Digital TV deadline extended

[KB9UDE]

Senate passes bill to delay digital TV switch - Yahoo! News

The deadline has been extended to June 12

 

[jinjimbob]

The tv stations can switch anytime before that if they want to though.

 

[capt jack]

Yeh, it's not like we have'nt been told to get ready for 4-5 years, been LOUDLY warned for the last year, had many, many tests run by all the over the airwave stations, and have free or almost free converter boxes stacked up (until recently) like firewood at the stores. All it takes is a few procrastanators to whine to their elected officals, and here comes unlce government to save us from personal responsablity! So they vote to change this "carved in stone"' date. I could care less about the conversion, when or if it occurs, but how do the rest of us who do what needs to be done when it needs to be done ever take our government seriously again? Oh wait.......

Jack

 

[MossRoad]

The tv stations can switch anytime before that if they want to though.

Our local PBS station's analog transmitter burned up early last year. They opted not to repair it and just went only digital from that point on. Most of their viewers were watching them on cable anyway, so they made the decision for economic reasons... it would cost too much to repair it for only 10 more months of service.

 

[ray66v]

From HD love it or hate it thread:

With pretty much all the TV stations currently operating both an analog and a digital transmitter simultaneously, with each transmitter using 5-12 million watts of electricity, that would mean wasting an awful lot of money, and energy, for yet another four months. This extension certainly goes against environmental concerns.

That's around 1700 stations, using an average of 8 extra mega watts, equaling 1360 million watts of power.

An average U.S. household uses about 11,000 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity each year.

One megawatt of energy can generate about 8.77 million kWh annually. Therefore, a megawatt of energy generates about as much electricity as 800 households use.

So, the 1360 megawatts wasted, is enough to power over 1 million homes, for a year.

Surely after another four months, Since years of preparation has not done the trick, there still will be people not ready, then what?

 

[vic4news]

It's not the people that aren't ready, it's the technology. I can't believe how poorly the digital converter boxes work.

I've been watching over the air HDTV for years now, but our spare TV is analog and is connected to a DVR that my wife records a couple of shows on.
There are only two converter boxes that have a timer which is needed if you want to use your DVR or VCR to record shows unattended. Both of them have had problems losing their scheduled events.

Then there is the problem of the ASTC tuners not being able to reliably lock on a station that is more than a few miles away or where mutli-path reception is an issue.

I'm all for HDTV and it is all I watch, but I feel sorry for all the people that still use an antenna to watch free TV and are having the analog signal shut off before there are reliable and cheap VCRs/DVRs and tuners available.

Vic

 

[BungeeII]

I'm sure the biggest reason for the extension was the 2.5 million undistributed coupons and the new requests coming in every day.

 

[MossRoad]

From HD love it or hate it thread:

With pretty much all the TV stations currently operating both an analog and a digital transmitter simultaneously, with each transmitter using 5-12 million watts of electricity, that would mean wasting an awful lot of money, and energy, for yet another four months. This extension certainly goes against environmental concerns.

That's around 1700 stations, using an average of 8 extra mega watts, equaling 1360 million watts of power.

An average U.S. household uses about 11,000 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity each year.

One megawatt of energy can generate about 8.77 million kWh annually. Therefore, a megawatt of energy generates about as much electricity as 800 households use.

So, the 1360 megawatts wasted, is enough to power over 1 million homes, for a year.

Surely after another four months, Since years of preparation has not done the trick, there still will be people not ready, then what?

Could you please explain how one megawatt can generate 8.77 million kwh?

 

[ray66v]

Could you please explain how one megawatt can generate 8.77 million kwh?

I admit, to save time, I did not verify this, before using it in my calculation. looking at it now, your right, it clearly appears to be incorrect.

Here's what I got:

1700 stations, using an average of 8 extra mega watts, equaling 1360 million watts / hr. of power.

1360 MWh x 24 hrs equals 32,640 Mwh, x 120 days, (roughly four months), equals 3,916,800 MWh, x 1,000 to convert to KWh equals 3,916,800,000 KWh, divided by average annual usage of 11,000 KWh, equals 356,072.73 homes for a year?

If this is correct, and since I did the math this time, there's maybe a 50/50 chance, it a far cry from a million, but 350,000 homes is still a lot.

Can anyone verify this answer?

 

[BungeeII]

Here's my short answer.... It doesn't matter.

The cellular companies are stacked up like cord wood waiting to occupy the bandwidth that's being vacated by the broadcasters.

 

[Skyco]

The delay is ridiculous. Anyone with a TV has known for a long time this was coming, if they aren't ready by now then too bad, I say.

There is a lot in the mix besides the viewer. Being in the communications business I can visualize some expensive scenarios because of the delay.

Say a TV station had an agreement to vacate a tower with their analog antenna and transmission line by a certain date...maybe another tenant was already lined up to rent that space. Now he's screwed. Who pays?

Another is many stations had to borrow money to be ready on time, now its extended and they busted their buns for nothing maybe. Who pays?

I think we all know who pays in the end.

 

[frank_f15]

just make the switch!!!! you will see how fast that those not prepared will work it out.

 

[RonMar]

If the stations have the option of switching, money and contractual agreements/obligations will probably drive them that way as planned by mid Feb. I doubt there is any money in it for them to maintain both...

 

[DocHeb]

just make the switch!!!! you will see how fast that those not prepared will work it out.

I agree. If there are people that aren't aware of the switch, an additional few months won't make a difference.

 

[chh]

One bunch of idiots trying to keep anothere bunch from being inconvienced. If you haven't got a coupon yet, just go buy the stinking box and go on.
So far it looks like I will drop down to 3 stations from 7. You don't get stations with fuzz with digital like analog, it is either a good signal or nothing. Hey, I'm inconvienced, where is my goverment bailout?

 

[2manyrocks]

Your check is in the mail along with mine.

The bank examiners and other regulators who were supposed to be watching the banks probably have direct deposit.

 

[JB4310]

I hadn't given 2 seconds of serious thought to this subject before about 2 weeks ago, I have cable in my house and only 1 "rabbit ear" set in my shop which is 150' from the house, the guy who works for me watches that one on slow days and we've been joking for the last year that we'll have to trench a cable line from the house so his viewing doesn't get interrupted, told him to do it on his own time, needless to say it never got done.

So as the date has been ratcheting up, I've been hearing more and learning about the change over and have come to the conclusion that as Vic stated the technology is Not ready, and to have any kind of coverage matching what whats available now with analog, it's going to take much more than a $49. converter box!!!, With all this hoopla we are going to end up backwards, and don't forget it's not just about viewing pleasure for those how ever many million people who will be affected, but it's also about news and information, public safety and emergency notifications.

The more I think about this, especially now learning about the wasted energy involved I'm getting disgusted. What a mess, to go along with the other messes we're dealing with.

As bungeeII alluded to, as well as myself in that other HD thread, the value and the power associated with that freed up bandwidth most be Sobering!!!

JB.

 

[MossRoad]

...... to have any kind of coverage matching what whats available now with analog, it's going to take much more than a $49. converter box!!!.....

Hmm. On analog rabbit ears I get channels
16
22
25
28
46
57
69

On my $49.00 digital converter box(which cost me $9.00 with my govt' coupon) I get channels
16-1
16-2
22-1
22-2
22-3
25
28
34-1
34-2
46
57
69

- I get more channels on the converter box tuner than the analog box tuner.
- 5 of those are in HD, which really looks nice.
- The ones that are not in HD look crystal clear. Perfect picture.

Conclusion: It works great! I got my $9.00 worth and more.

 

[JB4310]

- I get more channels on the converter box tuner than the analog box tuner.
- 5 of those are in HD, which really looks nice.
- The ones that are not in HD look crystal clear. Perfect picture.

Conclusion: It works great! I got my $9.00 worth and more.

Do you still need to use an antenna of any type, I've got a newer style roof top ant on that outbuilding of mine,
I'll have to get a converter and see for myself, my information comes from 2nd party experiences so maybe an over reaction. I live in a suburban area so I assume it would work in my area, there seems to be issues for those living further out in the more rural areas?

I did talk with TV tech last week who runs a shop in my town and he was not very optimistic about the performance, said he's tried the converter and found that it's like others have said, weak signals equal no picture, so makes sense that it may be a problem in the fringe areas.

JB.

 

[Skyco]

At my remote property I get more channels on digital than I do on analog. There I'm using a $70 little convertor that plugs into the laptop USB port, very small not much bigger than some of the memory sticks. It gets analog and digital, has an F connector for a whip or an external antenna. Similar to this one but older- http://www.pinnaclesys.com/PublicSite/us/Products/Consumer+Products/PCTV+Tuners/PCTV+Analog_Digital+PVR/PCTV+HD+Stick.htm
At home I'm satellite so it isn't a concern. I did get a cheapy Magnavox convertor box to play with, seems to work fairly well on rabbit ears on a portable tv.