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#305615 - 31/12/2007 14:01 Digital TV and the Goverment
Redrum
old hand

Registered: 17/01/2003
Posts: 998
http://www.ntia.doc.gov/ntiahome/frnotices/2007/DTVPublicMeeting_012408.html

I wonder:

1) If the coupon web site will actually work tomorrow?

2) How much more than $40 will I have to pay?

3) Will I ever get my $40?

4) I guess I’ll need another remote frown

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#305645 - 02/01/2008 11:11 Re: Digital TV and the Goverment [Re: Redrum]
tman
carpal tunnel

Registered: 24/12/2001
Posts: 5528

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#305649 - 02/01/2008 12:41 Re: Digital TV and the Goverment [Re: tman]
peter
carpal tunnel

Registered: 13/07/2000
Posts: 4180
Loc: Cambridge, England
We've had a few discussions here in which US posters have thought it odd that we Brits pay the government in order to watch television... is that really any odder than, in the USA, the government paying you...? wink

Peter

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#305650 - 02/01/2008 14:09 Re: Digital TV and the Goverment [Re: peter]
wfaulk
carpal tunnel

Registered: 25/12/2000
Posts: 16706
Loc: Raleigh, NC US
I'm sure that the amount of money they're getting for auctioning off the old NTSC spectrum vastly outweighs the amount they're paying to the few people who will sign up for $40 off a converter. (If that is, in fact, what all this is about. I can't seem to extract any information from the first web site, and, despite Trevor's assertion, the new web site is not "up".)
_________________________
Bitt Faulk

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#305653 - 02/01/2008 15:10 Re: Digital TV and the Goverment [Re: wfaulk]
JBjorgen
carpal tunnel

Registered: 19/01/2002
Posts: 3584
Loc: Columbus, OH
Originally Posted By: wfaulk
despite Trevor's assertion, the new web site is not "up".)


Works here.
_________________________
~ John

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#305660 - 02/01/2008 16:33 Re: Digital TV and the Goverment [Re: JBjorgen]
andym
carpal tunnel

Registered: 17/01/2002
Posts: 3996
Loc: Manchester UK
I'm more amazed that instead of the long, drawn out changeover procedure the UK is adopting, the US is simply turning it all off at once.
_________________________
Cheers,

Andy M

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#305662 - 02/01/2008 16:53 Re: Digital TV and the Goverment [Re: andym]
canuckInOR
carpal tunnel

Registered: 13/02/2002
Posts: 3212
Loc: Portland, OR
Originally Posted By: andym
I'm more amazed that instead of the long, drawn out changeover procedure the UK is adopting, the US is simply turning it all off at once.

It's probably because they learned that adoption via a long, drawn out changeover procedure doesn't work so well. *cough*metric*cough*system*cough*

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#305663 - 02/01/2008 17:19 Re: Digital TV and the Goverment [Re: wfaulk]
Redrum
old hand

Registered: 17/01/2003
Posts: 998
The sites say the new frequencies are for emergency communication. So no new government money should be raise. However I'm skeptical too.

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#305664 - 02/01/2008 17:25 Re: Digital TV and the Goverment [Re: andym]
Redrum
old hand

Registered: 17/01/2003
Posts: 998
Originally Posted By: andym
I'm more amazed that instead of the long, drawn out changeover procedure the UK is adopting, the US is simply turning it all off at once.


Do you have converted boxes in the UK? I can't seem to find one. I did a brief search on-line. I imagine this Feb 17 2009 date will be pushed back if none are available soon. People here will put up with a lot from the government but "we's got to has our TV."


Edited by Redrum (02/01/2008 17:26)

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#305665 - 02/01/2008 17:34 Re: Digital TV and the Goverment [Re: tman]
Redrum
old hand

Registered: 17/01/2003
Posts: 998
Originally Posted By: tman


That was easy to use. Not anything like our government. However when I filled it out it then told me the coupons expires in 90 days and no boxes are available yet, great! I should have waited.

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#305667 - 02/01/2008 17:37 Re: Digital TV and the Goverment [Re: Redrum]
peter
carpal tunnel

Registered: 13/07/2000
Posts: 4180
Loc: Cambridge, England
Originally Posted By: Redrum

Do you have converter boxes in the UK?

They're called Freeview boxes, and are available everywhere and fairly cheap.

Peter

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#305668 - 02/01/2008 17:44 Re: Digital TV and the Goverment [Re: peter]
Redrum
old hand

Registered: 17/01/2003
Posts: 998
Originally Posted By: peter
Originally Posted By: Redrum

Do you have converter boxes in the UK?

They're called Freeview boxes, and are available everywhere and fairly cheap.

Peter


Thanks, do you know if they work well in poor reception areas? I know HD FM radio cuts out way before analog dies. I suspect the same for digital TV.

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#305671 - 02/01/2008 18:16 Re: Digital TV and the Goverment [Re: Redrum]
peter
carpal tunnel

Registered: 13/07/2000
Posts: 4180
Loc: Cambridge, England
Originally Posted By: Redrum

Thanks, do you know if they work well in poor reception areas? I know HD FM radio cuts out way before analog dies. I suspect the same for digital TV.

They don't work at all well in poor reception areas; or, at least, not without upgrading the roof aerial.

In some transmitter areas, including the Sandy Heath transmitter which serves Cambridge, roof-aerial replacement is basically unavoidable, as the analogue channels were all closely grouped together in frequency, so most houses had narrow-band aerials installed. But the replacement digital channels are all over the (relevant part of the) spectrum, requiring a wide-band aerial.

Peter

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#305672 - 02/01/2008 19:11 Re: Digital TV and the Goverment [Re: peter]
Roger
carpal tunnel

Registered: 18/01/2000
Posts: 5683
Loc: London, UK
Originally Posted By: peter
In some transmitter areas, including the Sandy Heath transmitter which serves Cambridge, roof-aerial replacement is basically unavoidable, as the analogue channels were all closely grouped together in frequency, so most houses had narrow-band aerials installed.


I don't know if this was the case with the (communal) aerial at Jen's old flat, but the local council (who were responsible for it) stated only that they'd fix it before analogue was turned off.

In the end, we moved house.
_________________________
-- roger

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#305673 - 02/01/2008 19:35 Re: Digital TV and the Goverment [Re: Roger]
andym
carpal tunnel

Registered: 17/01/2002
Posts: 3996
Loc: Manchester UK
What will be really cool in the UK will be SFN. It would allow even more services as there's no need to worry about interference. I think once the changeover is complete in 2012 there will be a move to it.


Edited by andym (02/01/2008 19:35)
_________________________
Cheers,

Andy M

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#305674 - 02/01/2008 19:40 Re: Digital TV and the Goverment [Re: andym]
CrackersMcCheese
pooh-bah

Registered: 14/01/2002
Posts: 2489
What would interest me more would be HD Freeview.

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#305675 - 02/01/2008 19:53 Re: Digital TV and the Goverment [Re: CrackersMcCheese]
andym
carpal tunnel

Registered: 17/01/2002
Posts: 3996
Loc: Manchester UK
It's technology like SFN that will make HD on Freeview possible.
_________________________
Cheers,

Andy M

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#305676 - 02/01/2008 20:09 Re: Digital TV and the Goverment [Re: Redrum]
wfaulk
carpal tunnel

Registered: 25/12/2000
Posts: 16706
Loc: Raleigh, NC US
Originally Posted By: Redrum
The sites say the new frequencies are for emergency communication. So no new government money should be raise. However I'm skeptical too.

That is incorrect: 700 MHz wireless spectrum auction
_________________________
Bitt Faulk

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#305678 - 02/01/2008 21:25 Re: Digital TV and the Goverment [Re: wfaulk]
andy
carpal tunnel

Registered: 10/06/1999
Posts: 5916
Loc: Wivenhoe, Essex, UK
It was a half truth though:

"Block D of the spectrum will be used for a national public safety network."
_________________________
Remind me to change my signature to something more interesting someday

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#305693 - 03/01/2008 13:54 Re: Digital TV and the Goverment [Re: andy]
jmwking
old hand

Registered: 27/02/2003
Posts: 777
Loc: Washington, DC metro
Alas, I don't think a converter will work well with the Casio 2"-ish portable TV I've had for years!

Harrumph.

Anyone know if the $40 coupon will work for a new digital portable? And who makes the good ones these day?

-jk

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