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#1
12-23-2007, 12:26 AM
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2009 HDTV conversion.
In one of the other threads about this, ( I cannot find it now), I mentioned that satellite and cable customers may not have to worry until 2012. I have found out that this is true, at least for your local stations. They are required to carry analog versions until 2012. See the quote below:
"A Federal Communication Commission rule issued this fall requires satellite and cable television companies to provide local programming for their analog customers through 2012. As a result, those television viewers likely won’t see substantial changes come Feb. 17, 2009." This is from the article: http://www.wacotrib.com/news/content...digitalTV.html From reading the article, it still sounds like the turnoff of NTSC analog is going to be a disaster, with many upset people. 
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#2
12-23-2007, 01:09 AM
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I just ordered the cheap (2-12) basic cable and high speed internet through Comcast. The first thing they told me was that they were going digital and then wanted to sell me a digital package. I told them that I still wanted the cheap basic cable. That low end cable consist of the local stations, WGN, CW, and a couple of home shopping channels. It's nice to know that the locals will still be in analog via cable for a few more years. They're coming Thursday to hook it up; so, we'll see how it goes...
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#3
12-23-2007, 02:46 AM
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The phrase "required to provide programming for analog customers" may not truly mean they have to provide direct multiple analog channels into a TV's tuner. It could mean they can comply by providing a traditional analog-channel-3-output cable box. I have not read any of the rules for cable TV. Certainly, for satellite-TV providers (Dish Network and DirecTV), my description of complying is the only way they could do it (other than/in addition to A/V outputs on boxes), since they have never had any analog signals on their systems.
__________________
Chris Quote from another forum: "(Antique TV collecting) always seemed to me to be a fringe hobby that only weirdos did."
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#4
12-23-2007, 08:30 AM
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Cable companies will be completely unaffected by the 2009 date. They can keep using NTSC for as long as they want, or they could go completely digital tomorrow if they wanted to. Another little mentioned fact is that low power NTSC stations will remain on the air in 2009.
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#5
12-23-2007, 03:48 PM
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Making cable companies provide analog until 2012 is brilliant! That way, only the hermit/kooks/weirdos without cable will be bitching come 2009. By 2012, what can ya do...? The frequencies will have been sold, and digital will be entrenched.
__________________
From Captain Video, 1/4/2007 "It seems that Italian people are very prone to preserve antique stuff."
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#6
12-23-2007, 03:56 PM
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According to the article, the FCC is requiring local channels to be available to your TV in NTSC analog format until 2012. This is if you are a Satellite or Cable customer. It may be done as ChrisW6ATV indicates or by some other method. The cable/satellite companies may try to defeat the spirit of the ruling by raising the cost, but the local channel NSTC analog signals must be available until 2012 on your cable/satellite system
As Andy indicates, there is also no requirement for the cable/satellite companies to stop using NSTC analog, they my use it as long as they desire.
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#7
12-23-2007, 03:56 PM
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Scientific American had an article on this about 6 months ago. Analog "should" be available for quite a number of years to come.
It is unimaginable that everybody will go replace all the TVs in their house in the next 3 or 4 years. One of the things cable will have to offer to their customers are analog channels. The number of analog channels will diminish as they add bandwidth hungry digital channels. But I don't have a single digital tuner in the house out of (TV/VCR/DVR) 9 tuners.
__________________
"Remember, you are the only one who needs to like the sound of your system." Grainger Morrison 
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#8
12-23-2007, 04:51 PM
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According to the article in the Waco paper, there are around 20 million households who have only broadcast TV, quite a few people available to contact their congressman, etc. According to the same article, there are probably 15 million more housholds who have TVs in their bedroom, etc that are not connected to cable and can receive only broadcast signals(My mother fits this catagory)-more to complain when they cannot watch Jay Leno, etc. just before going to sleep. If the article is anywhere near correct, about the numbers and lack of awareness, the transistion could be a PR disaster for the FCC and congress.
My own opinion is that it is stupid to completely dump something that has worked well for 60 years and turn to a relatively untried system. Phasing it in, allowing for bug fixes and decision reversals if necessary, would be much smarter course. Of course, the big money boys could not get their hands on all the TV spectrum that they want if that was done.
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#9
12-23-2007, 05:01 PM
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Quote:
__________________
push back against dubious claims that defy logic; be on the lookout for misrepresentations; question the lack of science when belief is the substitution; be very skeptical when the denial of the laws of physics comes into play. --jpaik
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#10
12-23-2007, 05:32 PM
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Quote:
  Coincidently, I talked to someone the other day who was dog-sitting at a house with a digital TV connected to rabbit ears. They said that stronger VHF channels (FOX 2) were ok, but would sometimes lose the sound. Weaker UHF channels like 20 (Ind.) were no-go. However, won't all DTV be done on UHF? Is this the annoying beeping-flashing I see when I DX around the higher numbered UHF channels?
__________________
From Captain Video, 1/4/2007 "It seems that Italian people are very prone to preserve antique stuff."
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#12
12-23-2007, 06:38 PM
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Quote:
  Enjoying a Mr. Bean Christmas special on my analog 19" as I type! (Note CBC bug) Thanks for the good TV Canada!
__________________
From Captain Video, 1/4/2007 "It seems that Italian people are very prone to preserve antique stuff."
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#15
12-23-2007, 06:58 PM
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Quote:
__________________
From Captain Video, 1/4/2007 "It seems that Italian people are very prone to preserve antique stuff."
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