Jump to content
  TPR Home | Parks | Twitter | Facebook | YouTube | Instagram 

Digital TV is coming.


spaceace12

Recommended Posts

I know on Feb. 17th, 2009, all analog signals will go off air. I can tell you that once you have a HDTV (as in a widescreen tv with digital tuner), you won't want to go back to normal tv. I took a antenna out to my Grandparents today and watched the AFC Championship game on HDTV.

 

Now the skinny.

 

If you have Satellite or Cable, you will be okay and not have to get a converter box. If you get your television through a antenna, either indoor or outdoor, you will have to have a converter box by the time the switch happens.

 

A good website to help on this is www.dtvanswers.com, this is a site where you can sign up to get a 40 dollar rebate towards the purchase of a converter box.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 45
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

Top Posters In This Topic

Posted Images

But, come Feb. 17th, 2009, if you still haven't gotten a converter box if you get your signal via antenna, you won't be getting any signal anymore on the analog side. Up till this point everyone has been broadcasting both analog and digital.

 

The date has been pushed back numerous times, it might get pushed back again.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think this date if safe this time. With the wide availablity of HDTV's and the 40 dollar converter box credit the gov't is giving away. I think this one will stay. Also, the gov't is running a psa on stations, atleast my station, and that says to me this one is good to stay put.

 

Even the least rich person can afford a tv that afford a sdtv, which gets a digital signal but displays in 4:3 format. A sdtv at walmart runs 100 dollars.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The only reason you would need to get a converter box would be if you still use rabbit ears. If you have cable or satellite, your existing service will, continue, though your cable service may start scaling back on analog channels so that you would have to get a digital box anyway if you want to continue to get decent channels.

 

The cable company here includes HD service with standard digital cable, so I took advantage of it and hooked up my 22" PC display to watch 720p HD broadcasts (I can't afford to buy a 1080 display at the moment).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My local cable company is offering hd, but I only have a hd ready tv. I watched 1080i at my grandparents today and loved it. And I addressed the needs for a converter box in my first post. I watched cable hdtv at my friends house. Loved Discovery channel hd and a few others I seen, just can't bring myself to pay close to 70 dollars or more for cable.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Correct me if I'm wrong... but its more of "digital is coming" rather than "HDTV is coming"... correct? As in the relation between a square and a rectangle... HDTV is Digital but Digital doesn't necessarily mean HD. Correct? I just think the title is misleading much like the whole situation is. They are making a much bigger deal out of it than it needs to be

Link to comment
Share on other sites

^You are 100% correct, Joe. It's a digital switch over, not to HDTV. This is only something to worry about if you only watch TV over the air. The lack of actual useful information from some parties on this topic is astounding.

 

As always, I recommend visiting the AVS Forum for any TV-related topic, as it's populated by television and video professionals that track these and other important broadcasting news stories: AVS Forum

 

dt

Link to comment
Share on other sites

What I'm really wondering is how long before HDTV is the standard? It will happen, it already is, but I think it still has a ways to go.

 

I personally don't know, but at my station, we already broadcast a true 1080i signal in full strength. The other two stations have a low power transmitter with no hd. As for standard, when the FCC mandates it. That is why the original transition date for this was 2001, but got pushed back to 2004, I think and finally, this date. I figure when we go full digital, we will be broadcasting either the full hdtv signal or a 1080i signal and a sd signal. I honestly don't know what my station is planning on doing.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think this date if safe this time. With the wide availablity of HDTV's and the 40 dollar converter box credit the gov't is giving away. I think this one will stay. Also, the gov't is running a psa on stations, atleast my station, and that says to me this one is good to stay put.

 

Even the least rich person can afford a tv that afford a sdtv, which gets a digital signal but displays in 4:3 format. A sdtv at walmart runs 100 dollars.

 

That is so not true dude, the least rich person couldnt afford a thing, my family cant afford this fancy shmancy dog garn hollibee woobidy flabnabbit junk even if we wanted to.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

People who aren't hooked on TV most of the day and get really good signals still watch analog TV. I couldn't go back to analog but I know a few friends living on their own who could care less because they download what they want from the net or own what they want on DVD.

 

I agree though they are making this seem like more then it is.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

OK, I have to admit I am confused as to what will not work come a year from now (give or take). Right now, I have cable, but not digital cable, will i need to upgrade?

 

Why haven't I already upgraded? I don't have a HDTV, and the extra channels I'd get from teh switch to digital just are not worth the added cost. Granted I'd love BBCamerica, but really that's the only new channel I'd watch.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My area in South England will be switching off the old signal and switching over to Digital signal in 2012.

 

I have "Freeview" and "Sky" digital tv, but not HD TV. I leave HD things to PS3 and 360.

 

I have heard that UK Digital channels can display up to 1080i and not "true" HD 1080P.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Australia was meant to be switching to Digital Free to Air service this year, but they have put it back to 2012 to allow for more homes to be ready. The reason is due to the government wanting about 80% of homes to have a Digital Set Top converter, but will all the LCD and Plasma screens now having a DST converter built in, there should be no need of the STB soon.

 

At least all the pay channels here are already digital signal....should suit the 42" Plasma we are getting soon....I hope.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.

×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

Terms of Use https://themeparkreview.com/forum/topic/116-terms-of-service-please-read/