In 2009, analog tv will be no more and all analog tvs will have to have a converter box in order to get programs. and the 'rabbit ears' will no longer work and you'll have to have a built in digital tuner in the tv to get over-the-air ways signals. So, if you don't have a digital tv, when do you plan on getting one or will you invest in a converter box? and will the price of digital tv rise after 2009?
2007-10-09 17:17:28 · 4 answers · asked by water lily 3 in Consumer Electronics ➔ TVs
>when are you going to buy a digital tv?
When one of the old ones die or if I have to move very far and it would be a pain to move the old ones.
>the 'rabbit ears' will no longer work
My rabbit ears will be working just fine. Actually I expect them to work better. Where I live all the digital channels are going to be on UHF (the frequencies that are now analog 14-51).
These frequencies are mostly received by the small loop (on some antennas it is a bow-tie or figure 8). After I collapse the "ears" that primarily receive VHF channels (analog 2-13), the loop should work even better.
If you are in the US there is no difference between an "HD antenna" and an plain old antenna. Most so called "HD antennas are actually "UHF only" antennas. If you live in an area that will have digital stations on the VHF band (that is now analog 2-13), you especially don't want to waste your money on one of those marketing gimmicks.
For just $20 for a converter box (the estimated price for one after the government starts it's coupon program in Jan 2008) I expect to be seeing much better "DVD like" quality in place of the fussy analog quality I've been seeing. Quite an upgrade for $20.
(Added Later)
>will the price of digital tv rise after 2009?
Unlikely. There may be a small price spike in late 2008-2009 because of a spike in sales, but the overall price of flat panel DTVs should continue to drop. Eventually the price of flat screen TVs will flatten out as the manufacturing technology matures and demand flattens out from a "change over market" to a "replacement market". The same thing happened with CRT TVs which were very expensive initialy, but eventually dropped in price in subsequent decades.
2007-10-09 19:36:49 · answer #1 · answered by Stephen P 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I have my digital TV already. I bought a Sharp 46" LCD flat panel last year. Since last year, it has been required that all the new TV's sold in the US with a screen larger than 30" have a built-in digital tuner. Flat panel TV's are becoming so popular and affordable recently that I think most people will have bought a new TV with a built in digital tuner by the time the transition is completed in 2009. Prices will continue to fall on Digital TV's after 2009, and digital tuner (converter) boxes with be selling for less than $100 by 2009.
2007-10-09 19:23:50 · answer #2 · answered by ssjazzz 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I think ALL new TVs are digital nowadays, so I don't have to worry.
2007-10-12 19:12:34 · answer #3 · answered by Meatwad 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
well the bigest problem is the us dollars dont have the buying power that it has had so you might see price increases this christmas so buying noww might be a good idea
2007-10-09 19:41:55 · answer #4 · answered by richard r 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋