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This is just another ploy for the cable and sattelite companies
to charge you to watch commercial TV.
Got rabbit ears on your television set? You have 347 days to pack them away and say goodbye. On Feb. 17, 2009, all television stations in the United States will officially switch from analog to digital broadcasting. For some, this means changes will need to be made in order to continue watching television.
-- LaTina Emerson, staff writer
WHAT IS DIGITAL TELEVISION?
Digital television enables broadcasters to offer better picture and sound quality. All TV stations air digital programming, but they'll make the full transition in 2009.
WHY THE SWITCH?
To allow the broadcast spectrum to be used for other important services, such as public safety and advanced wireless services.
BUYING A NEW TV?
All televisions made after March 1, 2007, are required to have a digital tuner.
However, retailers may continue selling analog TVs from existing inventory, meaning consumers could purchase a set not prepared for the switch to digital.
The FCC is requiring retailers to post notices letting consumers know whether the TVs they sell will require a digital-to-analog converter box.
For more information, visit www.dtv.gov or call (888) 225-5322.
USING ANTENNA?
If you have an analog television that relies on antennas (including outside antennas and "rabbit ears"), you will need to buy a separate digital-to-analog converter box.
The converter boxes can be purchased at major retail stores for about $50 to $70. You will need one for each television set.
You can request up to two $40 coupons to assist with the purchases through March 31, 2009, by calling (888) 388-2009 or going online to www.dtv2009.gov.
The coupons expire in 90 days.
USING CABLE OR SATELLITE?
About 75 percent of televisions in the Augusta-area market get reception from television or satellite.
Customers who receive digital cable through Comcast, Knology, and Atlantic Broadband (G-Force), the largest cable providers in the market, will not need to make any changes in order to receive digital programming.
Customers who receive analog cable service (without a cable set-top box) may continue to do so at least until 2012.
Customers who receive programming through satellite providers will not have to make any changes.
IS DIGITAL THE SAME AS HDTV?
No. High-definition TV, or HDTV, is only one format of digital TV. It provides the highest resolution and picture quality of all broadcast forms.
Sources: WRDW-TV (Channel 12); Federal Communications Commission; Comcast; Knology; Atlantic Broadband and Satellite Broadcasting and Communications Association.
Comments
This is just another ploy for the cable and sattelite companies
to charge you to watch commercial TV.
Oh no... I am not ready!!!!
This is funny...I can remember having multiple sets of rabbit ears complete with aluminum foil to get a little better reception in at least one of the three channels. Wow things have changed...You know that saying "what is a redneck" well I am living proof of the one saying about what do you call a person who has two or three tv's stacked up -one a console the other two-one with sound and the other with picture....Now that is bad..:-) Oh a tablecloth helped with the looks..hehe
Don't forget the clothes hanger attached to the foil!
yea your right Neone I remember that ...that was one of the ways my parents used to get the Wizard of Oz to come in clear enough for us to watch it once a year. We would have to rent the black and white down at the 7-eleven....Don't miss those days :) funny and comical now that I look back though....
What's going on here? I did not post a response to the rabbit ear situation on Mar.7 I did't think that there could but one display name. So how can my display name be attributed to someone elses post?
I have made several posts recently, but they seem to disappear. What's going on?
amazed, the other person has a capital " A " to start it's user name with.
I remember rabbit ears...but do folks REALLY still have them????
Karma: As an installer of hometheatre and satellite/cable systems(SBCA and FCC certified) , YES people are still using off air antennae quite a bit. This article is the most accurate on this topic I've read in this paper. Good work AC.
For me TV has just about lost all it's appeal. It is basically trash and if the program is decent the commerical will be trash.
As the quality of the picture went up the quality of the content has went down. All of it is bad for mental sharpness per a study done in nursing homes. When someone arrives they can carry on a good conversation but after a few weeks parked in front of a tv they lose a lot of that ability. It also is very addictive.
Purvis: When or if another 9/11 happens I'm sure you'll wait for the following day's newspaper to report on it. The cost of the conversion to digital is fully paid for by the individual TV stations and can easily run into the millions. The program suppliers incur some cost in the form of equipment to record in digital format.
Purvis I agree that most of the stuff is trash but there are some really good programs out there. The news is great along with the history channel and many others. As far as commercials some raise the hair up on the back of the neck they are so bad and some are so sick they are gagging but just mute them out or change the channel that is what I do or just tape the shows without commercials. That works for me.....
Purvis ... that's why they come with a remote.. LMAO
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