PLEASE NO!!! STICK TO YOUR GUNS

[Area51_FLG]

Please no extension, fuck the networks have had pleanty of fricken time do get this done. FUcking horse shit\

Bill proposes new deadline for digital TV

All television sets in American households must air digital-only broadcasts by spring of 2009, according to a draft Senate bill slated for consideration next week.

The five-page draft, which has been circulating this week, calls for a "hard date" of April 7, 2009, by which broadcasters must abandon the analog spectrum. That's slightly later than the Jan. 1 mark lawmakers had suggested during hearings convened by the Senate Commerce Committee this summer. That committee plans to take up the measure at a mark-up session on Wednesday.

Under current law, the switch must occur on Dec. 31, 2006, or when 85 percent of American households are able to receive the digital broadcasts--whichever comes first.




Full Story Here (http://news.com.com/Bill+proposes+new+deadline+for+digital+TV/2100-1028_3-5895723.html?part=rss&tag=5895723&subj=news)

[termdec]

You have your very own forum (http://www.fusionlangaming.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?s=&forumid=26) for these things you know...

Digital stuff is cool and all, but I don't have much of an issue with them wanting to push back the deadline. I'm not ready to buy all new HDTV stuff at the current prices, and I'm sure there's a lot of people who agree. Some prodding in that direction is good, but forcing the switch before the market is really ready might not be the best idea.

[Moddy]

Would this mean that everyone would need to have a 100% digital compliant TV?

[Area51_FLG]

Originally posted by MyKuL
Would this mean that everyone would need to have a 100% digital compliant TV?

well, yeh, kinda. what there saying is the networks must get off that spectrum and onto the new spectrum, which the gov't of course controls.

So, people would be fucked, except for those with HDTV

Actually, people would need to buy a Down-Converter to downgrade signal to standard def. I know that sounds wierd, but, true.

[Silly]

Personally I agree with term. I think the whole "force everyone to the new std." is a crock of shit! I mean I just don't care about HDTV enough to spen anywhere near the cash it would take right now. My 24" TV is going on 15 years old now, and it's still doing it's job fine. Of course, the more I think about it, I don't think this would affect me at all, since I already have a digital signal comming in (satelite), and I don't think they need to change the MPG stream at all to support HD, so they probably won't, which leaves me sittin' pretty... Of course, 2009 is a long ways away.... I'm also sorta curious about the 85% number... I wonder what the percentage is now of household's that can view HD?

[Swagger]

Originally posted by MyKuL
Would this mean that everyone would need to have a 100% digital compliant TV?

Around 1995 Staggers Dad was talking all about that "In 10 years everything will go digital...so you shouldn't bother wasting your money on VHS Videos and a new TV."........I always thought Bullshit.....but that was before HDTV and pretty much before DVDs. And now here it is........just some years off.

[Area51_FLG]

Silly:

I use to feel like that, then I bought a 60" Sony Grand Wega Rear Projection LCD and have the whole HDTV set-up, it's pretty fucking amazing bro.

The only way I can describe it is.....Like having having Dial up and going to Broadband. It's that good.

MHO

[GotNoRice]

The only time I’ve ever viewed an over-the-air TV show was when I used to have a small portable TV that I would bring when I went camping. I mean isn’t basic cable like $13/month? Also, with the guaranteed demand that is going to be created, adapter boxes are going to sell like crazy which probably means they will be able to be mass produced cheaply. I wouldn’t be surprised in a few years to see Walmart carrying $19.95 adapter boxes right next to the TV’s they are selling which probably still won’t support digital.

It’s not just HDTV, its Digital TV in general. I’m sure a lot of the stuff is still going to be 480P even though its digital. They can also pack a lot more channels into the same area of the spectrum with digital, which means more channels.

Isn’t one potential thing that are going to use the old analog TV spectrum for is long range Wi-Fi or Wi-Max? Sounds like a good tradeoff to me.