Digital Broadcast Television

[Turtle]

So here in the good ol' US of A, the government a while back mandated that all TV broadcast transmissions change from analog to a digital signal. They offered coupons worth $40 to buy ~$50 converter boxes, and I got mine & hooked it up last week. Wow! Extra channels, little descriptions like on cable, sharper image, and of course yet another dang-blanged remote and another bling-blonged plug in the wall.

Any other USA'ans got a handle on this? What about you outlanders? Do you have digital broadcast TV in your country?

They pull the plug on all analog broadcasts here on February 17thy.

February 17, 2009 - Analog Television Broadcasting Gets Turned Off - Are You Ready? - What the Analog TV Broadcast Cut-off Date Means To Consumers

[Moontanman]

Originally Posted by Turtle

So here in the good ol' US of A, the government a while back mandated that all TV broadcast transmissions change from analog to a digital signal. They offered coupons worth $40 to buy ~$50 converter boxes, and I got mine & hooked it up last week. Wow! Extra channels, little descriptions like on cable, sharper image, and of course yet another dang-blanged remote and another bling-blonged plug in the wall.

Any other USA'ans got a handle on this? What about you outlanders? Do you have digital broadcast TV in your country?

They pull the plug on all analog broadcasts here on February 17thy.

February 17, 2009 - Analog Television Broadcasting Gets Turned Off - Are You Ready? - What the Analog TV Broadcast Cut-off Date Means To Consumers

We went to all digital here in South Eastern North Carolina back in the summer, so far it has worked out really well. I am hoping we will start getting some of the channels heretofore confined to cable like the SciFi channel, the Science channel, the History channel, the Military channel, Biography, and others that are really nothing but broadcast TV with commercials that we should not have to pay to receive.

[Cedars]

Originally Posted by Turtle

So here in the good ol' US of A, the government a while back mandated that all TV broadcast transmissions change from analog to a digital signal. They offered coupons worth $40 to buy ~$50 converter boxes, and I got mine & hooked it up last week. Wow! Extra channels, little descriptions like on cable, sharper image, and of course yet another dang-blanged remote and another bling-blonged plug in the wall.

I've got my coupons.

I intend to do this to my analog tv this weekend. Friday is the planned adventure out to purchase the units. Hopefully at least one of the cars will start.

It did not occur to me that I would get the extra channels. I get them now on the hdtv. Now I am kinda excited.

Did you have to change antennas? I had to change antennas for the hdtv and being in a rural location, I was kinda bummed with the loss of signal the affordable (read cheap) antennas gave me, and there is no way I am putting up and outdoor (read lightning rod) that is hooked up to a tv I cant afford to replace.

So I youtubed HDTV antennas on a whim and found a coat hanger antenna.

That piece of home make (ugly) diy, 8 minute video instruction gave me like 15 extra dtv channels I didnt have before and when I hooked up a tinfoil reflector, my analog signals came in better and I got several new analog stations.

anyways, I will update once the converter boxes are in place.

[Jay-qu]

Here in Australia back in ~2000 they said all analogue broadcasts will be turned off by the end of 2008. Im not sure when they re-assessed this, but it looks like we wont be all digital for at least another 3 years.

[Turtle]

Originally Posted by Cedars

I've got my coupons.

I intend to do this to my analog tv this weekend. Friday is the planned adventure out to purchase the units. Hopefully at least one of the cars will start.

It did not occur to me that I would get the extra channels. I get them now on the hdtv. Now I am kinda excited.

Did you have to change antennas?

I did not change antenna; I have rabbit-ears with a UHF loop on top of the set.

I paid only $10 after coupon for a Motorola machine. It came with a jumper cable & batteries for the remote. The book calls the extra channels "sub-channels" & I now have 4 PBS sub-channels! My local Fox outlet however has not made the change is is still on analog only.

I see Obama is trying to forestall the switch:

C21Media:

Obama calls for digital switch delay

US president-elect Barack Obama has asked Congress to consider postponing the switchover to digital television, to give the government time to fix a consumer help programme that ran out of money this week.

The incoming administration is concerned that millions of US viewers will lose access to TV services if the switchover deadline, on February 17, is not moved.
...

I say let it be. There is a veritable barrage of advertising already, and nothing like the screen going blank to get the message out that change is afoot. Really; I think it should go as already scheduled for the 17th. Make a great Valentine gift!