Why do we have to give up analog televisions in 2009?

Question

It doesn't make any sense at all. I can not believe they are doing this. With all the problems this world is facing they decide to change tv's. It's all so suspicious. Why would senate all of a sudden show interest in digital televisions?

Answer 1

There is nothing suspicious about this mandate as it has been in the works since the early 1990s. I work in television and although I've never heard a substantial reason why the FCC issued this mandate (or any others like it) besides needing the extra bandwith for DTV channels, it is generally regarded as the only way progress will happen.

HDTVs are a part of the mainstream largely because of the FCC's mandate that networks begin broadcasting in the format, so we are enjoying better quality television instituted this early only because of the government mandate.

There is a subsedizing program included in the mandate that allows low-income houses access to free or nearly free converter boxes so they can continue to receive OTA broadcast television for free.

For more info on the history of the regulations click here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High-definition_television_in_the_United_States

Answer 2

it is not cable... this is the FCC mandating the change. Frankly, this grew to become into meant to ensue YEARS in the past, however the FCC persevered to place if off simply by fact community stations have been too much less costly to purchase HD kit, and HDTVs have been too high priced for the mass public (yet truly, look at how lots a television value in as we talk's funds interior the 50s... this is merely that SDTVs have become very much less costly). (as an occasion, a 24" Magnavox interior the 50s value $249... this is nicely worth $1800 in as we talk's funds! and you gets a heckuva greater advantageous television than that as we talk for $1800!) this is important to do this, simply by fact VHF and UHF indicators are bandwidth hogs -- you are able to no longer get very lots sign over the air interior the bandwidth assigned for over the air TVs. to unlock the spectrum for different digital makes use of (look at how lots prompt stuff we've) the analog indicators could desire to be close down. think of of it this way -- what technologies nevertheless runs precisely the comparable way it did interior the Fifties? automobiles now run on unleaded gas and characteristic computers to regulate each and every thing. could desire to you think of somebody asserting "nicely, this is super that there is a working laptop or pc it is so small it suits on my laptop, yet i do no longer prefer to apply it simply by fact all of those punchcard classes I wrote in college won't paintings with it!" technologies variations, and especially circumstances, there should be sure lines interior the sand the place the two the marketplace or the government says "we are in a position to't be backward like minded anymore." purchasers have prevalent approximately this for some years. i grew to become into in college, interior the previous due 90s, whilst the 1st bulletins have been made. If human beings stored $10 a month, without pastime, from the time whilst the FCC introduced that it may be shifting to an all-digital sign, you're able to have greater suitable than sufficient funds to purchase a high quality HDTV.

Answer 3

I had been thinking some big corporations would gain from it. I believe that everytime the government de-regulates something or makes changes such as analog to digital, the consumer loses and big business gains. When cable was deregulated, consumers had to pay more money, etc. I read an article that gives a very good explanation of the change to digital from analog.

According to an article I read by Michael Rogers, Columnist, Special to MSNBC, "...consumer electronics manufacturers are pushing Congress hard. Switching everyone to digital TV could be the biggest bonanza the industry has seen since the mid-Eighties, when the advent of audio CDs fuelled an enormous upgrade market." The website for the article is:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7593620
I hope this helps.

Answer 4

We are out of signal space.

We used to have just TV and radio. Now we have thousands of TV channels, microwaves, Pagers, cell phones, cordless phones, etc. and we have run out of different frequencies to put them all.

Going digital, we can mix 4 or more TV channels on the same frequency.

And this is not "all of a sudden". It has been in the works for years, and the date has been pushed back several times.

Answer 5

they just want to make money and take it out on the grandmas that havent bought a tv since 1970...