Digital TV Broadcast Date

[Charlie]

Appears the date will be here before most will be ready. For us with analog TV's they will become useless on this date unless hooked up to a converter. Good news is there will be two $40 vouchers available from the government for converters. Read more in this link:

http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/story?se...ech&id=5116283

[Okie Guy]

It will be interesting to see how this works out. TV stations are scrambling to get all of the kinks worked out of their digital equipment before building new news sets. The new cameras are designed so most news sets are going to be worthless. The dimensions are completely different so a lot of stations are using big blue duratran walls behind their sets. Some stations have already moved forward in large cities with massive and extremely expensive sets. The great thing about the new digital system is the picture quality. It is like you are sitting right there at the game or in the studio with the people on tv. This is an exciting time to be in television.

[DONnANNIE]

Thanks Charlie, that was very informative.

[dieselguy]

Right now across the US TV stations are broadcasting DTV (Digital TV)signals right along with the old analog signals that will go away in a couple of years. The new HD TV's that have a built-in receiver can receive these "FREE" over the air signals just like it was when we were younger and cable/satellite was yet to be available. Don't let the salesmen con you into a "digital antennae" your old stickhouse rooftop antennae or batwing RV antennae will pull them in just fine. KC Missouri has about a dozen digital stations you can pull in ... some in high definition. The antennae range seems about the same as with the analog signals ... 60 - 75 miles max. I bought a DTV receiver on EBay similar to the Winegard Camping World is touting now just to see if all I heard was true about adapting the older analog TV's to the new digital signals. Works like a charm in my stick house, but I haven't tried it in the RV yet ... should be no different other than the different connections on the RV TV. These stations are clear as a bell with no snowy picture. Here near Wichita, KS there are 8 "digital stations" available and might I add "FREE". These include CBS, ABC, and NBC as well as FOX Kansas and a 24 hour weather channel. KC Misouri stations are similar but more choices. Go to www.titantv.com enter your zip code and see what free digital stations are available in your areas. I dunno if I will be able to get my $40 rebate from Uncle Sam when this all goes full swing in a couple of years, but curosity got the best of me.

[49merc]

Charlie, your link comes up as page not found. Is it just me?
Bob

[Charlie]

Bob-
Not your problem....looks like the page is expired.