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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
scjessey @ Jan 3rd 2009 12:29PM
The only time I use OTA is when the cable is out. I can't believe people still have TVs that don't have ATSC capability, frankly. They must be very old units.
Mitchell @ Jan 3rd 2009 12:54PM
i own 3 tv's. Two of them are HD ATSC capable. but my "very old unit" in the bedroom works just fine. Dont really think its necessary to spend ~$300 for a new TV when the one I have now works great and only used ~1 per week. I put the Converter box on it some time ago and its perfect for watching the news at night even tho I am missing the HD its only talking heads.
cashmonee @ Jan 3rd 2009 1:45PM
@scjessey:
I would say the majority of televisions do not have an ATSC tuner in them. Recall that most manufacturers did not really start putting them in televisions until about 5 years ago. I don't know about you, but a 6 year old set is not that old, especially to those who are used to television life being over a decade per set.
As for this whole transition deal, I think most people who need to be ready are. Here they are running ads on TV and radio. I have some of the most technologically ignorant people in my family and even they knew they needed a coupon and box.
scjessey @ Jan 3rd 2009 2:00PM
@cashmonee:
As far as I am concerned, a 6-year-old set is ancient. It's almost certainly going to be an enormously heavy CRT or rear projection beastie with a 4:3 aspect ratio - all but useless, unless you spend your time watching Doo-wop on PBS.
Geoffrey Sperl @ Jan 3rd 2009 2:30PM
"Very old" TVs without ATSC tuners could be as recent as a TV purchased just over two years ago. The reality is you are a geek - the majority of the American populace is not.
Furthermore, while my wife and I are ready for the transition (and we dumped cable, happily, a while ago and now have all our TVs doing OTA and/or downloads from the internet), my mother, mother-in-law, grandmother, and my wife's aunt are all confused to hell by the transition. I've blown through seven converter coupons in the past few months and still have to set up another TV for my mother and one for my wife's aunt.
Your dismissal of the situation is what is going wrong with the transition. Many of those who understand it are reluctant to explain it, help with it, or come back with poorly thought-out remarks like "a 6-year-old set is ancient." It increases the burden on those of us who are willing to help those confused by the transition and it opens an opportunity for unscrupulous retailers and service providers to soak confused consumers financially.
The reality is the transition is going to leave MILLIONS of televisions showing only but snow because their owners are confused by the situation. Dismissing it out of hand won't make the issue go away.
dejal @ Jan 3rd 2009 3:38PM
"It's almost certainly going to be an enormously heavy CRT or rear projection beastie with a 4:3 aspect ratio - all but useless, "
So what. Unless you are constantly changing addresses the TV is going to stay in the same spot until it dies.
If you aren't on an antenna, nothing changes.
When it dies, it'll get replaced. Big deal.
You sound like a snob.
HC @ Jan 4th 2009 5:05AM
Besides America, ATSC really hasn't taken off. We don't really have OTA HD in canada except for 1-2 channels where I am and so as recently as early 2007, most televisions up here were HD-Ready. Now the majority has started to come through with ATSC/QAM tuners inside.
Instead of trying to be a smartass, why not try and be more constructive? You must realize that still only 40% of american households (maybe less) own an HDTV, A great fraction of that will only be 1080i televisions, a smaller fraction will be 1080p, and an even smaller will be 120 hz etc...
If you consider 6 year old televisions ancient, then I am at a loss for words. But know that only around late 2006-early 2007 did all tv's start coming with ATSC tuners etc...