I have been checking out deals for Dish Network or Direct TV but just don't like the prices. To get what you want you have to get a package with lots of things you don't want. I would rather get a new updated antenna. We live in the country and cannot get cable. But then my husband heard that they were going to stop those signals and force people into getting sattelite systems? Any insight into this? I am too cheap for 40-50 bucks a month for tv.
2007-10-02 17:16:12 · 8 answers · asked by JLee 1 in Consumer Electronics ➔ TVs
If you buy your equipment (like in a free for all promotion) you can get a dish system installed and then just subscribe to your locals, you'll have a good clear picture too. 5.99 for locals and 5.00 for a access fee. There are smaller packages Like Dish Family where it's 24.99 (with locals included)
Keep in midn additional outlet fees and/or dvr fees are not included in the price i quoted.
2007-10-02 17:48:21 · answer #1 · answered by anna 1 · 0⤊ 1⤋
(Answer assumes you are in the US)
>heard that they were going to stop those signals and force people into getting satellite systems
This is not correct.
What is true is that the US is changing over from its 60 year old "analog" TV system to an all digital broadcast system. All this means is that you need to get a converter box for each old TV before 2/17/09. In Jan 08 the government is starting a coupon program that will let you buy a couple of them for about $20 each.
Any antenna that you put up for the old analog channels will also pick up the new digital channels. There is a lot of marketing hype going around that you have to have a new "HD antenna". There is no difference between a "HD Antenna" and a plain old antenna. If you get good signals on the UHF channels (analog 14-69), you shouldn't have a problem.
Quite a few VHF (analog channels 2-13) are switching to the frequencies used for UHF broadcasts. Since UHF channels have a shorter range than VHF, this could cause problems if you have trouble receiving the old analog UHF) channels 14-69.
2007-10-03 02:33:14 · answer #2 · answered by Stephen P 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
JLee
Antennas are not going away. Just the old method of transmitting the TV signal. If anything antennas may see more use as people realize they can get a better picture for free than they did with cable (at least the people who only watch cable for the local channels).
Converter box coupons will be available from the NTIA on January 1, 2008. See http://www.dtv.gov for more details about the transition and see the link to the NTIA web site http://www.ntia.doc.gov/otiahome/dtv/ for the coupons.
2007-10-05 06:39:51 · answer #3 · answered by Broadcast Engineer 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The move to digital broadcast was passed by Congress. If anything, the cable providers are losing money over the matter, because the equipment used to broadcast a digital signal cost significantly more than what's used to broadcast an analog signal.
To answer your question, the current and widely used analog satallite recieves will not be blocked, but rather they will not pick up any compatible signal. As of February 19th, 2009, all FCC regulated television stations will be broadcasting their programming with a digital signal. Any company found not complying to this will be heavily fined or shutdown. I would't worry to much about increased fees or being forced to buy expensive equipment for the switch. This is a mandatory thing, decided upon by the United States Congress. It would be imprudent and illogical to force the consumers to pay for something that's mandatory by law. Most likely you won't see a change in your services monthly fees, but that depends on your cable service provider. As far as convert boxes go, Congress is spending $1 billion to issue two $40 coupons to every household that has cable service so the family can exchange them for converter boxes. But this will not happen until sometime after February 19th, 2009.
2007-10-03 01:57:25 · answer #4 · answered by Red 4 · 1⤊ 1⤋
You will need to buy a CONVERTER box if you have an older TV set that does not have the ATSC tuner built into it....
OR
You can buy a new HDTV set that has the ATSC tuner.
They will stop broadcasting the old signal on February 17, 2009, 17 months from now.
2007-10-03 07:50:55 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
You will have to have a digital converter or have to dish out the extra cash for a cable or direct TV subscription. sorry, some people are in the biz or screwing people over just to make a buck.
2007-10-03 00:56:24 · answer #6 · answered by David H 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Analog TV is being replaced by digital TV by FCC mandate. You will still be able to receive TV over the air, but if your TV is not digital compatible, you will need to buy a converter box.
2007-10-03 00:21:32 · answer #7 · answered by Daniel T 5 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Tv will still be broadcast, just digitally. Pick up an HD antenna and either an hd tv or converter.
2007-10-03 00:36:31 · answer #8 · answered by Morgan M 5 · 1⤊ 2⤋
yea my dad was telling me about this i think its suppose to happen fairly soon. Alot of appliances will be obsalite.
2007-10-03 00:22:52 · answer #9 · answered by Footballer54 3 · 0⤊ 3⤋