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Wireless Network or Weird Al?

coronaride writes "This article over on Wired discusses the current topic of the FCC's regulation of UHF's (ultra-high frequencies). Apparently, UHF channels 52 through 69 are in danger of being taken over by wireless networking!" Insert your Conan the Librarian or Wheel of Fish joke here.

233 comments

  1. Joke by Oily+Tuna · · Score: 0

    Why is CmdrTaco like Conan the Librarian?

    They both smell like a Wheel of Fish.

    Or something .... I don't understand the reference.

    --
    Mmmmmmm ... sushi.
    1. Re:Joke by Oily+Tuna · · Score: 1

      Oh, right, got it.

      CmdrTaco's jokes smell like a wheel of fish.

      --
      Mmmmmmm ... sushi.
    2. Re:Joke by agilen · · Score: 1

      Its from the 1989 Weird Al movie UHF

  2. Weird Al? by TunaPhish · · Score: 0, Redundant

    It's all about the Pentiums, baby
    Uhh, uh-huh, yeah Uhh, uh-huh, yeah
    It's all about the Pentiums, baby
    It's all about the Pentiums, baby
    It's all about the Pentiums!
    It's all about the Pentiums!
    (Yeah!!)

  3. They've got it all on UHF by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    But now it all won't fit! There's no room for U62 without UHF channels 52 through 69!

    1. Re:They've got it all on UHF by d3vpsaux · · Score: 1

      Whaa? U62 can't possibly go off the air!

      Where else am I going to catch Raul's Wild Kingdom, Bowling for Burgers, and the latest Spatula City ads?

      Syndication, nay.

      Restrict advances in technology. Save U62!

      Mabye we should sell some more U62 stock. Anyone got a line on the going price?

      just my $.02
      d3v

  4. but... by gripdamage · · Score: 1

    What does this have to do with the Pentiums?

    1. Re:but... by Spock+the+Baptist · · Score: 1

      "It's All About The Pentiums" baby...

      --
      "Oh drat these computers, they're so naughty and so complex, I could pinch them." --Marvin the Martian
  5. Wireless or... by NaCh0 · · Score: 1

    I'll choose Weird Al any day!

    His Pentium song rules.

  6. So....? by chainsaw_alligator · · Score: 0, Insightful

    Who cares, those channels are crappy anyways.

  7. what the? by NeMon'ess · · Score: 1
    or Weird Al

    Weird Al? I must be reading that wrong. Weird AI? That's sounds more likely. Okay...read the blurb...Conan the librarian joke? Hey wait, it was Weird AL! Dang it...

    1. Re:what the? by Melkman · · Score: 1

      I bet that came as a supplies tou you, not ?

  8. YOU SO STUPID!!!!! by xneilj · · Score: 2, Funny

    Well if you didn't get the reference, you'll just think I'm insulting you :)

    --
    rm -rf / is the evil of all root
    1. Re:YOU SO STUPID!!!!! by Ozymandias_KoK · · Score: 1, Funny

      SUPPLIES!!!!!!

    2. Re:YOU SO STUPID!!!!! by Oily+Tuna · · Score: 0, Offtopic
      --
      Mmmmmmm ... sushi.
    3. Re:YOU SO STUPID!!!!! by SamTheButcher · · Score: 1, Offtopic
      3 posts and someone stole my line.

      ;)

      I'd say it's my favorite joke from that movie, but they're all so good. Thank god it's on DVD now. And CHEAP, too!

    4. Re:YOU SO STUPID!!!!! by Ozymandias_KoK · · Score: 2

      Offtopic? Who's the idiot moderator who did that? I beleive the commentary actually solicited UHF jokes, did it not?

  9. Mrs. Weaver and the Wheel of Fish by AtariDatacenter · · Score: 4, Interesting

    A friend's mom, Mrs. Weaver, was a contestant on the "Wheel of Fish". What you probably didn't know, but could figure out, is that when you spun the wheel, fish scales and stuff starting flying EVERYWHERE. It was a riot.

    PS: I think it was appropriate that the film was shot in Tulsa.

  10. Goodbye UPN... by polymath69 · · Score: 2, Funny
    I get my Enterprise fix over broadcast, channel 59. Goodbye, Archer!

    But at least I'll still have Buffy.

    --

    --
    I don't want to rule the world... I just want to be in charge of mayonnaise.
    1. Re:Goodbye UPN... by AVryhof · · Score: 1

      I don't watch TV, so why would I pay $99 a month for a dish? or the $40 extra a month on top of my RoadRunner bill for cable?

      Isn't "nerd" a term coined by the "cool people" to call people loosers?

      Maybe you should get something to do other than watch TV?

    2. Re:Goodbye UPN... by macdaddy357 · · Score: 1

      Broadcast TV is free, unlike cable and dish, which offer only more crap, not better programming. Besides, if a nerd has to choose between the idiot box, and broadband because of budget constraints, broadband is the must have and who needs the idiot box.

      --
      How ya like dat?
    3. Re:Goodbye UPN... by opello · · Score: 1

      ah, but if you have the broadband, and a decent isp ... you can get those all important eps anyways ... often better-than-broadcast quality (SVCDs for example).

    4. Re:Goodbye UPN... by colmore · · Score: 2

      UHF/VHF is free

      --
      In Capitalist America, bank robs you!
  11. Oh sure by PhysicsGenius · · Score: 5, Interesting

    When it begins to interfere with TV we start complaining. But where was the uproar when wireless networking started interfering with radio astronomy?

    1. Re:Oh sure by Jonny+Ringo · · Score: 1

      Hmm, yeah. I'm still not seeing the uproar over the interference of tv.

      Let me know when it happens.

    2. Re:Oh sure by linzeal · · Score: 1

      Please note...
      www.nasa.gov has been re-designed and deployed to provide better service to the public. As a result, some old URLs may not work.

      Brian Dunbar
      Internet Services Manager
      NASA Office of Public Affairs

    3. Re:Oh sure by allrong · · Score: 1

      Maybe that's why they didn't accept my suggestion for a wireless network at our radio astronomy observatories... :)

      --
      What is the inverse of the Matrix?
    4. Re:Oh sure by theantix · · Score: 2

      Thanks for clearing that up, Brian. I was wondering what happened to that page. Damn slashdot effect works in comments now.

      --
      501 Not Implemented
    5. Re:Oh sure by zer0vector · · Score: 2, Funny

      As a possible combat to this a few people have been wondering if large radio telescopes (GBT, VLA, etc..) could put out enough power transmitting to disable communications satellites and clean up radio frequency interference. Of course this is entirely unrealistic since the electronics of the telescopes are designed for receiving not transmitting, but I think it would be funny if some radio astronomers blew out the front ends of all the Iridium satellites so they could study OH again.

      --

      ----
      Striving to put right what once went wrong, and hoping each time that his next leap, will be the leap ho
    6. Re:Oh sure by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      It's probably because there are a couple of hundred radio astronomers as opposed to a couple of hundred thousand wireless lan users... but who am I to explain this to a Genius like you?

    7. Re:Oh sure by GutBomb · · Score: 2

      you don't get it. when wireless networking affected the radio astronomy nobody cared. now that the same wireless networking is affecting tv, more people are noticing. your comment was ALMOST right.

      it should have read:
      It's probably because there are a couple of hundred radio astronomers as opposed to a couple of hundred million television viewers...

      But who am I to explain this to a brilliant AC like you?

    8. Re:Oh sure by cmdr_beeftaco · · Score: 1

      Radio telescopes knocking out satelites, you could have Reagan and Bush Sr. alot of money with that idea. Does that mean my 4 inch refractor can turn into laser gun too? Man destroys small town with telescope film at 11.

  12. Multiplexing? by sgtron · · Score: 1

    If we utitlized the bandwidth more efficiently, (multiplexing) we wouldn't have to shut out anyone. This is just a stalling tactic... probably supported by the phone companies to try to get back some of the money they invested in DSL before wireless takes off and they're out of the picture.

    --
    No todo lo que es oro brilla
  13. If you insist by Kphrak · · Score: 5, Funny

    Karate Master: "And TODAY on Wheel of Fish, what do we have!? Ah! A wireless network! Now....will you keep the wireless network, or will you take what's on...broadcast TV?"

    Woman: "I'll take...uh...um..."

    [everybody shouting different answers at her]

    Woman: "I'll take...broadcast TV!!"

    Karate Master: "And now we see...what's on...broadcast TV! What's good that's on...broadcast TV?!"

    [hushed pause; they turn on a TV, "Friends" is on]

    Karate Master: "NOTHING!! THERE'S NOTHING GOOD ON BROADCAST TV!! STUPID! YOU'RE SO STOOPID!!!"

    --

    There's no sig like this sig anywhere near this sig, so this must be the sig.
  14. Comply with the law or else by Winged+Cat · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Like it or not, the FCC does have legal jurisdiction over the airwaves, on the theory that they are a limited resource. Said theory is increasingly becoming untrue as better and better use is made of the airwaves, but it is true that there can only be one station broadcasting on the frequency that matches channel 40 (for example) in a given area. Which means the FCC has every right to demand that these broadcasters make better use of said airwaves - say, by switching to digital broadcasting. One can debate the money (whether the FCC should pay for new broadcast equipment, say), but the broadcasters were told quite some time ago that this was going to happen. Mass disobedience of the law is no reason not to enforce it. (It may indicate something is wrong with the law - see the civil rights protests - but that does not appear to be the case here.)

    1. Re:Comply with the law or else by Jafafa+Hots · · Score: 5, Informative

      The problem with this is that there are hundreds (if not thousands) of very low power UHF stations that are run by non-profit organizations and service a small demographic...
      Such as non-english channels, alternative media, community info, etc.

      These tiny channels, with signals reaching only maybe 20 square miles, could NEVER afford the upgrade to digital - they get by on a shoestring budget. Some are run out of people's homes.

      As a result, only the larger, corporate broadcasters will be able to have a voice.

      --
      This space available.
    2. Re:Comply with the law or else by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      None of this would have become an issue had broadcasting regulations not been massively reduced since the 1980s (allowing larger networks to buy out smaller ones and giving them longer licensing periods). In 1996, the FCC decided to give away the digital spectrum -- for free -- to large broadcasting companies. John McCain (go figure) was the only Senator to dispute the Federal Telecommunications Act of 1996.

      Large companies aren't going to lose out on this: it's the small broadcasters, including independent, local access, and international stations, who are going to lose out.

    3. Re:Comply with the law or else by Winged+Cat · · Score: 2

      Which is why I mentioned the money issue. One could very easily argue that, if the FCC is to impose this mandate, it should defray the upgrade costs for the poorer (or maybe just non-profit) licensed broadcasters so as to avoid this effect. It's not an argument that derails the switch to analog (unless, of course, there's simply no money to pay for the upgrade - which is only true from a certain political point of view).

    4. Re:Comply with the law or else by Jafafa+Hots · · Score: 2, Informative

      Yeah, but that simply will never happen. The FCC would never pay for it.

      I'm not sure how this would work, either - I don't know if the smaller stations would have the space and expertise to operate digitally even if the FCC gave them the equipment.

      I'm not referring to the channels that run Gilligan's Island reruns - I'm referring to the micro-broadcasters that have been around about 10 years. The ones with the funny call signs like WU59 or KL62.

      Some transmit only to a few neighborhoods or even just a few blocks, almost all are in cities, and few are carried by suburban cable systems, as they are not required to be.

      Because of all of this, they tend to represent a segment of the population that has no access otherwise - the urban poor, immigrants, whatever.

      Most people who aren't poor are not even aware that these stations exist, since they aren't on their cable system.

      Many are in people's basements or whatever. I know of one that is run by a housewife in her own home.

      The FCC created the rules allowing such stations only about ten years ago in order to give minorities, small communities, etc., a voice. Now they are probably going to lose that voice.

      Then it will be back to the status quo, where television shows are just the bait to get you to see ads for beer and doritos.

      --
      This space available.
    5. Re:Comply with the law or else by T-Ranger · · Score: 1
      When was it decided that use of EM spectrum was a inane right?

      To prefute the freedom of speech card, this has nothing to do with hindering speech. Stations are not being shut down because of what there saying. There being shutdown because the limited resource that they have been alowed to use is needed elsewhere.

    6. Re:Comply with the law or else by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I'd rather not have my tax dollars spent upgrading every little UHF tv station that can't afford it's own equipment, thankyouverymuch. Where else is the FCC going to get the money to cover it? Fining people $10k for pirate stations generates only so much revenue...

    7. Re:Comply with the law or else by Winged+Cat · · Score: 1

      The irony, of course, being that the wireless networks might actually work better to give said minorities a voice, since they require even less technical expertise to operate and have a wider ('Net-wide) reach...

    8. Re:Comply with the law or else by Jafafa+Hots · · Score: 2, Insightful

      An inane right? Anyway... it's AIM is not to hinder speech. It's EFFECT is to. Yep. There was a strange, unforseen effect of auctioning off spectrum to the highest bidder: turns out that when you do that, the people with the most money are the ones who get to use it. Imagine that.

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      This space available.
    9. Re:Comply with the law or else by Scottaroo · · Score: 1

      Shoestring budget or not, they somehow managed to aquire the analog broadcasting equipment in the first place. That isn't free. If they care about what they are doing (as they must if the financial reward is apparently zero), they will find a way to aquire digital broadcast equipment.

      --
      ----------
      If your answer is Microsoft, you obviously didn't understand the question.
    10. Re:Comply with the law or else by Jafafa+Hots · · Score: 1

      You can set up an analog microbroadcasting station for a few thousand dollars. My grandfather set one up (illegally) with some stuff he cobbled together in his little TV repair shop. Going digital would cost MANY MANY times that much. The local Boys Club that broadcasts news and students essays to the neighborhood will find a way to get a few hundred grand to upgrade to digital? Not likely.

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      This space available.
    11. Re:Comply with the law or else by Scottaroo · · Score: 2, Interesting

      Yes, and the technology to do analog broadcasting is 50 years old. The only reason that the digital equipment is so expensive is that there isn't a second-hand market yet, and the technology isn't old enough to have produced the "all-on-one-chip" solutions that drive down the price of manufacture. Give it a few years and the prices will come down just as they do in any other technological area. By the time the change-over is enforced (does anyone really believe that will be 2007?) the prices will be a lot more reasonable.

      --
      ----------
      If your answer is Microsoft, you obviously didn't understand the question.
    12. Re:Comply with the law or else by Jafafa+Hots · · Score: 2, Insightful

      These are people who have never even HEARD of wireless networks, let alone be in a position to use them. I'm talking about people who have a TV, but thats it. A lot of people seem to forget that there is a whole section of our population who are being totally passed over - who don't have cell phones, don't have cable TV, don't have suburban homes and SUVs... hell, many don't even have REGULAR phones. I happen to live near such a city - white flight caused almost all but the poor to leave the city. The government regionalized and so now caters to the affluent suburbs. The stores and supermarkets moved out, so the city residents have nowhere nearby to buy food... the suburban shopping centers refuse inner city bus traffic, and black motorists who dare to drive out near the malls get stopped by the (white) suburban cops. The population of the city has dropped, but is still close to 300,000... but the average yearly wage in the city is less than $16,000. A whole CITY of people a large majority of whom can't afford cable, use pay phones down the hall in their projects or residential "hotels," or on the street corner... Who's local paper ignores their existence, who get only over-the-air television... who, if they EVER have touched a computer or have seen the internet, it was at their local library. These people, hundreds of thousands of them, will NOT be using wireless networking. They only just now are beginning to see some of their viewpoints and concerns addressed by their cooperative, community microbroadcasters... and when they lose those, there won't be anything to give them thier voice back.

      --
      This space available.
    13. Re:Comply with the law or else by wesmills · · Score: 3, Interesting
      You know, I've always wondered why people never name names when they write these long treatises on how life sucks near where they live? Your story would be a lot more credible if you'd have said "I happen to live near such a city (name of city and state) -..." Instead, I'm left wondering where you're talking about and not being able to read up on it further.

      Wes, from Lewisville TX.

    14. Re:Comply with the law or else by Genom · · Score: 2

      By the time the change-over is enforced (does anyone really believe that will be 2007?) the prices will be a lot more reasonable.

      You're overlooking one thing - it's in the best interests of the businesses selling the digital broadcasting equipment to keep the prices high, regardless of drops in the cost of manufacture, until *after* the mandated changeover.

      Why? So they can bilk as much money out of the *rich* stations as possible. Why bother selling $5000 of equipment to each of four stations, when you could sell $25,000 of equipment to each of two bigger ones? The companies selling the equipment have a vested interest in keeping the prices high until the changeover is "complete" -- then they *might* drop prices, at which point it could become possible for smaller stations to afford the equipment - but I wouldn't hold my breath.

      Were I a conspiracy theorist, I *might* surmise that the broadcasting industry giants might be "silently" endorsing the higher prices as a way to force their competition out of the market...but I'm not, so I won't ;P

    15. Re:Comply with the law or else by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Dude, that's like any large US city. LA, Detroit, DC, Cleveland, Pittsburg, Philadelphia, NYC, pick one, his point is valid.

    16. Re:Comply with the law or else by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      >Mass disobedience of the law is no reason not to enforce it.
      Yes it is. And it will be if you live in a democracy. But then again, you probably live in "the states".

    17. Re:Comply with the law or else by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Even if they are poor, they're better able to obtain and use wireless networks than their own TV broadcast stations. The street finds its own uses for tech.

    18. Re:Comply with the law or else by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      But of course. Welcome to the Amerikan Empire.

    19. Re:Comply with the law or else by WPIDalamar · · Score: 1

      That's all fine and dandy, but only if a few equipment manufacturers have a monopoly on the digital broadcasting equipment with a high barrier to entry. We have a free market in the US, so if one company is keeping the prices artificially high, they're just asking for some low-price competition that will hang them out to dry.

      That being said, I don't know how high the barrier is for new manufacturers, and I don't know how many there are right now.

      Even if it isn't feasible for more guys to get in the markey, the DOJ would be all over the current manufacturers with anti-trust laws.

    20. Re:Comply with the law or else by DNS-and-BIND · · Score: 2
      Where is this city? What's its name?

      You sure you didn't just make this all up, just to scratch some sort of itch you got due to reading too much kuro5hin.org and salon.com?

      --
      Shutting down free speech with violence isn't fighting fascism. It IS fascism!
    21. Re:Comply with the law or else by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Hell, if THAT were true, then HDTV's would drop in price as well, just like the price of CD's did when LP's were deemed "obsolete".

      Anyone note the sarcasm?

    22. Re:Comply with the law or else by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      you down modded me for saying alot on everything!!!

  15. That's ok by Rufy · · Score: 3, Funny

    With all the people willing to shell out money to fight lawsuits over copyright violations, I'm sure we can raise $75,000 by 10pm Friday night.

  16. UHF Lyrics by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    The Weird All Reffrence is about his song UHF not his Pentiums song... Youg uy can't remember Weird All music from the 80s.... and you still call yourself geeks ;-)

    1. Re:UHF Lyrics by Chacham · · Score: 1

      Actually, I was thinking about when Weird Al "took over" MTV with his satellite. The satellite is wireless communication. (That was great!)

      So, the title should read, "Wireless Network *for* Weird Al". :-)

  17. Weird AI by frovingslosh · · Score: 1, Offtopic

    I definitely want the Weird Artificial Intelligence. Sounds like fun ;-)

    --
    I'm an American. I love this country and the freedoms that we used to have.
    1. Re:Weird AI by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Install a real font

  18. But I don't understand... by marian · · Score: 2, Interesting

    So, we have telecommunications companies crying because the spectrum isn't being auctioned off to them. If I remember correctly, this is the same telecommunications industry that is declaring bankrupcy, asking for loans, not implementing new types/expansions of broadband, etc. Exactly why do they need it and where will they get the money to pay for it? Something doesn't smell right.

    --
    "Suppose you were an idiot..... And suppose you were a member of Congress... But I repeate myself."
  19. UHF by Nyarly · · Score: 2, Insightful
    I'm not sure I see any rational argument to stay in that band of UHF. I mean, UHF starts at Channel 13! Is there any local where everything from 13 to 52 is full? And the move would make UHF that much cooler a cult film, since the battleground wouldn't exist any more.

    IMO, though, the FCC shouldn't be requiring that the current spectrum holders go digital. They should change their licenses to empty channels below 52 at no cost, but make the switch manditory. It's malarky like this that makes the FCC a pox on the States.

    --
    IP is just rude.
    Is there any torture so subl
    1. Re:UHF by EccentricAnomaly · · Score: 2

      Is there any local where everything from 13 to 52 is full?

      In metro LA there's: 13, 17, 18, 22, 24, 28, 30, 34, 38, 40, 50, 52, 56, 57, 58, and 62. And yes, I can pick up all of them. (Most of them aren't in English though).

      So I guess 56, 57, 58, and 62 could find open slots between 13 and 52, but then there might be a conflict with some UHF stations in San Diego, San Bernadino, Orange County, Ventura, Lancaster, Santa Barbara, or Bakersfield where reception areas overlap on the edge of the city, or when weird weather makes a station broadcast further than normal. Plus, when stations are close together on the dial they can interfere (as I've noticed with 17 and 18).

      --
      There are 10 types of people in this world, those who can count in binary and those who can't.
    2. Re:UHF by Quikah · · Score: 2

      13 is not UHF. Anyway you can add 31,36,42,43,53,59,60,61,65, and 66 in there as well. They are the digital channels.

      --
      Q.
    3. Re:UHF by stevek · · Score: 1

      In many metro areas, 14-24 (inclusive) is used for Land-Mobile radio services, in the NYC and surrounding Area, this includes all of NYPD, many local PDs, and other government radio services, running on 470-490MHz).

      I'm surprised that (below), there's so much usage of UHF in the LA area; In new york it's pretty sparse.

    4. Re:UHF by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Informative

      Ok,

      -Each television channel currently gets 6Mhz of bandwidth

      -The UHF band (Channels 14-69) approximately covers the range 300Mhz to 3000Mhz

      -TV stations on adjacent channels need to be at least 75 miles apart to avoid interference with each other

      -Stations on the same frequency channel need to be at least 150 miles apart to avoid interference with each other

      In a large state with low population centers, there is maybe a group of tv stations in the big city that uses UHF translators all over the state to rebroadcast the transmissions.

      But a place like LA not only has tons of stations, but they are close enough to other large cities like San Diego, that have their own stations, and could interfere if the same frequencies were used.

    5. Re:UHF by benjamindees · · Score: 1
      It's malarky like this that makes the FCC a pox on the States.

      Dad, he's speaking English...

      --
      "I assumed blithely that there were no elves out there in the darkness"
    6. Re:UHF by Nyarly · · Score: 1

      As far as overlap goes, my feeling is this: they've been told to switch to digital and have a new station for free. If they say "we can't afford digital," well, you get what you pay for. Their current arrangement is becoming obsolete, and they're refusing to invest in an upgrade. I don't think the broadcasters are really entitled to their current situation.

      --
      IP is just rude.
      Is there any torture so subl
  20. Supplies! by Hellbuny · · Score: 1

    I don't think this comes as a Supplies to anyone, expanding one and taking over the space of another is normal. The UHF stations have been slowly dieing anyhow

    Viva la Cable monopolies!

    --

    meep!
    1. Re:Supplies! by agentZ · · Score: 1

      Are we going to see more of those "UHF is dying" posts?

    2. Re:Supplies! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Yes, but not until Time Warner gets their a$$ out here with MY cable. Some of us are still stuck on the old ariel, and I'm really not that far out from 'civilization'.

    3. Re:Supplies! by Hellbuny · · Score: 1

      Not likely.. since the movie UHF just Came out on DVD... I knwo it's not the same.. hehe.. I don't care :)

      --

      meep!
  21. oh, that's ok then by natefaerber · · Score: 5, Funny

    "It's not like the broadcasters are getting totally screwed," said Carri Bennet, an attorney representing the Rural Telecommunications Group, a lobbyist for wireless carriers in rural areas.

    Partial screwing is fine.

    --
    -- My HARDWARE, My CHOICE.
    1. Re:oh, that's ok then by Jonny+Ringo · · Score: 1

      How much sex is going to be involved? Because if its some! -Homer

    2. Re:oh, that's ok then by unitron · · Score: 2

      Well let's see. If the big broadcasting companies aren't getting screwed at all, but are continuing to be granted a government license to print money, and the little guys running the chewing gum and baling wire operations are totally screwed, then, yeah, that averages out to broadcasters in general not getting totally screwed.

      --

      I see even classic Slashdot is now pretty much unusable on dial up anymore.

  22. Is Broadcast TV Outdated? by Mr.+Fusion · · Score: 5, Interesting

    This perhaps is a better question to ask. On one hand, cable tv is ubiquitous, yet there are plenty of television owners who depend on broadcast VHF and UHF stations. Yes, this is only a limited amount of the UHF band, this might be a precursor to more UHF bands, let alone any current wireless/broadcast channels, being overtaken. Later on, we might find ourselves completely dissolving of old but useful technologies just because some techie bureaucrats want a monopoly of their product.

    Why can't we create a technology that uses the UHF bands without television interference? History has shown that modifying technology to accommodate backwards compatibility gives way to a successful alternative to both sides. DSL still lets you talk on the phone while you surf, CD's still work in DVD players, and people with black and white tv's can watch a color broadcast (in B&W mind you) without modifying their sets.

    All or nothing technologies have prevailed before, but in some regards, it's a lot easier on the consumer if accommodations to current technologies are made.

    -Mr. Fusion

    1. Re:Is Broadcast TV Outdated? by GigsVT · · Score: 5, Informative

      It's not a precursor, it's the second step, UHF AIR 69-88 or so were already taken for use with cell phones.

      --
      I've had enough abrasive sigs. Kittens are cute and fuzzy.
    2. Re:Is Broadcast TV Outdated? by Eil · · Score: 2


      History has shown that modifying technology to accommodate backwards compatibility gives way to a successful alternative to both sides.

      Hmm. Windows 95 + Dos 7.

      I don't think so.

    3. Re:Is Broadcast TV Outdated? by Screaming+Lunatic · · Score: 2
      people with black and white tv's can watch a color broadcast

      And NTSC and PAL are an evil ugly hack because of the backward compatibility. The signal has to be split up into intensity and colour information. B&W tv uses the intensity values, while a colour tv would use both.

      If the engineers didn't have to worry about backward compatibility, we could allocate more bandwidth to represent more colours. And we wouldn't be stuck with crap ass effective resolution of 350x350.

    4. Re:Is Broadcast TV Outdated? by mellifluous · · Score: 2

      Why can't we create a technology that uses the UHF bands without television interference?

      Communication theory shows us that there are limits to what we can send in a given amount of bandwidth. If you want to send information in a different way, it is much less hassle allocate a discrete part of the original band for a different purpose. You are going to detract from the available bandwidth anyway, so why not segment the space to avoid the cost of making two systems work together?

    5. Re:Is Broadcast TV Outdated? by clem.dickey · · Score: 3, Insightful

      70-83 were removed in the early 80's. And then there was channel 1, which disappeared (to become the 6 meter ham band) in 1948.

    6. Re:Is Broadcast TV Outdated? by GigsVT · · Score: 1

      Channel 1 was probably better served in the Ham band anyway, I'm sure no television station would want it with the sporadic E propagation messing up their signal on the fringes of their coverage area on regular intervals.

      --
      I've had enough abrasive sigs. Kittens are cute and fuzzy.
    7. Re:Is Broadcast TV Outdated? by Partisan01 · · Score: 1

      even though cable tv is everywhere not everyone has it. I live in suburbia, where everyone and their brother has cable, yet my family has never had it, not cause we're poor, we just don't watch enough tv to justify the cost. But we3 still do enjoy watching some things like sporting events or the olympics or the occasional news.

      --
      ahh, the egg in the basket..
    8. Re:Is Broadcast TV Outdated? by DeepZenPill · · Score: 2, Funny

      I don't see why we don't just avoid all this hassle and jump to Ludicrous High Frequency

    9. Re:Is Broadcast TV Outdated? by AtariDatacenter · · Score: 3, Funny

      Speaking of which, when I was young, I *didn't* get on my roof with a neighbor kid and a small television, and listen to cellular calls in the high UHF channels. ;)

      Had I have done so, I would have thought that someone's phone was being tapped or something, called a few numbers that I heard spoken, and generally panicked a few people. Especially ones who call 'the other woman' and express their love over the open airwaves.

    10. Re:Is Broadcast TV Outdated? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Interesting

      Yes, a TV channel is ?6.5 MHz?(plus guard bands) wide, with a format developed during the 1930's, to allow receivers to be built with cheap technology.

      Any modern implementation would use much narrower channels, but there are billions of receivers to replace.

  23. BEST MOVIE EVER!!! Re:UHF Lyrics by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Yes, Weird Al did a MOVIE ( yea, I know, kinda hard to believe, huh? )

    as has been stated YOU SOOOO STUPID!!! The song is from the MOVIE.

    I can't belive all these people reading Slashdot have never seen ( or don't remember ) "UHF". I have lost all respect for you people.

    Quick everybody, run out and rent the movie ( sure to be in the cult/b-movie section ) at your local indie video store. I wonder if you can buy the DVD....

    er, ok, so maybe it's just the best Weird Al movie ever...

    1. Re:BEST MOVIE EVER!!! Re:UHF Lyrics by Mattcelt · · Score: 1

      What?? That song was NOT from the movie! The song came out almost ten years AFTER the movie.

      I know it's not in the movie because, coincidentally, I just finished watching it twice - once to remember, another time to hear Wierd Al and Jay (the manger/director) talk about it in the DVD alt audio track...

      ...and I just got my delivery of the DVD, which came out on June 11, which I bought because Emo Phillips is in it...

      "Beverly Hillbillies", the takeoff on "I want my MTV", was the big musical number in UHF.

      Ouch, I am OLD!!

    2. Re:BEST MOVIE EVER!!! Re:UHF Lyrics by Not+One+Of+Us · · Score: 1

      The DVD has just recently been released, pick it up ;)

    3. Re:BEST MOVIE EVER!!! Re:UHF Lyrics by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Ten years after the movie came out was 1999. I'm pretty sure the song is more than three years old, considering I have the soundtrack on a vinyl record.

      I'm also pretty sure that the title song is played over the credits.
      TSG
      We've got it all....on U-H-F.

    4. Re:BEST MOVIE EVER!!! Re:UHF Lyrics by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Ever hear "Biggest ball of twine in minnesota"?

      Well, I guess you never listened to the soundtrack, did ya?

      All the world is a bunch of tree-hugging hippies.

    5. Re:BEST MOVIE EVER!!! Re:UHF Lyrics by JebusIsLord · · Score: 1

      OK, the movie was from 1989, so the song (if it were that old) would be along the lines of "Its all about the two-eighty-sixes".

      --
      Jeremy
  24. Re: Insert UHF joke here. by RunzWithScissors · · Score: 1

    Red Snapper, very tasty. Also good for wireless lan, a little stinky though. Mmmm wireless smellovision!

    -Runz

  25. Consumers lose? No way! by MrCocktail · · Score: 2, Funny

    Heh. It always seemed to me that the Spanish-language networks (both TV and radio) had the most powerful broadcasting equipment on the face of this earth. I can pick up a Spanish radio station pretty much anywhere, and the Spanish TV channels are much clearer than any other channels picked up by my antenna. Converting those airwaves to wireless services means I can truly be connected anywhere!

    1. Re:Consumers lose? No way! by MacTruck · · Score: 1

      un problema... usted tiene que entender español (one problem...you have to understand Spanish)

    2. Re:Consumers lose? No way! by Dun+Malg · · Score: 2

      If you live near the Mexican border, more than likely those powerful stations are in Mexico. Here in LA, there are a few AM radio stations broadcasting from Tijuana that come in better than locals. Why? Because in mexico the FCC can't tell you that 100,000 watts is too much...

      --
      If a job's not worth doing, it's not worth doing right.
    3. Re:Consumers lose? No way! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Not when you're watching the World Cup! Curse ESPN for their lame 10 sec. delay. :P

      Or.. if you're watching those variety shows, who cares what they say?! Those Latina women are friggin HOT! And they wear the skimpiest outfits.

  26. Maybe I'm out of touch... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    But how many people really use UHF now? The last person I knew personally who used it was my grandma, but that was seven years ago.

  27. "You get to drink from...THE FIRE HOSE!" by thesolo · · Score: 4, Funny

    Insert your Conan the Librarian or Wheel of Fish joke here.

    Of course, all the real UHF fans make their jokes about "Spatula City" or the cut scene of "Oh Those Homos!". ;)

    If you haven't seen that last one, I suggest you rent/buy the DVD immediately! It's worth it just for Al's commentary alone!

  28. The old televisions won't know the difference by robolemon · · Score: 1
    If these spectrums are freed up, maybe the less successful wireless carriers will get wacky and convert to broadcasting television again. They'll have their own specific frequencies and, if sufficiently national, towers in every major city. Then they can make their own national Wheel-of-Fish-quality shows that can only be picked up by old televisions. I wonder if there are any regulations against this behavior.

    Expect a sudden burst in popularity of those old grainy Zenith knob TVs we all have sitting in our attics.

    --

    I design user interfaces for a free network management application,

  29. Just to be anal by moldar · · Score: 0
    If this was going to be the obligatory "Wheel of Fish" joke then you ought to have gotten it right!

    Karate Master has a name : Kuni played by Gedde Watanabe. Of course this is all taken from imdb. (end anal rant)

    All this because I foolishly bought a copy of the script at a local sci-fi con when I was 14 . . . . Oh the wasted hours!

    1. Re:Just to be anal by Xyverz · · Score: 0

      That's okay. I waited for the thing to come out on DVD.

      /me is a lU53r.

  30. UHF Channel 62... by acidfast7 · · Score: 1

    Why can't anyone release a quality movie anymore?

    Blade II, Spider Man, Episode II, Minority Report ... They're all junk compared to UHF.

    BTW, is Al still around? What about his Polka-produicng father, Frankie?

    If you mised this masterpiece the first time around, here's a review...

    Review of UHF

    1. Re:UHF Channel 62... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Just check out weirdal.com...

      BTW, they Al & Frank weren't related.

    2. Re:UHF Channel 62... by Eggman27 · · Score: 2, Informative

      Al is definitely still around - he got married in February 2001 and on June 4th of this year, he and the band headed back into the studio to start working on his 11th studio album.

      Sadly, Frankie Yankovic is no longer with us as he passed away not too long ago - but contrary to popular belief, he and Al are in no way related. The polka/accordion thing is a mix of coincidence and Al's parents belief that there should be another accordion-playing Yankovic in the world when they signed him up for accordion lessons when he was 6 years old.

    3. Re:UHF Channel 62... by Anonymous+Squonk · · Score: 1

      This doesn't just affect off the wall independant stations. Channel 62 just happens to be the CBS affiliate in Detroit...

  31. Sen. Hollings you just won!! by MongooseCN · · Score: 4, Funny

    Sen. Hollings wins the "Inane Bill Of The Year" award!!!!!

    Applause from audience...

    Sen. Hollings gets to drink from the Firehose!!!

    Insane cheering from audience...

    1. Re:Sen. Hollings you just won!! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Sen. Hollings wins the "Inane Bill Of The Year" award!!!!!

      Not to be confused with the "Insane Bill Of The Year" award already sitting on his mantlepiece...

    2. Re:Sen. Hollings you just won!! by Alsee · · Score: 2

      Sen. Hollings gets to drink from the Firehose!!!

      May I humbly suggest Sen. Hollings take the firehose from the other end?

      -

      --
      - - You can't take something off the Internet! That's like trying to take pee out of a swimming pool.
  32. 14-51? by hoowee · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I'm sorry, but.... 52-69? Anybody have more than four local UHF stations? Think maybe they could fit all four between 14 and 51?

    --

    Comic Book Guy: "There is no Groening in my store."
    1. Re:14-51? by EccentricAnomaly · · Score: 5, Funny

      In LA we have 16... I'm teaching myself Spanish, Korean, Japanese, Chinese, Armenian, and what I think might be Thai.

      --
      There are 10 types of people in this world, those who can count in binary and those who can't.
    2. Re:14-51? by Kamel+Jockey · · Score: 2

      Anybody have more than four local UHF stations?

      In many rural areas of the USA a lot of stations, even network affiliates, are UHF.

      --
      In case of fire, do not use elevator. Use water!
    3. Re:14-51? by molo · · Score: 2

      Anybody have more than four local UHF stations?

      Actually, yes.

      14 (Spanish), 20 (WB), 26 (Chinese/Japanese), 28 (Korean), 32 (?), 36 (Fox), 38 (QVC), 44 (UPN), 48 (Spanish), 54? (PBS), 58? (Christian), 60? (PAX) 64 (Spanish)

      However, I do have to agree, they will fit within 14-51.

      --
      Using your sig line to advertise for friends is lame.
    4. Re:14-51? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Available from Santa Clara, CA:

      14 - spanish station
      20 - used to be KOFY, now owned by WB
      32 - not sure what it is, but has lots of asian language stuff (there's two, I think the other's 26 or so)
      36 - I forget what it's called, but they show lots of movies (and we can pick up their signal *really* well)
      42 - religious channel or something
      44 - UPN
      48 - some funky "telemundo" spanish channel
      54 - KTEH, the coolest of the three PBS stations around here
      60 - one of the other PBS stations (this would be the most "educational" of the three)
      65 - PAX, the quacko nutcase religious swimsuit competition channel (with alien conspiracy theories)
      66 - home shopping network?

      plus a couple others that I care even less about.

      Yeah, they could fit, but they'd have to change their frequency. How involved/expensive is the physical switch, and then how much marketing money would they have to put in on top of that to let people know? It would suck if KQED (9) was the only PBS station around here.

    5. Re:14-51? by mellifluous · · Score: 2

      You have to take frequency reuse into account. If there are stations broadcasting in your area, there is a much bigger area where the signal is not strong enough to be effectively received, but still enough of a problem to cause significant interference to other stations. For every square mile served, there may be 5-6 square miles where that station cannot be used effectively. This ratio is called the frequency reuse factor. The total number of channels you need is this factor times the number of channels you want to operate in any given area. So operating 5 channels with a frequency reuse factor of 6 requires 30 channels to be reserved for national use. 14-51 looks more reasonable in this light.

    6. Re:14-51? by ncc74656 · · Score: 2
      Anybody have more than four local UHF stations?

      Last time I checked, Las Vegas had more than a dozen. Only three or four of them are carried by the local cable system; you get to break out the rabbit ears if you want to tune in the rest. (When UPN moved to a different station a few years ago, Cox didn't bother carrying the new channel for a year or two after the move. If you wanted to watch Voyager, you had an antenna.)

      --
      20 January 2017: the End of an Error.
    7. Re:14-51? by Reece400 · · Score: 1

      Yup,
      51:PAX and
      57:CityTV (one of the few good stations i get!)

      I can't get cable where i live because i'm on a dead end street and the cable company won't run a line for one house, and because of neighbours tree's, i can't get satilite either :(, i can only get broadcast TV (I can't get DSL either!! only dialup!!)

      Reece,

    8. Re:14-51? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Have you considered Hari Kari?

    9. Re:14-51? by jx100 · · Score: 1

      San Francisco?

    10. Re:14-51? by Surak · · Score: 2

      I live in Detroit. Channel 62 is our CBS affiliate. Not that I'd miss it much. :)

    11. Re:14-51? by StenD · · Score: 2

      Not just rural areas - Austin, TX is typically ranked as one of the most wired cities in the country, and the local ABC, CBS, NBC, PBS, and WB affiliates are all UHF. The Fox affiliate, and two unaffiliated stations, are VHF.

    12. Re:14-51? by molo · · Score: 1

      Yup.. I'm in Palo Alto, so I get San Jose + San Francisco stations..

      --
      Using your sig line to advertise for friends is lame.
    13. Re:14-51? by Moose4 · · Score: 1
      We don't have more than four in central South Carolina--but our Fox affiliate is channel 57, and the UPN/WB station in in Sumter (20 miles away) on channel 63 I believe. Fortunately they are both on the local (Time Warner must die) cable system.

      Still, it's not just somebody with a low-power UHF transmitter making a Thai version of "Wayne's World" in their basement that could get screwed by this. There are places that have network affiliates on the higher UHF channels. Heck, we only have one VHF station here (10) and four UHF (19, 25, 57, 63). And remember that people from LA have mentioned sixteen or more different UHF stations in their metro area.

      --
      "Settle down, Beavis. We've got an experiment to do."
    14. Re:14-51? by The+Wooden+Badger · · Score: 1

      I have to repley just to say great sig. Keeping with the UHF references Don't you know the Dewey decimal system?

      --
      Heroscape, it's like legos combined with anachronistic wargames.
    15. Re:14-51? by Alsee · · Score: 2

      I'm teaching myself ... what I think might be Thai.

      I've been watching the same show. I couldn't figure out what language it was. Thai you say? Cool!

      I love learning the ways of foreign cultures. Did you know that in Thailand they like to eat their food live and drink Blood Wine? They also all have really bad haircuts.

      -

      --
      - - You can't take something off the Internet! That's like trying to take pee out of a swimming pool.
    16. Re:14-51? by _xeno_ · · Score: 2
      More than four? Well, sure, but I won't bother listing them and will only say that I think WLVI might be a little pissed if they had to change their channel number from 56.

      (Think Roman numerals if you don't get it. Oh, and it's the WB station in the Boston area.)

      --
      You are in a maze of twisty little relative jumps, all alike.
    17. Re:14-51? by DNS-and-BIND · · Score: 2
      Bzzt. You're one of the folks who moved in to Austin the past few years, right?

      For years Austin's sole VHF station was Channel 7 KTBC, a CBS affiliate. Of course, everyone knows VHF beats UHF hands down in quality...that's why all of Houston's network affiliates are VHF, and the crappy stations (I'm sorry, but Fox and WB and other "networks" that broadcast a grand total of 2 hours of programming a day do NOT qualify) are UHF. KTBC was owned by the Johnson family for many years, and they used their leverage with the Feds to keep any and all competing stations off VHF. If you wanted to broadcast in LBJ's territory, you got shunted off to the UHF ghetto.

      --
      Shutting down free speech with violence isn't fighting fascism. It IS fascism!
  33. Re: Backwards Compatibility by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Stereo Side Band!!! I still listen to stereo FM broadcasts with a mono radio...

  34. Al? by RatBastard · · Score: 1

    How does this effect... Al Frankin?

    --
    Boobies never hurt anyone. - Sherry Glaser.
    1. Re:Al? by ncc74656 · · Score: 2
      How does this effect... Al Frankin?

      Al Franken is a big fat idiot. Weird Al Yankovic, OTOH, is a comedic genius. :-)

      --
      20 January 2017: the End of an Error.
  35. Stanley Spadowski [kramer] wouldn't take it by Leimy · · Score: 2

    and neither should you!!!

    ah... who cares

  36. They better get a lot of money by anthony_dipierro · · Score: 2, Insightful

    That auction better give the government a whole lot of money (which they'll probably waste on crap like DMCA enforcement). These are my airwaves, and while I have access to television programming free of charge, I'm sure this high-speed wireless internet access isn't going to be free.

  37. old TVs == packet sniffers? by mkbz · · Score: 1

    does that mean some guy with an old tv (the kind in a wooden cabinet) can watch my data instead of I Love Lucy reruns?

    1. Re:old TVs == packet sniffers? by cpt+kangarooski · · Score: 2, Funny

      he could do both if we adopted a communication protocol that relied on I Love Lucy reruns.

      --
      -- This and all my posts are in the public domain. I am a lawyer. I am not your lawyer, and this is not legal advice.
  38. Danger? by hackwrench · · Score: 1

    What, you mean this is a bad thing

    Look,people you'll still be able to watch your favorite shows when personal wireless replaces broadcast, you'll just be doing it differently and perhaps on demand without having to wait for it to be on and set up your video recorder.
    You'll just have to know which server to connect your media player to.

    1. Re:Danger? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Bull

      I cant afford broadband, heck I cant even afford standard dialup [thats why I got a job at an ISP]! I will never pay for broadcast tv

    2. Re:Danger? by hackwrench · · Score: 1

      Either you've made some personal life choices that have left you with expenses that people generally don't have, or you have medical expenses, living in a high-rent district, or you are seriously underpaid and need a higher paying job.

  39. Correction.. by mindstrm · · Score: 2

    They *are* a limited resource. It is not increasingly becoming 'untrue'. It will NEVER be untrue.
    They will ALWAYS be a limited resource.

    The only thing changing is that we can make more efficient use of them, and have to take a fresh look at how we use them.

    1. Re:Correction.. by edrugtrader · · Score: 2

      yes, and there also aren't any problems that can't be solved in a limited amount of time... even if that amount of time is 13 quintrillion years.

      as more and more bands are open to public use and better use is made of them, there is EFFECTIVELY infinate amount of use for them. 3000 bands per human is more than enough. you do of course still need the FCC to say who can broadcase 'friends' on channel 4.

      --
      MARIJUANA, SHROOMS, X: ONLINE?! - E
    2. Re:Correction.. by Winged+Cat · · Score: 1

      Thanks. That is what I had intended to say...though I had assumed - apparently unwisely - that this supporting bit would be obvious.

  40. Wierd Al by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Did everyone miss this reference? Wierd Al was in UHF, which included such great things as "Wheel of Fish." It also had a fantastic indiana jones spoof. Classic, simply classic movie.

  41. My obligatory WoF/UHF/HDTV/etc. joke by Guppy06 · · Score: 1

    You won wireless broadband! Mmm, very tasty! Now, you want keep high speed access, or you want try getting HDTV broadcast instead?

    HDTV? Turn on set and...

    NOTHING! You so stupid!

  42. Let TV broardcasters pay for airwaves. by bstadil · · Score: 2, Insightful
    Why should TV be able to use airwaves for free while most other commercial endevours have to pay.

    Let Disney pay for ABC etc. They are so afraid of loosing out due to new technology but never seem to understand that they indeed has gotten something for free for many years. Seem silly to use airwaves for something that is inherent stationary.

    Reference MIT's media lab Negroponte's law (1990 or so) states that everything that is now via fixed media need to be wireless and conversely.

    --
    Help fight continental drift.
  43. I bet they do by g4dget · · Score: 5, Insightful
    the telecommunications industry says, could easily provide your favorite programming by way of cable

    Sure, at only $20-$60/month, and without those pesky regulations that go along with broadcast TV.

    1. Re:I bet they do by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The following synthesis is not meant to be carried out by a novice chemist, although it is not terribly difficult. For descriptions of how to carry out the procedures, a standard lab procedures reference manual should be aquired by the reader (or preferably the reader should take college organic chemistry).

      This is the synthesis for MDA which can be found on page 79 of Psychedelic Chemistry, which was first published in Chemical Abstracts 52, 11965c (1958). The former however has the above noted typographical error of 75 ml 15% HCl being written as 57ml 15% HCl. The original article also has a typographical error. In the synthesis of MDA from the ketone it reads H2O2 where it should read H2O -- following the former procedure would be explosive. As a side note, this is the same process of making the ketone from isosafrole as Shulgin uses in PiHKAL, thus the synthesis of the ketone is somewhat more verbose than the synthesis of MDA from the ketone.

      To a well stirred, cooled mixture of 34g of 30% H202 (hydrogen peroxide) in 150g 80% HCO2H (formic acid) there was added, dropwise, a solution of 32.4g isosafrole in 120ml acetone at a rate that kept the reaction mixture from exceeding 40 deg C. This required a bit over 1 hour, and external cooling was used as necessary. Stirring was continued for 16 hours, and care was taken that the slow exothermic reaction did not cause excess heating. An external bath with running water worked well. During this time the solution progressed from an orange color to a deep red. All volatile components were removed under vacuum which yielded some 60g of a very deep residue. This was dissolved in 60ml of MeOH (methyl alcohol -- methanol), treated with 360ml of 15% H2SO4 (sulfuric acid), and heated for 3 hours on the steam bath. After cooling the mixture was extracted with 3x75ml Et2O (diethyl ether) or C6H6 (benzene). Its recommended that, the pooled extracts can washed -- first with H2O and then with dilute NaOH (sodium hydroxide). Then the solvent is removed under vacuum to afford 20.6g 3,4-methylenedioxyphenylacetone (3,4-methylenedioxybenzyl methyl ketone). The final residue may be distilled at 2.0mm/108-112 deg C, or at about 160 deg C at the water pump.

      Add 23g 3,4-methylenedioxyphenylacetone to 65g HCONH2 (formamide) and heat at 190 deg for five hours. Cool, add 100ml H20, extract with C6H6 (benzene) and evaporate in vacuum the extract. Add 8ml MeOH (methyl alcohol -- methanol) and 75ml 15% HCl to residue, heat on water bath two hours and extract in vacuum (or basify with KOH and extract the oil with benzene and dry, evaporate in vacuum) to get 11.7 g 3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine (MDA).

      To produce MDMA substitute N-methylformamide for formamide in the above synthesis.

  44. Dedicated AC powerline Telecomunications wont have by geekster_2000 · · Score: 0



    frequency spectrum issues, or RF signal noise
    problems, etc like RF based home/biz systems.

    http://colossalstorage.net/colossal6.htm

  45. UHF by jayhawk88 · · Score: 2, Funny

    Insert your Conan the Librarian or Wheel of Fish joke here.

    I would never resort to such a blatant, cheap attempt at humor. Now if you'll excuse me I must go drink from the fire hose.

  46. Re:UHF n tall buildings by lugonn · · Score: 1

    UHF(ultra low frequency) doesn't work well around tall buildings (like in manhattan). Low frequency microwaves don't like to go through concrete and steel. You get a signal sure...but it's ghosty as hell. That's why it's used for radio in your area. The signal isn't good enough to carry video, but can carry voice OK. VHF(very high frequency) takes a lot more crete 'n steel to block. Since LA has sprawl and not tall, they can get better use out of the UHF band (more people can recieve).

  47. New digital format. by DeadBugs · · Score: 3, Informative
    --
    http://www.kubuntu.org/
  48. LA 56? Don't take my KDOC! by DudemanX · · Score: 0

    How else am I to get my nightly A-Team and Knight Rider fixes? Not to mention Air Wolf!

  49. Network TV (CBS) is on UHF in Detroit Area! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    A few years ago in the Detroit area, Fox acquired VHF channel 2 as an affiliate. This left CBS without a network affiliate in Detroit until they bought UHF channel 62 on board, upgrading the power on the transmitters and everything.

    As an aside, channel 62 now shares a studio with channel 50, the local UPN affiliate.

    Which just amuses the hell out of me, because it means I get to drive past the U-62 offices every day!

    1. Re:Network TV (CBS) is on UHF in Detroit Area! by jagr808 · · Score: 1

      I remember being very pissed about that! they took off the detroit New Dance Show, I havent had my quota of ghetto booty since! Man, i never knew girls that size could shake it like that. hmm at least i can still get french channel 54 from Canada with all the naked ballet and badly dubbed seinfeld in french. Ill bet money CBS is going to throw a lawsuit at this, they have nowhere else to go, what take over WB20? please do!

  50. Thank the mess that is HDTV for this one. by El+Camino+SS · · Score: 5, Insightful

    This whole "take the UHF and VHF stations and cut them up" is the entire purpose for HDTV.

    You see, the FCC under the Clinton administration (although, admittedly it sounds like a Republican plan, but yes, it was the Clinton administration) wanted to take all of the non-military band and sell it off to cell phone companies and the like to make money for the government. This new taking of outside bandwidth is just Plan B after the fact that the FCC is a bunch of morons and couldn't anticipate that the cell phone industry would find a good compression scheme for the next gen of phones in under six years.

    "But I thought the whole RF spectrum was the property of the people?" Someone muses in the back.
    "Not when there is someone getting paid," moaned all of the broadcast engineers that had to invest MILLIONS into a non-standard "standard" that has yet to be decided... and costs the end user way too much for the promise of better TV (but not really for most people, because HD signals are so big they have multipath reception problems. Meaning this: you might have a tough time getting a HD signal anyway, at the least it is much more difficult than getting a standard analog signal, and especially in a city).

    By the way, some television stations have to broadcast right now in HDTV. Unfortunately, the FCC has yet to decide what the hell that standard should be in the USA. But then again, why should the FCC decide? They (the FCC) have been getting lobster dinners, hot lobbyists, and secret funds jerking around corporate Japan (because NONE of the HD patents are owned by US companies) for years being "indecisive" about the standard. Of course, all of this added expense and lack of vender competition has made all of the local television stations that are privately owned go "belly up." TV stations are FORCED TO PAY outrageous sums of money for an outside patented system that they are unsure whether even 1,000 people have bought in the entire area.

    I know a lot about this, because I am one door down from a TV engineer at a broadcast station. As they tell me, it doesn't take long to follow the money to find out where this mess all got started from.

    1. Re:Thank the mess that is HDTV for this one. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Umm. I have an digital/HDTV system. My actual, almost a year of use now, mileage varies significantly from yours. Only thing more stable, clean, etc. than the (actual) digital (15) and HDTV (7) signals is the DirecTV feed. Not sure where you live or what your setup is but I strongly suggest you have a long discussion with your installer. Multipath is easily overcome with the proper equipment.

    2. Re:Thank the mess that is HDTV for this one. by Thing+1 · · Score: 2
      They (the FCC) have been getting lobster dinners, hot lobbyists, and secret funds jerking around corporate Japan (because NONE of the HD patents are owned by US companies) for years being "indecisive" about the standard.

      obConspiracyTheory: the US corporations are taking their time deciding on the standard in order to run out the time of the other countries' patents.

      --
      I feel fantastic, and I'm still alive.
    3. Re:Thank the mess that is HDTV for this one. by zangdesign · · Score: 2

      And what exactly does HDTV provide that is any better than what we're currently watching? Is the programming going to get any better?

      --
      To celebrate the occasion of my 1000th post, I will post no more forever on Slashdot. Goodbye.
  51. Shouldn't have mentioned Weird Al by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Interesting

    The mention of Weird Al seems to have thrown everyone off topic, and this is a serious topic.

    Does anyone care about Spanish TV?

    I think the best way to allocate frequency is through auction. True, this will screw some people, but with the billions(?) made by the auction, we could create a Spanish PBS and put it on the lower UHF spectrum. Thus, popular needs are met through the market (which, the artcle implies, would favor wireless networks), and important/informative broadcasting could also get through.

    This would be the best mix, IMO, of socialism and capitalism. (Don't be fooled into thinking that any nation isn't a hybrid of both systems)

    1. Re:Shouldn't have mentioned Weird Al by the+grace+of+R'hllor · · Score: 1

      One the one hand, we could spend those millions on making a Spanish channel.

      On the other hand, we could take those millions and buy a summer home or two in Fort Lauderdale.

      Oh, these mindbending, difficult decisions.
      </sarcasm>

      Optimism is all well and good, but don't *you* be fooled that the FCC is in the business of altruism.

  52. Spatula City! by djcatnip · · Score: 0

    for all your spatula needs!

    --
    I make these: http://beatseqr.com
  53. Foreign Language Isn't the only "Looser" by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Two network affilates, two major indies and the best PBS 'new' digital (HDTV) allocations are also in this spectrum in Los Angeles. Sort of confirmation that the FCC is no different than any other government agency, the left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing. Oh well.

  54. Yankovic's First Law of Robotics by Dirtside · · Score: 3, Funny

    Jeez, at first I thought it said "Weird AI". I'm like, "There's such a thing as non-weird AI?"

    --
    "Destroy science and religion. Science would re-emerge exactly the same; but not religion." - Penn Jillette, paraphrased
  55. Re:UHF n tall buildings by GigsVT · · Score: 1

    You have a few things backward, unless you have a sarcasm that is a little too subtle for me. UHF stands for ultra high frequency and runs from 300Mhz to 3Ghz. VHF is very high frequency and runs from 30Mhz to 300Mhz.

    Lower frequencies tend to penetrate things more readily, like buildings and the like. Even VHF bounces off things that are good reflectors, like sheet metal. The reason you get ghosts is because of multipath.
    Multipath happens in VHF and above when you are getting the same signal from many different directions, such as when you are getting reflected signals from objects in addition to a line of sight signal. The reflected signals are very slightly out of phase with the main signal, and you get ghosts.

    Someone correct me if I made a mistake, but I think all of the above is accurate.

    --
    I've had enough abrasive sigs. Kittens are cute and fuzzy.
  56. Why an FCC? by nsayer · · Score: 1, Interesting

    Someone please remind me again why we need the FCC to regulate all of this spectrum?

    Here's my point... It is, I suppose, appropriate for the FCC to regulate interstate or international communications. But RF not aimed at a satellite that is higher than 50 MHz (most of the time) is not going to leave the state (yes, there are exceptions, but neighboring states have been cooperating ever since there *were* states in border issues without any federal intervention).

    The band plan in Minnesota has absolutely zero impact on me here in California. Heck, where I am neither does the bandplan in Oregon, Idaho, Nevada, Arizona or Mexico. Why is it that a bunch of beaurocrats in Washington DC should have complete and total say over issues involving strictly local transmission and reception of radio signals (we can thank FDR and his buddies, of course, for the question of why they do as opposed to why they should)?

    1. Re:Why an FCC? by BCoates · · Score: 5, Insightful

      The band plan in Minnesota has absolutely zero impact on me here in California. Heck, where I am neither does the bandplan in Oregon, Idaho, Nevada, Arizona or Mexico. Why is it that a bunch of beaurocrats in Washington DC should have complete and total say over issues involving strictly local transmission and reception of radio signals?

      It would be rather complicated to manufacture TVs, radios, etc. if the RF bandwidth weren't standardized... 50 different tv tuners in one would be complicated today, and probably impractical around the time they added the UHF system...

      --
      Benjamin Coates

    2. Re:Why an FCC? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Insightful

      What a great idea. Then, when I go into the next state, my cell-phone breaks, and I can't get broadcast radio or use the HAM bands.

      Your proposal gains.. NOTHING. You so stupid.

    3. Re:Why an FCC? by Erris · · Score: 2
      It would be rather complicated to manufacture TVs, radios, etc. if the RF bandwidth weren't standardized... 50 different tv tuners in one would be complicated today, and probably impractical around the time they added the UHF system...

      Nah, they just need 50 decss keys. p.Opps! you were not supposed to hear what the new HDTV plan is. Now I have to kill you.

      --
      DMCA, Hollings, Palladium. What might have sounded like paranoia is now common sense.
    4. Re:Why an FCC? by nsayer · · Score: 1
      It would be rather complicated to manufacture TVs, radios, etc. if the RF bandwidth weren't standardized... 50 different tv tuners in one would be complicated today, and probably impractical around the time they added the UHF system...



      It would be no more complex to allow TVs to tune to arbitrary frequencies than to make them cable-ready. Besides, even this problem can be solved by market forces. It is in the mutual interest of both the consumer electronics and broadcasting industries for there to be broad agreement on such matters. That hardly means we require government intervention to achieve it.



      I thought of one other area where interstate commerce is involved in VHF - aeronautical mobile services. The emissions from an airplane at cruising altitude can cover vast territory and clearly impact interstate commerce. I believe it's an area for the FAA, but if we really need an FCC to govern interstate communications, then that is one more chunk of real estate I can't argue too much about.

  57. UHF by z4ce · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    UHF
    by Al Yankovic
    Lyrics:
    Put down your remote control
    Throw out your TV Guide
    Put away your jacket
    There's no need to go outside
    Don't you know that we control the horizontal
    We control the verticle, too
    We gonna make a couch potato out of you
    That's what we gonna do now

    Don't change the channel
    Don't touch that dial
    We got it all on UHF
    Kick off your sneakers
    Stick around for a while
    We got it all on UHF
    Don't worry 'bout your laundry
    Forget about your job
    Just crank up the volume
    And yank off the knob
    We got it all, we got it all, we got it all on UHF

    Disconnect the phone and leave the dishes in the sink
    You better put away your homework
    Prime time ain't no time to think
    All you do is make yourself a TV dinner
    Press your face right up against the screen
    We gonna show you thangs you ain't ever seen
    If you know what I mean, now

    Don't change the channel
    Don't touch that dial
    We got it all on UHF
    Kick off your sneakers
    Stick around for a while
    We got it all on UHF
    Don't worry 'bout your laundry
    Forget about your job
    Just crank up the volume
    And yank off the knob
    We got it all, we got it all, we got it all on UHF

    You can watch us all day
    You can watch us all night
    You can watch us any time that you please
    You can sit around and stare at the picture tube
    'Till your brain turns into cottage cheese
    Well, now

    Don't change the channel
    Don't touch that dial
    We got it all on UHF
    Kick off your sneakers
    Stick around for a while
    We got it all on UHF
    Don't worry 'bout your laundry
    Forget about your job
    Just crank up the volume
    And yank off the knob
    We got it all, we got it all, we got it all on UHF
    We got it all on UHF (UHF)

    You can also find the song in mp3 on the OpenFT network.

  58. Re:Dedicated AC powerline Telecomunications wont h by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Great idea! I'd love my own powerline!

  59. Uninformed story, comments by eggboard · · Score: 2

    The FCC was obliged in the late 1990s to reallocate the spectrum currently allotted to UHF 50 to 59 and 60 to 72 in multiple auctions after Digital TV (DTV) was in full swing. There's nothing new about this. The story at the top of this page makes it sound as though this is a sudden effort to steal UHF for wireless. It ain't.

    The broader public interest issue was debated and buried and lost years ago, and the juggernaut of DTV has moved a few inches, not toppling the analog signals as were expected.

    The UHF broadcasters, just like everyone else, have been assigned new DTV frequencies, but it's ridiculous to ask small broadcasters to foot the bill to turn over to DTV, especially with few views and little interest.

    But it will happen. The former FCC head, Kennard, said he thought it was more like 2020 instead of 2007 when he spoke on the issue last year.

    --
    Freelance tech journalist for the Economist, MIT Technology Review, Macworld, and others
  60. Do we really need these channels? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Are there any markets where the airwaves are so saturated that current stations broadcasting on these channels just can't move to lower frequencies? I've lived in the Boston and Silicon Valley markets, and if the upper-bands were dissolved, there would be plenty of room for those channels to move to lower bands.

  61. DSL vs wireless by jonadab · · Score: 1

    Wireless networking is going to be a while yet
    competing with wired networking. Except maybe
    for line-of-sight wireless (which isn't really
    the same thing; it may not have copper wires,
    but it has lines the information has to follow
    sure enough), wireless just isn't developed to
    the point where it can offer as much bandwidth
    as similarly priced non-wireless options. The
    satellite stuff that's supposed to compete with
    DSL for consumers costs twice as much per month
    and has preposterous installation fees. AirPort
    and similar local wireless options are dog slow
    compared to even vanilla 10BaseT ethernet but
    cost more like gigabit ethernet.

    Basically, wireless just isn't _there_ yet.

    Then there are security and privacy issues...

    --
    Cut that out, or I will ship you to Norilsk in a box.
  62. idea! by Zancarius · · Score: 1

    Let's merge the two and form "Broadband TV." That would be kinda handy if you could monitor your network usage with a television set (although I don't really see why). Hmm... I can see the implications of this for a lazy admin with a softspot for b-rated movies and backward television taste.

    --
    He who has no .plan has small finger. ~ Confucius on UNIX
  63. Solong channel 58! by speedfreak_5 · · Score: 1

    This doesn't affect me one bit. Never did watch Trinity Broadcasting Network. Too many imges of people with hair 4 feet tall...

    --
    Why yes I am paranoid! Thanks for asking!
  64. UHF == Cartoon Heaven by eamonman · · Score: 1

    I sincerely believe that I would be a tremendously different person without the great UHF channels. Back in the 80's, (hehe) most of the weekday cartoons were shown channel 13, which eventually became the Fox affiliate. They had the mainstream stuff, Transformers, GI Joe, He-Man, Go-bots, and other ones I don't remember. But even though I used to enjoy those somewhat (*shudder*), the UHF channel 21 had much better, more memorable cartoons: Voltron (I,III), Robotech, Tranzor-Z, Star Blazers, Inspector Gadget (kind of silly but still cool), and some live action pre-power ranger show (Ultraman?). Of course the station itself probably had some sort of international sources (it was a Japanese-English channel), but I'd say without those shows I could never appreciate how nearly every robot/high tech 'toon draws upon those old cartoons.

    Of course kids now have a plethora of choices for cartoons... channels like the Cartoon Network so there's no need for UHF except for hefty nostagia breaks. ;) (If you're in LA, check out KDOC, it rocks with all the 80's shows!)

    --
    0- Eamonman Proud member of DNRC
    1. Re:UHF == Cartoon Heaven by DNS-and-BIND · · Score: 1
      You realize with the exception of Inspector Gadget, every single one of the cartoons you mentioned were 30-minute commercials for a line of toys?

      Not to mention we have no idea what city this channel 13 was in.

      --
      Shutting down free speech with violence isn't fighting fascism. It IS fascism!
  65. furry at missalocation by Erris · · Score: 2
    These tiny channels, with signals reaching only maybe 20 square miles, could NEVER afford the upgrade to digital - they get by on a shoestring budget. Some are run out of people's homes.

    The delay is a good thing. Instead of autioning off the airwaves to a bunch of cell phone pigs, it would be better to work out a scheme where this spectrum could be usef for free wireless networks. The techonlogy is here. All that needs to be done is for the FCC to agree on a set of decent standards (IEEE, WWWC what not) and enforce decent behavior on it (oh my God a new mandate for the FCC, anti-spam enforcer!) This way any houshold could become a broadcaster and have an infinite range.

    Erris sees what good can be done by people who don't give in to the urge to make a quick buck like Billy C did with those stupid acutions. He is obviously deluded and insane. Insanity is statistical.

    --
    DMCA, Hollings, Palladium. What might have sounded like paranoia is now common sense.
  66. So they SHOULD BE by lonemonk · · Score: 0

    What the hell else is going on in UHF land? The bandwidth can be more efficiently used with digital transmission anyway.

    Weird AL is great, but the demise of actual UHF TV programming (save some areas of the States perhaps) is well behind us.

    Hopefully the range will prove to be affordable to license and resell thus leading to an opening in (mostly) unused frequencies, which I'm sure most of slashdot is interested in.

    Love ya anyway.

  67. Comment removed by account_deleted · · Score: 1

    Comment removed based on user account deletion

  68. Some history by raoulortega · · Score: 1

    1) There used to be channels 70 through 83, but they were reallocated years ago.

    2) The frequencies for channels 14-19 (or 20?) can be used for non-television purposes. Most stations in those channels were grandfathered into continued existence, while a few new ones have come into existence if the channel was so allocated in the original UHF allocation.

    3) Up to at least the late 1980s, (I haven't paid attention since) the FCC maintained a list of channel allocations per city. If you wanted to start a new station, you'd get a channel off that list. As those channels got used up, the FCC would allocate new channels higher up as needed, which is why you rarely see channels above 49 except in places like the Bay Area, LA, Chicago or New York. Most cities without a VHF station had channels in the pattern 16, 22, 28, 34, 40, 46. The same was true for places like Chicago-- 14, 20, 26, 32, 38, 44. The even spacing was to try and prevent interference.

    Considering how much bandwidth a single UHF channel uses up, and how few stations there actually are in those channels, it's probably a good idea.

  69. Wired wrong, channels will probably reshuffle by isdnip · · Score: 2

    I worked on the abortive 700 MHz (Ch. 60-69) auction a couple of years ago, on behalf of a potential bidder, before it was "postponed". Wired has a lot of details wrong, though the FCC has screwed up too.

    Today's stations above channel 51 are not necessarily going off the air. Almost every station has two channels now, one analog and one digital. If the analog channel is >51, the digital one probably isn't. The plan is to eventually shut down analog and move to all digital, all below channel 52. So most stations will just move.

    Analog stations don't have to go dark until 85% of their market can receive digital, so the 2007 deadline is unlikely to be real. I suspect the 2010 deadline (to go all digital ANYWAY) will end up being postponed. TV stations have priority over wireless ops. The wireless licensees can buy off the TV stations, but most stations won't just shut down.

    It is possible that the wireless (2-way; TV, after all, is wireless too) ops will pay for a station below 52 to shut down, in order to accommodate a move to their channel from someone now above 52, so that they can use the channel for wireless. Home Shopping channels and the like are candidates for such shutdown. The FCC however did not adopt a proposal to formalize this via an auction process, which had been proposed.

  70. more crap? uh... by Synic · · Score: 1

    i dunno, i think the sci-fi, comedy central, learning channel, history channel, bravo, a&e have some good shows on... heck even animal planet and food network have some interesting things on.
    so.. .cable is more crap?

    also, for premium channels -- hbo is the shiznit
    they have a lot of great shows (if you are mature enough to view them)

  71. Re:UHF n tall buildings by unitron · · Score: 2
    Both of you are correct in what you said, allowing for some use of different phraseology. When he says "ghosty" he probably means what you and I would call "snowy". When he calls UHF low frequency microwaves he isn't necessarily saying that he thinks VHF is higher in frequency.

    He has a good point about UHF being more useful in cities that are built wide instead of tall.

    --

    I see even classic Slashdot is now pretty much unusable on dial up anymore.

  72. Phylo by zenintrude · · Score: 1
    i think i can soeak for us all by saying that although all this frequency debate is fine and good, what we'd all rather be able to do is make plutonium using common household items.

    --
    - colin
  73. Russian tv! by British · · Score: 2

    You think that's funny? I discovered an all-Russian TV station(which doesn't get Interceptor, a crazy GTA like game show, DARN!) which makes sense since most of my apartment complex's tenants are Russian senior citizens.

  74. I Don't Care But My Mom Would by IHateEverybody · · Score: 2

    She loves the local Spanish channel 66.

    --
    Does this .sig make my butt look big?
  75. Raul's Wild Kingdom! by Master+Commadachi · · Score: 1, Funny

    We see Raul standing in the middle of his funky apartment, surrounded by cages containing various household pets. RAUL (to camera) Hey, man, this is Raul Hernandez, and welcome to "Raul's Wild Kingdom," coming to you live from my apartment! How about that, huh? Okay, first thing we're gonna do today is check out the wonderful world of turtles. This is my friend Tommy. Say hello to the nice people, Tommy... (holds up turtle) Aaaay, isn't he great? Okay, so... the turtle is a member of the reptile family, right? And it's got this hard, protective shell... (he raps on it) ... which keeps predators away, and provides him with his own house for when he sleeps. And he's got these teeny tiny little legs, so he moves real slow. And not many people know this, but the turtle is also nature's suction cup! Watch this... Raul turns the turtle over and throws it as hard as he can towards the ceiling. We hear an o.s. SUCTION sound. RAUL (continuing) See that? It sticks! Okay, lets's see, what else we got here? Oh yeah, check this out. He walks over to his ant farm, which is on top of his dresser. RAUL (continuing) This is my ant farm. You know, ants are really amazing. They can carry fifty times their own weight, and they work for weeks and weeks making these intricate tunnels, and... oh yeah, they really hate it when you do this... Raul grabs the ant farm and shakes it vigorously. RAUL (continuing) Oh, look, they're really mad now! 58 INT. U62 - DAY Bob is watching Raul on a monitor as George enters. GEORGE Hey, Bob, Where did you find this guy? BOB I thought you hired him... 59 INT. RAUL'S APARTMENT Several yapping poodles now surround Raul. He picks one up and starts swinging it back and forth by an open window. RAUL Okay, Gigi, are you psyched? Are you ready? Okay, here we go... get ready... and... FLY!! He hurls Gigi out the open window, then looks outside. RAUL (continuing) Oh, man... You know, sometimes it takes 'em a long time to learn how to do it right. (to poodles) Okay... shut up... shut up... hey! All right, who's next? The poodles jump up and down, yapping cheerfully. One jumps up into his arms. In the b.g. we see Tommy the Turtle fall through frame. RAUL (continuing) Okay, Fifi, let's go. Now, remember what I told you... flap your legs back and forth really, really hard... you're gonna have a great time... ready, and... FLY!! RAUL hurls Fifi out the window. 60 EXT. RAUL'S APARTMENT BUILDING - DAY Fifi flies out a third story window and drops with a THUD on a huge mound of poodles on the ground below. RAUL (V.O.) Oh, man...! And of course we can't forget the infamous: Philo: Hello, and welcome to... Secrets (echo) Of (echo) The Universe (echo) Today, we will be learning how to make Plutonium out of common household items.

  76. You so stupid so very very stupid! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    In the box is....NOTHING!!!!!!!

    The lameness filter is so lame:
    Reason: Don't use so many caps. It's like YELLING.

    Maybe I feel like yelling assholes!

  77. Pick Another Band by quakeroatz · · Score: 0

    VHF/UHF has been used heavily by mariners/fishermen for years. I'm sure there are alternatives in the RF spectrum that are just as suitable as UHF 52-69.

    Not everyone spends thier weekends behind a CRT. Boaters need these channels. I'm always an advocate for progress, but please keep your pr0n dls the F out of my boat... thx.

  78. DTV, not HDTV by XNormal · · Score: 2

    HDTV = High Definition TV
    DTV = Digital TV

    It seems that the broadcasters are much more interested in using the digital technology to transmits six channels in the same bandwidth formerly used for one than to transmit one high definition channel.

    --
    Stop worrying about the risks of nuclear power and start worrying about the risks of not using nuclear power.
    1. Re:DTV, not HDTV by El+Camino+SS · · Score: 2

      It seems that the broadcasters are much more interested in using the digital technology to transmits six channels in the same bandwidth formerly used for one than to transmit one high definition channel.

      You're exactly right... if the FCC actually lets them. That is one of the big problems we are dealing with... are they really going to decide what to do with all of this or are they using it as a crutch/money stall to let the cable/sattelite companies crush all of the local channels?

      Probably the latter. They are all in bed with the cable systems, after all, they have no regulations, no requirement for the public good, and sll the money.

      If the government came in and told you how to run your business like the FCC does, there would be class actions up the ying-yang. But unfortunately, these administration appointed noobs actually hold their own court with this too.

  79. Argh! by seen2much · · Score: 1

    But fox is on channel 68 in my area. That might block the Simpsons( and futurama if it stays on FOX). This madness must be stopped.

    Also in those channels are a Hispanic station and a religious. Which would make more government oaf-ficials concerned

    --


    "Beware the squirrels"
  80. Another Stoopid UHF Joke... by deadhammer · · Score: 1

    Sometimes you can't let old UHF bands get you down. Sometimes you have to take your WiFi cards and scrub that wasted bandwidth real good. And if that doesn't do it, you gotta get down on your knees with a laptop and wardrive really really hard! And if that still doesn't clean up that bandwidth, well you can't give up! You gotta stand up, run to the window, and yell out THIS NETWORK IS LAGGY AS HELL, AND WE'RE NOT GOING TO TAKE IT ANYMORE!!!

    --
    I'll be honest, we're throwing science against the wall to see what sticks. -Cave Johnson
  81. Anal? Bah by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Poser! A REALLY anal person takes the time to memorize highly successful movies like 'The Vidiot from UHF' and doesn't need any silly references like imdb!

    You really need to practice your anality, or people just wont take you seriously ;)

    Hey Kuni... beginners class today, huh?
    Ahhh, they're so STUPID! (stoopad?)
    *crash of body through window*
    STUUUUPIIIIIID!

  82. Interesting. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    My boob tube doesn't even allow me to go past channel 50, come to think of it. I can think of only one channel >50 from my childhood, channel 61, a station playing nothing but videos and then just christian stuff. Either way, the reception was terrible. In DC, there are more UHF channels than you would expect to find outside of NE suburbia, but surely with todays technology they could have make more efficient use of the spectrum.

  83. UHF is FINALLY on DVD! by Aqua+OS+X · · Score: 3, Informative

    On a side note, UHF finally came out on DVD two weeks ago. It is only 10 bucks at best buy, and it comes with tons of deleted content and other goodies.

    "You get to drink from the FIRE HOSE!!!"

    --
    "Things are more moderner than before- bigger, and yet smaller- it's computers-- San Dimas High School football RULES!"
    1. Re:UHF is FINALLY on DVD! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Good luck trying to find a copy! Every single Best Buy and DVD store in the Central Florida area that I've checked is either out of stock or has jacked up the price to $15 or $20.

  84. Which wireless standard ? by o'reor · · Score: 1
    Has anyone got any tips as to which standard might be implemented on those newly allocated UHF channels ?

    In Europe we would surely have settled for DVB-T (digital video broadcasting, terrestrial) which allows for IP networking up to a rate of 25 Mbps per UHF channel. I do not know whether the US equivalent for that kind of networking (ATSC Terrestrial Data Broadcasting, same principle) would allow such rates.

    Actually, last time I heard of general performance for ATSC terrestrial broadcasting, it did pretty poorly compared with is european (DVB-T) and asian (ISDB-T, thebroadcasting equivalent of ISDN) counterparts. Or would they settle of some 802.11x variant ? Or some 3G-CDMA standard ?

    I'd like to know how the whole matter will turn out...

    --
    In Soviet Russia, our new overlords are belong to all your base.
  85. It's not a shutdown, it's an upgrade by pyramid+termite · · Score: 2

    The problem with this is that there are hundreds (if not thousands) of very low power UHF stations that are run by non-profit organizations and service a small demographic... Such as non-english channels, alternative media, community info, etc.

    And what exactly prevents them from presenting that content over a wireless net, especially a wireless local net?

  86. Legal broadcast tv? by randomErr · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Could this mean you could legally start up your own tv station as long as its under 5 watts and has a digital data stream?

    --
    You say things that offend me and I can deal with it. Can you?
    1. Re:Legal broadcast tv? by sekicho · · Score: 1

      Wasn't there some junior-high-school-level text file on doing that? Hooking up a big dipole antenna to a signal booster coming out of a camcorder...?

  87. Re:Learn to speak ENGLISH! by horati0 · · Score: 2, Insightful

    This is a stupid reason. If I moved to Russia, I would EXPECT to have to learn Russian for news and emergency information. Same if I moved to Mexico or Spain.

    Why is it so different here. You move here, learn to SPEAK our language or MOVE BACK!


    Easier said than done. Since it takes some time to learn a new language (especially one so ass-backward as English), keeping emergency broadcasts in an immigrant's native tongue makes sense. How would a foreigner know how to understand "massive volcanic eruption" if they hadn't got that far in their English book?

    It's easy to say "learn the language or get out," but imagine yourself dropped into say, China, for the next five years. Or Germany. Or Nigeria. Wherever you land, it'll take time to learn the language.

    --
    The neutrality of this sig is disputed.
  88. they try to take amateur all the time by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I recieved my amateur radio license in may 97.
    I have recieved countless emails forwarded from
    mailing lists that show little LEO (low earth orbit sattelites), networking, spread spectrum phones and car alarms ect taking over our allocated band segments. TV freqencies that are not even being used were already lost to major corporations and thier lobbies. Amatuer radio suffered a big segment lost to UPS in the 220 mhz range. (and they dont even use what they took!)

    nobody outside of amatuer radio and the National Weather Service really knows the contributions of the Ham radio community. We spend countless hours in disaster relief, Weather spotting, chasing and confirming tornado activity, and other various UNPAID community acts.

    I dont worry about TV loosing more segments because HDTV is going to take over anyway, and I have cable.

    I do however, worry about amatuer radio loosing more segments.

    ----concerned-

  89. OT: Russian speakers in Mexico or Spain? by tanfur · · Score: 1
    Yes, but finding Russian speakers in Spain or Mexico might be difficult; I'd think you'll probably find more English speakers there! :-) Or in Mexico, you might try one of the native tongues, like Nahuatl or Yucatec (spelling?). Russian is however, a major world language and I'm sure you'll find a few speakers of it in Mexico or Spain.

    -- Blackfeather Tanfur
    Offtopic, but no more so than the parent post.

  90. Re:UHF n tall buildings by lugonn · · Score: 1
    I was going off of some very old info in my brain, and it seems that the info had been minorly corrupted/switched around.

    $ghosty_low eq "snowy" . " ultra-high";

    Got it now! I was driving home from work thinking that I had it backwards...oops...should've used the preview button.

  91. Re:Learn to speak ENGLISH! by sekicho · · Score: 1

    It's not "different here," either. When I lived in Japan, a couple of the major news broadcasts were dubbed in real-time English: you could push a button and change the audio feed between the two languages. There were also radio stations in English, Portuguese, Tagalog, and a couple of other funny languages. I've been told that England, Germany, and other countries with large expat populations have the same thing.

    Not to mention the fact that where I live now, Miami, the Spanish-speaking population is larger than the English-speaking population... so you *could*, in effect, say "You're in Florida! HABLE ESPANOL!"

  92. Badgers? by Conspiracy_Of_Doves · · Score: 2

    Badgers! We don't need no stinking badgers!

  93. Do the math by fm6 · · Score: 2

    How many people watch TV? How many people do radio astronomy?