The End of TV

[bigbluepride35]

I searched and couldn't find anyhting even remotely recent on this topic. If there is something and I missed it, sorry. Anyway this article on the changeover from analog to digital TV broadcasting is interesting. http://msnbc.msn.com/id/6448213/did/7593620/page/2/

But Congress needs to do something nonetheless. For starters, there?s the remarkable fact that Americans are still buying over 20 million analog sets each year, all of which could be obsolete rather quickly. If Detroit was selling cars that used a type of gasoline that would soon no longer be available, consumers would expect to be informed. Thus analog sets clearly need some kind of warning label, and proponents of a ?date certain? say this will make the labels far more meaningful: i.e., ?This television will no longer receive over-the-air signals after December 31, 2006.?

Amazing that so many people are still buying analog sets. My dad, who knows prNOTHINGOTHING about technology knew about this changeover about 3 or 4 years ago. Sadly, I found out from him so it's not like I was even all that well-versed on it at that time.

Many analog television owners won?t need a converter: 85 percent of Americans now get all their television from cable or satellite providers, so for the most part the change-over won?t affect them.? (A lot of those households, however, also have second and third sets in basements or bedrooms that do rely on over-the-air signals.) The real problem is the 15 million or so U.S. households whose only television service comes over the air. For these people, predominately lower-income and disproportionately black and Hispanic, the cut-off will be bad news indeed.

Ah yes, poverty rearing its ugly head yet again.

In addition, both Silicon Valley and your local police force are lobbying for an early analog cut-off.? The reason is simple: when the cut-off happens, TV channels 52 ? 69 will no longer be needed, freeing up broadcasting spectrum for other purposes.? Public safety workers have been promised four of these channels ? a commitment even more pressing in the wake of the 9/11 Commission?s finding that the nation?s first responder communications systems need a major upgrade.? And companies like Intel and Cisco want to use other parts of the newly freed spectrum for very powerful wireless broadband networks that could offer seamless high-speed Internet service virtually everywhere in the U.S.? Other advanced uses will materialize. Already, cell phone pioneer Qualcomm plans to use some of the spectrum to build an advanced video network for mobile phones. And finally, there?s a bonus for the U.S. Treasury as well?much of the new spectrum will be auctioned off to the highest bidders, raising billions of dollars.

Didn't know about the unneeded channels thing. Why is that?

Anyway, I just thought the article was interesting and worth posting. I'm sure most of the people who will read it here are well on their way to getting digitalized (I doubt that's a word).

[KeR]

I am looking forward to it, having a HDTV with only like 15 HDTV channels out of 300 sucks...all I actually watch is the 15 HDTV channels since the picture is just amazing.

[jerzdawg]

def a good read.. thanks for posting...

[SonComet]

I am looking forward to it, having a HDTV with only like 15 HDTV channels out of 300 sucks...all I actually watch is the 15 HDTV channels since the picture is just amazing.

585833537[/snapback]

You aren't going to get more shows broadcasted in HD because of this. They are just talking about switching the feed from analog to digital. So what you will get is regular 480i TV broadcasted digitally instead of through the current analog signals. If you have digital cable channels 1-99 are analog (atleast at the source, they may be converted in the box), while 100+ are digital. If you look at lets say a cartoon on the disney channel (the regular one), versus toon disney (or whatever that digital one is called) the difference is pretty pronounced. I find it easiest to see the difference in cartoons, lol. But ofcourse its nothing like HD. Shows broadcasted in HD will increase over time, but there is no mandate for shows to be in HD. In fact wasn't this mandate for everything to be in 480i digital pushed back to 2009, or was it 2007? I can't remember, but its far away and tragically doesn't really do much for HD broadcasting from what I can see.

[Astral]

Shows broadcasted in HD will increase over time, but there is no mandate for shows to be in HD.  In fact wasn't this mandate for everything to be in 480i digital pushed back to 2009, or was it 2007?

585835732[/snapback]

You're pretty close. In terms of the 2007 date, that applies more for pure digital signals/feeds. Like you said, there is no mandate as of yet for providers, but industry giants - both providers and manufacturers - hope to see nothing but HD by 2010 and true digital by 2007. Hope to see this come true...

[The Jorge]

Well, luckily, I don't have to worry about this. Already made the switch early last year. (Y)

The title to this thread is a bit misleading. Perhaps adding analog before TV would be better?

[bigbluepride35]

Well, luckily, I don't have to worry about this. Already made the switch early last year. (Y)

The title to this thread is a bit misleading. Perhaps adding analog before TV would be better?

585835890[/snapback]

Eh, I hoped the dramatic title would draw readers in. lol

[HPMCommander]

I hardly ever watch my TV anymore; I get all of the information I need/want through my PC.

Just recently I sat down and watched an entire hour-long episode of a TV program and I felt like I had wasted a lot of time doing so.

[Pink Floyd Veteran]

I agree with Ker, having 15 channels out of 300 in hdtv sucks

I think we have less than 15 where I live

So before they force us to buy digital and get rid of our analog, it will take years and years

[MEMO.INC]

You aren't going to get more shows broadcasted in HD because of this.  They are just talking about switching the feed from analog to digital.  So what you will get is regular 480i TV broadcasted digitally instead of through the current analog signals.

585835732[/snapback]

That is not accurate, HDTV is broadcasted over an ANALOG signal, the data encoded in that signal will be Digital but the signal will remain analog, because digital signals are pulses, and pulses would take all the frequencies in the medium. the advantage of HDTV is that you will get 0 degradation because the data is digital, and of course, the extra resolution and better audio

[.:YodaGP:.]

Anybody know the estimated date for this changeover in the UK? I heard it was 2010, but i heard that in like...2003. Any UK updates appreciated!

[spa2k]

Anybody know the estimated date for this changeover in the UK? I heard it was 2010, but i heard that in like...2003. Any UK updates appreciated!

585856705[/snapback]

UK Digital Switchover

[Jesse Carlton]

basically all this means is that people with older tvs will need a cable box, which if you have digital cable, you already have.

this will be the same thing as in the 70/80s with cable boxes for movie channels and older tvs, just more expensive.