will all current tv sets become obsolete?
 

If I purchase a tv set today that does NOT contain a HDTV tuner and
does NOT say ready for HDTV, will I be able to use it when the FCC says
that it is mandatory for all tv stations to broadcast only in HDTV?
Would converters be available should this happen?

all opinions, info, etc. welcomed!

Aaron

will all current tv sets become obsolete?
 

The law, as this NG understands it is that HD is NOT required--only digital
transmission. So all analog sets without digital tuners will fail on over the
air transmissions. BUT if a TV has analog inputs (3 RCA jacks yellow-red-white)
AND the input source (i.e. satellite, cable) set top box has similar outputs,
then the TV will continue to function. a "ready for HDTV" television has no
tuner anyway--requires an external tuner (i.e. satellite or cable box)
Hope that helps!

--
All the Best
Richard Harison
wrote in message
ups.com...
If I purchase a tv set today that does NOT contain a HDTV tuner and
does NOT say ready for HDTV, will I be able to use it when the FCC says
that it is mandatory for all tv stations to broadcast only in HDTV?
Would converters be available should this happen?

all opinions, info, etc. welcomed!

Aaron




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will all current tv sets become obsolete?
 

www.crutchfield.com will answer all your questions.
wrote in message
ups.com...
If I purchase a tv set today that does NOT contain a HDTV tuner and
does NOT say ready for HDTV, will I be able to use it when the FCC says
that it is mandatory for all tv stations to broadcast only in HDTV?
Would converters be available should this happen?

all opinions, info, etc. welcomed!

Aaron

will all current tv sets become obsolete?
 

On Tue, 26 Sep 2006 14:53:58 -0700, wrote:

If I purchase a tv set today that does NOT contain a HDTV tuner and
does NOT say ready for HDTV, will I be able to use it when the FCC says
that it is mandatory for all tv stations to broadcast only in HDTV?
Would converters be available should this happen?

It will never be outdated as long as it works. When NTSC goes away,
you'll just need an external tuner for OTA ATSC (HD or SD). I watch OTA
HDTV broadcast now on my old 32" NTSC set. And it looks very good. A heck
of a lot better than NTSC ever was. There are converters now, and have
been some for years. But they have quit making a lot of them and they are
expensive. If you want ATSC now you'd be better off just buying a new set
I think. A new SD TV with a built in digital tuner can be had for about
$250. And you'd pay almost that much or more for just the tuner in a box.
Rediculous, but that's the way it is. And I doubt you'd want to buy a new
TV without a digital tuner unless you have an external source for it.

--
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will all current tv sets become obsolete?
 

On 26 Sep 2006 14:53:58 -0700, "
wrote:

If I purchase a tv set today that does NOT contain a HDTV tuner and
does NOT say ready for HDTV, will I be able to use it when the FCC says
that it is mandatory for all tv stations to broadcast only in HDTV?
Would converters be available should this happen?

It needs an "ATSC" tuner which gets digital, which can be
low-resolution. I think pretty much all the sets available today have
this, maybe it's the law???

HDTV is a separate issue.

J.

will all current tv sets become obsolete?
 

In "Elmo P.
Shagnasty" wrote:

In article . com,
" wrote:

If I purchase a tv set today that does NOT contain a HDTV tuner and
does NOT say ready for HDTV, will I be able to use it when the FCC
says that it is mandatory for all tv stations to broadcast only in
HDTV?

I'm sorry. The FCC that I know of is only for the United States of
America, and there's no mandate for HDTV or HDTV tuners.

But there is a requirement that all over-the-air TV stations in the US
switch to "digital" broadcasts by Feb. 18, 2009.

By March 2007, all TVs sold in the US must have built-in digital tuners.

--
Bert Hyman St. Paul, MN

will all current tv sets become obsolete?
 

In "Elmo P.
Shagnasty" wrote:

In article ,
Bert Hyman wrote:

I'm sorry. The FCC that I know of is only for the United States of
America, and there's no mandate for HDTV or HDTV tuners.

But there is a requirement that all over-the-air TV stations in the US
switch to "digital" broadcasts by Feb. 18, 2009.

By March 2007, all TVs sold in the US must have built-in digital
tuners.

That's right.

And that has nothing to do with HDTV.

Why did I just -know that was going to be your angle?

Wouldn't it have been simpler, not to mention more civil, to simply
correct the posters apparent confusion about digital vs. HD TV and go from
there?

--
Bert Hyman St. Paul, MN

will all current tv sets become obsolete?
 

wrote in message
ups.com...
If I purchase a tv set today that does NOT contain a HDTV tuner and
does NOT say ready for HDTV, will I be able to use it when the FCC says
that it is mandatory for all tv stations to broadcast only in HDTV?
Would converters be available should this happen?

all opinions, info, etc. welcomed!

Aaron

ATSC receivers / converters will be available and subsidized by the
government... but there may be strings attached.

Cable and Sat TV will continue to work with conventional TV's for the
foreseeable future - though the number of analog cable channels that your
old tv can watch w/o a box will probably decrease over time.

will all current tv sets become obsolete?
 

Bert Hyman wrote:
In "Elmo P.
Shagnasty" wrote:

In article . com,
" wrote:

If I purchase a tv set today that does NOT contain a HDTV tuner and
does NOT say ready for HDTV, will I be able to use it when the FCC
says that it is mandatory for all tv stations to broadcast only in
HDTV?
I'm sorry. The FCC that I know of is only for the United States of
America, and there's no mandate for HDTV or HDTV tuners.

But there is a requirement that all over-the-air TV stations in the US
switch to "digital" broadcasts by Feb. 18, 2009.

By March 2007, all TVs sold in the US must have built-in digital tuners.

And a day after the transition no TV sold needs an NTSC tuner and if it
doesn't have an NTSC tuner it isn't required to have an ATSC tuner. The
mandate ceases to have any meaning.

You will either buy an SD or HDTV set that includes an ATSC tuner or a
monitor but the FCC mandate will be history.

Bob Miller

will all current tv sets become obsolete?
 

will all current tv sets become obsolete?
 

will all current tv sets become obsolete?
 

Bert Hyman wrote:

In "Elmo P.
Shagnasty" wrote:

In article ,
Bert Hyman wrote:

I'm sorry. The FCC that I know of is only for the United States of
America, and there's no mandate for HDTV or HDTV tuners.

But there is a requirement that all over-the-air TV stations in the US
switch to "digital" broadcasts by Feb. 18, 2009.

By March 2007, all TVs sold in the US must have built-in digital
tuners.

That's right.

And that has nothing to do with HDTV.

Why did I just -know that was going to be your angle?

Wouldn't it have been simpler, not to mention more civil, to simply
correct the posters apparent confusion about digital vs. HD TV and go from
there?

--
Bert Hyman St. Paul, MN

Bert

I agree with you about the general lack of civility in this group,
however, this same original post has been posted about 5 times in the
past few months, under different poster names. Why,,beats me,,,?? The
original poster never posts back saying thanks for clarifying, or
anything..?

I think people are getting a bit fatigued answering the same question
over and over - HDTV has nothing to do with the switch to digital
broadcasting.

will all current tv sets become obsolete?
 

common_ wrote:
I agree with you about the general lack of civility in this group,
however, this same original post has been posted about 5 times in the
past few months, under different poster names. Why,,beats me,,,?? The
original poster never posts back saying thanks for clarifying, or
anything..?

I think people are getting a bit fatigued answering the same question
over and over - HDTV has nothing to do with the switch to digital
broadcasting.

Since hd signals are a subset of digital broadcasting, I wouldn't say hdtv has nothing to do with the switch.
It is a confusing subject for the novice, no doubt. There are good primers on the net to help explain it all.
This is a good place to start:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High-definition_television

Chip

--
-------------------- http://NewsReader.Com/ --------------------
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will all current tv sets become obsolete?
 

In common_
wrote:

I agree with you about the general lack of civility in this group,
however, this same original post has been posted about 5 times in the
past few months, under different poster names. Why,,beats me,,,?? The
original poster never posts back saying thanks for clarifying, or
anything..?

I think people are getting a bit fatigued answering the same question
over and over - HDTV has nothing to do with the switch to digital
broadcasting.

I can see how that would happen; I guess I haven't hit the group at the
times when the messages you're talking about were current, or I just
ignored them :-)

--
Bert Hyman St. Paul, MN

will all current tv sets become obsolete?
 

common_ wrote:

HDTV has nothing to do with the switch to digital
broadcasting.

Agree but I didn't know that myself until I asked here
myself.

So basically a station can broadcast in digital but NOT
at the definition required to technically be "High
definition", correct?

Do I have it right?

will all current tv sets become obsolete?
 

wrote:
common_ wrote:

HDTV has nothing to do with the switch to digital
broadcasting.

Agree but I didn't know that myself until I asked here
myself.

So basically a station can broadcast in digital but NOT
at the definition required to technically be "High
definition", correct?

Do I have it right?

Yes, that is correct.

Chip

--
-------------------- http://NewsReader.Com/ --------------------
Usenet Newsgroup Service $9.95/Month 30GB

will all current tv sets become obsolete?
 

"Elmo P. Shagnasty" wrote:
In article ,
wrote:

Since hd signals are a subset of digital broadcasting, I wouldn't say
hdtv has nothing to do with the switch.

How can you say that?

The mandate is for digital broadcasting and digital tuners, period. The
mandate says absolutely nothing about HDTV.

HDTV has nothing to do with the mandated switch to digital broadcasting
and receivers.

HD is not part of the mandate, but nearly all stations broadcasting digitally are sending out an hd signal. That makes it part of it.

Chip

--
-------------------- http://NewsReader.Com/ --------------------
Usenet Newsgroup Service $9.95/Month 30GB

will all current tv sets become obsolete?
 

will all current tv sets become obsolete?
 

will all current tv sets become obsolete?
 

wrote in message
...
common_ wrote:

HDTV has nothing to do with the switch to digital
broadcasting.

Agree but I didn't know that myself until I asked here
myself.

So basically a station can broadcast in digital but NOT
at the definition required to technically be "High
definition", correct?

Do I have it right?

They are permitted to broadcast HDTV, but it's not a requirement.
From http://www.fcc.gov/mb/policy/dtv/#RF

"Broadcasters are allowed to use the channels according to their best
business judgment -- as long as they continue to offer a free digital video
programming service at least comparable in resolution to the service
available today and aired during the same time periods."

However, the FCC, Congress, the broadcasters, and the media have preached
HDTV since the beginning of the transition. By now the public justifiability
expects HDTV to continue after the transition period.

will all current tv sets become obsolete?
 

In article ,
Bert Hyman wrote:

But there is a requirement that all over-the-air TV stations in the US
switch to "digital" broadcasts by Feb. 18, 2009.

Not that most of us care about them, but I haven't seen much said about
low-power TV stations. There is a fund available to reimburse low-power
for the cost of new equipment, including up to $1,000 per translator
station for D-to-A equipment, but they are allowed to broadcast in
analog after the date, and some of them will even be allowed to continue
broadcasting on channel 52 and up.

http://www.benton.org/index.php?q=node/1257
http://www.benton.org/benton_files/dtvbillsummary.doc

http://72.14.203.104/search?q=cache:....org/benton_fi
les/dtvbillsummary.doc (Google cache HTML version of the above .doc file)


As for me, I have one 4:3 CRT TV which is "HD-ready" (no digital tuner),
but I leave it and its STB in 480p mode all the time because the scan
switch is annoying. I have two other STBs connected to NTSC sets, one
of which I recently set up for my mother because the low VHF on her
cable TV was getting bad reception. It can receive all but one of the
digital stations local to her with rabbit ears on top of the TV, and
that last one can be received by touching the UHF loop.

will all current tv sets become obsolete?
 

will all current tv sets become obsolete?
 

common_ wrote:

Now if you really want to start a flame war here - suggest that in
2009 OTA HD will go away in favor of the OTA stations sending out 5
channels of SD, and selling their HD produced content to Sat and
Cable companies.

No need for me to start any flame wars here. g

But....is that scenario above likely?

And if yes....what's the big benefit in doing so?

will all current tv sets become obsolete?
 

"Elmo P. Shagnasty" wrote:

To say "digital" can mean anything. Think of digital cameras--some are
1 megapixel, some are 10 megapixels. But they're all digital.

Excellent analogy!

Thanks!

will all current tv sets become obsolete?
 

Bert Hyman wrote:

To say "digital" can mean anything.

But in the context of over-the-air digital TV in the US (presumably
the topic of this thread), it means ATSC.

Not understanding your pint.

Can you explain please?

Thanks!

will all current tv sets become obsolete?
 

Bruce Tomlin wrote:

As for me, I have one 4:3 CRT TV which is "HD-ready" (no digital tuner),
but I leave it and its STB in 480p mode all the time because the scan
switch is annoying. I have two other STBs connected to NTSC sets, one
of which I recently set up for my mother because the low VHF on her
cable TV was getting bad reception. It can receive all but one of the
digital stations local to her with rabbit ears on top of the TV, and
that last one can be received by touching the UHF loop.

Will STB's be extinct in time tho?

Id much rather have my tuner separate of the display
but it seems damn hard to find a decent OTA STB

will all current tv sets become obsolete?
 

wrote:
wrote:

So basically a station can broadcast in digital but NOT
at the definition required to technically be "High
definition", correct?

Do I have it right?

Yes, that is correct.

Thanks Chip!

But that begs a question..... what would be the
advantage for a station to transmit in digital but NOT
at HD level?

Are there still some big advantages to digital even at
much lower resolutions?

A station can send out up to five low resolution digital channels in the same bandwidth as one hd channel. That COULD mean more revenue,
if they can sell the advertisement. That's a big if.

Chip

--
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will all current tv sets become obsolete?
 

() wrote in
:

Bert Hyman wrote:

To say "digital" can mean anything.

But in the context of over-the-air digital TV in the US (presumably
the topic of this thread), it means ATSC.

Not understanding your pint.

Can you explain please?

When you say "digital" in the context of US over-the-air TV, it can't
mean "anything", it means ATSC.

"ATSC: An acronym for Advanced Television Systems Committee, and the
name of the DTV system used by broadcasters in the U.S."

http://www.dtv.gov/glossary.html

--
Bert Hyman | St. Paul, MN |

will all current tv sets become obsolete?
 

will all current tv sets become obsolete?
 

In article ,
wrote:

Id much rather have my tuner separate of the display
but it seems damn hard to find a decent OTA STB

That's probably mostly because the big box stores can make money by
signing people for satellite, but not from OTA boxes, so they don't push
OTA STBs on consumers. And consumers still aren't generally aware of
OTA, so they don't know to ask for it.

Besides, there's nothing that says you _have_ to buy from a "brick &
mortar" store. Macintosh users learned years ago that their best option
was to buy via mail-order, though things have gotten a little better in
the past few years. Web sites have simply made this easier.

I don't think you will ever _not_ be able to purchase a STB via
mail-order, even after the rush in 2009-2010 ends.

will all current tv sets become obsolete?
 

In article ,
wrote:

common_ wrote:

Now if you really want to start a flame war here - suggest that in
2009 OTA HD will go away in favor of the OTA stations sending out 5
channels of SD, and selling their HD produced content to Sat and
Cable companies.

No need for me to start any flame wars here. g

But....is that scenario above likely?

Only to the fearmongers. Certainly the big networks (ABC CBS NBC FOX)
will encourage their affiliates to broadcast HD, though some PBS
stations switch between multi-SD during the day and HD at night, and
will probably continue to do so.

None of the Spanish-language stations in my area have gone HD yet, and
the only instance of multi-SD with them is in San Antonio where two
separate analog channels are being broadcast on a single digital channel.

Mercifully I don't live in one of those areas with a Sinclair station
broadcasting 5 SD subchannels of crap. They don't seem to grasp the
concept that five times more crap does not equal five times the
audience. Or even twice the audience.

will all current tv sets become obsolete?
 

In article ,
wrote:

Dumb question on my part but can current low cost HDTV
units also pick up these lower def stations?

ALL tuners can pick up ALL stations. That's the reason tuners are
relatively expensive, because they have to decode full HD, even if the
final result is going to a cheap NTSC set.

In other areas such as Europe that don't yet have HD, they will have a
much harder time making HD mainstream because there are already so many
SD-only tuners which can't even display a degraded picture from the HD
transmission. Even though it meant a more costly transition, I think
the U.S. did the right thing by mandating HD reception capability from
the start.

will all current tv sets become obsolete?
 

Bruce Tomlin wrote:

They don't seem to grasp the
concept that five times more crap does not equal five times the
audience. Or even twice the audience.

haha

that made me laugh....thanks

will all current tv sets become obsolete?
 

Bruce Tomlin wrote:
In article ,
wrote:

common_ wrote:

Now if you really want to start a flame war here - suggest that in
2009 OTA HD will go away in favor of the OTA stations sending out 5
channels of SD, and selling their HD produced content to Sat and
Cable companies.
No need for me to start any flame wars here. g

But....is that scenario above likely?

Only to the fearmongers. Certainly the big networks (ABC CBS NBC FOX)
will encourage their affiliates to broadcast HD,

You misspelled "require".

Matthew

--
Thermodynamics and/or Golf for dummies: There is a game
You can't win
You can't break even
You can't get out of the game

will all current tv sets become obsolete?
 

Elmo P. Shagnasty wrote:
In article ,
"Matthew L. Martin" wrote:

Only to the fearmongers. Certainly the big networks (ABC CBS NBC FOX)
will encourage their affiliates to broadcast HD,
You misspelled "require".

Want to place bets?

Come on, Martin. Put your money where your mouth is.

The networks will "REQUIRE" their affiliates to broadcast HD? Where do
you pull this from?


Try taking a look at the affiliate agreement.

Matthew

--
Thermodynamics and/or Golf for dummies: There is a game
You can't win
You can't break even
You can't get out of the game

will all current tv sets become obsolete?
 

will all current tv sets become obsolete?
 

will all current tv sets become obsolete?
 

Bruce Tomlin wrote:

In article ,
wrote:

Id much rather have my tuner separate of the display
but it seems damn hard to find a decent OTA STB

That's probably mostly because the big box stores can make money by
signing people for satellite, but not from OTA boxes, so they don't push
OTA STBs on consumers. And consumers still aren't generally aware of
OTA, so they don't know to ask for it.

Besides, there's nothing that says you _have_ to buy from a "brick &
mortar" store. Macintosh users learned years ago that their best option
was to buy via mail-order, though things have gotten a little better in
the past few years. Web sites have simply made this easier.

I don't think you will ever _not_ be able to purchase a STB via
mail-order, even after the rush in 2009-2010 ends.

You know I agree with you, but the economic reality is - Macs have
less than 5 percent of the market, same is going to be true of OTA HD.

Economics matters, best technology matters not.

will all current tv sets become obsolete?
 

Bruce Tomlin wrote:

In article ,
wrote:

common_ wrote:

Now if you really want to start a flame war here - suggest that in
2009 OTA HD will go away in favor of the OTA stations sending out 5
channels of SD, and selling their HD produced content to Sat and
Cable companies.

No need for me to start any flame wars here. g

But....is that scenario above likely?

Only to the fearmongers. Certainly the big networks (ABC CBS NBC FOX)
will encourage their affiliates to broadcast HD, though some PBS
stations switch between multi-SD during the day and HD at night, and
will probably continue to do so.

None of the Spanish-language stations in my area have gone HD yet, and
the only instance of multi-SD with them is in San Antonio where two
separate analog channels are being broadcast on a single digital channel.

Mercifully I don't live in one of those areas with a Sinclair station
broadcasting 5 SD subchannels of crap. They don't seem to grasp the
concept that five times more crap does not equal five times the
audience. Or even twice the audience.

Fear mongering has nothing to do with anything.

Right now the OTA digital you are watching (all 5 or less percent of
the audience), is nothing more than Beta Testing.

The networks will be the first to start selling thier HD feeds, and
only allowing an SD version to go OTA.

They want MONEY,,they could care less about Tom Cruises nose hairs.

will all current tv sets become obsolete?
 

On Sat, 30 Sep 2006 03:26:02 +0000, wrote:

Ok,,your the program manager for a local OTA station,,its 2009.

You have a choice - broadcast 5 SD channels that 95 percent of your
audience is watching (and you can sell adds on,,), or one HD channel for
maybe 5 percent of your audience can see OTA.

Do you realize how stupid this is?

Your station/network can sell your HD produced feed to the Sat and Cable
companies as part of their HD Premium package thus earning your station
extra money, while you send out the same program in SD, plus 4 more
money earning sub channels to the 95 percent plus audience that could
care less about HD.

You go into your station manager boss and say - I want to send out a
single free HD feed, so 5 percent of our audience can see Tom Cruises
nose hairs.

Next day - you are flipping burgers at Mc D.

Must be what you do now.

--
Want the ultimate in free OTA SD/HDTV Recorder? http://mythtv.org
http://mysettopbox.tv/knoppmyth.html Usenet alt.video.ptv.mythtv
My server http://wesnewell.no-ip.com/cpu.php
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