HDTV Receiver ??

[JAMHRR]

In 2006 all analog signals will be turned off and only Digital or HDTV signals will be broadcasting. Right now I don't have an HDTV
set.
If I purchase an HDTV receiver for my Directv will I have to get an HDTV as well?

Thanks.

[american_2000]

Not neccesarily. You just won't see anything in High definition. Most HDTV receivers have a coax or video/s video output that can go into any type of tv.

[catman]

Who has the money for a HDTV ? If you get laid off , I'm sure your gonna run out and buy a HDTV ? Wake up FCC . Oh I know fire the guy that came up with that stupid idea . THEN , loose his home . have no money . BUT , he can not file for backrupcy .

[Chris Blount]

It's highly unlikely that the signals will get shut off in 2006. It will probably be more like 2010.

[JAMHRR]

I wonder how long it will take for prices on HDTV to come down?
I can't see paying $2,000 - $3000 dollars for a tv. I know there are some around $1500 dollars, but I have 4 televisions in my house.

[durl]

I sold my 53" non-HD Sony and purchased the same size HD monitor. The HD TV was only about $1,500 and that was a year ago. I've seen some HD monitors for around $1,100. The price is coming down and will continue to do so.

And I'm with Chris, I don't expect them to shut down analog in the next few years.

[american_2000]

If they shut down the analog signals, that will DEFINITELY affect millions. Im with catman, ITS STUPID! Let us decide if we watch HD or analog. Talk about causing panic!!!

[csschrot]

They can't shut off the analog signal until there is a 80% penertation in that DMA. I think the 2010 is more like it.

Remember that the stand alone HD receivers will downconvert to a analog signal. So you need to replace all the TV. More than likely by that time those stand alone receivers will be priced like VCR's are now. At least that is what I think the pricing by then will be.

[postal]

I think you've got some real confused ppl here. You don't need to upgrade to HD. They are talking about going to DIGITAL signals, not high definition. Big difference. If they shut it off today you probably wouldn't even notice because 99% of TV's or the cable boxes already are receiving digital content. All satellite (D*, E*, etc.) are 100% digital. Before you go out and spend thousands to upgrade in a panic, just relax. Everything will be ok :)

[Martyva]

In 2006 or when 85% of the population is receiving a digital signal from a digital source (not the majority of current digital or satellite set tops which receive signals from analog sources) analog spectrum will be shut down. Think, before you speak or panic or pee. Would you like to be the politico to turn off over 15 million homes over 50 million peoples television? Ain't gonna happen. It will an evolution not a revolution. As more and more sets become digital, as more and more programming becomes available, we will evolve into a digital world. A HD monitor today, in 32" or larger sets is less expensive than analog sets were 3 years ago. How cheap is cheap. In real dollars, only plasma is more expensive, than that first wood console 23" set your parents or grandparents purchased in the mid 60s

[csschrot]

Remember that most people only understand analog and HD. Yes the digital transmission everyone is taking about is the parent of SD (standard def, like satellite and digital cable), ED (Enhanced Def, like progressive scan dvd) or HD (High Def).

Now with a digital transmission you can send multiple SD transmission or One HD transmission.

Now back to the main point. 80% of the population will need to have equipment in place to decode the digital broadcast before they will be allowed to shut of the analog broadcast. The bad thing is that it is costing the station a ton of money. One, for all the equipment, second is all the power it takes to run both a digital and analog antenna. From the engineers I have talked to the power consumtion on the digital side will be 2 to 3 times that of the analog. So the run both the bill will atleast triple. A lot of money going out and nothing more coming in.

[ChrisPC]

You got that backwards, digital TV takes a lot less power than analog for the same coverage.

[Martyva]

The broadcasters are now using 2 sets of bandwidth, both free, for television. We would be best served if the broadcasters would sogotp. There are many uses for the spectrum that is being horded by the broadcasters, including several for police, fire and medical services. In 1988 the broadcasters were told it would cost 20 million dollars, just to pass the Digital signals on to the consumer and 50 mill to originate programming. The broadcasters didn't complain. When digital arrived in November of 1998 the cost had dropped to 6 mill it is now under 3million. Remember that during this 15 years the local stations averaged a 40% ROI, knew what was coming and anticipated a cost that was many times as high as it is today. Sometimes, i wonder if there isn't collusion between the Networks and big cable to distort and mislead.

[Chris Freeland]

Originally posted by Martyva
In 2006 or when 85% of the population is receiving a digital signal from a digital source (not the majority of current digital or satellite set tops which receive signals from analog sources) analog spectrum will be shut down. Think, before you speak or panic or pee. Would you like to be the politico to turn off over 15 million homes over 50 million peoples television? Ain't gonna happen. It will an evolution not a revolution. As more and more sets become digital, as more and more programming becomes available, we will evolve into a digital world. A HD monitor today, in 32" or larger sets is less expensive than analog sets were 3 years ago. How cheap is cheap. In real dollars, only plasma is more expensive, than that first wood console 23" set your parents or grandparents purchased in the mid 60s

That's why my parents still had a old Black and White TV in the mid 60's from the early 50's :D . We did not have a color tv until I was in High School in the early 70's ;) . I would like an HDTV but they will need to come down some more in price and I will need to grow a little richer ;) .

[csschrot]

ChrisPC,

I will extend the power issue since you followed with your point. At the current time in our area most of the stations are using an analog VHF channel and a digital UHF channel. The reason the power bill being 2 to 3 times more for the digital is the UHF channel. Now if or when they can drop the analog VHF (if lucky 7 years from now) and move the digital to that VHF channel then yes the power usage would be less for the same coverage area. However at this time it is costing and will continue to cost the stations a ton of money to be doing analog and digital.

A comment I got from one of the chief engineers I know was "I didn't realize those discs on the meter could spin so fast".

[ChrisPC]

Good point. As for my locals, I know every DTV station here is running at a lot lower power than their analog station, probably even lower than their license allows! From what I hear, that's not uncommon, since very few people are watching anyway.

[mattyro]

First of all, I am watching- ABC movies, Stanley cup finals, NBA finals, Monday Night Football, Dragnet, NYPD Blue,.CBS+ABC are floding us with HD--for free!! Secondly, all analog programming could end today and not one person would need a new tv. they would simply need an adaptor(scaler,set-top-box,HD sat or cable receiver--or possibly something new) to down rez the signal to 480i and everything is jake.lets put it this way--any hd receiver that has rca outputs so you can record to a vcr will also allow you to exist in an "al digital" world.

[Mike123abc]

Digital television here (no hdtv yet in this area, yet) is not costing my local stations much in electricity. They are transmitting low power UHF. 2-10Kwatt is what they are doing now. Needless to say I have to use a deep fringe antenna to pick up the signals (25 miles from the transmitter on one station at like 4kw).

The local CBS station only transmits digital 50% of the time. They turn on the transmitter 11 am to Midnight Monday - Friday.

[csschrot]

Mike,

One station that is up to alomost full power is running at 700 kW ERP. The next station to go up (about 2-3 weeks) will be at 350 kW ERP going to 700 kW early of 2004 (hopefully). The PBS station is up to full power but I don't know what their ERP is. There should be another in about month going to around the 350 kW ERP.

We have been pretty happy with the way things have been going here.