The date for conversion of broadcast television in the US from analog to digital has changed to June 12, 2009. Originally it was set to next Tuesday, February 17, but at the last minute a bill moved through Congress to delay it. In short, if you don’t have the right equipment, you won’t be able to watch TV. As you can see from the accompanying photo of my TV from a recent test done by CBS2 in Chicago, I have the right stuff.
The idea behind delaying it was to give more time to people to get the right equipment. I won’t get into what “right equipment” is but you can check out DTVAnswers.com for more information. After watching endless promotions of the digital switch for almost forever, I say bring it on, right now, even sooner if possible! Why? Because no matter how long you wait, people still won’t catch on. If you don’t believe me, look at smoke detectors.
For as long as smoke detectors have been in existence, the daily news is riddled with stories of deaths in homes that were on fire and did not have smoke detectors at all, or non-functioning ones. Why? I have no idea. Other than the pure negligence, what causes someone to not spend US$10 on a device that saves lives? I have never heard of anyone denying the merits of smoke detectors, yet people still don’t have them.
After fires ravage a home and people in Chicago, firefighters canvas the neighborhood handing out free smoke detectors. Maybe TV station employees should do the same, checking if people have the right equipment and if not handing out converter boxes. Either that or run digital tests during American Idol or Survivor and not during the morning news, as its obvious with the extension the media has failed to get the message across to everyone.
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I am completely ready for the digital switchover, I don’t have a TV… ;o)
Actually, all of this much a do about very little. I love the video circulating about the little old lady trying to follow the directions on how to hook her old tv up to the new digital box.
As I think about everyone I know who has a tv, they already have digital capable tvs and really only watch cable anyway. Even my 92 year old grandpa has a flat screen digital tv (gift from the family as it is easier for him to watch than the old tv).
I think all the to do is really about that folks whose businesses are invested heavily in you watching a tv want to make sure that everyone has a working tv, as heaven forbid that even one person misses a commercial.
Comment by
Ms. Jen
on 02/11/09 at 09:55 PM
You are definitely smarter than the rest of us!
mp/m
Comment by
Mike Maddaloni
on 02/11/09 at 10:00 PM
I don’t know about smarter… I am just a bit more easily distractable. If I had a TV, I would be a mess. Nothing would get done. ;o)
Comment by
Ms. Jen
on 02/11/09 at 11:35 PM
I wonder if the stations who still want to switch on the original cutover date are going to get permission from the FCC… (I’d Google it, but I don’t want to get sucked down the Google rathole at the moment.) Hawaii didn’t seem to have a problem switching early. Granted, their state is a small chain of islands. :)
Comment by
btn
on 02/14/09 at 07:34 PM
Not sure Brian… my guess is they would rather wait, especially with more money in the “stimulus” bill going towards converter box vouchers.
mp/m
Comment by
Mike Maddaloni
on 02/15/09 at 12:34 PM
It was the same with seatbelts and with airbags. Eventually, the former became the law, and I’m pretty sure that airbags are standard now—i.e. the manufacturers force them on you, and there is no way to opt out of them. Let’s just hope that the 3 main US networks follow the example of the Big 3 in Detroit any more closely… ;)
Comment by
CT Moore
on 02/15/09 at 06:37 PM
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