Government Details Plans To Subsidize TV Converters
from the sounds-pragmatic dept
After much debate, the government has announced the details of how it plans to subsidize digital-to-analog converter boxes for those who still receive over-the-air television. There's nothing too remarkable here; households will be allowed to apply for up to two $40 vouchers, 22.5 million of which will be made available. If those run out, Congress is authorized to make another 11.5 million available. Although this should easily cover the estimated 19 million households that still watch TV the old fashioned way, some are not satisfied by the plan. An analyst at the Consumers Union argued that more should be done to make it easier for users to get boxes, noting that because the switch was government-mandated, as opposed to market-driven, consumers should not be forced to bear any costs. But it doesn't really make sense to talk about government vs market-driven switches when you're talking about wireless spectrum. By its very nature, such an event involves government regulation. On the whole, this sounds like a fairly pragmatic solution. It should satisfy most TV viewers at a reasonable cost, considering the enormous benefit to the public from opening up this spectrum.
Thank you for reading this Techdirt post. With so many things competing for everyone’s attention these days, we really appreciate you giving us your time. We work hard every day to put quality content out there for our community.
Techdirt is one of the few remaining truly independent media outlets. We do not have a giant corporation behind us, and we rely heavily on our community to support us, in an age when advertisers are increasingly uninterested in sponsoring small, independent sites — especially a site like ours that is unwilling to pull punches in its reporting and analysis.
While other websites have resorted to paywalls, registration requirements, and increasingly annoying/intrusive advertising, we have always kept Techdirt open and available to anyone. But in order to continue doing so, we need your support. We offer a variety of ways for our readers to support us, from direct donations to special subscriptions and cool merchandise — and every little bit helps. Thank you.
–The Techdirt Team
Reader Comments
Subscribe: RSS
View by: Time | Thread
Yes, but where do you get them from?
Does anyone know anywhere that sells them, I know my local Walmart doesn't carry them, and BestBuy.com only has an HD Tivo or a Samsung HD tuner. I don't care about it outputting in HD, just as long as I can get a digital signal, if I get an HD TV I'm making sure it has a tuner.
It's one thing subsidizing. Another for them to actually be available.
On a side note, wasn't there supposed to be labeling on standard definition TVs by now warning about them becoming obsolete? I haven't seen any.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Yes, but where do you get them from?
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
I have the best of both worlds.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
This is so backwards
The federal government first declares HD over-the-air to be the proverbial bomb and thus tells all the stations which now lease radio bandwidth that they are going to make them move over in 2008.
Fine, whatever. I could care less. They do this in the name of the consumer or something. Go figure.
But now they're going to supply money to people who are going to out and buy converters to down convert over the air HD into SD to run on SD TVs? This makes no sense.
If you're stupid enough to buy an SDTV right now, I don't feel the slightest bit inclined to have my tax money thrown away in your general direction.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: This is so backwards
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: This is so backwards
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
won't work
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
SD to Analog
The only thing I don't like is that I have to use two remotes, one to turn the TV on and off, and the digital receiver's remote to change channels and volume.
Also, recording shows on my VCR is now a pain in neck because the digital receiver only puts out one digital channel at a time. So I can't watch one digital channel while recording another. I also can't program the VCR to record a digital program without having to also program the digital receiver to also capture the channel at the right time.
What is needed is a cheap standard-def digital receiver that outputs all the channels on a analog coax that can go into the old analog TV and VCR antenna ports. That way it simply becomes a fancy antenna for your old non digital equipment.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: to erv
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
This conversion blows
Sure, I could fill out the form with the government, but I'm sure there's paperwork and plenty of BS to go with it.
Yeah, I know opening the spectrum is going to be great for everything digital, it'll herald a new age, yada yada. But it's still a pain in my ass.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: This conversion blows
I'm with you. And, it has nothing to do with (from my angle -- got the money) how much it costs, it's just the idea that we're being forced into being "consumers" of all the new crap that no one really needs. My analog TV works just fine. I don't need to diddle with my senses, doing digital mania, just to grab the news or watch PBS, which is all that's worth burning my electiricity for. And, that's going south fast too.
This is just like the income tax statement that says that paying income tax is "voluntary". Yeah, right. Try that and see what happens to you. "You must now use digital" is the force-fed message-- BTW, that now includes radio broadcasts too.
Hey, let TV die, digital and all of it. Then let's see where the military-industrial greed guys go to sell the drugs/pharmaceuticals and other toxic-to-everyone burgers and other obesity producing crap. It's become a trash-bin anyways. It's all stuff that my kids don't need to fill their minds with, nor be propagandized into being a sheeple that believes everything that comes out of the boob-tubes sound box. Let it die. Let it gos the way of the drive-in movies.
And for those of you who want major visual stimulatiin to the max, have at it, but you pay for it.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Tv Scam
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Laf
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Rebate URL
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Had to post
Anyway, to James Stevens: You d' man!! (Do we live in the same neighbourhood?)
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Since when is TV a right??
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Digital converters
So, the US gov is going to spur the development of another gov paid for company to keep the economy running, huh?
Why are these things so hard to find? Or, don't I know what I'm looking for?
Personally, I could turn the TV off forever. I get most of my info by computer or radio. TV and it's programming stinks and belongs in no grade higher than 2nd -- that' the level it's programmed for. Duh, stupid, below the belt thinker types. But, my Mother is old and enjoys this trashy stuff,
so I'm looking for a converter for her.
I like this authors' attitude: 19. "If you're poor and can't watch TV anymore, too bad. Maybe you can use that TV time to get a better education or read a book."
Any links, anybody?
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Free to air & Digital TV - Fringe areas- Welcome b
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
FCC coupons
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
and don't forget .....
[ link to this | view in chronology ]