Low Power Stations Threaten DTV Transition

[jacksonm30354]

http://www.usatoday.com/tech/techinvestor/industry/2008-03-26-small-stations-digital-tv_N.htm

I say let them go dark. They interfere with picking up distant stations. (I also dislike LP radio stations)

Translators should be forced to go digital - they are part of the main station.

[Tom Robertson]

LP's and Translators will be forced to go digital both by market forces and the FCC. Just on a different timeline.

What I can't understand is how someone would build a converter that can't be plugged in and used today for the analogs that haven't gone digital. Seems like a huge usability problem.

On the other hand, all it takes is a basic A/B switch of the antenna feed and all would be well.

Cheers,
Tom

[jacksonm30354]

LP's and Translators will be forced to go digital both by market forces and the FCC. Just on a different timeline.

What I can't understand is how someone would build a converter that can't be plugged in and used today for the analogs that haven't gone digital. Seems like a huge usability problem.

On the other hand, all it takes is a basic A/B switch of the antenna feed and all would be well.

Cheers,
Tom

The article indicates that the ones that do have analog passthrough require the user to pick up a different remote control. I don't think that is that huge of an inconvenience.

It used to be you had to get up and turn the dial on the tv to change the channel :-)

[Davenlr]

Lliving in the same town, and having worked for, one of the largest "low power" networks in the US (ebcorp), I can say they have been rolling out 100's of low power stations nationwide, knowing full well the Feb 2009 deadline was in their future.
They could have been rolling out low power digital all this time.

As for that ancient law they refer to, the digital cable box DOES allow reception of all frequencies allocated by the FCC... Unfortunantly for them, the law didn't go further and say the boxes needed to allow reception of all the broadcast standards authorized by the fcc. A judge is gonna laugh his butt off when this gets to court. What the FCC should do, is modify the FEB 2009 deadline to eliminate ALL analog, period. Then the cry baby LP's wouldn't have anything to sue over.

[Jim5506]

Actually they are only threatening the $40 coupon program.

The digital transition will go and the sooner the LPTV stations get on board, the better.

The feds need to dole out a little bit of their spectrum auction largess to the poo fooks.

[n3ntj]

Ok, I just have to ask, what are "Poo fooks"?

[Herdfan]

Ok, I just have to ask, what are "Poo fooks"?

Not sure, but it is bound to have been on a "Dirty Jobs." Mike loves poo.