Analog broadcast TV signals will stop in February 1999

[Drax]

The correct year is of course 2009. And what is the FCCs most intelligible reasoning behind spending mega money for this glorious switchover? A prettier picture. Oh no, our beloved government can't be bothered with spending to improve education and healthcare. No, Americans only need a prettier picture on their TV sets to be happy. And let's just forget about the retired senior citizens and others who probably won't be able to afford set-top converters, let alone cable or satellite TV, or expensive iLo HDTVs from Wal-mart that'll probably flake out within a year, which I bought after my good ol' Magnovox gave up after 20 years of reliable service.

[glatt]

Originally Posted by Drax

And let's just forget about the retired senior citizens and others who probably won't be able to afford set-top converters, let alone cable or satellite TV...

But haven't the feds said they would give out $100 vouchers to everyone who needs one so they can get a box?

[Drax]

Originally Posted by glatt

But haven't the feds said they would give out $100 vouchers to everyone who needs one so they can get a box?

Maybe. I haven't heard/read that.

[glatt]

http://www.ncta.com/ContentView.aspx?contentId=4355

Or, there's a do-it-yourself method available: You can buy a special add-on "converter" that will let your old TV sets pick up and display over-the-air digital signals. These converters will be available from retailers early in 2008, and the federal government wants to help you pay for them. You can apply for up to two vouchers that offer a significant discount off the price of the converters. For more information on the converter coupon program, go to www.DTV.gov, or call, toll-free, 1-888-DTV-2009.

[glatt]

http://www.ntia.doc.gov/dtvcoupon/index.html

Between Jan. 1, 2008, and March 31, 2009, all U.S. households will be eligible to request up to two coupons, worth $40 each, to be used toward the purchase of up to two, digital-to-analog converter boxes, while the initial $990 million allocated for the program is available. If NTIA requests the additional $510 million already authorized by Congress, then coupon requests during this "contingent period" will be limited exclusively to over-the-air households. Details on how to apply for the Coupon Program and our 1-800 number will be established later in 2007.

I can't find an actual application form for these coupons/vouchers, so it looks like even though there is almost a Billion dollars in funding for it, the program isn't off the ground yet.

[skysidhe]

Originally Posted by glatt

But haven't the feds said they would give out $100 vouchers to everyone who needs one so they can get a box?

I had not heard about that! I won't be counting on it.

I know that your cable company should be giving you the converter box for free because they don't want to lose your business? That's what I heard.

So even satellite users will need a converter or just a compatible tv?

[Happy Monkey]

Originally Posted by Drax

The correct year is of course 2009. And what is the FCCs most intelligible reasoning behind spending mega money for this glorious switchover? A prettier picture.

Actually, the prettier picture also uses less spectrum, which will eventually open up a lot more spectrum for other uses.

[Drax]

Originally Posted by Happy Monkey

Actually, the prettier picture also uses less spectrum, which will eventually open up a lot more spectrum for other uses.

How will that improve education and healthcare?

[Happy Monkey]

Originally Posted by Drax

How will that improve education and healthcare?

I didn't say it would; just that it does more than improve the picture.

But now that you ask, I can certainly see emergency and medical services making use of future devices that will use the newly opened spectrum.

[Drax]

Originally Posted by Happy Monkey

But now that you ask, I can certainly see emergency and medical services making use of future devices that will use the newly opened spectrum.

Yeah, that does make sense.

[xoxoxoBruce]

Originally Posted by Happy Monkey

I didn't say it would; just that it does more than improve the picture.

But now that you ask, I can certainly see emergency and medical services making use of future devices that will use the newly opened spectrum.

Is that definite, or just a possibility... if the big guns can't figure out a way to make a buck off that additional bandwidth?