[PCWorld]

Post your comments for Digital TV Switch Coming Tuesday For Many, Despite Delay here

[olddave208]

Just another stunning example of complete lunacy of the fed, and complete disregard of the public for a transition that is next to painless for people with a IQ over 30. Go digital and leave the idiots in the dark. They had years to comply to the switchover. I had to listen to the stupid commercials for the past year.

[drf1499]

olddave208 is absolutely correct regarding the Feds complete ineptness AND the General Public's ignoring the more than adequate warning of what's coming and when. No wonder we're fast becoming a "Has Been" nation!!!

[rgeiken]

I have cable TV, but have had my converter box for many months even though I don't have to use it at the moment. They have been talking about the February 17th date for several years, so there is no excuse for someone to be left in the dark. I agree that the only people that are not ready for digital TV have an IQ of 30 or less. If the Republicans had remained in power, you would not have seen this extension. I wonder if the federal government is going to pay TV stations to stay with analog after the 17th. Likely not, since they expect them to subsidize ignorant people.

[squishie]

Your both right. Unfortunately, This country is declining.

[BigMike]

Ya snooze...ya loose. They announced this digital switch has been going on for 2 years...the govt even paid for most of the box. The govt coddles to much and lets the public become slackers. They should of went ahead with the plan for the 17th and move ahead with the additional broadband that they need the analog freq. for.

[chevrolet1994]

Everyone is right!! The government thinks that everyone (except themselves
of course) has an IQ below 30 and that the
populace doesn't have enough brains to blow their noses.

[jumbydog]

Exactly, olddave!

[ahawesome]

I would just like to say that I agree with every comment on here so far. Why should those of us who were smart enough to buy converter boxes beforehand have to wait because 5% or so of the country isn't ready? This is another case of the minority screwing it up for everybody else.

[techwired09]

It's about time they actually do it. I agree with all of you. Very few people don't know about this, and most people have made the switchover. The people that don't know about this, probably don't even need to because they don't watch TV in the first place. Since the commercials have been coming out like a year ago, people have had plenty of time. Let's just get this overwith!!!

[chuckchuck]

Oh, I remember: the US Constitution declares the right to life, liberty and the reception of digital television.

Since when does it become the governments business to make sure everyone gets to watch TV? Hey - when are they going to start paying my cable bill - LOL!

[rgreen4]

The only problem with that is that they would add double that to your taxes, to pay not only yours, but that of someone who doesn't pay taxes in the first place.
And of course as the schools found out 40 years ago, and the banks are discovering today, once you take Federal money, you take Federal control. So not only would they pay your cable bill, they would take your remote away and tell you what to watch. You would have to ask Nancy for permission to change the channel.

[rick3904]

The only semi-valid reason to delay the transition is that the feds ran out of money for the coupon program.

That being said, I expect that the same people won't be ready on June 12 that aren't ready now.

Oh well, it's only a few months. I was looking forward to see just wnat sort of chaos would ensue. Guess we'll have to wait for that!

[hameiri]

Well, actually, this switch was managed be the government. They now auction off frequencies, so they want the billions so bad they mismanage a technology upgrade instead of letting the free market take care of it. $2 billion for converter boxes that are already old technology, and won't be necessary after you get a new TV. No way to purchase a device that WOULD be useful longer unless you pay for it yourself, like a converter box that also puts out HDMI, or a DVR with the new tuner inside. This delay is actually just the latest delay, and will cost the TV stations millions in just electricity alone (not very environmental Obama! I guess it goes with the thermostat setting in the Oval Office).

Yep, this is just a glimpse into the way the government manages things. Delays, wasted money and resources, old technology and damaging the environment. Can't wait for what's coming as they manage the banks and the car industry!

[Evildave]

Here's a good video explaining it.
http://www.hulu.com/...tire#s-p1-sa-i2

[squishie]

That video was perfect. Reminds me of my mother. She say's "Why can't the government leave the damm tv alone. She has 3 converter boxes, each tv with it's own VCR. Told her she couldn't record in the same way as before. Told her she had to set VCR to always record on channel 3 and her time to record, and set her converter box to the channel she wanted to record and leave it on. (Timed recording). Of course she get's confused and forgets and ends up with a recording of snow and static. Please tell me they make a VCR with a digital tuner. I will gladly buy them for her.

[Nyolls]

Who the heck still watches tv with rabit ears anyway? I would assume very poor people or people who dont watch enough tv to warrant getting cable. The latter being understandable i guess. Anyone who can't afford basic cable or this converter box on their own, really shoudln't be watching tv. They have more important fish to fry.

[annebmcd]

I must say I installed my elderly aunt's digital TV box this weekend and it wasn't a breeze. Also it leaves her with a remote and a box she doesn't understand and can easily make jump off "TV" to "Video 1" and then thinks she broke it. The good news is that she gets many more channels than she had before I installed it and new rabbit ears. I hope that some of the grumpy commenters earlier remember than TV is a boon companion to the elderly, who have never used cable (mostly because they can't afford it) and never used computers so aren't really techno savvy. Please give them a break! They aren't stupid--just not techno wizards like PC World readers. In fact, if you have such a neighbor, it would be a huge kindness for you to volunteer to install their box for them.

[Evildave]

http://www.google.co...rch?hl=en&q=VCR ATSC

Of course there are. DVD-RW recorders and DVR boxes, too.

[hameiri]

1) Yes, they DO make VCRs (and DVD recorders, and DVRs) with digital tuners. In fact I have a Panasonic VHS/DVD recorder with one in it. It's a great device.

2) You could probably hook up the VCRs, TV and converter box better than you did, but if you buy a VCR with a tuner already in it, you should buy an RF splitter to split the antenna signal coming in. Then attach the resulting two antenna cables to the converter box and the VCR. I'm going to assume that the TV has a video input. If it doesn't, then just hook the supplied RF cable to your TV. But, if it does, connect the video cable (yellow/video, white/left audio, red/right audio) from the converter box output to the video (and audio) 1 input on the TV. Connect the VCR the same way to video 2.

This will give you the best video and easiest use of the TV. To watch the converter box, change to video 1, and to use the VCR change to video 2. The TVs tuner will be snow.

PS Zinwell makes a converter box with a timer (kind of like a VCR timer) built in. You would have to set up two timers, and the VCR timer would have to switch to input 1 instead of a channel, but it works. I set it up for my sister, and she loves it.