Obama: Let's Postpone Digital TV Switch

Your post almost hit on one of the key drivers of this mandate. TV makers wanted to sell more TVs (and these new set top converters). So, they greased some palms so that the government would force the issue.

Of course nothing like that goes on in our government does it?

 

Thanks Matt;

I wanted to bring that out in that post but had to leave the computer for a few minutes. :thumbsup:

 

QUESTION? Which freq band?

Does the new system use the VHF or the UHF band?

 

The millenium must have arrived! Roger and I agree! :saint:

 

Yepper, good ole Al Gore and the tv industry. HD tv wanted to get rid of the boxed tube tv and bring in more expensive HD flat screen tvs to the public. But no one was buying them. Government saw a need to expand cell phone band width and that is solved with moving the tv signal to digital. They came to Al Gore and found an inroad into moving Congress to do this. This was supposed to happen in 2003 but they were not selling tvs. Then they went to Congress again and Congress delayed the signal switch until 2009 so that a coupon could be issued to buy a converter box.

 

Neither.....

 

It will be easier to control track what people watch this way. It's about information dissemination.

 

And President Obama wants to delay the forced switch.

How is that bad?

 

So they can get out more coupons. More money to those who can not afford the new tvs. From our hard work to those who don't. These converter boxes are only $40 for the low end box. They want to get this done because the cell phone signal is getting crowded.

 

Why don't they just tell the cell phone companies to stop selling cell phones until everyone has converted?

They can't do that can they? So they are trying to lead the people to buy what they are not falling head over heals to get.

 

Okay, now I understand.

It is acceptable for the poor to be affected by a government mandated change to television. If they can't afford the same privilege as everyone else, do to government intervention, it is just tough.

 

Actually DTV is broadcast on both VHF and UHF, though mostly on UHF right now.

http://www.avsforum.com/hdtvfaq/HDTV-FAQ.htm#Are DTV signals broadcast on special frequencies?

 

That too.... I saw a report somewhere that Nielsen (the ratings company) was very concerned that they would loose their network clientele. Oh well, just another company having to lay off workers because of government mandates.

 

Thanks.... I stand corrected. I was assuming that sense the tuners of the old analog tv were not going to receive the DTV signal that DTV would be of some other source.

 

The problem is,

Congress mandated the change..
Offered coupons...

Ran out of money for said coupons...

Imagine that, Congress not planning ahead...
NOw people who were supposed to get coupons are on a waiting list until congress gets more money for coupons...

Obama's suggestion is a reasonable one...

 

I have family that that $40 is hard to get.

Imagine you only get 3 stations.. (1 station in parts of WV)... and the Gov. is taking that away if you don't come up with $40.

For some people that is almost a day's wages.

 

So it is ok to take from those that have to give to those that have not? Just to get a tv signal? How much more are we willing to have to put up with? Last I saw is that no one went hungry missing a tv program.

 

They would not have had to if they had not changed the rules