"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.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
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.