Digital TV switchover to be delayed; you may still have time
If you’re an avid BGR reader, you’re probably all set to go for the switch to digital TV but if you’ve been slacking for whatever reason, there could be some good news for you. After a lot of bickering, the US Senate has just passed a bill to extend the switch from February 17 to June 12. Even though there was plenty of warning, lots of folks felt that February was just too soon and so the proposal for a delay is one step closer to being passed. Of course the bill still must make it through the House and the desk of the the President. For those who received a $40 coupon (to aid in the purchase of a digital converter box) that expired or is soon to expire, a new coupon can be requested should the bill pass. Seriously though, with the June 12 deadline and tax refunds on their way… Well, you know what we’re getting at. Now that the ultimate relief may soon be given to the nation’s biggest procrastinators, it’s time to get on the digital bandwagon folks.
Digital TV switchover is delayed AGAIN.
total bs. those ppl had years to prepare. unless obama plans on just sending ppl boxes in the mail, without people having to do anything, the people who haven’t switched yet probably wont. and since when is it a RIGHT to watch tv?
Why is everyone in a grave panic that some people might lose a television signal? I’m sure they would figure it out. Or hand the task to volunteers. But spend millions of tax dollars on this?
This has got to be the dumbest thing the senate has ever done. Well not the dumbest but another stupid thing. If folks are so stupid they can’t figure this out, its ON THEM for being idiots.
Why does our government always have to save the stupid people? Let them continue being stupid and get off their lazy asses and go to best buy for a converter box.
This is a crock. More of the government coddling those too lazy to get off their ass and do something for themselves.
This isn’t something new that just popped up with a 6 month window to get changed over, this has been known for years and a heavy push in the last year to get everyone on board.
it’s probably the welfare people that don’t have the converter boxes yet. you know, the same people that are also too lazy to go out and get a job. who these days doesn’t have either cable or satelite anyways?
Popcorn, I’m sure it isn’t the stupid and lazy people they are worried about. It’s most likely the elderly people who can’t get out and who don’t understand what is going on.
After the program to educate people about the switchover is done they should start one to educate ignorant asses like yourself that maybe they aren’t always right and maybe every once in a while they should consider other people’s situations.
Popcorn, I’m sure it isn’t the stupid and lazy people they are worried about. It’s most likely the elderly people who can’t get out and who don’t understand what is going on.
After the program to educate people about the switchover is done they should start one to educate ignorant asses like yourself that maybe they aren’t always right and maybe every once in a while they should consider other people’s situations, which may be less fortunate than their own.
You know reading these comments just pisses me off because there may be unique reasons as to why people aren’t prepared yet . yes it wouldn’t be a tragedy to lose signal for a few days or whatever until they get it fixed to assume that these people are “lazy asses” is just effing rediculous . Cable is too damn expensive , satellite isn’t always reliable and people just SIMPLY DON’T HAVE THE MONEY TO PAY THE DIFFERENCE ON CONVERTER BOXES! I mean come on give me a f***ing break these days money is tight and I’m pretty sure people would rather have gas money or pay for groceries and what not until they feel the need to do so .Those majority effected are the elderly and lower income bracket .
So shut up about people being lazy asses and all that B.S. There’s more to it than that .
Just Sayin ‘.
What is appalling to me is that people receive coupons (read taxpayer funded subsidy) from our government to aid in purchasing the box. Why is this something I need to fund? F***ing government….and you wonder why we are in such a fiscal crisis.
I guess I just don’t get why after they shut it off for at least a couple days run a message saying “if you can see this message please call (some 800 number) for the digital tv conversion hotline.”
Personally I think that’s a better idea than having to drag this out longer than it needs to be.
Kevin, well said. I should be educated but until that remains to be seen, I will for assumptions based on who the government in the past has come to the rescue of. Elderly people fare pretty well as opposed to lazy asses across America.
Stop allowing the government to save everyone, start making people live for themselves. If they aren’t aware enough to get a small box that has been advertised for the last few years DAILY on some channels (even Montel has a stupid commercial about it) then that is on them.
This is why America is behind in so many ways in technology, its because we allow our government to control things to much. I know its there for a reason, but why are Countries like Japan and even Sweden 7 to 10 years a head of us in the cellphone market, internet pipes etc?
Good Day
well i feel the need to apologize here after all these comments .. it seems to me if someone can’t pay the $30 (or less) to keep their precious TV on then so be it! go without the stupid thing .. we the people have survived thousands of years without this technology and we certainly won’t die if it’s taken away for a while .. c’mon tho!! $30!! this is just a pathetic cry from Obama telling the poor of america that he “feels your pain” and will do what he can to fend off those nasty corporate giants who are trying to rob you of your comforts of living .. geez .. what’s the point of delaying? in six months those same people still won’t have the box .. they’re practically being given away!!
I would have to agree that it is most likely the elderly that will be affected by this change. However, I also feel that if anyone including elderly and everyone else that hasn’t done anything to prepare for the changeover at this point is not going to suddenly realize because it has been postponed that ok I need to go get a converter box…several of the local stations here have been shutting off the analog signal during the local news cast to test for people if they are prepared. So there is no reason why someone shouldn’t know what is happening. If they have chosen to ignore up until now then I don’t think another 6 months is going to make a difference. If they want to extend the coupons that is fine. I agree shut the signal down in Feb and broadcast an 800 number to get the converter box coupons and be done with it. Several local stations have even been running a count down commercial daily since January….Now all the sudden they are going to need to add 180 days to it…
Ridiculous! It’s been coming for TEN years!
The real issue is that we have a war going on and the economy in the crapper… The government wants people to sit at home and numb themselves watching TV. Otherwise, who knows what the public would do with an extra 4 hours on their hands every day.
As ridiculous as I think this is, one point people are missing is that the airwaves are a public resource (legally). The government is making a lot of money selling off some of this spectrum so it’s up to them to make sure that nobody loses their access because of that. Yes, most people use their TV for its usual idiot-box purposes but for some out in the middle of nowhere that idiot box can be a “lifeline” to the rest of the world. Think of it kind of like eminent domain. The government can sell off your land but they have to compensate you. Similarly, they can fuck up your access to information via television but they have to make sure they don’t leave you out in the cold.
But yes, I think it’s ridiculous that people haven’t gotten off of their asses with this yet. I think a lot of us underestimate the sheer number of uneducated and incredibly impoverished people in this country. It might be kind of beyond Grandma Tammy-Sue out in Appalachia why her TV stopped working.
they are being given away! it is so ridiculous..the people on here complaining are probably the people that are too lazy to go get one. it is not the elderly that have a problem, don’t be stupid. the problem is with the low class. if you can’t afford $30 or $40 then you shouldn’t be watching tv…you should be out working so you can afford it.
it doesn’t affect me at all
I have acquired the ATSC boxes (one for upstairs), while keeping another to make existing non-ATSC slingbox keeps running
all devices were ready, can switch in no time
the most ridiculous thing is the cable companies, they take this chance that if the user don’t sign cable, they’ll surely lose TV service after transition, this is 100% false and BULLSH*T!!!
^ Agree. I work in a university and Comcast tried to convince my boss that we had to upgrade the entire building to digital cable because of the digital conversion. Currently a lot of the rooms and the exercise bikes in the gym are served by analog cable. To switch everything to digital with a stupid digital Comcast box would have been a disaster and I had to track down the regional VP’s email address and get him to explain things to my bosses in an email before they would calm down. The sales guys had no problem lying to get us to upgrade and it took direct correspondence with higher-ups before the damage was undone.
@nategiggity: Speaking of “low class”, any other bigoted judgments you’d like to condescend on others not as supremely gifted as yourself?
Wow…
To everyone calling those without converter boxes procrastinators or lazy, that is unfair. Elderly, low-income, rural, and non-English-speaking folks are the ones who are at risk. They fall into one (or more) of three categories: don’t watch a lot of TV, don’t understand the switchover, and can’t afford a box. A little compassion, please.
As for why the government should “waste money” on a $40 coupon program, this is simple. We, the people, own the airwaves. The government, on our behalf, licenses the airwaves to stations. Digital TV takes less bandwidth the transmit more channels. The recent FCC auction, where we got $19.6 bln dollars, was the reclassification of a bunch of UHF bands into mobile phone bands. The DTV coupon set aside $1.5 bln for coupons. Net positive, in a big way.
The only REAL concern is confusion over the old date and new date.
I don’t think the people here on BGR are running analog sets with rabbit ears. We’re kind of the exact opposite.
C’mon the coupon covers 40.00 of the cost and Best Buy has stacks of converter boxes for 50.00 each. If you cant save up 10 bucks over the course of the months they have been available then you dont deserve to be able to watch TV.
BS! I can almost guarantee, these same “poor” folks spend double what a converter would cost on booze and cigarettes.
Wow. The ignorance on this board is astounding. Have you not heard of the working poor? Many people cannot make ends meet despite working hard. And the elderly who have limited income would rather eat than pay for cable. TVs have become something of a necessity for information as many of the aforementioned groups do not use a computer.
Just because you have a couple of thousand to burn on the latest “necessity” doesn’t mean everyone is in the same economic position.