuweather link nighawk, I checked against weatherbug and it's almost exactly the same day by day forecast and the current temp was right on. I use the weatherbug because it's on the 'sidebar' feature and is always viewable on my desktop.
Cheers,
MontanaMoose
I think that is who weatherbug gets their forecasts from. You can also sign up for accuweather on your desktop. I use them both. Very accurate and up to date.Quote:
Originally Posted by MontanaMoose
Normand said, "An important benefit of the switch to all-digital broadcasting is that it will free up parts of the valuable broadcast spectrum for public safety communications (such as police, fire departments, and rescue squads)."
That is the "Red Herring" part of it. Sorry but I do not trust anything our government puts out along these lines.
Government has always been involved. They established and allotted the bandwidths, power levels, etc. to start with? Without some kind of regulation of the electromagnetic spectrum it would be total chaos and you?d be lucky if anything worked. As technology changes things have to change to take advantage of the benefits. We can only hope that our elected officials are making the best choices, if not we could be paying more for less.Quote:
Originally Posted by shadesofsisyphus
John
Montana Moose and Nighthawk,
I tried your suggestion of getting news via the internet last night - no go with my antiquated dial-up system at home. I reckon we'll look for a newspaper instead. That will be tough as well. Not many high quality affordable daily newspapers here. There are downsides to living in a rural area, but I'll still take it over a big city!
We will lose our present broadband service which provides about 12 channels, most of which we watch with some regularity.
Our alternative is to go to an outdoor antenna which will give us local channels only, which is something of a step back from what we now have, or to a Dish or Direct TV or Cable company, which only offer TOO MANY CHANNELS for more bucks than they are worth to us.
There are some channels we would like to have besides the local channels - but in our case, less is definitely better than more, and will cost a LOT less over the long haul.
P.S. Eric - thanks for the link on Accuweather. But I don't think I like it. It says it is 2F and feels like -2F right now !!
Hello again garyj, what about the radio for local news?
Cheers,
MontanaMoose
try one of these
http://www.transistorradiodesign.com...ORION%2063.JPG
A while back I was using a Direct TV. No problems whatsover even with dish covered in ice... My kids have it now and they have no issues. I would suggest you contact them just do not expect much of a local content. The news coverage is pretty much national coverege only, although they may be offering at least some local content.Quote:
We tried Dish TV about 3 years ago, but every time a cloud passed over, we lost reception. After numerous calls/complaints to the Dish TV folks, we were essentially told "that's the way it is; live with it". We cancelled service and will not deal with those customer-unfriendly "people" again.
BTW. With Direct TV you can get a two way Internaet access (no phone lines involved) which is about 20 times faster than dial up.
Few years ago basic TV package and two way internet came to about 140.00 a month. I do not know what the pricing is now but it's easy to find out. http://www.directv.com
PS. I have no afiliation with DirectTV and not reciving any cash for the above advertising and before anyone asks. The only reason I switched to cable was because DirecTV does not support VPN connection which I need for my work.
The Feds yesterday decided to put this mess off until June, but they left it open for stations to make the change this month if they want. So now we will have some of our channels digital and some not. People with converter boxes will be changing back and forth to see TV. Why couldn't the feds just do it and get it over with. Its like pulling teeth if it has to be done, do it quickly and get it over with.
Now we have four more months of the stupid commercials telling people to get ready.
Yuck.
Went about eight years, from early '93 to late '01, without a television.
Might have to try that again ??
Some of the best times of my life are the times I didnt have the Idiot box hooked up. I get a lot more fishing and reading done when I don't have the box, also get more sleep.
Eric
We terminated our local broadband service today, got an antenna set up ( professsionally installed on the metal roof of our two story house - no way I'd go up there ), and hooked up the digital converter.
We are down to seven channels, at least for the time being, to include the major networks and PBS, plus a couple odd ones. But the picture quality ( not HD ) is on a par with what we had before, and the digital converter set up has some features we didn't have before.
Deborah said it nicely - it is "liberating" to be free of the cable companies, and it is free, after the initial equipment and installation costs.
I'd drop the cable and go back to the antenna in a second if I even got 4 channels that had a decent picture but it won't work where I am. Dial up is terrible here too so I'm stuck with the cable for now...
And...I'm thinking my wife, rather than feeling liberated, would feel 'cut off', even though wife doesn't pay any attention to the several shopping channels...thankfully !
Cheers,
MontanaMoose
digital tv is NOT hd tv. dont be confused
http://www.dtv.gov/whatisdtv.html
I guess the year and a half of warnings we've already been thru weren't enough. Anyone who isn't already aware, either doesn't watch tv, or doesn't have any comprehension of what they are watching. In either case, if their screen suddenly went blank, they'd never know the difference.Quote:
Originally Posted by Eric-WD