This just reaffirms my belief that the maximum number of coupons will never be applied for or used. And there will be a lot of extra trash out on the streets late Feb and March 2009.
OTA Set Top Box not on the shelf - Retail store confrontations
- Thread starter ciwsguy
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I don't see any issues with the coupon program so far. I fully understand the restrictions put into place about what capabilities the box has. You have to draw the line somewhere and cover all the bases and loopholes.
The big winner here is Echostar! They are stepping up to the plate and will offer the box for $40! Very nice! As long as the coupons get sent out and Echostar has the boxes available, there will be no excuse in 2009.
The big winner here is Echostar! They are stepping up to the plate and will offer the box for $40! Very nice! As long as the coupons get sent out and Echostar has the boxes available, there will be no excuse in 2009.
Me too, except I work for the Postal Service. You talk about crisis management! I see it every single day!
Just saw this in the Broadcast Newsroom. Thought all MIGHT be interested. Well, I guess a hearing is better than nothing. Politicians - Geez, are they good for anything? I don't think I trust any of them unless there is an (I), i.e., Independent, behind their name.
DTV Hearing: Ready? Or Not
(Broadcasting & Cable) _ The House Energy & Commerce Committee's Telecommunications & Internet Subcommittee will hold a hearing Feb. 13 on the DTV transition to gauge just how prepared the nation is to make the switch, with the chairman of the committee unconvinced that the government and industry have done all they should.
That hearing comes only four days before the National Telecommunications & Information Administration will begin mailing out coupons to subsidize DTV-to-analog converter boxes FEb. 17, exactly a year before the switch from analog to digital over-the-air broadcasting.
"Right now, I am not confident that government agencies, retailers, broadcasters and all other stakeholders are taking all the steps necessary to ensure consumers are adequately informed and ready for this transition," said full committee chairman John Dingell (D-Mich..) "The Committee will continue its oversight of the DTV transition process until the big day arrives and afterwards, if needed, to ensure consumers are not left behind."
DTV Hearing: Ready? Or Not
(Broadcasting & Cable) _ The House Energy & Commerce Committee's Telecommunications & Internet Subcommittee will hold a hearing Feb. 13 on the DTV transition to gauge just how prepared the nation is to make the switch, with the chairman of the committee unconvinced that the government and industry have done all they should.
That hearing comes only four days before the National Telecommunications & Information Administration will begin mailing out coupons to subsidize DTV-to-analog converter boxes FEb. 17, exactly a year before the switch from analog to digital over-the-air broadcasting.
"Right now, I am not confident that government agencies, retailers, broadcasters and all other stakeholders are taking all the steps necessary to ensure consumers are adequately informed and ready for this transition," said full committee chairman John Dingell (D-Mich..) "The Committee will continue its oversight of the DTV transition process until the big day arrives and afterwards, if needed, to ensure consumers are not left behind."
How many people do you know that use OTA analog only in their home? My answer is Zero. How many people have you known in the past 15 years that use OTA analog in their home besides during hurricanes? My answer is once again...Zero.
I do know quite a bit of people that have gone back to OTA but it is for digital HD. Funny how things go full circle.
A lot of people are freaking out about nothing..... many will not notice a thing. The fact of the matter is more people are confused because they keep hearing their old TV isn't going to work. The whole irony of the matter is they have a satellite box or digital cable box sitting on top of the TV.
I welcome the transition with open arms. I educate just about everyone I can on the subject. It's truly FREE HD! Or in some cases FREE digital TV for the back bedroom SDTV.
I do know quite a bit of people that have gone back to OTA but it is for digital HD. Funny how things go full circle.
A lot of people are freaking out about nothing..... many will not notice a thing. The fact of the matter is more people are confused because they keep hearing their old TV isn't going to work. The whole irony of the matter is they have a satellite box or digital cable box sitting on top of the TV.
I welcome the transition with open arms. I educate just about everyone I can on the subject. It's truly FREE HD! Or in some cases FREE digital TV for the back bedroom SDTV.
A co-worker asked me recently "what do you know about this digital TV thing ?" and said "I'm mad that they're making me buy an HDTV".
I said, "you have cable, right ? It means nothing to you. You will not be affect.....".
"But my friend says.....", she interrupted.
"You're friend is wrong," I interrupted.
Does she believe me ? I don't know.
I said, "you have cable, right ? It means nothing to you. You will not be affect.....".
"But my friend says.....", she interrupted.
"You're friend is wrong," I interrupted.
Does she believe me ? I don't know.
The 100% best thing that can happen is to just turn off the current system; coupons or not. The coupons don't really matter at all in the overall scheme and just seem to be being used as yet another tool to confuse people and to create chaos where none should exist.
How many people do you know that use OTA analog only in their home? I know several of all age groups. Half the time it's by choice, and the other half by economic ability.
How many people have you known in the past 15 years that use OTA analog in their home besides during hurricanes? Since I'm 760 miles from the nearest ocean, none in recent history. But I did at one time when I lived in VA (1985, Hurricane Gloria)
I find that those economically challenged don't understand why they have to go digital. Me thinks there will be alot of installation business opportunities in mid-Feb 2009.
I know maybe ten or twelve people that use ota analog only. I consider it my solemn duty as a videophile to make sure they know about their options come February 2009.
First sighting of a OTA Digital Converter Box in stores - only $9.87 with coupon!
Magnavox Digital-to-Analog TV Converter Box - Wal-Mart
Magnavox Digital-to-Analog TV Converter Box - Wal-Mart
First and foremost, you have to understand how the retailer mega-giant works. Forget the conversion boxes for a moment and think of back in the 80’s while you were shopping in Wal-Mart to only hear “attention WM shoppers, Pac-Man is on sell for the next hour.” They love to create pandemonium and when they know that the people will be in demand of a said product (especially this product with it having a date as a deadline, Feb ‘09) then they’ll put it on the shelves sometime probably late December-Feb ‘09 to get people into the stores for the man to make a bee line for the converter cheese box and his woman buying God knows what. Wal-Marts not going to stock their shelves that will not sell way to later on this year that will take up space and have to spend more Diesel getting that product there etc…
Think of the football magazines that you’ve waited all summer for but when they come out in August, then it’s a stampede into Wally World.
Think of the football magazines that you’ve waited all summer for but when they come out in August, then it’s a stampede into Wally World.
It's called a buying frenzy. People are more likely to buy something if "everyone else" is buying it. Cause a buying frenzy and you are likely to have more sales by "forcing" more people to buy out of impulse. 
See ya
Tony
See ya
Tony
Are they going to extend the expiration dates on the coupons if the devices aren't ready by the time early coupons expire???
I said (joked) in another post somewhere that the gov't will start mailing the cards when they get notification that the cargo ship has left a Chinese dock with the units on-board.
ATSC Tuner
I tested the CeLabs HD100 this weekend. It has ATSC and QAM tuners and works great. It downconverts to analog or has component and HDMI for HD ready tv's. It is not approved for the coupon program. I haven't heard anyone talking about antennas. Most consumers aren't being told that in many situations, the old antenna that they are using for analog will not work with the digital broadcast. Or at the least will have to be reaimed.
I tested the CeLabs HD100 this weekend. It has ATSC and QAM tuners and works great. It downconverts to analog or has component and HDMI for HD ready tv's. It is not approved for the coupon program. I haven't heard anyone talking about antennas. Most consumers aren't being told that in many situations, the old antenna that they are using for analog will not work with the digital broadcast. Or at the least will have to be reaimed.
Not really. Most of the antennas I see are UHF/VHF rigs and will not need to moved since the transmitters are in my cases on the same tower as the analog in this area. It will vary from area to area.
Why wouldn't they ? Oh, they're not "digital" antennas, right ?
Nope.... I'd say in almost ALL cases, the TV stations are using their existing towers for their digital transmitters.
1: Reflected signals. If the existing antenna is not extremely directional, it will receive signals reflecting from trees, buildings, etc. Your signal meter will show good signals level, but the picture will digitize.
2: Consumers put up the largest antenna they can find, Bigger is Better. Too much gain will overdrive the ATSC tuner. The signal meter will show all kinds of signal and no picture.
2: Consumers put up the largest antenna they can find, Bigger is Better. Too much gain will overdrive the ATSC tuner. The signal meter will show all kinds of signal and no picture.
