Comments on: Digital TV switchover to be delayed; you may still have time

By: Molly Pearson

Molly Pearson — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 23:57:31 +0000

as I have found out as thousands of others will be finding out is that thease converter boxs won’t work anyway, and I have done alot of reasearh. People will have no choice but to go to cable or satalite. Little by little peoples freedoms re being taken away from them in this country! and I hope people start waking up before its to late.

By: mottsy

mottsy — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 12:02:21 +0000

common people all of you people need a further eduacation in life…as many years we all have been programmed …first it was the black and whie tv…wich people were used to and i can still recall that people were still usuing black and white tv 20 years after the change…was it cause they couldnt afford it …wrong…it was cause we all got used to the fact we were all programmmed with it…..there were candles before edison made the tungsten people…..and lots of people still have no lights today…are they poor people or people on welfare or lazy asses ..common now use your f…..n heads here….someitmes 2 years isint enough for people to understand and even wanna change afre sucj a long hall with anolog..tv…get real…..damm country is falling apart and its not cause of advancing tech…it failing cause people do not stick up for eachother they would rather demolish the little man here,,,get a life

By: John

John — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 00:36:17 +0000

The funny part of this is that broadcasters can still choose to switchover on Feb. 17th regardless of if the ‘official’ switchover is extended.

Considering the fact that many of these broadcasters will lose millions of dollars by keeping the analog signal running beyond Feb. 17th, it is likely the switchover will occur whether the government likes it or not.

By: The Jackal

The Jackal — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 22:51:37 +0000

I swore I was not going to comment on this story…but after reading some of the comments from the bleeding heart liberals on here I feel it my duty to go off. Whoever controls the information controls the people…sound familiar?!? How do you contol the information?-by controling the media in which it is delivered..the government is so scared that people will be without tv(and thus their brainwashing) for a second and those folks will actually develop the ability to think for themselves, and rub their eyes and look around and see what the hell is really going on. Do you actually believe that what you are watching on the news or programming is true or real or important? Fake reality shows, sensational celebrity stories, scandals, and throw in just a bit of true stuff like weather and traffic…and you got good programming right?!? Please! True-people use the tube as escapism, but the government is capatalizing on that and using it to push their agenda. Wake up America…are we in a recession? That’s what the tv tells you isn’t it? But I go to the malls on the weekends and the places are packed-driving around looking for a parking space, I go out to lunch during the week to big name national sit-down restaurants-every seat is filled, I drive up and down the interstate and see lots of transfer trucks rolling right along with me…folks-they don’t drive those trucks unless they have something in them…or they are going to pick something up in them…would we really be seeing all of these actions if we were in a true recession? Yes people are being laid off, yes people are out of work…I believe that it is a knee-jerk reaction from the major companies, who are scared and are buying into the hype. Gas prices went up…blame Bush. Obama gets elected…gas prices creeping back down…the media spin is obvious, Bush bad, Obama good. You forget that our companies here locally are the ones setting the prices…sure the price of a barrel of oil may go up…but the home folks here are marking it up too…don’t just get mad at overseas oil gougers…look out your backdoor folks…and while you’re at it-looking out your backdoor that is-why don’t you peer over your shoulder…you know who that is? It’s China-you know, the sleeping superpower…the ones who the US is heavily in debt to…the ones the US gets everything made by? Wake up America…ask yourself, really-why does the government care so much that someone might loose thier tv signal?!? Turn the tv off for a couple of days and clear the cobwebs out-rub your eyes and look around for a bit…and seriously don’t think that surfing the web is any better-now don’t get me started on all that. I know that I have probably upset some folks-so let me have it..this will be my only post on this topic, I will not respond to any responses-but know that I will be reading them all. Wake up America.

By: nategiggity

nategiggity — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 20:06:46 +0000

@ backbeat…everyone has known about this forever, if they don’t have the money now they won’t have it later. get off your butt and get a job. anyone that has a job working at mcdonalds should be able to afford this, and if they can’t, they shouldn’t be watching tv anyways, they should be out trying to make more money….give it a rest you idiot!

By: Esquire0399

Esquire0399 — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 19:21:59 +0000

Agreed. I think it’s about time people start taking responsibility for their actions (or inactions in this case). While there are many people that simply have no way of obtaining a digital converter box, I am willing to bet a large sum of money that the majority of people who have yet to purchase their converter boxes have the means to do so, but are unwilling to go out and get them. We make far too many excuses for people in this world and to that I have this to say: we are adults (I’m only 20, but still) and it is time to start acting like adults. The times of someone else cleaning up our mistakes are gone and it’s about time we take responsibility.

By: Esquire0399

Esquire0399 — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 19:15:56 +0000

^ I agree with your first comment that if a person can’t afford a box, than TV is not important enough to justify anyway. Humans have survived many, many, MANY years without it and we could do it now if need be. Hell, millions of people live entire lives without ever even seeing a TV.

I do not, however agree with your second comment. While I understand that it was a joke and I am not personally offended by it, it is not always a person’s choice whether or not to be here so the inability to understand English may not be something they can control or immediately fix. Please don’t think I’m trying to get on you about this, I just don’t feel like reading 300 posts from people offended by this comment.

By: Joe

Joe — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 19:11:55 +0000

This will do nothing but allow procrastinators to procrastinate yet even longer, they’ll just think “Yes! What a releif, I don’t have to worry about it until june now!” Then june will come and it will be the same issue all over again, people boo hooing that they haven’t gotten their box yet and blah blah blah. They should just leave it at 2/17/09, it has been set for years now, and heavily advertised for at least a year, if people don’t have their box by now then it’s their own fault.

By: Lucid REM

Lucid REM — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 18:48:08 +0000

honestly .. if you can’t get the box .. you don’t need TV .. if you don’t understand english .. go home

By: Esquire0399

Esquire0399 — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 18:23:42 +0000

I think everyone defending this delay is forgetting something: these people who either cannot afford a converter box or don’t understand the conversion altogether will not be in any better position in June than they are right now in January. As has been stated several times, the conversion to digital has been in the works for a VERY long time and has been delayed far too many times, all for the purpose of giving people time to prepare. If they still are not prepared at this point, I can guarantee that they will not be any more prepared 5 months from now. It’s not that I lack compassion for those who do not have access to a digital converter box or those who simply don’t understand what is going on, I just don’t think that delaying something that should have taken place several years ago is pointless, since it is very unlikely that those people will be prepared even in June (or December, for that matter).

In addition, those defending the delay need to realize that with any change in technology, especially change effecting the number of people that this will, there will ALWAYS be people who are left out simply because of technological issues. That is just the way things work in a world as reliant on technology as this one. Eventually, those people who are left out will catch up. It’s an endless cycle. It’s just impossible for every last person to be included.

By: Jess

Jess — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 18:03:19 +0000

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.

By: gquaglia

gquaglia — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 16:48:46 +0000

and people just SIMPLY DON’T HAVE THE MONEY TO PAY THE DIFFERENCE ON CONVERTER BOXES!

BS! I can almost guarantee, these same “poor” folks spend double what a converter would cost on booze and cigarettes.

By: SEROLover

SEROLover — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 16:43:46 +0000

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.

By: Tom

Tom — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 15:56:24 +0000

I don’t think the people here on BGR are running analog sets with rabbit ears. We’re kind of the exact opposite.

By: Vijtable

Vijtable — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 15:47:10 +0000

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.

By: backbeat

backbeat — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 15:32:09 +0000

@nategiggity: Speaking of “low class”, any other bigoted judgments you’d like to condescend on others not as supremely gifted as yourself?

By: neodorian

neodorian — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 15:14:29 +0000

^ 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.

By: mingkee

mingkee — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 14:24:56 +0000

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!!!

By: nategiggity

nategiggity — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 14:23:31 +0000

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.

By: neodorian

neodorian — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 14:17:46 +0000

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.

By: Scott

Scott — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 14:15:23 +0000

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.

By: jo

jo — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 14:15:22 +0000

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…

By: Lucid REM

Lucid REM — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 13:56:43 +0000

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!!

By: Atomic Popcorn

Atomic Popcorn — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 13:54:20 +0000

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

By: Steve

Steve — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 13:53:58 +0000

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.

By: Gregg

Gregg — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 13:51:19 +0000

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.

By: Kimberly

Kimberly — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 13:48:15 +0000

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 ‘.

By: Kevin

Kevin — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 13:42:57 +0000

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.

By: Kevin

Kevin — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 13:41:25 +0000

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.

By: nategiggity

nategiggity — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 13:40:34 +0000

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?