Comments on: Back To Basics: 200 Days Until the DTV Transition-Part 1 Facts, Myths and Lies http://hdguru.com/back-to-basics-200-days-until-the-dtv-transition-part-1-facts-myths-and-lies/259/ HDTV news, revews and information Tue, 16 Mar 2010 02:19:47 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: wm http://hdguru.com/back-to-basics-200-days-until-the-dtv-transition-part-1-facts-myths-and-lies/259/comment-page-1/#comment-25855 wm Fri, 24 Oct 2008 01:49:17 +0000 http://hdguru.com/back-to-basics-200-days-until-the-dtv-transition-part-1-facts-myths-and-lies/259/#comment-25855 Our entire community of Ocotilo, Ca., will be placed in grave and danger when our analog signal goes out. The digital signal is simply too weak to be received. We have no cable companies or high speed internet as the large communication companies were allowed to operate in high traffic areas and rural America was craped upon again. One third of our community was washed away in a flood in the late 60s-no one was killed thanks to analog tv that broadcast to us faithfully with the weather and govt. radar warnings. We get very good over the air signals but zero digital signals. We doubt the constitutionality of the FCC to take away our right to these signals and place us in jeopardy. Government should be about protecting all the people -not just catering to the majority at the expense of the minority. Our entire community of Ocotilo, Ca., will be placed in grave and danger when our analog signal goes out. The digital signal is simply too weak to be received. We have no cable companies or high speed internet as the large communication companies were allowed to operate in high traffic areas and rural America was craped upon again. One third of our community was washed away in a flood in the late 60s-no one was killed thanks to analog tv that broadcast to us faithfully with the weather and govt. radar warnings. We get very good over the air signals but zero digital signals. We doubt the constitutionality of the FCC to take away our right to these signals and place us in jeopardy. Government should be about protecting all the people -not just catering to the majority at the expense of the minority.

]]> By: Justin http://hdguru.com/back-to-basics-200-days-until-the-dtv-transition-part-1-facts-myths-and-lies/259/comment-page-1/#comment-24733 Justin Wed, 24 Sep 2008 13:20:05 +0000 http://hdguru.com/back-to-basics-200-days-until-the-dtv-transition-part-1-facts-myths-and-lies/259/#comment-24733 "Contrary to what some cable TV providers have been telling consumers, the only TVs affected are those that receive over-the-air transmissions via either outdoor or indoor antennas. If you get your TV signal from your local cable provider or satellite (DirecTV or Dish Network) you needn’t do anything to prepare for transition day." ...this statement is not completely true. Often people cannot receive local channels from satellite and are using an attenna for them. So, those in that situation that do not have a digital tuner built into their tv WILL have to take action in order to receive local channels. “Contrary to what some cable TV providers have been telling consumers, the only TVs affected are those that receive over-the-air transmissions via either outdoor or indoor antennas. If you get your TV signal from your local cable provider or satellite (DirecTV or Dish Network) you needn’t do anything to prepare for transition day.”

…this statement is not completely true. Often people cannot receive local channels from satellite and are using an attenna for them. So, those in that situation that do not have a digital tuner built into their tv WILL have to take action in order to receive local channels.

]]> By: rv65 http://hdguru.com/back-to-basics-200-days-until-the-dtv-transition-part-1-facts-myths-and-lies/259/comment-page-1/#comment-23039 rv65 Mon, 18 Aug 2008 08:20:43 +0000 http://hdguru.com/back-to-basics-200-days-until-the-dtv-transition-part-1-facts-myths-and-lies/259/#comment-23039 Well Time Warner in San Diego still has the legacy Analog network. Only NYC is going all digital. TWC in other regions haven't announced their plan but they will slowly move those channels to digital. Well Time Warner in San Diego still has the legacy Analog network. Only NYC is going all digital. TWC in other regions haven’t announced their plan but they will slowly move those channels to digital.

]]> By: P. Callahan http://hdguru.com/back-to-basics-200-days-until-the-dtv-transition-part-1-facts-myths-and-lies/259/comment-page-1/#comment-22916 P. Callahan Fri, 15 Aug 2008 14:26:41 +0000 http://hdguru.com/back-to-basics-200-days-until-the-dtv-transition-part-1-facts-myths-and-lies/259/#comment-22916 I received a letter from TWC announcing the "Great News!" that I have to exchange my current cable box (analog) for the digital box by 10/1/08 or I will lose my Standard service and be relegated to Basic service only. This after both print and broadcast advertising repeatedly state that "You will continue to enjoy all your favorite channels and shows". Sic transit gloria truth-in-advertising. A wondrous racket is TWC. Wish I got away with lying like that. I received a letter from TWC announcing the “Great News!” that I have to exchange my current cable box (analog) for the digital box by 10/1/08 or I will lose my Standard service and be relegated to Basic service only. This after both print and broadcast advertising repeatedly state that “You will continue to enjoy all your favorite channels and shows”. Sic transit gloria truth-in-advertising. A wondrous racket is TWC. Wish I got away with lying like that.

]]> By: Jim Ciesla http://hdguru.com/back-to-basics-200-days-until-the-dtv-transition-part-1-facts-myths-and-lies/259/comment-page-1/#comment-22797 Jim Ciesla Mon, 11 Aug 2008 14:38:03 +0000 http://hdguru.com/back-to-basics-200-days-until-the-dtv-transition-part-1-facts-myths-and-lies/259/#comment-22797 Looking to get a big screen HDTV. Your topic center around Plasma and LCD type. What is the word on the DLP type. I'm looking at the DLP's first and the Plasma's second. The size will be in the range of larger then 42 and smaller then 56. Any comments. Thanks Looking to get a big screen HDTV. Your topic center around Plasma and LCD type. What is the word on the DLP type. I’m looking at the DLP’s first and the Plasma’s second.
The size will be in the range of larger then 42 and smaller then 56. Any comments.

Thanks

]]> By: carl taylor http://hdguru.com/back-to-basics-200-days-until-the-dtv-transition-part-1-facts-myths-and-lies/259/comment-page-1/#comment-22788 carl taylor Mon, 11 Aug 2008 04:22:19 +0000 http://hdguru.com/back-to-basics-200-days-until-the-dtv-transition-part-1-facts-myths-and-lies/259/#comment-22788 This seems all a great waste of energy. There is so much material to find on the net that is contradictory, the cable companies (at least Time-Warner) do not answer the question, and most cable broadcasts are 480i, so in the end are we not still getting a analog picture from the digital cable? Perhaps the HDGURU will provide a definitive answer. This seems all a great waste of energy. There is so much material to find on the net that is contradictory, the cable companies (at least Time-Warner) do not answer the question, and most cable broadcasts are 480i, so in the end are we not still getting a analog picture from the digital cable? Perhaps the HDGURU will provide a definitive answer.

]]> By: Big cable takes advantage of DTV confusion - Bluray D.N.A. http://hdguru.com/back-to-basics-200-days-until-the-dtv-transition-part-1-facts-myths-and-lies/259/comment-page-1/#comment-22634 Big cable takes advantage of DTV confusion - Bluray D.N.A. Tue, 05 Aug 2008 13:40:02 +0000 http://hdguru.com/back-to-basics-200-days-until-the-dtv-transition-part-1-facts-myths-and-lies/259/#comment-22634 [...] Take this report by HD Guru Gary Merson, who called NYC-area cable provider Cablevision posing as a regular customer and was told that “due to government regulation,” the company would no longer carry analog channels. As Gary points out, this is patently false–nothing in the government’s mandated transition prevents cable companies from continuing service as-is. They may, however, decide to force analog-only subscribers to get a digital subscription and the requisite box, which of course adds a monthly box rental fee and opens up the possibility of customers ordering lucrative Pay-Per-View and Video-On-Demand services. [...] [...] Take this report by HD Guru Gary Merson, who called NYC-area cable provider Cablevision posing as a regular customer and was told that “due to government regulation,” the company would no longer carry analog channels. As Gary points out, this is patently false–nothing in the government’s mandated transition prevents cable companies from continuing service as-is. They may, however, decide to force analog-only subscribers to get a digital subscription and the requisite box, which of course adds a monthly box rental fee and opens up the possibility of customers ordering lucrative Pay-Per-View and Video-On-Demand services. [...]

]]> By: kenglish http://hdguru.com/back-to-basics-200-days-until-the-dtv-transition-part-1-facts-myths-and-lies/259/comment-page-1/#comment-22582 kenglish Sun, 03 Aug 2008 15:15:56 +0000 http://hdguru.com/back-to-basics-200-days-until-the-dtv-transition-part-1-facts-myths-and-lies/259/#comment-22582 "Ultimately the FCC is at fault - a body which can’t make a decision (hence they created 18 different digital TV standards for the USA." Where do you folks keep coming up with this stuff? That's like saying "Microsoft can't figure out what a computer should be used for, because they all run so many programs". If you wanted a calculator, you shoulda bought a calculator! The ATSC standards say that every ATSC tuner or TV should be able to decode (with it's provided firmware) any of the 18 video formats, and make them viewable. That's called "flexibility", not "indecision". “Ultimately the FCC is at fault – a body which can’t make a decision (hence they created 18 different digital TV standards for the USA.”

Where do you folks keep coming up with this stuff?
That’s like saying “Microsoft can’t figure out what a computer should be used for, because they all run so many programs”. If you wanted a calculator, you shoulda bought a calculator!

The ATSC standards say that every ATSC tuner or TV should be able to decode (with it’s provided firmware) any of the 18 video formats, and make them viewable. That’s called “flexibility”, not “indecision”.

]]> By: Bob Stone http://hdguru.com/back-to-basics-200-days-until-the-dtv-transition-part-1-facts-myths-and-lies/259/comment-page-1/#comment-22576 Bob Stone Sun, 03 Aug 2008 13:55:00 +0000 http://hdguru.com/back-to-basics-200-days-until-the-dtv-transition-part-1-facts-myths-and-lies/259/#comment-22576 Comcast, in my area, has been moving channels to their digital tier for years. Their analog offerings continue to diminish. One of their latest attempts to get subscibers to rent a cable box is to move C-Span2 to the digital tier. The analog channel which previously hosted C-Span2 has displayed a test pattern with color bars for over a year now. Forcing subscibers to rent a cable box evidentally is highly profitable for these cable companies and the FCC has done nothing to eliminate this problem. My new HDTV requires a cable box because Comcast encrypts its digital channels (Cablecard - is a joke - even if you wanted to put up with the hassles of this imperfect solution you can't find an HDTV that has a cablecard slot). Ultimately the FCC is at fault - a body which can't make a decision (hence they created 18 different digital TV standards for the USA). Comcast, in my area, has been moving channels to their digital tier for years. Their analog offerings continue to diminish. One of their latest attempts to get subscibers to rent a cable box is to move C-Span2 to the digital tier. The analog channel which previously hosted C-Span2 has displayed a test pattern with color bars for over a year now.

Forcing subscibers to rent a cable box evidentally is highly profitable for these cable companies and the FCC has done nothing to eliminate this problem.

My new HDTV requires a cable box because Comcast encrypts its digital channels (Cablecard – is a joke – even if you wanted to put up with the hassles of this imperfect solution you can’t find an HDTV that has a cablecard slot).

Ultimately the FCC is at fault – a body which can’t make a decision (hence they created 18 different digital TV standards for the USA).

]]> By: Ben Drawbaugh http://hdguru.com/back-to-basics-200-days-until-the-dtv-transition-part-1-facts-myths-and-lies/259/comment-page-1/#comment-22573 Ben Drawbaugh Sun, 03 Aug 2008 12:27:36 +0000 http://hdguru.com/back-to-basics-200-days-until-the-dtv-transition-part-1-facts-myths-and-lies/259/#comment-22573 Gary, Actually I'm a FiOS customer and the letter I received indicated the adapter boxes were free of charge. Here is a scanned copy of the letter sent to those in Tampa FL (which goes all digital later this month). http://www.tampahdtv.com/tpahd-vb/showthread.php?p=38040 You'll notice towards the bottom to call for your "FREE" equipment. <strong>Ben, </strong> <strong>Yes, I received the same letter. It is quite misleading! They leave out the "free" is for a limited time. Once the unspecified (in the letter) "free" period to receive the box is over, (around one month as I recall), you have to pay a monthly fee. In other words, if you never called to get your free basic box within the time frame they offer (it is only implied with the call by xxx to avoid disruption of your service) you pay every month. This is according to a FIOS sales represenitive I spoke with a the FIOS kiosk at my local mall</strong>. <strong>Furthermore, if you go to the FIOS website (for my area) as I did yesterday, you will see they list a charge of $3.99/month.</strong> <strong>I can tell you, according to the FIOS rep, if you did not call within a certain time frame to order your boxes as a legecy customer you will be charged for each basic converter, furthermore all new customers in my area are charged for every basic box they order, according to the sales rep and verified by new FIOS customer I spoke with.</strong> <strong>HD GURU </strong> <strong> </strong> Gary,
Actually I’m a FiOS customer and the letter I received indicated the adapter boxes were free of charge. Here is a scanned copy of the letter sent to those in Tampa FL (which goes all digital later this month).

http://www.tampahdtv.com/tpahd-vb/showthread.php?p=38040

You’ll notice towards the bottom to call for your “FREE” equipment.

Ben,
Yes, I received the same letter. It is quite misleading! They leave out the “free” is for a limited time. Once the unspecified (in the letter) “free” period to receive the box is over, (around one month as I recall), you have to pay a monthly fee. In other words, if you never called to get your free basic box within the time frame they offer (it is only implied with the call by xxx to avoid disruption of your service) you pay every month. This is according to a FIOS sales represenitive I spoke with a the FIOS kiosk at my local mall.

Furthermore, if you go to the FIOS website (for my area) as I did yesterday, you will see they list a charge of $3.99/month. I can tell you, according to the FIOS rep, if you did not call within a certain time frame to order your boxes as a legecy customer you will be charged for each basic converter, furthermore all new customers in my area are charged for every basic box they order, according to the sales rep and verified by new FIOS customer I spoke with.

HD GURU
 

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