AfterDawn: News

DirecTV lobbied over a million USD on digital TV switch

The popular satellite-television provider DirecTV spent a hefty $1.2 million USD in 2007 lobbying the US's switch from analog to digital TV.

Other broadcasters, cable operators, and satellite providers have all been campaigning to educate consumers about the government mandated transition that is scheduled for Feb. 17, 2009.



Current cable and satellite customers have nothing to worry about, even if they have old analog TVs, because their providers will provide devices to help them with the transition. However, "viewers who get free, over-the-air programming" will now need to buy converter boxes now available in stores. The US government is providing coupon vouchers to help citizens pay for the devices if they need such help.

DirecTV spent $600,000 USD for the second half of 2007 to lobby Congress, the FCC (Federal Communications Commission) and National Telecommunications and Information Administration. The company spent $640,000 in the first half of 2007 on the same issue.



Written by: Andre Yoskowitz @ 21 Mar 2008 18:54

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• 6 comments

• Burnasty

  With the coupon you could get a converter box for less than $10. You get a crystal clear picture and potentially more channels as is the case with most public brodcasting channels.

  21.3.2008 21:18 #1

• Weirdo007

  Originally posted by Burnasty: With the coupon you could get a converter box for less than $10. You get a crystal clear picture and potentially more channels as is the case with most public brodcasting channels.If you live within range of the transmitter.

  21.3.2008 22:13 #2

• Burnasty

  Nearly everyone does! tvfool.com will show you topographically what you should expect to recieve. I live 43.5 miles from the closest tower and recieve enough signal to be within the threshold of a digital signal without dropouts. Free HDTV is a great deal.

  21.3.2008 23:41 #3

• ChiknLitl

  Quote:Free HDTV is a great dealThat has nothing to do with the converter boxes, they are for converting the digital ATSC signal to an analog NTSC signal for people who don't have ATSC tuners on their televisions, they do not give you "HDTV". If you have a rooftop antenna you will likely get signals from upwards of 30 miles away, if you live in an urban or hilly area that range is likely to be much less, indoor antennas will also generally fare less well. Also, for those using antennas for OTA reception you may actually receive fewer channels after the transition secondary to the nature of digital braodcast signals and the increased degradation of the signal over distance vs. analog signals, as well as the "threshold" amount of information necessary to tune in the signal.

  22.3.2008 02:39 #4

• Burnasty

  I know it doesn't. I was stating what my signal strength is and commenting that I get the hd programing being over 30 miles away, which is digital. By saying I get an hd signal that far away it shows you can meet the threshold even when you are a good distance away. I think if your reduce the bafflegab in you post more people will know what your saying. BTW, low level transmitters and repeaters aren't switching so the rural towers will still be able to give you the ghosty pictures if you want.

  22.3.2008 11:03 #5

• ChiknLitl

  Originally posted by Burnasty: I know it doesn't. I was stating what my signal strength is and commenting that I get the hd programing being over 30 miles away, which is digital. By saying I get an hd signal that far away it shows you can meet the threshold even when you are a good distance away. I think if your reduce the bafflegab in you post more people will know what your saying. BTW, low level transmitters and repeaters aren't switching so the rural towers will still be able to give you the ghosty pictures if you want.Sorry Burnasty, I guess I misunderstood your post. I'm not quite sure what you mean by "bafflegab". There is no jargon used or points of fact raised that aren't already well known. I think my post is fairly straight forward, bringing up a few of the shortcomings of digital broadcasts despite the excellent picture.

  22.3.2008 11:46 #6