TV stations going Digital - What about the handheld TV's?

Columbus Underground Messageboard » General Columbus Discussion » Q&A

TV stations going Digital - What about the handheld TV's?

[8 posts] [6 contributors]

Topic Rating:

(Total Ratings: )
Rate this topic:

Started 4 years ago by Lorence
Latest reply from Lorence

Tags:

No tags yet. Add them below.

Lorence
Westgate
Login to Send PM

We're starting to hear about the conversion of all TV stations to digital in 2009. The gevernment is going to be giving out vouchers for converters for TVs that aren't digital. If you're not connected to cable and don't have a digital TV (and are too cheap to go out and buy a new tv since the one you have is only a few years old and works perfectly fine...like me), you'll need a converter to pick up the local stations after the digital conversion.
My question...
I have a small LCD TV. Is this going to become an 8 ounce paper weight after teh conversion? What about my VCR? Is it not going to work any more either?

Posted 4 years ago #
th0m
Beechwold
Login to Send PM

No! They won't. At all. The cable companies may continue to broadcast over their analog coax cables, but who knows how long that will last.
Also, the government is supposed to be subsidizing a digital converter / tuner box... but I haven't seen such a device ANYWHERE 'cept under some heavy googling and then come to find that it was > $100... but I still don't think you can go to radioshack or bestbuy and find one.
http://slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=07/12/22/0657258 ... is a link to some discussion on this by nerdy types. And the nerds are upset. Here's a story about the boxes themselves...
http://slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=08/01/02/0148234
People joke that the price of the box will go up by the amount of the subsidy! heh :roll:

Posted 4 years ago #
scottlitch
Southwest Hilltop, Columbus
Login to Send PM

Lorence wrote We're starting to hear about the conversion of all TV stations to digital in 2009. The gevernment is going to be giving out vouchers for converters for TVs that aren't digital. If you're not connected to cable and don't have a digital TV (and are too cheap to go out and buy a new tv since the one you have is only a few years old and works perfectly fine...like me), you'll need a converter to pick up the local stations after the digital conversion.
My question...
I have a small LCD TV. Is this going to become an 8 ounce paper weight after teh conversion? What about my VCR? Is it not going to work any more either?
All broadcasts are going to go digital. Digital broadcast use less bandwidth than analog, which frees up bandwidth for more programming, hence the push to go digital in '09. This is a good thing. If your LCD doesn't have a digital tuner in it, you'll need a converter box. Your VCR has to receive an analog signal, so the source will have to be analog. You'll have to give me more information on what you use to receive stations to figure out what you need to do. Do you have rabbit ears?

Posted 4 years ago #
Lorence
Westgate
Login to Send PM

Currently, we use good ol' Rabbit Ears - we've resisted the cable but are thinking we might have to go that route. Our old VCR (20+ years!) is, of course not going to work directly, but I'm thinking that if we get a DVR, we could run some stuff that we want to save for longer periods over to it - I know, get with the 21st century and use DVD-R or RW...but I hate having to get rid of good equipment in perfectly good working order...
I think we'll be able to deal with the big equipment. My concern was the little 3" LCD tv that has come in handy for the last 5 years. I don't think it has a digital tuner - how do I find out?
(BTW, I'm in Westgate, too.)

Posted 4 years ago #
Mercurius
First Avenue
Login to Send PM

I use the ole rabbit ears also and think I'm just going to throw away the T.V. Most of what I watch is online anyways.

Posted 4 years ago #
mh338498
Discovery District
Login to Send PM

th0m wrote
Also, the government is supposed to be subsidizing a digital converter / tuner box... but I haven't seen such a device ANYWHERE 'cept under some heavy googling and then come to find that it was > $100... but I still don't think you can go to radioshack or bestbuy and find one.
A few things:
FCC told the cable companies they must still support analog tv's until 2012:
http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20070912-fcc-to-cable-you-must-support-analog-tvs-until-2012.html
LG electronics is supposed to have the first low-cost box set and they're debuting sometime early this year:
http://www.engadget.com/2007/10/08/lg-touts-first-converter-box-approved-for-2008-digital-changeove/
The official government site where you can apply to get the coupon is here:
https://www.dtv2009.gov/AboutProgram.aspx
They say you can apply for the coupons between Jan. 1, 2008 and March 31, 2009, while supplies last and are only eligible for the following converters:
* AMTC AT-2016
* AccessHD DTA1010U
* AccessHD DTA1010D
* Apex DT1002
* Apex DT1001
* Artec T3A
* CASTi CAX-01
* COSHIP N9900T
* DigitalSTREAM DTX9900
* DigitalSTREAM D2A1D20
* DigitalSTREAM D2A1D10
* ECHOSTAR TR-40
* GE 22730
* GE 22729
* Goodmind DTA1000
* Insignia NS-DXA1
* Lasonic LTR-260
* Lasonic LTA-260
* Magnavox TB100MW9
* MaxMedia MMDTVB03
* MicroGEM MG2000
* Mustek MAT-K50
* Philco TB150HH9
* Philco TB100HH9
* RCA DTA 800A
* RCA DTA 800B
* Sansonic FT300A
* Sansonic FT300RT
* Tivax STB-T9
* VENTURER STB7766G
* ZINWELL ZAT-856
* Zenith DTT900

Posted 4 years ago #
turbo ninja
Crumb Bus, Oh.
Login to Send PM

NBC 4 has a pretty comprehensive guide to the transition, including links to the government's own FAQ page and to the coupon details.
I'd say your LCD tv is going to be a relic in a few years. You might be able to find a hack somewhere online that would turn it into something useful. You'll be able to use your VCR to watch tapes you already have but you won't be able to tape the new digital signal as-is.

Posted 4 years ago #
Lorence
Westgate
Login to Send PM

turbo ninja wrote NBC 4 has a pretty comprehensive guide to the transition, including links to the government's own FAQ page and to the coupon details.
I'd say your LCD tv is going to be a relic in a few years. You might be able to find a hack somewhere online that would turn it into something useful. You'll be able to use your VCR to watch tapes you already have but you won't be able to tape the new digital signal as-is.
Thanks, that's pretty much what I figured. It still sucks, though. I really lke that little LCD. :cry:

Posted 4 years ago #