Obama - push digital transition 4 months.

[RSBDavid]

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/01 ... ransition/

 

 

 

 

WASHINGTON -- The Senate on Monday voted unanimously to postpone the upcoming transition from analog to digital television broadcasting by four months to June 12 -- setting the stage for Congress to pass the proposal as early as Tuesday.

 

 

 

Monday's Senate vote is a big victory for the Obama administration and Democrats in Congress, who have been pushing for a delay amid growing concerns that too many Americans won't be ready for the currently scheduled Feb. 17 changeover.

 

 

 

The Nielsen Co. estimates that more than 6.5 million U.S. households that rely on analog television sets to pick up over-the-air broadcast signals could see their TV sets go dark next month if the transition is not postponed.

 

 

 

"Delaying the upcoming DTV switch is the right thing to do," said Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Jay Rockefeller, D-W.Va., author of the bill to push back the deadline. "I firmly believe that our nation is not yet ready to make this transition at this time."

 

 

 

The issue now goes to the House, where Commerce Committee Chairman Henry Waxman, D-Calif., has vowed to work with House leaders to bring Rockefeller's bill up for a floor vote on Tuesday.

 

 

 

President Barack Obama earlier this month called for the transition date to be postponed after the Commerce Department hit a $1.34 billion funding limit for government coupons that consumers may use to help pay for digital TV converter boxes. The boxes, which generally cost between $40 and $80 each and can be purchased without a coupon, translate digital signals back into analog ones for older TVs.

 

 

 

The National Telecommunications and Information Administration, the arm of the Commerce Department administering the program, is now sending out new coupons only as older, unredeemed ones expire and free up more money. The NTIA had nearly 2.6 million coupon requests on a waiting list as of last Wednesday.

 

 

 

Jonathan Collegio, vice president for the digital television transition for the National Association of Broadcasters, argues that the Nielsen numbers may overstate the number of viewers who are not ready for the digital transition. He noted that the numbers exclude consumers who have already purchased a converter box but not yet installed it, as well as those who have requested coupons but not yet received them.

 

 

 

What's more, consumers who subscribe to cable or satellite TV service or who own a TV with a digital tuner will not lose reception.

 

 

 

Still Gene Kimmelman, vice president for federal policy at Consumers Union, argues that millions of Americans -- particularly low-income and elderly viewers -- will pay the price because "the government has failed to deliver the converter boxes these people deserve just to keep watching free, over-the-air broadcast signals."

 

 

 

In 2005, Congress required broadcasters to switch from analog to digital signals, which are more efficient, to free up valuable chunks of wireless spectrum to be used for commercial wireless services and interoperable emergency-response networks.

 

 

 

Republicans in both the House and Senate have raised concerns that a delay would confuse consumers, burden wireless companies and public safety agencies waiting for the airwaves that will be vacated and create added costs for television stations that would have to continue broadcasting both analog and digital signals.

 

 

 

Paula Kerger, president and CEO of the Public Broadcasting Service, estimates that delaying the digital TV transition to June 12 would cost public broadcasters $22 million.

 

 

 

But Rockefeller managed to ease some of these concerns by allowing broadcast stations to make the switch from analog to digital signals sooner than the June deadline if they choose and by permitting public safety agencies to take over vacant spectrum that has been promised to them as soon as it becomes available.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I think this is stupid. People have had a year to prepare. If they are not ready , then its their own fault.

 

 

 

Discuss.

[RpgGamer]

I'm only happy cause i am one of the idiots who isn't prepared. :twss:

[Range_This11]

It's ridiculous to make people purchase a new TV or box just to watch TV.

[Kenshinjapan]

It's ridiculous to make people purchase a new TV or box just to watch TV.

 

 

 

I agree, it's basically forcing everyone to upgrade their technology, going against what the market stands for.

[indy500fan]

The House already voted it down. This topic is pointless.

[Kenshinjapan]

The House already voted it down. This topic is pointless.

 

 

 

Hi, welcome to the tip.it offtopic forum!

[pureprayer]

Honestly, lazy bastards change your TV's you had a year.

[Giordano]

The reason why they want the transition is to open up the airwaves right?

[Barihawk]

The digital TV switch is for the common good of the nation. It will open up a huge chunk of the airwaves and air transmissions from military broadcasts to cell phones to AM radio will be better off for it.

 

 

 

I find it shocking in this economy that they are wasting hundreds of millions of dollars that were spent preparing people for February's deadline, now to spend even more. This has been advertised on every news broadcast, in commercials, on TV shows, even in the freaking Wheel of Fortune for over a year now. The only reason someone does not know about this is if they haven't turned on a TV in the past year. I don't see why they can't go without TV for a few days while their FREE reciever comes in the mail at this stage.

 

 

 

It's a complete waste for this bill. A complete waste.

 

 

 

EDIT: Just noticed it got voted down. Thank God.

 

 

 

It's ridiculous to make people purchase a new TV or box just to watch TV.

 

 

 

I agree, it's basically forcing everyone to upgrade their technology, going against what the market stands for.

 

 

 

It was FREE. The government and various cable companies went out of their way to provide anyone who asked a free converter box.

[mmmcannibalism]

I believe with the government coupon my family paid 10 bucks for a converter box

 

 

 

I really dont see the need for this, as has been said if you couldnt spare the 10 bucks for it over the course of an entire year I think you have bigger problems then watching television. I dont want this to sound like a political potshot, but it really is bad when the government thinks it needs to baby people like this.

[Mirror]

If it's true that this got voted down, I am happy. PBS is one example that comes to mind. Having to switch over and then if they had to continue for another 4 months on both versions, would have had cost them money they don't necessarily have. The only major concern in pushing it back to me was not having enough receivers as it said. I don't really care if "someone didn't know" or "they are elderly and don't know how to work it", those aren't valid excuses in my book. Oh well, no need to get fruffled up on this subject now... ;)

[l0rd]

They should ban digital TV. :thumbup:

 

 

 

I think the average I.Q. of Americans would increase noticeably.

[indy500fan]

If it's true that this got voted down, I am happy. PBS is one example that comes to mind. Having to switch over and then if they had to continue for another 4 months on both versions, would have had cost them money they don't necessarily have. The only major concern in pushing it back to me was not having enough receivers as it said. I don't really care if "someone didn't know" or "they are elderly and don't know how to work it", those aren't valid excuses in my book. Oh well, no need to get fruffled up on this subject now... ;)

 

 

 

Well the article he posted was pointless because while the Senate voted unanimously for it, it failed narrowly in the House. However yesterday a few days ago the Senate passed another one and yesterday the House passed it. The new transition date deadline is June 12th. Good thing millions of dollars wasn't wasted spent telling everyone that February 17th was the day. Oh wait...

[i_love_burritos]

I've still got a 10 year old NEC. :thumbsup:

 

Working fine.

 

I'm in Australia by the way.

[Furah]

Honestly, just go and buy a digital converter box, if you can't afford one then why are you watching tv, same goes if you don't know how to set them up, everything is colour-coded for a reason. Either that or somebody you know will know how to set them up, it's not like is setting up a computer, where there are lots of similar looking wires that are confusing. We bought one, and our analog is phasing out for a while, we got it for the better reception and extra channels (most of them are pointless, like SBS 2-4, which mirror SBS, so does PRIME 2-4 and ABC 3, also the HD channels are useless on our old tv)

[Bauke]

Why would you need a new tv for digital tv? Here you can just get digital with whatever tv you have. You only need a box to catch the digital signal and send it to your tv for you. At most providers, this box is free. So nothing stands in the way to get digital tv. But that's Holland.

[OldJoe]

We've already had digital here for about 2 years or something, i guess the picture is a little bit better... But i don't know... There's very very few tv programs worth watching anyways.

[evil_mumm_ra]

i don't watch tv, but i am interested in the extra channels and stuff, since both my sisters have converter boxes, and it would be something else around here for me to do i just can't really justify it right now, although i suppose if i get a coupon, i should go get one for like the $10 or $20, it'd be worth it even with how little i watch tv i suppose.

[Furah]

i don't watch tv, but i am interested in the extra channels and stuff, since both my sisters have converter boxes, and it would be something else around here for me to do i just can't really justify it right now, although i suppose if i get a coupon, i should go get one for like the $10 or $20, it'd be worth it even with how little i watch tv i suppose.

 

 

 

Honestly it is worth every cent, for us every channel has crystal clear quality on every station, whereas before PRIME and SC Ten (the 2 channels that sometime have movies on that I'll watch) were very fuzzy and sometimes you could only hear distortion.

[evil_mumm_ra]

well right now i don't even watch any tv unless i'm at my sister's house and then it's usually a last resort for entertainment. the only problem i had with it was the connection lagging sometimes, which was weird but i expect that to improve once it's standard as well.

[Phil]

Why would you need a new tv for digital tv? Here you can just get digital with whatever tv you have. You only need a box to catch the digital signal and send it to your tv for you. At most providers, this box is free. So nothing stands in the way to get digital tv. But that's Holland.

 

Up where I live the digital signal is not the best and isn't received well from the existing tv aerials. I've heard of people having to buy a new aerial after they have got the box.

[lordkafei]

Why would you need a new tv for digital tv? Here you can just get digital with whatever tv you have. You only need a box to catch the digital signal and send it to your tv for you. At most providers, this box is free. So nothing stands in the way to get digital tv. But that's Holland.

 

Up where I live the digital signal is not the best and isn't received well from the existing tv aerials. I've heard of people having to buy a new aerial after they have got the box.

 

 

 

In many cases, it's because (1) the stations can't afford to fully power both antennas or (2) the FCC won't allow it to be full power because it would interfere with a neighboring channel.

 

 

 

Right now, I can only get NBC on analog because the station is going to flash-cut to digital when they shut down. They have a weak digital transmitter, but I am too far away. When they shut down their analog channel, they will fully power the digital transmitter and I will finally get NBC in HD.

 

 

 

Meanwhile, the stations have to pay two electric bills - one for analog and one for digital. And that's a *lot* of electricity.

 

 

 

About 160 stations nationwide (including the entire state of Hawaii) have already shut down and dismantled their analog transmitters. There hasn't been a huge commotion or disruption - people got off their [wagon], got the boxes and life went on.

 

 

 

The June date is in the middle of tornado and hurricane seasons - the worst possible time to be doing the changeover. We should be getting the changeover done now so we will be ready then.

 

 

 

It's a big mess now, but the Obama administration is making a bigger one, while claiming to have saved analog TV broadcasts for all the little people.

 

 

 

The bill (if Obama signs it) will push the hard date to June, but there is still a way stations can go ahead and shut down on 17 February if they jump through some hoops.

[BonScott]

I agree! I think it's stupid that it has been pushed back. It's peoples own fault for not getting ready for this. They have an ample amount of time to get ready, and yet they just procrastinated.