Comments on: Senate Votes To Delay Analog To Digital Transition

By: Dawn

Dawn — Sat, 07 Feb 2009 03:46:57 +0000

This is the info I have received on the pushback:
“An important feature of the bill give bradcast stations the OPTION of transitioning to digital prior to June 12. At this time, it is not known when ay particular broadcaster will stransion to digitial as they have UP TILL June 12 to make the transition. However, many broadcasters are still planning to complete their transition in February 12.

This could create an ‘uneven’ transition for analog viewers who might lose some channelsdepending on when EACH broadcaster in their area transitions to digital”

(Emphasis mine) – so basically most stations will still transition but you may have a broadcaster or two that decides to wait and do it later and won’t come in on the digital converter box – YIPEE!

By: Sistah Ant

Sistah Ant — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 17:22:14 +0000

This is foolish. They should have let the original deadline stand. They also should not have let the coupons expire – couldn’t they have seen this coming? Everyone knows that people procrastinate. I think it was generous to even have the coupons in the first place!

By: Jim @ Change Jar Savings

Jim @ Change Jar Savings — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 16:11:22 +0000

Just because this bill passed Congress and The president says he will sign it does not mean analog tv will be still available. Many stations are apply to shut down on Feb 17th as planned. They have until Monday to apply to do this.

By: Chantix

Chantix — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 17:59:31 +0000

Im sorry, but I’m in the mindset that there should be no reason to delay the transition – there has absolutely been plenty of time for people to have made the necessary preparations to be ready for this move. No matter how long you delay it for, there will always be stragglers

By: Ana

Ana — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 20:26:40 +0000

My understanding is that one of the reasons for this is not because so many people still need converter boxes, but because so many people end up with no television when they try to convert. In our area, which is somewhat mountainous, we discovered after buying a converter box a couple years ago that instead of a few fuzzy channels and two good ones, we received one channel period. All the signals from Seattle were being blocked because digital signals don’t travel as well as analog ones do. So, for anyone living in a rural area, or one like ours with mountains and things in the way, this transition means little or no tv. And if people have the money to pay for cable, sometimes it isn’t even available, either. So, it’s not as simple as being ready with a converter box, free or not.

By: PW

PW — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 14:35:34 +0000

I refuse to spend $ on cable, since I work long hrs, and am not an avid TV watcher. I ordered 2 coupons and never got them, must have gotten lost in the mail is all I can figure. Tried to order 2 more, nope! Not an option. Finally begged friends with cable to order for us and we now have 2 for TVs that we rarely watch. I get most of my news etc on the net. We did hook up the converters for senior family members months and months ago, no problem. Mine still not hooked up. I spent so much time on the phone with the gov. agency sending out coupons that is was a joke. Keep in mind that this is the same type of sevice you will get when we get national healthcare. I would rather have “bought” my converters without a stupid coupon, paid more for it and bypassed the gov.all together. It would have been cheaper then all the time I spent on the phone. But the retailers didn’t want to sell them without the coupon. Why should tax payers get dinged because I don’t have cable? I finally got a 3rd converter box on Ebay where they didn’t care if you had a stupid coupon.

By: rootman

rootman — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 08:36:28 +0000

thanks for information!

By: thomas

thomas — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 06:03:13 +0000

Complete joke. I can’t believe that our government spends time on silly issues like this. I mean, it’s freaking 2009 – get a TV from this century already. Giving out millions for coupons on this. How come they don’t have these when wireless technology changes or some other absurb advancement? Dumb, dumb, and more dumb.

By: Christina @ Northern Cheapskate

Christina @ Northern Cheapskate — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 01:45:02 +0000

I think there has been PLENTY of time for folks to prepare for the switch. Since when should it be the government’s job to ensure Americans have television? Last time I checked, television was NOT a necessity.

To me, this is just another example of government continuing to coddle people. We keep bailing out people who don’t take responsibility for anything – their debt – or their TV.

Frustrating!

By: Kelli

Kelli — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 18:22:49 +0000

I too feel that this is a waste of time and tax dollars. It is TV, not healthcare, not education, not ending the war, but TV. I signed up for my coupons in October, got them in November and purchased my boxes 2 weeks ago. Love the better reception and only wished I would have done it last year!