Anyone else ending up with no TV...digital switchover

**Luv2BeFrugal** · 01-10-2008, 04:10 AM

Just curious if the FCC's switchover to all digital TV is affecting anyone else?

Dh and I can't afford cable right now (currently doing the "regular antenna" which gets very good reception here...lots of repeater towers) so we'll be watching our DVDs and then checking out DVDs and videos from the library...as well as the occasional loaned DVD from friends.

I thought we'd be a bit more "upset" at the "loss" of it...but frankly many of the commercials alone have become so offensive I'm kind of glad to not have it piped into my home...is that weird??? I will miss the local news...but we'll just check the web for that...

Something occurred to me this evening...of our closest friends...one is giving up TV because she can't afford cable, another hasn't had a TV in literally a decade+, and another couple we're friends with doesn't have cable or internet (cost) and have discovered they're quite content without it. Makes me wonder how many others would live happier lives without the "boob tube" on many hours a night?

**lisettelovebug** · 01-10-2008, 04:54 AM

The government is giving coupons for coinverter boxes. You can get up to 2 for $40 off. I'm not sure how much they actually cost.
here's a site you can check out. I was actually just getting ready to do a search for the information when the commercial came on right then.. funny.
https://www.dtv2009.gov/

**Grandma Lewis** · 01-10-2008, 08:48 AM

I have one TV that runs on batteries that we use during a storm to watch the weather and it won't work after the change over and I'm not happy. We don't have severe weather sirens where I live and the power not to mention the satellite picture frequently goes out in storms so I rely on that little TV to keep abreast of impending bad weather. What good would a converter box do it I don't have electricity to power it.

Living in tornado alley, analog TV is essential. I don't think this was well thought out by our government officials.

**mom2bobsarah** · 01-10-2008, 08:56 AM

If I am not mistaken the change does not go into effect until 2009 so you will have a little while before you have to do without. Maybe at that point you will decide to get cable or be able to get a converter box. I did not really even think about the little weather tv's, it is unfortunate that you will not be able to rely on them in emergencies. With all the hubbub by the government about emergency preparedness you would think they would come up with some way to solve that.

**many houseapes** · 01-10-2008, 09:59 AM

We won't have a problem doing without it. Our family gave up TV along time ago & have become use to it.We do have a tv, but it is used for dvds of our choice & the kids play their video games on it.I hear ya about the commercials-ugh! When we used to have satellite, we use to watch the "family friendly channels", but they always managed to air some very vulgar & offensive commercials.We were basically paying $31 for 2 channels that were worth anything....& a bunch of ugly commercials.It wasn't worth wasting our money so we discontinued the service.(get our news from the internet & sometimes the radio in the van when we're out)
I believe that b/c of our choices,our family's communication skills have improved

**YankeeMom** · 01-10-2008, 10:02 AM

They've also been tossing around pushing it back to 2012.

**amykhar** · 01-10-2008, 10:03 AM

I have one TV that runs on batteries that we use during a storm to watch the weather and it won't work after the change over and I'm not happy. We don't have severe weather sirens where I live and the power not to mention the satellite picture frequently goes out in storms so I rely on that little TV to keep abreast of impending bad weather. What good would a converter box do it I don't have electricity to power it.

Digital TV will still be broadcast over the air. You might have to replace that battery powered television with a new one that is digital ready though.

When I lived in tornado alley, we used a regular old transistor radio during tornado warnings. So, at least there is that possibility if you don't want to replace the television.

Amy

**DAAC3DEC** · 01-10-2008, 10:04 AM

I read something yesterday about the boxes we get the coupon for on either msn or cnn and it said that a lot of people are going to end up with the wrong ones for their t.v's...........2009 is a way aways, I am going to hold off and see what comes to light before I go get a box......

**eofelis** · 01-10-2008, 10:12 AM

We currently have a 13in TV with rabbit ears. We get 6 channels. It has been fine for us. When the analog signal runs out in Feb 2009 we will go without. We will probably miss PBS though.

There is no way we will pay for cable or any other service. We have a growing collection of sale and thrift store DVDs and VHS shows.

**StaceyS** · 01-10-2008, 11:22 AM

I have a small antenna and get only 2 channels. I thought I wanted to use it for local news, but have found that the local news is mostly fluff - interviews I don't care about, cooking meals at 5 am. Also, they've changed their anchors and these two "giggle" way too much for my tastes. Plus, I REALLY can't stand the political ads!
So, I turn on my computer in the morning to get "actual" news and listen to the radio if I need noise. I don't miss tv now that I've found I can watch Grey's Anatomey and A&E's First 48 online. I've also started watching Samantha Who and Private Practice that I didn't watch previously because of how late they came on. It's not going to affect me at all.

**bamber** · 01-10-2008, 12:19 PM

Well, we have cable...but I thought we'd still need a tv that would run it? I don't know. I like cable, and I plan to keep it. I never had cable growing up and we never watched much tv at all at my house, I resented that, which I guess is why it is important to me.

**FreesiaE** · 01-10-2008, 12:23 PM

I have to ask what is the point of the switch to digital? Seriously, I have no idea. Cheaper to do? Better picture? Longer wavelength?

**bamber** · 01-10-2008, 12:28 PM

So they can use all the analog channels for other purposes. I'm not sure why, but that is what I read in the paper.

**Luv2BeFrugal** · 01-10-2008, 02:51 PM

Originally Posted by lisettelovebug

The government is giving coupons for coinverter boxes. You can get up to 2 for $40 off. I'm not sure how much they actually cost.
here's a site you can check out. I was actually just getting ready to do a search for the information when the commercial came on right then.. funny.
https://www.dtv2009.gov/

My Dh checked into it...they're in the range of $100...things are just SO tight right now (he's in college) the $60 spent on groceries would be so much smarter...

**Luv2BeFrugal** · 01-10-2008, 02:59 PM

They're switching to all digital signals because a digital signal takes up a very narrow bandwidth, which allows for more signals over the same space. All the analog signals will be gone.

It sounds like different states are complying at different deadlines...here in Alaska it will be ALL digital as of January 15th, 2008 (yup, just a few days left!)...they started cutting off some of the "free" channel signals a few days ago.

Wow, I hadn't thought about no analog signal for tornado areas. That really would be a bad idea for there! Hopefully the emergency radios will cover the information well enough to keep people safe.