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Obama Recommends Delay In Digital TV Switch

Posted by timothy on from the but-the-coupons-have-been-printed-already dept.

gregg writes "Six weeks before the nation's television stations are scheduled to convert to digital transmission, the Obama administration is asking Congress to consider a delay. In the most significant sign to date of concern about the impending digital TV transition, the Obama transition team co-chair John Podesta said the government funds to support the change are 'woefully inadequate' and said that the digital switch date, Feb. 17, should be 'reconsidered and extended.'"

6 of 589 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Really that big deal? by timeOday · · Score: 5, Informative
    I canceled my Comcast subscription when I found out how good OTA digital looks! Less compressed than digital cable or satellite.

    As for "the government paying for it," it's a small fraction of what they sold the reclaimed rf spectrum for.

  2. MOD parent Up by harl · · Score: 4, Informative

    I second that. OTA digital is amazingly good picture quality.

    Just pick up a cheap amplified loop antenna. You don't need anything fancy.

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    1. Re:MOD parent Up by walt-sjc · · Score: 5, Informative

      ... Depending on where, exactly, you live of course. I get one broadcast station without a rooftop, or 5 with it. With analog, you can get a fuzzy picture, and nearly always get sound. With digital, you either get everything nearly perfectly, or you get nothing (nothing includes picture freezes and no audio.)

      The issue with digital is that people that used to get fuzzy but watchable stations now may get nothing.

      As for the converter box issue, the whole situation is partially caused by the fact that retailers were allowed to sell analog only sets if they were under a certain size... And larger sets the requirement was only recent (just a few years.)

      Also, converter boxes suck. Yet another remote to mess with (remember the users - those who can't handle programming an all-in-one.)

    2. Re:MOD parent Up by caluml · · Score: 4, Informative

      Plus, OTA digital has shorter range the same way FM radio has shorter travel range than AM.

      Huh? That's to do with wavelength, not mode or "digital-ness". A few kilowatts at 1MHz will go a damn sight further than a few kilowatts at 100 MHz. Ask any ham. The worldwide contacts are (almost) all under 30MHz.

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  3. Re:Really that big deal? by Chris+Burke · · Score: 4, Informative

    One of my best friends depends on their rabbit ears, and they're poor enough that the cost of a converter box is kind of a big deal. And before some asshat who knows nothing of poverty opens their yap about how he shouldn't be watching TV, he busts his ass then comes home and would like to relax in the evening, okay? He and plenty of other people are in this position, and they never wanted to have to drop $40 just so the government could raise $20bil.

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  4. Re:TV in Los Angeles by NuttyBee · · Score: 4, Informative

    And you can't watch Telemundo and TV Azteca without having seen lots of ads over the last year telling the viewer, in Spanish, changes are coming and you can get a coupon to cut the cost of the box.

    It wasn't possible to miss it. I'm tired of excuses.