excusimfark: the reason they are converting these is because the military will take over the "airwaves" that we have been used to using.
i am looking for an older tv with the dials, you know the uhf frequencies, etc.
that way i can watch the NWO from behind the scenes.

also don't worry about responding to this with a cute little comeback or something, it will just inflame me into a flame war.

and i have all day.

i know you think i am talking conspiracy theory but it is true, check it out for yourself with the google machine.

also, well that's it i guess.

You're an idiot.
That space in the spectrum has already been sold to companies like Google, Microsoft, and Verizon to allow for all kinds of new technology to take up the vast amount of spectrum that is currently being wasted on analog TV broadcasts.

BillCo: From the Reuter's article: The U.S. House of Representatives on Wednesday failed to pass a bill to delay the nationwide switch to digital television signals by about four months.

Failed? They didn't fail to do anything. They decided that not passing the bill was the best thing to do.

Looks to me like a Reuter's fail.

It's a sign of the disease going around that says that once a bill has been proposed, it's the duty of the House and Senate to pass it. Nevermind if it is a good idea or not, it's a bill! And it should be passed! Otherwise they fail!

dbutters: DrFaustus: priestrape: I'm shocked the Republicans shut this down. As soon as DTV goes into effect, Fox News' ratings are going to drop by around 33%

it's not going to effect Fox News. That's cable. Perhaps you should visit dtvanswers2009.org.

It will also not affect Fox News, so don't worry.

Got me, ouch.

excusimfark: DrFaustus, eat a dikc i know i'm right.this was beamed into my head somehow!
idiot!
you only have half the story

i warned you, now prepare for armegeddon!

/not sure if i'm joking or bored or both
//got all day to talk about it
///let's rock

I really hope your joking. Not a bad troll though, you almost got me.

/let's rumble

My mom, love her to death, is one of the most technologically inept people I've ever met. However, she still managed to get her vouchers, pick up the boxes and hook them up, all on her own. If she can manage it, anyone can.

The problem really is that the signals are so weak in some rural areas that places that used to get some fuzzy analog channels get nothing on their digital converter box. My in-laws live in Center Sandwich, New Hampshire. The only TV comes from Maine and it was poor reception. We put their converter box on and nothing. It didn't pick up a single channel.

Luckily, they are pretty well off and even though they aren't big on TV, they got a dish. But I'm sure there are millions in other rural areas that can't afford a dish and may already have their converter box but will still get nothing once the switch goes into effect.

Thank you House! Over $1 billion has already been spent on getting out the word to people that the DTV change takes place 2/17. If morans still aren't ready then screw them. Hawaii already shut off its analog signal weeks ago. You don't see mass panic or rioting in the streets there.

Also delaying the transition for four months would cost PBS $22 million according to the president and CEO of PBS.

Other local stations estimate it could cost each station anywhere from $10,000 to $60,000 per month - mostly in extra electric bills - to continue broadcasting both analog and digital signals. That totals hundreds of thousands in unexpected charges at a time when many media companies already are laying off staff and cutting back.

And Florida is worried because June 12 is in hurricane season, and if a hurricane is headed towards Florida or hits the day people's TVs go black that could be a slight problem.

Those freed analog signals were going to be used by police, fire, and rescue personnel:

In the suburbs of Washington, D.C., for instance, Prince George's County, Md., has spent $76 million over the past three years on a new radio system for the police and fire departments, paramedics and municipal public safety agencies. The county plans to begin six months of testing the system - on frequencies being freed up by the analog shutdown - on Feb. 18.

And then there's this:

The wireless industry, too, is concerned about the costs of postponing the digital transition.

Qualcomm Inc. is lobbying against a delay. The company has invested hundreds of millions of dollars in a new wireless service, called MediaFLO, that lets consumers watch live television on their wireless phones.

Qualcomm is already offering the service in 65 markets around the country, where it has been paying broadcasters to drop their analog signals early. And it paid more than $550 million for spectrum being vacated by the digital transition to be able to expand the service in 25 markets, including Boston, Houston, Miami and San Francisco, beginning on Feb. 18.

According to Qualcomm Chief Operating Office Len Lauer, a delay would cost the company tens of millions of dollars - in additional payments to broadcasters to vacate their analog spectrum for another four months and in lost revenue from new markets.

Overall it was a stupid decision by the Senate to delay the switchover, and at least there are a few people left in the House with brains.

Thorndyke Barnhard: The one thing I don't understand is why the governemnt should legislate the obligatory obsolescence of a consumer technology. Is analogue infrastructure part of government property and costing them money? Or is the government just doing business' bidding.

Bandwidth and spectrum allocation for newer technologies is my guess. And like what bubbaprog was saying, "Communities like mine, for example, where our NBC affiliate is on ridiculously low power because they're VHF (and digital) only. They can't crank up their power until the analog channel 9 in Orlando switches off."

CaesarSneezy: DrFaustus: priestrape: I'm shocked the Republicans shut this down. As soon as DTV goes into effect, Fox News' ratings are going to drop by around 33%

it's not going to effect Fox News. That's cable. Perhaps you should visit dtvanswers2009.org.

Maybe a commercial would help him?

I'd be happy to sell him one.

priestrape: Steed Lankershim: Ignorant comment is ignorant.

humorless twat is humorless

Twatless humorist is twatless.

theknuckler_33: The problem really is that the signals are so weak in some rural areas that places that used to get some fuzzy analog channels get nothing on their digital converter box. My in-laws live in Center Sandwich, New Hampshire. The only TV comes from Maine and it was poor reception. We put their converter box on and nothing. It didn't pick up a single channel.

That should change once the analog stations go off the air and the DTV signals can be boosted without interference.

Say, has anyone pointed out to priestrape that FOXNews is on cable, which is unaffected by the DTV switchover?

Nabb1: Say, has anyone pointed out to priestrape that FOXNews is on cable, which is unaffected by the DTV switchover?

I did it first.

/now, I'm becoming the troll, how sad.

Imagine yourself out of your Mom's basement and you're a Congressman.

Do you want to get re-elected?

You do not win elections in America by farking with people's televisions.

cybrwzrd: Hell, bigger questions is, what "rights" are being violated if they are inconvienced by turning on their TV and not getting a signal. And why is the government even paying for this switch? Does the first admendment include 'The right to watch digital television"?

If the Obama and the Democrats really want to sell the idea, that's the angle they should use. That in these economic times, it's probably not the best use of tax dollars to give people money so they can watch television.

Heh. Reminds me of an old Max Headroom episode,where hackers shut down all the TV transmissions, and apartment houses were filled with people hanging out their windows shouting "We NEED something to WATCH!!"

The government responded with an emergency distribution of VCRs and tapes...

Uncle Pim: I have to agree with the Republicans on this.

/Now I have to go take a long shower with my teddy bear while crying and gently rocking back and forth

It should not make you feel bad to support the GOP when it does something, ya know, legitimately in-line with conservative fiscal policy. They aren't being hypocrites, just keeping costs down on an already established project. That is good!

Socially, pushing this change is actually a progressive thing to do, whereas those calling for a delay are somewhere between "scared of change" and "enabling nannies."