AfterDawn: News

Four month delay for digital TV transition coming?

According to a US government official, the mandatory transition from analog to digital TV signals could be delayed for up to four months.

The changeover date is set for February 17th but John Podesta, co-chairman of U.S. President-elect Barack Obama's transition team, noted that the incoming President supports the delay. The new changeover date would be June 12th, an almost four month delay.



The proposal for the delay, brought forward by Senator Rockefeller IV of Virgina, could go to vote this week.

The proposal comes at a time where the government has been said to be running low on money to supply $40 USD coupons that help subsidize the cost of DTV converter boxes.

Written by: Andre Yoskowitz @ 18 Jan 2009 16:51

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• 30 comments

• PantherM

  Are there really THAT many people out that NEED these coupons? I can't think of too many people that don't have either cable or a dish.

  18.1.2009 17:14 #1

• FFsp42

  Just do it and get it over with already!! Geez...I don't think I can stand 4 more months of non-stop hype about the cutover.. I'm barely hanging on to sanity as it is now. j/k
  

  
  

  18.1.2009 17:24 #2

• kygeology

  This takes me back to the 70's when the U.S. was going to adopt the metric system. What a bunch of procrastinators. This country, the way it's going will never get out of the dark ages or recession or whatever you would like to call it.

  18.1.2009 18:06 #3

• xnonsuchx

  I don't see how 4 months is really gonna help much, if at all. I'm kinda disappointed Obama instigated this push for a delay.
  
  Then again, I'm not totally reliant on over-the-air TV signals, so it doesn't really affect me...except for having to see all the transition ads on TV!

  18.1.2009 18:09 #4

• tyknappy

  They should just get it done and over with, they have been airing ads for months now on the transistion, delaying it now would only help the procrastinators, they should just stick to the original deadline.

  18.1.2009 18:18 #5

• sssharp

  I read in the paper only 7% of the population will be affected by the transition. They most likely dont watch,dont care, or said when it happens we will change. Just do it and quit causing taxpayers more burden with the delay.

  18.1.2009 18:46 #6

• rmcgo

  Yes, the many many years of notice wasn't enough for people.

  19.1.2009 12:34 #7

• wolf123

  Originally posted by tyknappy: They should just get it done and over with, they have been airing ads for months now on the transistion, delaying it now would only help the procrastinators, they should just stick to the original deadline.
  
  Originally posted by rmcgo: Yes, the many many years of notice wasn't enough for people.
  Like you too say there has been plenty off time I think they been doing this ad thing at least 2 years I mean I would really have too check but that's what I remember and they been doing tones of different people doing the ads for the transition in different ways.
  
  
  How hard is this If you have rabbit ears you need converter box too get new Digital TV signal if you don't get converter your TV won't get TV no more. If you have cable Digital cable or Dish then you don't have too worry. That's it!

  19.1.2009 13:08 #8

• gnovak1

  I can't believe people are still using rabbit ears. Get basic cable and live in the present.

  19.1.2009 13:11 #9

• bobiroc

  Not that this affects me really since I have HD service from Dish, but crap like this pissed me off. Mainly because it was originally announced two years ago that this would happen in Feb. 2009. The cost to the broadcast companies that push out both analog and digital signals is affecting more that the projected 7% of people that do not have service like Cable, Satellite, or Fibre Tv. In the past 2 years I have heard old people complain about it the most. Many of them didn't understand the transition and after listening to their rant on how the government is just doing this to inconvenience them it was found that most of them already had a basic service and would not be affected. I actually had one old man come up to me at a restaurant (while I was on my work lunch break) and demand that I sign his petition that he was sending to his congress representative(s) to stop the transition. I politely (as I could) told him to bug off because it is people like you that try to keep progression down. Delaying this another 4 months is not going to help the people that have procrastinated years already. What these people need is some tough love and maybe when the few people affected have their service cut they will get off their ass. This just another part of what is a big problem in this country. Cater to a few minorities and inconvenience the majority. It is really frustrating indeed.

  19.1.2009 15:32 #10

• gallagher

  The main problem is what mos have touched on. Morons who don' even need the converter boxes. People who already have cable think they need them. It is like a Y2K all over again, which itself was a big waste of money. Know how you could tell if your computer were going to screw up? Preset the date to 2000. Morons did not do this--smart people did.
  
  Now we have these idiots who think they need some converter box when they already have cable. This is why Congress never needs to get involved. They screw stuff up all in the name of idiots and so-called equality.
  
  Can you imagine if the industry had to get permission every time connections like RCA's, coax, DVI, HDMI, etc. were changed? People have to get converters. It would be even more screwed up. I guess Microsoft or Nintendo or Sony all need permission the next time they switch systems if they are not backward compatible.

  19.1.2009 18:42 #11

• ThePastor

  Couple of things about this transition...
  It makes absolutely no sense to put it off. The changeover will cause lots of new TV's to be bought. The economic upturn is SORELEY needed. All of the procrastinators will have to buy a new TV. People who will wait until their TV's turn off no matter how much you warn them.
  
  Two) I use Cable without a box. Just can't bring myself to pay a monthly fee for the damn thing so I'm stuck with the CRAPPY analog signal that the Cable company sends down thier line for people unwilling to use their damn digital descrambler.
  Hey Cox... MY TV receives DIGITAL Signals. I don't need your friggen box and if you would take the HINT that analog is CRAP and supply us with an UNSCRAMBLED Digital signal so we don't have to pay your EXORBINANT fees then you would make many people much happier.
  
  This whole analog ---> digital won't change my crappy analog cable signal one bit and it pisses me off...
  
  Rant Off... :D

  19.1.2009 20:02 #12

• wolf123

  Originally posted by ThePastor: Couple of things about this transition...
  It makes absolutely no sense to put it off. The changeover will cause lots of new TV's to be bought. The economic upturn is SORELEY needed. All of the procrastinators will have to buy a new TV. People who will wait until their TV's turn off no matter how much you warn them.
  
  Two) I use Cable without a box. Just can't bring myself to pay a monthly fee for the damn thing so I'm stuck with the CRAPPY analog signal that the Cable company sends down thier line for people unwilling to use their damn digital descrambler.
  Hey Cox... MY TV receives DIGITAL Signals. I don't need your friggen box and if you would take the HINT that analog is CRAP and supply us with an UNSCRAMBLED Digital signal so we don't have to pay your EXORBINANT fees then you would make many people much happier.
  
  This whole analog ---> digital won't change my crappy analog cable signal one bit and it pisses me off...
  
  Rant Off... :D
  Hoo rah brother.

  19.1.2009 20:20 #13

• imnomyth

  Am I the only one who thinks mandating that the analog stations be shut off is absolutely absurd??? Me personally have been %100 HD for 5 years now, but there are so many elderly people who are going to be negatively affected by this. Should all stations broadcast HD? ABSOLUTELY, should all stations be required to shut off analog signals? ABSOLUTELY not. Let the stations decide for themselves and appeal to there target audience. The government needs to leave well-enough alone!!!

  20.1.2009 18:00 #14

• ThePastor

  Yeah, you may be the only one...
  There may be a bit of a misunderstanding here.
  Congress has not mandated HD.
  Congress has madated DIGITAL instead of Analog... and there is a very good, public reason for changing how our public airwaives are used.
  
  An analog signal uses a very wide part of the spectrum. You can only get so many analog signals in a given signal range.
  By mandating Digital you are putting the signals in a much smaller range using much less of the available frequencies thereby enabling many more chanels and other uses out of the same number of frequencies.
  The number one compelling reason to do this is to make available to our emergency responders more frequencies for them to use in emergencies.
  Other benifits include the ability to have many more chanels, much clearer signal, more HD capability... and many more benifits as well.
  
  Bottom line is that this move will benifit ALL of us and not just the few "grandmas" who are afraid of change.

  20.1.2009 20:01 #15

• wardawg

  Hawaii made the digital switch last week. Haven't heard of too much whining so far

  21.1.2009 03:40 #16

• glennbah

  I don't believe any of you realize just how many people live in very rural areas of this country. Many of these folks are extremely poor and that old TV they have is the best lifeline to the rest of the world. Yes, I do have cable and have had like most of you here, but many don't.
  
  I would love to have this transition happen on Feb 17 as scheduled, but this government must follow through with their promise to provide subsistence checks to those who need it. Unfortunately, many greedy people who could easily afford the price of the converter box snapped them up quickly, not leaving enough funding for those who really could use it.
  
  By the way, do you have any idea just how many people are 7% of this country? Just feel fortunate that you have the means and live in an area where you are able to complain about a four month delay.

  21.1.2009 08:05 #17

• imnomyth

  Oh my God! I just got a call from the government on my cell phone about the transition coming in February!! SERIOUSLY??!!! , there's not a better use of my tax dollars, how could anyone who will be affected not know by now????

  22.1.2009 19:41 #18

• ThePastor

  Are you serious? A brand new TV with a digital tuner is only $150. Your`re telling me that a $50 coupon is all thats keeping these people from joining the modern world?
  And what did you think would happen when you started handing out free money?
  These people will still not be up graded no matter how long you put this off.
  

  Unfortunately for them, all Blu-ray protections have been broken and BD rips can be found around the Internet, usually before the retail even hits shelves.

  25.1.2009 04:01 #19

• maxikaz

  i can't wait 4 months, this sucks
  

  
  

  25.1.2009 05:28 #20

• martin280

  Oh no, does that mean another four months of my news station spamming about the upcoming transition change? If somebody hasn't heard about it and changed by now then that is their own problem. I think plenty of warning was given, at least in my area.
  

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  25.1.2009 12:52 #21

• uncledad

  So, How do Canadian people get one of these converter boxes in CANADA ? All the best channels/T.V. shows are in the UNITED STATES.
  
  Also folks, the government stands to make about $19,000,000,000.00
  (thats 19 billion dollars) selling the analog frequencies to different organizations and services accross the U.S. and they are only giving away 1.5 billion dollars in coupons ? 37,500,000 converters so far are available for the coupons. betcha they were made in either JAPAN, CHINA or TAIWAN at a cost of a buck or two each.

  25.1.2009 14:29 #22

• bassdog69

  -Good comment on how much the converters cost and what the Gov. is MAKING on them!
  
  -US Population: 303,824,650/2008 estimate. Even though 7%= 21,267,725 which is a lot of people, 4 more months of this BS is NOT needed. It is the year 2009 for GOD'S SAKE!!! We are still watching the same quality signal they watched in NINETEEN FIFTY!!!! This will force these 21 million who live in the sticks (I live by quite a few of them, but I live on a major highway so I get cable) to get the cable companies to come to THEM. If not, DIRECTV is available ANYWHERE, people!
  
  -Why is the US always so DAMN afraid of CHANGE??? I just don't understand it? We should be the LEADERS and INNOVATORS in EVERY industry! It's no wonder our country is in the toilet. Obama (and I like and voted for him) talks about "Change" and "jobs" and saving the economy and then he wants to POSTPONE the CHANGE for FOUR MONTHS a WEEK into his office???? WTF!?!?!?!?

  25.1.2009 17:59 #23

• Bluto1841

  Originally posted by kygeology: This takes me back to the 70's when the U.S. was going to adopt the metric system. What a bunch of procrastinators. This country, the way it's going will never get out of the dark ages or recession or whatever you would like to call it.You are absolutely correct about going back to the dark ages. The graphics must look pretty bad transmitted by an arc transmitter used by Gugliomo Marconi. Get on with it, darn it. Like you say the rest of the world (almost all) is all metric as happens in nature, but no, we had to use the King's foot and arms length as standards. Dividing by 12 (for the number of months) was also goofy.

  25.1.2009 21:58 #24

• Bluto1841

  Originally posted by kygeology: This takes me back to the 70's when the U.S. was going to adopt the metric system. What a bunch of procrastinators. This country, the way it's going will never get out of the dark ages or recession or whatever you would like to call it.You are absolutely correct about going back to the dark ages. The graphics must look pretty bad transmitted by an arc transmitter used by Gugliomo Marconi. Get on with it, darn it. Like you say the rest of the world (almost all) is all metric as happens in nature, but no, we had to use the King's foot and arms length as standards. Dividing by 12 (for the number of months) was also goofy.

  25.1.2009 22:09 #25

• andypryce

  Here in the UK I have cable TV, but sometimes in the middle of the football the picture freezes and the sound stutters so I switch to terrestial TV so I can watch the match uninterupted. I guess when terrestial TV stops broadcasting and there is a problem with the cable tv I will have to make do with a crap picture on the internet.

  26.1.2009 09:46 #26

• uncledad

  Has anyone ever purchased that download program that turns your p/c into a T.V. capable of receiving up to and over 2000 channels through the internet ? I wonder if it is any good ?

  26.1.2009 10:16 #27

• tyknappy

  Originally posted by uncledad: Has anyone ever purchased that download program that turns your p/c into a T.V. capable of receiving up to and over 2000 channels through the internet ? I wonder if it is any good ?Those programs are usually crap. If your looking at watching tv on the internet your best bet is to stay with the free sites like hulu.com and tv.com and im willing to bet there are some more good free sites out there.

  26.1.2009 10:25 #28

• andypryce

  For the football, I use myp2p.eu/ and they have other TV channels on the site too.
  
  They use software like Sopcast etc.

  26.1.2009 10:47 #29

• bassdog69

  If you want to watch TV on your computer buy a TV TUNER card. It's basically the same as a graphics card and let em tell ya, it ROCKS! I use an ATI TV WONDER 650 COMBO: http://ati.amd.com/products/tvwonder650/pcie/index.html and I absolutely LOVE IT! I subscribe to Beyond TV http://www.snapstream.com/products/beyondtv/ to view my cable and local (some in HD) channels, but there are free programs as well. Get a TV card and you will NOT be disappointed, I guarantee it!

  26.1.2009 14:31 #30