Welcome to 2009. The year we lose our TV signals. What a way to
start the year, knowing in another month and a half, we will lose our
tv reception, unless we subscribe to costly cable or satellite tv. Oh
yea, they tell us we can get convertors and even give us coupons worth
$40 for the $50 and up boxes that DO NOT work in rural areas, because
the digital signals are under-powered for those in fringe areas. Yea,
i know this first hand. I got my coupon, bought a $60 box for $20 and
the coupon, and while I used to get 7 channels (occasionally two
more), with the converter box, I get PBS. That's it. I can watch Mr.
Rogers, Sesame Street, Teletubbies, and all the cruddy english garbage
they show, but no local news, no weather reports, no Soaps (that psrt
is OK, I hate soaps)...... I'll just miss the local news and weather
reports, and once and awhile South Park..... Either way, even despite
most of the crappy tv programs, like American Idol, all the Crime
shows, Survivor, and the Springer Show, I will still miss the tv. On
the plus side I will no longer have to climb on the roof to fix my
antenna after a windstorm.....

Of course there is one good thing about 2009, we'll lose BUSH !!!!
A much welcomed loss.......


It looks like 2009 may end up being NEUTRAL. We lose an asshole
president and out tv signals.

Happy New Year

Robert

"Robert" wrote in message
...
Welcome to 2009. The year we lose our TV signals. What a way to
start the year, knowing in another month and a half, we will lose our
tv reception, unless we subscribe to costly cable or satellite tv. Oh
yea, they tell us we can get convertors and even give us coupons worth
$40 for the $50 and up boxes that DO NOT work in rural areas, because
the digital signals are under-powered for those in fringe areas.

Progress. At some point in technological life we have to move on and some
are going to be left behind. You can't buy leaded gas any more either. You
don't have to subscribe to cable, but you do need a digital TV. I don't
know how well that will work in your area compared to a box.

I have to wonder how many people will wake up and not have any TV at all and
not have a clue as to why. They've been talking about it every hour for
months but some will still say "no one told me"

On Thu, 01 Jan 2009 23:46:11 -0600, Robert wrote:

Welcome to 2009. The year we lose our TV signals. What a way to start
the year, knowing in another month and a half, we will lose our tv
reception, unless we subscribe to costly cable or satellite tv. ...

What cable TV? (Nor is the southern horizon accessible from my house.)
But, except for those who don't have winter, we aren't going to know
for sure how this will play out until the trees have leafed out this
spring.

The one possibility is that "white space" (TV Band) devices will work out
and be reasonably priced. That way we would be able to download at least
some TV programs. I'm not holding my breath.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_Spaces_Coalition

"Robert" wrote in message
...
Welcome to 2009. The year we lose our TV signals. What a way to
start the year, knowing in another month and a half, we will lose our
tv reception, unless we subscribe to costly cable or satellite tv. Oh
yea, they tell us we can get convertors and even give us coupons worth
$40 for the $50 and up boxes that DO NOT work in rural areas, because
the digital signals are under-powered for those in fringe areas. Yea,
i know this first hand. I got my coupon, bought a $60 box for $20 and
the coupon, and while I used to get 7 channels (occasionally two
more), with the converter box, I get PBS. That's it. I can watch Mr.
Rogers, Sesame Street, Teletubbies, and all the cruddy english garbage
they show, but no local news, no weather reports, no Soaps (that psrt
is OK, I hate soaps)...... I'll just miss the local news and weather
reports, and once and awhile South Park..... Either way, even despite
most of the crappy tv programs, like American Idol, all the Crime
shows, Survivor, and the Springer Show, I will still miss the tv. On
the plus side I will no longer have to climb on the roof to fix my
antenna after a windstorm.....

Of course there is one good thing about 2009, we'll lose BUSH !!!!
A much welcomed loss.......


It looks like 2009 may end up being NEUTRAL. We lose an asshole
president and out tv signals.

Happy New Year

Robert

I suspect the only people who really should be ****ed are the ones who
already had a good quality, high mounted antenna and are having trouble
getting the signal. This should be very rare. Second are the people who will
have to upgrade their antenna, get a higher mast and upgraded feed line.
This can be costly if professionally installed.

"Robert"


Of course there is one good thing about 2009, we'll lose BUSH !!!!
A much welcomed loss.......


Really? Are you sure we'll lose him? I would imagine that we'll see and hear
about him every single day for many years to come.

Cheri

"Ed Pawlowski" wrote in message
...

I have to wonder how many people will wake up and not have any TV at all
and not have a clue as to why. They've been talking about it every hour
for months but some will still say "no one told me"

Of course they will. It's inevitable. :-)

Cheri

On Jan 2, 8:30*am, "Cheri" wrote:
"Robert"

Of course there is one good thing about 2009, we'll lose BUSH !!!!
A much welcomed loss.......

Really? Are you sure we'll lose him? I would imagine that we'll see and hear
about him every single day for many years to come.

Cheri

Posts like this would have more credibility and make a better point if
they told us where they live, what city's stations they are trying to
receive in digital, what kind of antenna, where's it's mounted, what
kind of converter box, etc. That way, we could learn and possibly
make usefull suggestions on what they could do and they may find other
folks here with similar situations that have solved it. The fact
that they don't suggests they are more interested in whining than
solving.

No question there are a small minority that are going to be negatively
impacted. It's just like the govt putting a new highway near your
home. You get the noise, pollution, etc that comes with that too.
On the flip side, there are many people that have reported here that
they now have perfect reception with DTV, while with NTSC they had a
marginal pic on some stations.

"Robert" wrote in message
...
Welcome to 2009. The year we lose our TV signals. What a way to
start the year, knowing in another month and a half, we will lose our
tv reception, unless we subscribe to costly cable or satellite tv. Oh
yea, they tell us we can get convertors and even give us coupons worth
$40 for the $50 and up boxes that DO NOT work in rural areas, because
the digital signals are under-powered for those in fringe areas. Yea,
i know this first hand. I got my coupon, bought a $60 box for $20 and
the coupon, and while I used to get 7 channels (occasionally two
more), with the converter box, I get PBS. That's it. I can watch Mr.
Rogers, Sesame Street, Teletubbies, and all the cruddy english garbage
they show, but no local news, no weather reports, no Soaps (that psrt
is OK, I hate soaps)...... I'll just miss the local news and weather
reports, and once and awhile South Park..... Either way, even despite
most of the crappy tv programs, like American Idol, all the Crime
shows, Survivor, and the Springer Show, I will still miss the tv. On
the plus side I will no longer have to climb on the roof to fix my
antenna after a windstorm.....

Of course there is one good thing about 2009, we'll lose BUSH !!!!
A much welcomed loss.......


It looks like 2009 may end up being NEUTRAL. We lose an asshole
president and out tv signals.

Happy New Year

Robert


What I world like for 2009 is to get rid of all the little whiners, which
would probably account for half the population.

Change is inevitable, get over it.

JohnR66 wrote:
"Robert" wrote in message
...
Welcome to 2009. The year we lose our TV signals. What a way to
start the year, knowing in another month and a half, we will lose our
tv reception, unless we subscribe to costly cable or satellite tv. Oh
yea, they tell us we can get convertors and even give us coupons worth
$40 for the $50 and up boxes that DO NOT work in rural areas, because
the digital signals are under-powered for those in fringe areas. Yea,
i know this first hand. I got my coupon, bought a $60 box for $20 and
the coupon, and while I used to get 7 channels (occasionally two
more), with the converter box, I get PBS. That's it. I can watch Mr.
Rogers, Sesame Street, Teletubbies, and all the cruddy english garbage
they show, but no local news, no weather reports, no Soaps (that psrt
is OK, I hate soaps)...... I'll just miss the local news and weather
reports, and once and awhile South Park..... Either way, even despite
most of the crappy tv programs, like American Idol, all the Crime
shows, Survivor, and the Springer Show, I will still miss the tv. On
the plus side I will no longer have to climb on the roof to fix my
antenna after a windstorm.....

Of course there is one good thing about 2009, we'll lose BUSH !!!!
A much welcomed loss.......


It looks like 2009 may end up being NEUTRAL. We lose an asshole
president and out tv signals.

Happy New Year

Robert

I suspect the only people who really should be ****ed are the ones who
already had a good quality, high mounted antenna and are having trouble
getting the signal. This should be very rare. Second are the people who will
have to upgrade their antenna, get a higher mast and upgraded feed line.
This can be costly if professionally installed.


My house resembles that second remark. :^(

I have satt, so it isn't urgent. But my satt local package doesn't carry
ALL the locals, and doesn't carry the secondary channels they are adding
with digital. Plus, knowing Murphy was an optimist, I always try to have
a backup for everything. Don't really wanna spring for a rotator, which
I would need to get all the signals in this fringe area, so trying to
devise a spot to put the mast where I can just reach out the window,
loosen a thumbscrew, and rotate the mast by hand, for the very
occasional times I need to point the other direction.

--
aem sends...

On Jan 1, 11:46*pm, Robert wrote:
Welcome to 2009. *The year we lose our TV signals. *What a way to
start the year, knowing in another month and a half, we will lose our
tv reception, unless we subscribe to costly cable or satellite tv. *Oh
yea, they tell us we can get convertors and even give us coupons worth
$40 for the $50 and up boxes that DO NOT work in rural areas, because
the digital signals are under-powered for those in fringe areas. *Yea,
i know this first hand. *I got my coupon, bought a $60 box for $20 and
the coupon, and while I used to get 7 channels (occasionally two
more), with the converter box, I get PBS. *That's it. I can watch Mr.
Rogers, Sesame Street, Teletubbies, and all the cruddy english garbage
they show, but no local news, no weather reports, no Soaps (that psrt
is OK, I hate soaps)...... *I'll just miss the local news and weather
reports, and once and awhile South Park..... *Either way, even despite
most of the crappy tv programs, like American Idol, all the Crime
shows, Survivor, and the Springer Show, I will still miss the tv. *On
the plus side I will no longer have to climb on the roof to fix my
antenna after a windstorm.....

Of course there is one good thing about 2009, we'll lose BUSH !!!!
A much welcomed loss.......

It looks like 2009 may end up being NEUTRAL. *We lose an asshole
president and out tv signals.

Happy New Year

Robert

So you didnt check ratings on boxes before you went to your local
store and got one, kinda dumb, you reviewed your computer, tv, car and
wife. It just so happens NO boxes sold at local stores have good
ratings, ratings are done by many like Cnet, Consumer Reports and are
easy to joogle. Yes reception varies greatly, Quality of picture, ease
of use, so go read ratings, buy another box, and enjoy.

JohnR66 wrote:

I suspect the only people who really should be ****ed are the ones who
already had a good quality, high mounted antenna and are having trouble
getting the signal. This should be very rare. Second are the people who will
have to upgrade their antenna, get a higher mast and upgraded feed line.
This can be costly if professionally installed.

Andy writes

I think you are incorrect....

In my area, stations have been broadcasting digital signals together
with the old analog signals for over a year.,

I have one of the free $40 digital converter boxes, so I can watch
either the
old analog signal or the new digital signal, as I choose....

The digital signals have a better picture quality, although I am
using
only an old standard definition color set.

Each analog channel, in addition to the analog signal has an
additional
three digital channels,.... so I get three times the number of
channels without
any detrimental effect.....

For instance, the old channel 12 analog is now 12.1 , 12.2 and
12.3 and
separate programs are transmitted on each.

When the analog signals are ended, each channel
will be able to broadcast FIVE digital standard definition channels,
or 2 or 3
high definition channels (I forget which). The choice of programming
is , of course, up to the station, but in all cases it will be the
same or
better, or more numerous....... a business decision.

So, with NO loss of quality, and with no change in the antenna,
after
February 17th , using my $40 decoder box (which the government
paid for and I got it for free, as can anyone) I will have more
channels,
a better picture, and additional features, since the decoder boxes
have
"guide", "signal strength" and a bunch of other built-in features
that the
old analog system doesn't have...

The only requirement is that I plug in a cheap , free, converter
box OR
buy a new TV......

Don't worry about antennae ---- if you get a decent signal now, you
will get
a better signal in the future, since the digital processing is more
efficient
than the analog.

If you get a really bad signal now, you will still get a really bad
signal, which
might not be able to be processed........ But the customer really
needed a
fix for that anyway, and maybe a higher, or larger, or rotatable
antenna
will help....Maybe not.... but there won't be any change in their
need.....

NONE of my above discussion applies to cable, or satellite
signals.
They do not change at all....

By the way, this stuff has been advertised and talked about for
the last
three years. Someone would have to be in a coma not to know about
it.
I got my first FREE digital TV converter box about a year or so
ago....
THAT has been advertised for a year and a half, and they started
accepting
applications for the free coupon in january 2008.

If one googles " D T V converter box " they can learn all about
it.


Andy in Eureka, Texas

PS I now have several converter boxes, which I have compared, and I
like the RCA one very much. I do not like the Magnavox one
very
much.....

SBH wrote:
"Robert" wrote in message
...
Welcome to 2009. The year we lose our TV signals. What a way to
start the year, knowing in another month and a half, we will lose our
tv reception, unless we subscribe to costly cable or satellite tv. Oh
yea, they tell us we can get convertors and even give us coupons worth
$40 for the $50 and up boxes that DO NOT work in rural areas, because
the digital signals are under-powered for those in fringe areas. Yea,
i know this first hand. I got my coupon, bought a $60 box for $20 and
the coupon, and while I used to get 7 channels (occasionally two
more), with the converter box, I get PBS. That's it. I can watch Mr.
Rogers, Sesame Street, Teletubbies, and all the cruddy english garbage
they show, but no local news, no weather reports, no Soaps (that psrt
is OK, I hate soaps)...... I'll just miss the local news and weather
reports, and once and awhile South Park..... Either way, even despite
most of the crappy tv programs, like American Idol, all the Crime
shows, Survivor, and the Springer Show, I will still miss the tv. On
the plus side I will no longer have to climb on the roof to fix my
antenna after a windstorm.....

Of course there is one good thing about 2009, we'll lose BUSH !!!!
A much welcomed loss.......


It looks like 2009 may end up being NEUTRAL. We lose an asshole
president and out tv signals.

Happy New Year

Robert


What I world like for 2009 is to get rid of all the little whiners, which
would probably account for half the population.

Change is inevitable, get over it.


Yes, change is inevitable. Improvement, however, is not. Entropy always
wins, etc.

--
aem sends...

Ed Pawlowski wrote:
"Robert" wrote in message
...
Welcome to 2009. The year we lose our TV signals. What a way to
start the year, knowing in another month and a half, we will lose our
tv reception, unless we subscribe to costly cable or satellite tv. Oh
yea, they tell us we can get convertors and even give us coupons
worth $40 for the $50 and up boxes that DO NOT work in rural areas,
because the digital signals are under-powered for those in fringe
areas.

Progress.

Progress? The reason for the change from analog to digital is money,
nothing more. It allows removal of some VHF and UHF from TV use thereby
enabling those friendly, caring folks in Washington to peddle the freed up
frequencies. The feds get billions...and the manufacturers get to sell new,
"improved" TV sets. Wide screen ones at that (another useless
"innovation").

--

dadiOH
____________________________

dadiOH's dandies v3.06...
....a help file of info about MP3s, recording from
LP/cassette and tips & tricks on this and that.
Get it at http://mysite.verizon.net/xico

Welcome to 2009. The year we lose our TV signals. What a way to
start the year, knowing in another month and a half, we will lose our
tv reception,

Good riddance to it.

On Fri, 2 Jan 2009 06:17:29 -0800, "SteveB" toquerville@zionvistas
wrote Re The year we lose our TV signals:

What's the big ****ing deal? Get a dish. Move. Get cable. Throw away
that piece of **** antiquated television and get another one. Learn to
read. Buy a DVD player. Quit watching so much tube and do something else.

As to Bush, at least give this purple lipped big eared cocksucking
non-citizen of the US liberal a year to give away even more of your money
than Bush could ever do, and then comment. Bush at least kept the oil
flowing with all that money. Big Ears is going to give it to every lazy
mother****er who goes down and fills out the paperwork, although a $80,000
per year plus benefits government worker will have to fill them out because
lazy mother****er can't read or write. That is, the money that's left over
after him and his cronies take their vig, and IF there's any left.

Well put.

Robert wrote in
:

Welcome to 2009. The year we lose our TV signals. What a way
to start the year, knowing in another month and a half, we will
lose our tv reception, unless we subscribe to costly cable or
satellite tv.

you do realize that you can not only live without television, but you
might even get more things accomplished. you could use the time you
waste watching tv to learn something new or work on hobbies.
i get my local weather & news online. i haven't watched tv in well
over 20 years. there's really nothing worth watching (although i do
have satellite for Discovery channel etc for other members of the
family). i also have a book addiction...

Of course there is one good thing about 2009, we'll lose BUSH
!!!! A much welcomed loss.......

do you think he'll have a library? if so, what books would it
contain?
lee

On Thu, 01 Jan 2009 23:46:11 -0600, Robert
wrote:

.. Yea,
i know this first hand. I got my coupon, bought a $60 box for $20 and
the coupon, and while I used to get 7 channels (occasionally two
more), with the converter box, I get PBS. That's it.
.....

Robert

Check around with your neighbors and local electronics stores.
Find out what kind an antenna you need. You may end up with 10 good
channels if you look to fix the problem rather then just complain
about it.

"Robert" wrote in message
...
Welcome to 2009. The year we lose our TV signals. What a way to
start the year, knowing in another month and a half, we will lose our
tv reception, unless we subscribe to costly cable or satellite tv. Oh
yea, they tell us we can get convertors and even give us coupons worth
$40 for the $50 and up boxes that DO NOT work in rural areas, because
the digital signals are under-powered for those in fringe areas. Yea,
i know this first hand. I got my coupon, bought a $60 box for $20 and
the coupon, and while I used to get 7 channels (occasionally two
more), with the converter box, I get PBS. That's it. I can watch Mr.
Rogers, Sesame Street, Teletubbies, and all the cruddy english garbage
they show, but no local news, no weather reports, no Soaps (that psrt
is OK, I hate soaps)...... I'll just miss the local news and weather
reports, and once and awhile South Park..... Either way, even despite
most of the crappy tv programs, like American Idol, all the Crime
shows, Survivor, and the Springer Show, I will still miss the tv. On
the plus side I will no longer have to climb on the roof to fix my
antenna after a windstorm.....

Of course there is one good thing about 2009, we'll lose BUSH !!!!
A much welcomed loss.......


It looks like 2009 may end up being NEUTRAL. We lose an asshole
president and out tv signals.

Happy New Year

Robert

What's the big ****ing deal? Get a dish. Move. Get cable. Throw away
that piece of **** antiquated television and get another one. Learn to
read. Buy a DVD player. Quit watching so much tube and do something else.

As to Bush, at least give this purple lipped big eared cocksucking
non-citizen of the US liberal a year to give away even more of your money
than Bush could ever do, and then comment. Bush at least kept the oil
flowing with all that money. Big Ears is going to give it to every lazy
mother****er who goes down and fills out the paperwork, although a $80,000
per year plus benefits government worker will have to fill them out because
lazy mother****er can't read or write. That is, the money that's left over
after him and his cronies take their vig, and IF there's any left.

WHERE'S MAH CHECK! or DONDE ESTA MI CHEQUE?

It's coming. Bend over.

Steve

I agree. And since when is dish costly? Hell, just eat out one less time
each month. Done.


s


"SBH" wrote in message
...



What I world like for 2009 is to get rid of all the little whiners, which
would probably account for half the population.

Change is inevitable, get over it.

dadiOH wrote:

Progress? [...]The feds get billions...and the manufacturers get to sell new,
"improved" TV sets. Wide screen ones at that (another useless
"innovation").

yeah, those original round screens are the way to go - who needs
"innovation"?

On Thu, 01 Jan 2009 23:46:11 -0600, Robert wrote:
Welcome to 2009. The year we lose our TV signals. What a way to
start the year, knowing in another month and a half, we will lose our
tv reception, unless we subscribe to costly cable or satellite tv. Oh
yea, they tell us we can get convertors and even give us coupons worth
$40 for the $50 and up boxes that DO NOT work in rural areas, because
the digital signals are under-powered for those in fringe areas. Yea,
i know this first hand. I got my coupon, bought a $60 box for $20 and
the coupon, and while I used to get 7 channels (occasionally two
more), with the converter box, I get PBS. That's it. I can watch Mr.
Rogers, Sesame Street, Teletubbies, and all the cruddy english garbage
they show, but no local news, no weather reports, no Soaps (that psrt
is OK, I hate soaps)...... I'll just miss the local news and weather
reports, and once and awhile South Park..... Either way, even despite
most of the crappy tv programs, like American Idol, all the Crime
shows, Survivor, and the Springer Show, I will still miss the tv. On
the plus side I will no longer have to climb on the roof to fix my
antenna after a windstorm.....

Get a dish, you idiot.

On Fri, 02 Jan 2009 07:50:31 -0500, Ed Pawlowski wrote:


"Robert" wrote in message
...
Welcome to 2009. The year we lose our TV signals. What a way to start
the year, knowing in another month and a half, we will lose our tv
reception, unless we subscribe to costly cable or satellite tv. Oh yea,
they tell us we can get convertors and even give us coupons worth $40
for the $50 and up boxes that DO NOT work in rural areas, because the
digital signals are under-powered for those in fringe areas.

Progress. At some point in technological life we have to move on and some
are going to be left behind. You can't buy leaded gas any more either.
You don't have to subscribe to cable, but you do need a digital TV. I
don't know how well that will work in your area compared to a box.

Buying a digital TV should make no difference with the reception part of
it. A 42" flat screen won't get any more stations, although retailers
would like us to believe that they do.

I have to wonder how many people will wake up and not have any TV at all
and not have a clue as to why. They've been talking about it every hour
for months but some will still say "no one told me"

Already, it may be too late to get a coupon in time. Rather than being
open ended, the funding is for a specific dollar amount. When all the
money is out there in the form of redeemable coupons, new applicants have
to wait for coupons to expire, unredeemed.

Robert wrote:


Drivel snipped

Quit your whining until a few months *after* the transition when most
stations will be transmitting their digital signals on their final
channel assignments and at their final power levels. Many are currently
transmitting digital on temporary channels, at low power from temporary
transmitters, from temporary antennas and in some cases from alternate
tower sites.

"enigma" wrote

Of course there is one good thing about 2009, we'll lose BUSH
!!!! A much welcomed loss.......

do you think he'll have a library? if so, what books would it
contain?
lee

I hope it's better than Bill's. His was way overpriced, and the relevant
books could be contained in a bathroom stall and still be in proper memory,
proper tribute, and in the proper place for the man.

At least Bush's books will have words in them.

Steve

"dadiOH" wrote in message

Progress? The reason for the change from analog to digital is money,
nothing more. It allows removal of some VHF and UHF from TV use thereby
enabling those friendly, caring folks in Washington to peddle the freed up
frequencies. The feds get billions...and the manufacturers get to sell
new, "improved" TV sets. Wide screen ones at that (another useless
"innovation").


You can even get color on the TV now. How's the old Zenith working out for
you? Can you still get tubes?

On Jan 2, 10:06�am, "Pete C." wrote:
Robert wrote:

Drivel snipped

Quit your whining until a few months *after* the transition when most
stations will be transmitting their digital signals on their final
channel assignments and at their final power levels. Many are currently
transmitting digital on temporary channels, at low power from temporary
transmitters, from temporary antennas and in some cases from alternate
tower sites.

Well lets see

if you had perfect analog reception you will probably get good digital
reception

if you got ghosty, noisey or marginal analog reception you will likely
not get usable digital reception as reported by lots of friends and
internet postings

Most stations are on their final channel assignment, and final power
level. nearly all stations moved from VHF to UHF slots. VHF propagates
much better than UHF and UHF channels were traditionally muich higher
power than VHF. Trouble is the new digital UHF channels are lower
power than the VHF ones they replaced, done to cram more stations in a
smaller space.

The new digital channels arent going to expand number of channels for
free. They can have one flawless high def channel or up to 5 mixed
definition channels. perhaps 2 low def and one better def advertised
as high def. but not true high def.

performance of converter boxes isnt necessarily worse than a brand new
digital tv, but isnt necessarily better either.

where airplane flutter left a ghost on a analog channel on digital it
mght be a bunch of blocks, or a blank screen at intermittent times.

down in the carolinas they turned off analog early and found
viewership declined 20%. these people couldnt get service for one
reason nor another.

cable isnt everywhere and there are definetely places that cant get
satellite service, because of trees or other obstructions.

sadly people who have cable, or satellite dont appear very sympathetic
for those who are losing tv.

local stations have big plans for digital once the conversion is
complete

they are planning of getting together as a group, and offering pay
programming with the second generation of digital conversion boxes.

All thery must offer FREE is a single regular definition
channel.............

So they have perhaps 4 spare channels per station.

In a area with say 10 stations they could offer a pay cable like
service of 40 channels for profit.by subscription.

theres no requirement they offer high definition at all!

if your unhappy with any of this call your federal representives,
congress and senate since they are the ones who passed this #@!$%^%
idea.

I have satellite but sent for my coupons, if a satellite outage occurs
I still want to be able to watrch TV

wrote in message
...

cable isnt everywhere and there are definetely places that cant get
satellite service, because of trees or other obstructions.



Trees can be trimmed. it takes a very narrow path to get the dish to work.
If it's something other than a tree, then mount the dish on it.

Robert wrote:
Welcome to 2009. The year we lose our TV signals. What a way to
start the year, knowing in another month and a half, we will lose our
tv reception, unless we subscribe to costly cable or satellite tv. Oh
yea, they tell us we can get convertors and even give us coupons worth
$40 for the $50 and up boxes that DO NOT work in rural areas, because
the digital signals are under-powered for those in fringe areas. Yea,
i know this first hand. I got my coupon, bought a $60 box for $20 and
the coupon, and while I used to get 7 channels (occasionally two
more), with the converter box, I get PBS. That's it. I can watch Mr.
Rogers, Sesame Street, Teletubbies, and all the cruddy english garbage
they show, but no local news, no weather reports, no Soaps (that psrt
is OK, I hate soaps)...... I'll just miss the local news and weather
reports, and once and awhile South Park..... Either way, even despite
most of the crappy tv programs, like American Idol, all the Crime
shows, Survivor, and the Springer Show, I will still miss the tv. On
the plus side I will no longer have to climb on the roof to fix my
antenna after a windstorm.....

Of course there is one good thing about 2009, we'll lose BUSH !!!!
A much welcomed loss.......


Some are of the opinion that watching network TV (plus PBS) and respect for
the accomplishments of George Bush are inversely related.

On Jan 1, 11:46*pm, Robert wrote:
Welcome to 2009. *The year we lose our TV signals. *What a way to
start the year, knowing in another month and a half, we will lose our
tv reception, unless we subscribe to costly cable or satellite tv. *Oh
yea, they tell us we can get convertors and even give us coupons worth
$40 for the $50 and up boxes that DO NOT work in rural areas, because
the digital signals are under-powered for those in fringe areas. *Yea,
i know this first hand. *I got my coupon, bought a $60 box for $20 and
the coupon, and while I used to get 7 channels (occasionally two
more), with the converter box, I get PBS. *That's it. I can watch Mr.
Rogers, Sesame Street, Teletubbies, and all the cruddy english garbage
they show, but no local news, no weather reports, no Soaps (that psrt
is OK, I hate soaps)...... *I'll just miss the local news and weather
reports, and once and awhile South Park..... *Either way, even despite
most of the crappy tv programs, like American Idol, all the Crime
shows, Survivor, and the Springer Show, I will still miss the tv. *On
the plus side I will no longer have to climb on the roof to fix my
antenna after a windstorm.....

Of course there is one good thing about 2009, we'll lose BUSH !!!!
A much welcomed loss.......

It looks like 2009 may end up being NEUTRAL. *We lose an asshole
president and out tv signals.

Happy New Year

Robert

All you whiners wanted change and now you have it so shut the hell up.

"Robert" wrote in message
Of course there is one good thing about 2009, we'll lose BUSH !!!!
A much welcomed loss.......

The little woman already lost that a long time ago. :-)

enigma wrote:
Robert wrote in
:

Welcome to 2009. The year we lose our TV signals. What a way
to start the year, knowing in another month and a half, we will
lose our tv reception, unless we subscribe to costly cable or
satellite tv.

you do realize that you can not only live without television, but you
might even get more things accomplished. you could use the time you
waste watching tv to learn something new or work on hobbies.
i get my local weather & news online. i haven't watched tv in well
over 20 years. there's really nothing worth watching (although i do
have satellite for Discovery channel etc for other members of the
family). i also have a book addiction...

Of course there is one good thing about 2009, we'll lose BUSH
!!!! A much welcomed loss.......

do you think he'll have a library? if so, what books would it
contain?

He who? Bush?

According to the White House, Bush has read about 40+ books in 2008 (186 in
the last three years), in addition to daily Bible passages. Some of which
we

American Prometheus by Kai Bird and Martin Sherwin (a biography of Robert
Oppenheimer)
Day of Battle, by Rick Atkinson
The Coldest Winter, by David Halberstam
Gettysburg, by Steven Sears
Lincoln: A Life of Purpose and Power, by Richard Carwardine
Lincoln's Greatest Speech: The Second Inaugural, by Ronald C. White Jr.
Mao: The Unknown Story, by Jung Chang and Jon Halliday
My Pet Goat, by Siegfried Engelmann (re-read)
Nine Parts of Desi The Hidden World of Islamic Women, by Geraldine Brooks
Personal Memoirs, by Ulysses Grant
Polio: An American Story, by David Oshinsky
Prisoner Without a Name..., by Jacobo Timerman
The Big Bam: The Life and Times of Babe Ruth, by Leigh Montville
The Great Influenza: The Epic Story of the Deadliest Plague in History, by
John M. Barry
Salt: A World History, by Mark Kurlansky
Spanish Civil War, by Hugh Thomas
The Stranger, by Albert Camus

wrote in message


performance of converter boxes isnt necessarily worse than a brand new
digital tv, but isnt necessarily better either.


sadly people who have cable, or satellite dont appear very sympathetic
for those who are losing tv.

Why is that sad? If I have sympathy for you will you get better reception?
I have cable because I can't get decent reception with an antenna here. Nor
does broadcast TV have most of the stations I like to watch. TV's have been
made digital capable for a couple of years now so some will not need a
converter. As of March 1, 2007, all television receivers shipped in
interstate commerce or imported into the United States must contain a
digital tuner.

This may be of passing interest. Ware are not the first to change
http://www.answers.com/topic/digital-television
The first country to make a wholesale switch to Digital Over-the-Air
(terrestrial) broadcasting was the Netherlands, in 2006. This was followed
by Finland in 2007. [1] After February 17, 2009, full-power television
stations in the USA will broadcast in digital only. In Canada, this is
scheduled to happen Aug. 31, 2011. China is scheduled to switch in 2015.



In a area with say 10 stations they could offer a pay cable like
service of 40 channels for profit.by subscription.

Competition to the cable and sattelite companies? That may be a good thing.

theres no requirement they offer high definition at all!

Yes, there is even if it is not law. If they don't they will lose viewers.

if your unhappy with any of this call your federal representives,
congress and senate since they are the ones who passed this #@!$%^%
idea.

None of it makes me unhappy. One of my TVs is HD and I like the improved
quality.

Robert wrote:

Welcome to 2009. The year we lose our TV signals. What a way to
start the year, knowing in another month and a half, we will lose our
tv reception, unless we subscribe to costly cable or satellite tv. Oh
yea, they tell us we can get convertors and even give us coupons worth
$40 for the $50 and up boxes that DO NOT work in rural areas, because
the digital signals are under-powered for those in fringe areas. Yea,
i know this first hand. I got my coupon, bought a $60 box for $20 and
the coupon, and while I used to get 7 channels (occasionally two
more), with the converter box, I get PBS. That's it. I can watch Mr.
Rogers, Sesame Street, Teletubbies, and all the cruddy english garbage
they show, but no local news, no weather reports, no Soaps (that psrt
is OK, I hate soaps)...... I'll just miss the local news and weather
reports, and once and awhile South Park..... Either way, even despite
most of the crappy tv programs, like American Idol, all the Crime
shows, Survivor, and the Springer Show, I will still miss the tv. On
the plus side I will no longer have to climb on the roof to fix my
antenna after a windstorm.....

Of course there is one good thing about 2009, we'll lose BUSH !!!!
A much welcomed loss.......

how long do you envision it taking you to produce a suitable replacement
and thus have someone new you can blame for your misery, shortcomings,
failures and overall unhappiness?



It looks like 2009 may end up being NEUTRAL. We lose an asshole
president and out tv signals.

Happy New Year

really?


Robert

dadiOH wrote:

Ed Pawlowski wrote:
Robert wrote:
Welcome to 2009. The year we lose our TV signals.
[....]
Progress.

Progress? The reason for the change from analog to digital is money,
nothing more. It allows removal of some VHF and UHF from TV use thereby
enabling those friendly, caring folks in Washington to peddle the freed up
frequencies. The feds get billions

http://www.mcclatchydc.com/politics/story/58733.html

$174,000 X 535 senators and representatives = 93090000 dollar laugh...



....and the manufacturers get to sell new,
"improved" TV sets. Wide screen ones at that (another useless
"innovation").

using the public's natural desire to covet and crave coupled with
their gluttonous inherent appetite for the newest toys has long
been the means by which industry has been able to keep the cash
flowing into their coffer.

"Pete C." wrote in
ster.com:


Robert wrote:


Drivel snipped

Quit your whining until a few months *after* the transition when most
stations will be transmitting their digital signals on their final
channel assignments and at their final power levels. Many are currently
transmitting digital on temporary channels, at low power from temporary
transmitters, from temporary antennas and in some cases from alternate
tower sites.

one local station has said they're going to LOWER transmitted power.

I may lose that station.I've already lost NBC.(but don't miss it...)

--
Jim Yanik
jyanik
at
kua.net

Cheri wrote:

Robert wrote:

Of course there is one good thing about 2009, we'll lose BUSH !!!!
A much welcomed loss.......

Really? Are you sure we'll lose him? I would imagine that we'll see and hear
about him every single day for many years to come.

yep, it's going to take several years for the simpletons to figure
out how bush is no longer president. but, they'll blame him anyhow.

On Jan 2, 12:46*am, Robert wrote:
Welcome to 2009. *The year we lose our TV signals. *What a way to
start the year, knowing in another month and a half, we will lose our
tv reception, unless we subscribe to costly cable or satellite tv. *Oh
yea, they tell us we can get convertors and even give us coupons worth
$40 for the $50 and up boxes that DO NOT work in rural areas, because
the digital signals are under-powered for those in fringe areas. *Yea,
i know this first hand. *I got my coupon, bought a $60 box for $20 and
the coupon, and while I used to get 7 channels (occasionally two
more), with the converter box, I get PBS. *That's it. I can watch Mr.
Rogers, Sesame Street, Teletubbies, and all the cruddy english garbage
they show, but no local news, no weather reports, no Soaps (that psrt
is OK, I hate soaps)...... *I'll just miss the local news and weather
reports, and once and awhile South Park..... *Either way, even despite
most of the crappy tv programs, like American Idol, all the Crime
shows, Survivor, and the Springer Show, I will still miss the tv. *On
the plus side I will no longer have to climb on the roof to fix my
antenna after a windstorm.....

Of course there is one good thing about 2009, we'll lose BUSH !!!!
A much welcomed loss.......

It looks like 2009 may end up being NEUTRAL. *We lose an asshole
president and out tv signals.

Happy New Year

Robert

South Park? You can get South Park via broadcast TV?

On Jan 2, 10:42�am, "Steve Barker"
wrote:
wrote in message

...

cable isnt everywhere and there are definetely places that cant get
satellite service, because of trees or other obstructions.

Trees can be trimmed. �it takes a very narrow path to get the dish to work.
If it's something other than a tree, then mount the dish on it.

you may live in a flat desert like area.

things vary upon location.

here in hilly pittsburgh the hills make regular TV difficult, hills
cause reflections on analog tv thats ghosts, on digital tvs that can
be a blank screen/

I have satellite but nearly didnt because of neighbors trees. they
were very large till a storm came thru some years ago. heck a
neighbors larger home may block the clear view for satellite.
Incidently I was a installer for awhile. the newer multi slot dshes
just make things worse, and trees can blow in the wind

doi tell if I were your neighbor would you mind me trimming your trees
or offer to mount my dish on your home?

people who have satellite or cable arent very sympathetic.

One time I HAD to run a saTELLITE LINE A 150 feet to clear a grove of
trees for a elderly couiple, cable was willing to service them if they
paid 2 grand to extend the cable line

On Jan 2, 11:02�am, "HeyBub" wrote:
enigma wrote:
Robert wrote in
:

Welcome to 2009. �The year we lose our TV signals. �What a way
to start the year, knowing in another month and a half, we will
lose our tv reception, unless we subscribe to costly cable or
satellite tv.

you do realize that you can not only live without television, but you
might even get more things accomplished. you could use the time you
waste watching tv to learn something new or work on hobbies.
i get my local weather & news online. i haven't watched tv in well
over 20 years. there's really nothing worth watching (although i do
have satellite for Discovery channel etc for other members of the
family). i also have a book addiction...

Of course there is one good thing about 2009, we'll lose BUSH
!!!! A much welcomed loss.......

do you think he'll have a library? if so, what books would it
contain?

He who? Bush?

According to the White House, Bush has read about 40+ books in 2008 (186 in
the last three years), in addition to daily Bible passages. Some of which
we

American Prometheus by Kai Bird and Martin Sherwin (a biography of Robert
Oppenheimer)
Day of Battle, by Rick Atkinson
The Coldest Winter, by David Halberstam
Gettysburg, by Steven Sears
Lincoln: A Life of Purpose and Power, by Richard Carwardine
Lincoln's Greatest Speech: The Second Inaugural, by Ronald C. White Jr.
Mao: The Unknown Story, by Jung Chang and Jon Halliday
My Pet Goat, by Siegfried Engelmann (re-read)
Nine Parts of Desi The Hidden World of Islamic Women, by Geraldine Brooks
Personal Memoirs, by Ulysses Grant
Polio: An American Story, by David Oshinsky
Prisoner Without a Name..., by Jacobo Timerman
The Big Bam: The Life and Times of Babe Ruth, by Leigh Montville
The Great Influenza: The Epic Story of the Deadliest Plague in History, by
John M. Barry
Salt: A World History, by Mark Kurlansky
Spanish Civil War, by Hugh Thomas
The Stranger, by Albert Camus- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

bush and his descendants can read about his fgailure in office for
generations.....

On Jan 2, 11:08�am, "Ed Pawlowski" wrote:
wrote in message
performance of converter boxes isnt necessarily worse than a brand new
digital tv, but isnt necessarily better either.
sadly people who have cable, or satellite dont appear very sympathetic
for those who are losing tv.

Why is that sad? �If I have sympathy for you will you get better reception?
I have cable because I can't get decent reception with an antenna here. Nor
does broadcast TV have most of the stations I like to watch. �TV's have been
made digital capable for a couple of years now so some will not need a
converter. As of March 1, 2007, all television receivers shipped in
interstate commerce or imported into the United States must contain a
digital tuner.

This may be of passing interest. �Ware are not the first to changehttp://www.answers.com/topic/digital-television
The first country to make a wholesale switch to Digital Over-the-Air
(terrestrial) broadcasting was the Netherlands, in 2006. This was followed
by Finland in 2007. [1] After February 17, 2009, full-power television
stations in the USA will broadcast in digital only. In Canada, this is
scheduled to happen Aug. 31, 2011. China is scheduled to switch in 2015.

In a area with say 10 stations they could offer a pay cable like
service of 40 channels for profit.by subscription.

Competition to the cable and sattelite companies? �That may be a good thing.

theres no requirement they offer high definition at all!

Yes, there is even if it is not law. If they don't they will lose viewers..

if your unhappy with any of this call your federal representives,
congress and senate since they are the ones who passed this #@!$%^%
idea.

None of it makes me unhappy. �One of my TVs is HD and I like the improved
quality.

local chaNNELS REALLY DONT CARE ABOUT HIGH DEF.

their main interest is making money, they will do whats most
profitable for them