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The future begins February 17, 2009, exactly one year from now. Will you be ready?

No, I'm not talking about Star Trek... J.J. Abrams' space opera will still be three months away. What I'm referring to is the DTV changeover, which may just be the REAL "Millennium Bug." On February 17 of NEXT year, rabbit ears will again be the province of Bugs Bunny... Tin foil will go back to being used for its original purpose, and just about every single television set from sea to shining sea will become, for all intents and purposes, utterly worthless.

It's the digital television revolution, and it's coming. One year from today, you'd better have either become a subscriber to satellite television, bought a newfangled HDTV thingy, or have purchased one of the $60 converters that will allow your old-style television to receive the new broadcast signals and display them in the new 16:9 aspect ratio. Or, you'd better get used to life without a boob tube. (Which, I imagine, many people will be happy to do.)

Just a friendly reminder. Mark your calendars.

I remain, as always...

Nico.

Well since Australia is such a backwards country, I have no idea what you're talking about...

But more seriously, haven't these notions that digital tv will take over been around for the past 5 years at least? They've been saying, oh you've gotta get a digital tv by "set date here", but in the end they keep pushing that back and back. At this rate, we'll never make the transition.

As for your poll Nico, I picked "I don't live in the U.S" because, well, I don't live in the U.S...

I really don't know when we're (by we're I mean Australians) are gonna have to make the conversion, but I'm pretty sure there's no set date as of yet. So until a set doomsday is named, I'll happily continue using my soon-to-be-obsolete technology...

Australia's transition date is sometime in 2010.

I still don't know why they're doing this. Do they want older T.V. watchers to stop watching? I mean really, who cares if its being shown digitally or not as long as your T.V. is actually showing something.

I think if you have digital cable it won't affect you.

the ONLY people that this affects are people who currently watch over-the-air broadcast tv on a non-digital tv set.. in other words, if you have a digital-tv (note: this does NOT require a "high def" tv) OR subscribe to a cable or satellite provider OR if you have a converter box (every household will get issued $80 worth of coupons to buy these boxes), you're all set...

digital tv isn't "coming"--it's already here... and rabbit ears aren't going anywhere... i don't have cable, but i pick up a nice clear digital over-the-air broadcast signal on the same set of $2.99 rabbit ears that i've owned for 15 years..

the truth is, by Feb '09, most people aren't even gonna notice the "transition"..

Right now, I have digital cable.

My roommate has a HDTV in the living room. It's not the slim cool kind you see in the store though. It's just as big as an old tv and sticks out in the back.

I see the difference when I watch something in HD, but whatever. Do I really wanna see every last bit of sweat on Jack's face on "Lost"?......Okay I take that back.

NSpannaus wrote:

the ONLY people that this affects are people who currently watch over-the-air broadcast tv on a non-digital tv set.. in other words, if you have a digital-tv (note: this does NOT require a "high def" tv) OR subscribe to a cable or satellite provider OR if you have a converter box (every household will get issued $80 worth of coupons to buy these boxes), you're all set...

digital tv isn't "coming"--it's already here... and rabbit ears aren't going anywhere... i don't have cable, but i pick up a nice clear digital over-the-air broadcast signal on the same set of $2.99 rabbit ears that i've owned for 15 years..

the truth is, by Feb '09, most people aren't even gonna notice the "transition"..

agreed Spannus if you already have and HDTV is doesn't matter. I have an HDTV thank the biggest difference between TV and HDTV is the picture display on next-gen video game systems myself i have Xbox 360 and the picture is stunning the graphics improve 100x on a HD compared to a standard.

Responding...

anny:

...[S]eriously, haven't these notions that digital tv will take over been around for the past 5 years at least? They've been saying, oh you've gotta get a digital tv by "set date here", but in the end they keep pushing that back and back. At this rate, we'll never make the transition.

[Laughing] Well, anny, I'd be lying if I told you you didn't have a point, there. Here in the States, if I remember correctly, the first steps toward the DTV changeover were taken with the 1996 Telecommunications Act (I only remember that because I was taking a Congressional Politics course that year, and wrote a ginormous report on the Telcom Act for my term paper), but it wasn't until early '06 that the mandated cessation of analog signals was actually signed into law.

As for your poll Nico, I picked "I don't live in the U.S" because, well, I don't live in the U.S...

Well, if you're gonna be like that... LOL.

I really don't know when we're (by we're I mean Australians) are gonna have to make the conversion, but I'm pretty sure there's no set date as of yet. So until a set doomsday is named, I'll happily continue using my soon-to-be-obsolete technology...

LOL... "Set Doomsday," I like that. As if Doomsday's actual date is in doubt... [Laughing]

I'm pretty sure Australia's looking at a 2012 rollout, btw...

Lubezki:

Australia's transition date is sometime in 2010.

Then again, it could be in 2010. [Sheepish grin]

J.I.:

I still don't know why they're doing this.

To, finally, put a definitive end to Joan Rivers' television career. Personally, although I'm a Republican and not generally in favor of Government regulation, I'm glad someone is finally stepping up to end this crisis.

...[R]eally, who cares if its being shown digitally or not as long as your T.V. is actually showing something.

Well, I'm sort of an HDTV addict, so...

lainie:

I think if you have digital cable it won't affect you.

I believe you're right. Satellite television subscribers, too, will be unaffected, except that over a third of their current screens will no longer be useful, or even usable.

Spannaus:

[T]he ONLY people that this affects are people who currently watch over-the-air broadcast tv on a non-digital tv set...

What he said.

..[T]he truth is, by Feb '09, most people aren't even gonna notice the "transition"...

We'll see about that. However, I have to say, if you're gonna own stock in a consumer electronics company, this is probably the time to buy it... And, well, next year is perhaps the time to sell it.

lilly:

Do I really wanna see every last bit of sweat on Jack's face on Lost?......Okay I take that back.

Or, on Evangeline Lilly's, erm, face... Yeah... Hey, wait a sec: Lilly. lilly. Hmmm. [Piling up mashed potatoes] This means something.

I remain, as always...

Nico.

When I saw this thread, I was sure it was going to be a countdown to Star Trek!!

Im feeling sorry for myself, as not only had I just got around to dealing with the fact of digital tv taking over when I lived in the UK, and got everything ready for the switchover, I get to NZ and find that there are no immediate plans to change. So I have had to go back to regular old non-digital tv, until this country decides we will be going digital. Im going to and fro all the time!!

i'm the criminal

Being a big fan of the Playstation I got lucky and stumbled across a PS3 without paying. So I've upgraded to bluray. although I can't afford the discs. I have 2.
I have the player. A free hdmi cable that came with it. But no HDTV. Dam. Too expensive. I'm to poor. I've gotten over. I just try not to think about it.
Anyways. I have satelitte in one room. But still use the ole bunny ears in the bedroom. So hopefully I won't get my signal shut off in their. Cause if I don't get my Conan..........

I have [satellite television] in one room. But still use the ole bunny ears in the bedroom. So hopefully I won't get my signal shut off in [there]. Cause if I don't get my Conan...

I like-a da Conan... Sorry, couldn't resist.

I remain, as always...

Nico.

cRAzY, how on earth did you get a free PS3?? :O

What can I say. I know how to cheat the man. If I reveal my secrets I could probably get into some trouble. Let's just say a major drink company didn't really follow the points redemption rules on their labels and restrictions.Therefore I could enter as many as I want and thus collect massive amounts of points I shouldn't have and using them to buy many many giftcards to a certain store that happen to have been selling ps3's. But let's keep it hush hush. I don't need them going back over my point transaction records and seeing what I did. Not that , I hope, they could do anything about it now. I should just close my account.

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