QUERY: Analog TV Broadcasting Signal Shutoff Date?

[Ranger REG]

Does anyone know the exact date that the FCC mandated that all TV stations shut down (or turn off) their over-the-air analog TV broadcasting signals and go totally digital?

 

[Rodrigo Istalindir]

Wednesday, February, 17th, 2009

 

[Crothian]

We got a while

 

[BOZ]

meh, that date keeps getting pushed further and further back. from the first time i heard about that, it was supposed to be done before the 90s were over!

 

[Ranger REG]

meh, that date keeps getting pushed further and further back. from the first time i heard about that, it was supposed to be done before the 90s were over!

The first stage is to mandate all TV stations in the US to begin broadcasting digital TV signal over-the-air. Right now, cable and satellite companies are taking the opportunities to bring people over to HDTV ... with a substantial fee, of course.

The last stage is to shut down the analog TV transmission so those frequencies can be used for another [commercial?] purpose for the FCC to assign. By then, anyone with analog TV must get subscription service or an over-the-air ATSC tuner box, which are not many available in the market right now.

My analog TV is slowly dying (it took 15 minutes from switching power on to having a picture) so I have to make a decision to spend a little for a replacement until 2009, or make a HDTV purchase now ... with a $400 budget.

 

[trancejeremy]

Well, supposedly they are thinking about subsidizing the cost of the tuner box in the US. I think 2 coupons for a box for each household.

I had that same thing happen to me last year - my TV would actually flip on and off and on and off and on and off and on until it warmed up which took about that long (more in winter).

Realistically, I think you'll be able to get a better TV for you money in 2 years when they switch over, than now. HDTV prices are going down, but the cheapest I've generally seen is around $600 for a 720p, which is already outdated.

I mean right now, they are sort of a luxury item. Most manufacturers seem to sort hold an artificial floor - sort of like they do with MP3 players and laptops - instead of making ones with lower specs for cheap, they just keep upping the specs all the time and keep charging the same base price.

OTOH, it's not just TV. If you like video games, both the PS3 and 360 really need HDTV - at least, some games are unplayable in regular resolutions because the text is unreadable at them.

 

[Thunderfoot]

Boz is right on about the sched. The FCC cannot mandate a start/cut time until they are sure that the public at large can both obtain and maintain a signal bearing unit without undue goverment enforced cost to the consumer public at large. Solid state engineering has ensured that this date keeps getting moved later and later. All TVs made after Januaray 1995 (I think, may have the date wrong) have been HD compliant due to FCC ordinance. All modern plasma, LCD, LED TVs are HD compliant (if not, you have the right to sue the manufacturer on behalf of the government). I feel for those folks that still have b/w sets (and yes, I've seen them).

 

[Ranger REG]

Well, supposedly they are thinking about subsidizing the cost of the tuner box in the US. I think 2 coupons for a box for each household.

I had that same thing happen to me last year - my TV would actually flip on and off and on and off and on and off and on until it warmed up which took about that long (more in winter).

Yeah, but is your TV already over 10 years old? They don't build them like they used to, and that makes technical support and service technicians very, VERY happy. The sooner a product can break down AFTER the warranty period expires, the better. Damn conspiracy!

Realistically, I think you'll be able to get a better TV for you money in 2 years when they switch over, than now. HDTV prices are going down, but the cheapest I've generally seen is around $600 for a 720p, which is already outdated.

That assumes my TV can hold out for two more years before the tube's finally blown.

I don't mind getting a Standard Definition TV (with integrated ATSC tuner) now but they're all 27 inches or more (in screen size). I hope they make 24-inch SDTV (the kind that can sit on a 14-inch deep stand) before the year's end.

Sighs.

 

[ssampier]

I am holding out with my boxy CRT TV. I have been eyeing those LCD screens though. But alas, not in the budget...

The technology will likely change again soon anyway.

http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/consumerfacts/digitaltv.html

For those interested in the FCC's point-of-view.

 

[Ranger REG]

There's another thing I need to know: Do the DVR's in the market currently have built-in ATSC tuners?