Digital Cable

[NoSlave]

How come the U.S. gov't is paying for all t.v. to by digital by 2009? Making t.v. antannas useless, all t.v. will be digital and go through a cable. A bill has been passed to buy $40 converters for families that can't afford to switch. I can't believe this with all the money we've spent on the war the last few years... oh it's so they can better brainwash us into doing what they say and justifying the war.:angry:

Also I wonder what this means for cable access channels, I wonder if it cuts them out completely.

One thing I see for certin is no one will be abel to broadcast something the Gov't doesn't approve of, you'll have to go through a corporation instead of just buying the equipment to broadcast a signal.

What is going on here that I don't see?

[triplesix]

Quote:How come the U.S. gov't is paying for all t.v. to by digital by 2009? Making t.v. antannas useless, all t.v. will be digital and go through a cable. A bill has been passed to buy $40 converters for families that can't afford to switch. I can't believe this with all the money we've spent on the war the last few years... oh it's so they can better brainwash us into doing what they say and justifying the war.:angry:

Also I wonder what this means for cable access channels, I wonder if it cuts them out completely.

One thing I see for certin is no one will be abel to broadcast something the Gov't doesn't approve of, you'll have to go through a corporation instead of just buying the equipment to broadcast a signal.

What is going on here that I don't see?

Sounds to me like you're seeing it pretty clearly.

[operationska]

Actually, it'll still be over the air. You'll just need a ATSC/HDTV box or a tv with a built in ATSC tuner.
Had to buy a new antenna for I could get free HDTV ota. :grin:

[NoSlave]

Quote:Actually, it'll still be over the air. You'll just need a ATSC/HDTV box or a tv with a built in ATSC tuner.
Had to buy a new antenna for I could get free HDTV ota. :grin:

Ty
I tried to find out more about it but it seemed the everything I could find on it was from a few years ago.

[TeslaandLyne]

No more antennas.

Now you will never detect any UFOs over your house.

[invis212]

whats actually happening is the government (FCC) passed legislation stating by 2009 all television signals must be digital and all new television sets must have digital tuners in a push to uniform the market. most if not all television manufacturers have stopped production on televisions with analogue tuners earlier this year. from a technological standpoint this is a good move, frees up bandwith and in theory makes technology cheaper.. there are a few other reasons but i dont know how in depth everyone wants to go.

now what the government is going to do is hand out is a digital to analog converter box so that people who do not have televisions with digital tuners can still get OTA (over the air) broadcasts via antenna.

people who have cable or sat are largely unaffected as anyone using a set top box has little to no need for for a tuner as the set top box does the tuning and the transmission is via cable or sat, this legislation is strictly for OTA and affects the people who still use tinfoil for their bunny ears and not their hats.

as a person who works in the AV industry id say the move to all digital is a good thing. do I agree that we should shell out the bill to pay for those people who cant afford for a converter to get one free? eh i dunno, doesnt bother me too much.. must be my inner socialist peaking through again

[TeslaandLyne]

Quote:Actually, it'll still be over the air. You'll just need a ATSC/HDTV box or a tv with a built in ATSC tuner.
Had to buy a new antenna for I could get free HDTV ota. :grin:

I can get the HDTV on rabbit ears... only 3 strong HD ones come in and they tend to freeze up.

My antenna cable run was so long and leaky the amped ears did well if its moved right.

Target had a small LCD TV on sale with built in DVD and PC connector.

Don't need the media any more... I got me the internet videos... or is that
as bad as watching MTV on cable..

[NoSlave]

I don't have t.v. right now, I can't stand most of there programing (the industries word for there crap). I couldn't tell the difference between HDTV and NWOTV if I tried. Plus I feel I've been conditioned enugh. I've been checking out old movies from the library. I've found a few things worth mentioning on another thread, but haven't got around to to posting them yet.

[rsol]

Yes you are quite right about restricting "open frequencies" in the name of better bandwidth. This does mean more junk on our Tv more space for advertising, more channels (obviously with government approval, a bit like the chinese)

Digital terrestrial Television is bloody awful. If you find a good signal for one set of channels, the others dont work. This is coming from someone living virtially next to the antenna. Thank god i dont watch it.

[Hei Hu Quan]

Here's a theory, and it's just a theory mind you, but what if these bastards have reverse transmission technology (the ability to see and hear you in your home) and needed the digital cable for the following reasons:

1) A clearer signal with digitised images for remote home surveillance. If remote surveillance into people's homes is being performed, then the parties involved would want the best possible picture with a stable transmission.

2) The ability to track and catalogue what you watch and your viewing habits to a digital cable account linked directly to your name and home address. With analogue TV it was just plug and play with the optional rabbit-ear antennae that couldn't be tracked.

That might be an answer to the question you posited here NoSlave.

Quote:How come the U.S. gov't is paying for all t.v. to by digital by 2009? Making t.v. antannas useless, all t.v. will be digital and go through a cable. A bill has been passed to buy $40 converters for families that can't afford to switch.

Something to ponder.

Anything the government is mandating and footing the bill for can't be so the populace can have a clearer picture and enhance their bread & circus entertainment experience. There's always a hidden angle that invariably has to do with increased surveillance and control.

[NoSlave]

OMG Creepy! Even if your t.v. doesn't have the tech. to watch you as of yet, your next one might. It makes sence, the last cable box I had would communicate with my cable company, to tell them things like what the signal was like. Wouldn't take much to send audio or even video.:barf: