I know that the coupons have ran out for the converter boxes. So that is one reason for the delay.

I just came across this..

The Obama administration has sought the delay because the government program to provide coupons for converter boxes needs more money. The boxes are needed for people without cable or satellite TV to continue receiving TV signals after the conversion date. The latest estimate is that more than 6.5 million households are not prepared for the switch over.

The National Association of Broadcasters has not taken a position on extending the deadline. The TV stations don't want to suddenly alienate and lose viewers, but they've also sunk money into preparing for the Feb. 17 transition.

Kerger said that PBS is not supporting either side, but he doesn't want PBS' hardships lost among potential hardships faced by viewers

Delaying the upcoming digital TV transition for four months would cost public broadcasters $22 million, the PBS system chief estimated on Monday.

Paula Kerger, president and CEO of the Public Broadcasting System, said she hopes lawmakers keep that in mind as they consider legislation to delay the switch from Feb. 17 to June 12.

I wonder if there is a more political motivation behind this delay??

I've got it... Mr. Obama wants to kill the Cookie Monster!!!!

All this means is that broadcasters will keep their analog transmitters running until the 2nd deadline date.

This will allow the government to allocate (steal more tax dollars) for these converter boxes.

It also allows for the consumers (better option IMO) to get off their lazy arses and go get a digital capable tv like they should have done 2 years ago.

But its not just the lazy last minute procrastinator's fault. Its also the FCC's fault for not starting the HDTV transistion awareness program much earlier than it did. It should have began at the most 4 years ago. The awareness program that we know of today started in January 2008.

That is no where near enough time to educate the public about the analog signal being turned off.

But still..these folks will have to move into the 21st century and get off the horse and buggy boobe tube and bring themselves up to speed.

Eventually those old analog sets will die and most repair shops these days, cept very very few, even take in an old analog set for repair..simply because there are no repair parts being made for them anymore.

Its called lifecycle. And when a 20 year old analog tv who's replacement parts were discontinued 10 years after the tv was manufactured, (federal law requires a minimum parts retainment of 5 years) its time to let go of that relic and replace it with something that is more energy savings compliant, produces less heat, and just plain looks a heck of alot better.



Cheers!!!!

I use analogue. This thing is a hassle because the converter boxes often don't get a strong enough signal, which means getting a roof antenna. I am glad they delayed it because I have not wanted to think about buying and mounting a roof antenna.

I'd like to see if they HAVE to keep broadcasting in analog. If they don't have to I don't see any reason to go beyond tomorrow if the govt changed the rules. yes I have rabbit ears and the tv hasn't been on in months but I do have a converter box and it's number is regerstered with the government. Go figure that out.

mikell

Just read the rule they can change if they are ready. Now who wouldn't be ready other than the government 3 weeks from the deadline. Also looked on Ebay and boxes are going for more than you can get them at Wal Mart and yes they were in stock as of Sunday.

mikell

I honestly think they should just switch over. It has been like a year and a half since they announced this, even if they ran out of coupons. I understand why they haven't though since it would go against f.c.c regulations. I doubt any other ulterior motives

Originally posted by wolf241e
I just came across this..

The Obama administration has sought the delay because the government program to provide coupons for converter boxes needs more money.

Ahh.. ok, so THEY want a bailout too then! Hmm.. makes sense now.

Second line.

I think you'd be surprised about how many people who will not be able to afford cable tv in the near future. Job losses are astounding! Many can't even pay their electrical bills. It's gona get bad my friends, I think part of the delay is to make alot more of these boxes along with the other reasons discussed here.

Originally posted by denynothing

True that is very true. By law though they can't switch over if the opportunity to everyone to be in digital isn't possible, which includes the coupons. Once the coupons come back then the transition can come back. I would be very mad at the company or program that under made the coupons if I was a broadcaster.

Want to know why its all such a mess?

In 1996, at the NAB convention in Las Vegas, the HDTV standard was demonstrated for the first time. A side by side comparison of a true HDTV signal at 720x480p resolution with 5.1 surround sound and a standard NTSC 2ch stereo signal were displayed all over the convention floor.

During the first NAB/FCC convention meeting, the FCC graciously stated that it would allow the broadcaster and industry to determine what kind of format they wanted to choose to transmit on the HDTV adopted transmission standard.

Meaning, a broadcaster can trasmit a full blown 1024x768p hd signal, or a 720x480i signal, or a 1024x768i signal, or a 420x340 semi hd signal with 5 standard NTSC 525 line signals on the same carrier, plus about 12 other different formats.

In basic terms, it is just like the battle of the VHS vs BETA tape war, or the Blu-Ray DVD vs HD-DVD battle. None were compatiable.

Thus because of the blunder back in 1996, to which I stated and had everyone's head turned my way when I spoke up that having broadcasters choose a format to their leisure would create a bottleneck in the industry and in the consumer television receiver manufacturing industry because each set would have to have a super-converter capable of converting any and all possible formats it encounters.

That would put the price of HDTV receivers through the roof!!

IT is not uncommon to have an HDTV set or even a converter box, capable of decoding a set number of formats, and run into a channel that it cannot decode properly.

To keep those converter boxes cheap and affordable for both consumer and government coupon funding, those converter boxes will probably only decode about 1/3 of the formats possible on the HDTV transmission standard.

So..what does that mean exactly.

It means that because of an FCC screw up, and not listening to the advice of a veteran broadcast engineer...me...they went ahead and allowed all stations to choose their format. As long as the transmitter sends out that signal in the 8VSB standard, they dont care what resoltution, or encoding codec they use, or how many audio channels they use.

So even when they roll out more converter boxes, and turn off analog, there will be those that used to be able to pick up stations that cannot now because their converter box or receiver set does not have the decoding codec capable of decoding that station's particular format they chose to transmit.

The blunder has only just begun.



Cheers!!!!

[edit on 26-1-2009 by RFBurns]

Wow that does sound like an absolute mess, could legal action be pursued in this matter?