The biggest problem are with the elderly and the technically challenged. How long were there jokes about not being able to program a VCR? I personally never had a problem, but I knew plenty of people who never could figure it out (really didn't care to). As for the need, I don't think that there ever is the need, just the desire. If there was a need, we wouldn't have HDMI as the standard for HDTV. It won't work unless all of your devices are sending out the digital rights information. Where's the need in that for the consumer? We are being sold snake water with the whole digital TV conversion in my opinion. Sure, it has the ability to look good, but for the government to mandate something as trivial as this is rediculous. It was obviously profit motivated in the first place (lobbyists have been seeding politicians for ever), and it continued to be so (whitespace being sold off). I appreciate better quality in my shows, but I think it should be my right to decide whether or not I want to go that direction, not to have it mandated to me. I have been letting my congressmen know my opinions as well.
so ya, for a few weeks, some people might be without tv, or there might be some issues with wireless mics, but things will get sorted out.
It doesn't have anything to do with the money. It has to do with the number of wirless devices that people are wanting to now use and the amount of spectrum availble. When the TV signal spectrum was laid out most of the wireless devices that we now use did not exist nor did they forsee them existing.
Moving to DTV we are able to have the same amount of information sent out in a smaller spectrum at a higher quality. Not only that, but television stations can broadcast up to four stations at a time in their alocated bandwidth if they so choose. PBS in my area is using this to its fullest.
Yes, some people can not program a VCR. This has nothing to do with VCR's. This is a box that hooks up to your TV and works the same way as your TV. If you can plug in a TV, you can use this box. This change is lumped into the same pile as the death of telephone operators, rotary dialing, and party lines. Change happens.
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Originally Posted by Footer View Post
Moving to DTV we are able to have the same amount of information sent out in a smaller spectrum at a higher quality. Not only that, but television stations can broadcast up to four stations at a time in their alocated bandwidth if they so choose. PBS in my area is using this to its fullest.
I agree that there are many advantages to DTV and many consumers will benefit from it. What I am saying is that there was no reason for the government to dictate DTV. The digital airwaves have hit radio stations as well, but the government didn't mandate it. Sure, I'm missing programs because I haven't switched out my radio, but that is my decision as a consumer.
It really has more to do with freeing up the spectrum for other uses than it does the actual quality of signal.
The radio spectrum is extremely finite. There is only so much to go around and we have used all of it at this point. There is now a new technology that allows the same amount of information (actually much much more) to be broadcast in a much much smaller amount of bandwidth. Since the federal government mandates who can use what and when of the radio spectrum, it makes sense for them to mandate this as well. This switch frees up so much space for things like your local fire company to have much more reliable communications. Or your local Ambulances. These are things that are desperately needed. Blame 9-11 and Katrina for pointing these deficiencies out if you want to (they really did) but it is going to happen - needs to happen and is ultimately a good thing. (and trust me, i find very little good about government intervention in anything....)
Well, kind of. We can't blame 9/11 or Katrina for the digital move, even though many things are pinned on those events. The original move was established with the Telecommunications Act of 1996 which was signed into law under the Clinton administration, so we can't even blame the Republicans. The top 30 markets all had to have their digital stations operable (though not necessarily broadcasting full time) by November 1999. In addition to making the switch to digital TV, the act also opened the door to additional communication companies to utilize the phone lines at a regulated rate "in order to foster competition." Realistically, many of those companies have subsequently been bought out by the big companies reducing the competition. There have been fewer owners of TV and radio stations as well (even though we are seeing an increase in what is offered). I think this falls into the category of "good intentions paving the way to Hell."
Are there benefits to this act? Sure. Are there drawbacks to the digital conversion. Absolutely. Should the government interferre? Matter of opinion. While I maintain mine, I hold absolutely nothing against anyone with opposing viewpoints. No offense intended.
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