DTV Changeover Impact on AM21

[Freethesignal]

I'm using the AM21 to get locals in HD. Not yet available in Columbia, SC (state capital, go figure). Works great. Can someone confirm for me that this solution will continue to work after the changeover?

Freethesignal

 

[rad]

I 'should' continue to work. The only thing I can see that would cause a problem is if one of your local ATSC stations changes what channel they broadcast on come changeover day. That's because DirecTV would need to send new information to your STB with what the new actual channel number is so the AM21 can tune to it.

 

[Freethesignal]

Thanks rad, that sounds great. Getting all locals now and all show up on the guide. We'll hope for the best on 2/17/09. Could be later though if Obama get's his way. He's talking about delaying the changeover.

 

[jdspencer]

It seems that 2 years wasn't enough time for all of those using OTA with their TVs to make the conversion. So the remaining estimated 2% get to hold up the line. You know darn well that even if they delay this, that some people still won't convert. I say, make the conversion and then those that didn't get their coupon will be forced to.

 

[harshness]

So the remaining estimated 2% get to hold up the line.

IIRC, the 2% figure is the number who will fall off the digital cliff. The dain brammaged fraction is closer to 3%.

 

[Bob Nielsen]

IIRC, the 2% figure is the number who will fall off the digital cliff. The dain brammaged fraction is closer to 3%.

Is that all?

I suspect that the number who will be better-prepared if the switch is delayed is exceedingly small. The information has been out there for years and the PSAs are coming more frequently all the time. I think Congress should allocate some more funds for the coupons ASAP, but don't see any benefit to additional delays.

 

[rad]

I think Congress should allocate some more funds for the coupons ASAP, but don't see any benefit to additional delays.

+1, with all the billions that Washington has been throwing around the past few weeks, what's another few million, they won't even miss it (since they don't know what the banks have done with the $350,000,000,000 that they've been given so far).

 

[JAG72]

I think Congress should allocate some more funds for the coupons ASAP, but don't see any benefit to additional delays.

Or better yet they should have only issued coupons to those that were truly in need of them. I know so many people that have cable or satellite and they requested two coupons just because they could. There should have also been an income restriction on who could have received them.

 

[Zynergi]

Turn it off as scheduled, and when Bob cant get his OTA on his 1978 Zenith, he will then proceed to the nearest TV shop/Radio Shack and ask why.. or go and buy a $800 HD TV.

 

[digiblur]

If your stations move channels on the transition day its going to be a big impact. I know the New Orleans folks lost their Fox HD via OTA when they moved back to their old analog channel early December. I think as of now DirecTV still has not fixed it since DirecTV does not let you scan like other boxes. Calls from users and even that station engineer has landed on deaf ears. The engineer even talked to the guys that run the POP that picks up the HD locals with no results.

I am sure we will see lots of complaints as more stations move.