I live in an area 20 miles from a city that broadcasts 5 digital stations. Just bought a fancy amplified antenne (because I live in a valley) and took it to the roof. I still have too weak a signal for digital to work. I can recieve analog stations ok. It's real fair that after June I will not be able to recieve TV signals anymore.

"All this delay did for prepared viewers in rural areas was extend a snowy picture until June."

My analogue reception isn't snowy (love this argument for why we had to sale off public airwaves to commercial interests), while their equivalent digital channels are absolute no-shows. Too weak to decode. I hope you're right about the power increase in some areas. Sounds reasonable. However, I called my local broadcast engineers and was told they're already transmitting DTV at legal limit,  so I'm not so sure.  I'm 15 miles from their tower. I'm also hoping it's a frequency assignment issue, since some stations may move lower in frequency (better propagation) after D day. But I think digital might have a major weakness here.  But I can't let my six-year-old watch half of what's on TV anyway, so maybe losing some major channels will be a blessing in disguise. Maybe we'll talk instead of stair at the TV. Thanks.

For those in rural areas receiving ZERO digital channels:

Most networks are broadcasting analogue signals at higher power than digital. For example, if the local FOX station is broadcasting in analogue at 1000 kW and digital at 10 kW, it makes since that the digital channel won't cover as large an area as the analogue channel. However, once the station shuts off their analogue broadcast, all that power will go toward their digital. I'm willing to bet that once the local networks shut off analogue, you'll be able to receive clear digital stations. All this delay did for prepared viewers in rural areas was extend a snowy picture until June.

What I don't understand is what difference an extra couple of months is going to make.  The plan to switch to HD was already being discussed back in the mid 1990s, and the date to make the switch has been in place for a few years now.  Anyone who has not gotten the word in the last decade ain't getting it in the next couple of months.  When the TV stops working, they'll call someone, and then they'll get a converter box. 

Honestly… people are raving about this like TV is a necessity for life!  It's not like people's gas or electric is going to stop… just the TV.  They can live without a TV for a few days… even a few weeks… while they get a new one or a converter!  They will not die from no TV.

Personally, I've not had anything but over-the-air TV since moving out of my parents' house in '98, and I got a new TV and antenna at the end of last year.  The only concern I have is whether the stations that are too far away for me to pick up in the new shorter-range digital format.  Even with my expensive new antenna I still don't get one or two local stations because I don't live close enough.

My home is one of those that will not get over-the-air TV after the switch to digital. I am getting sick and tired of people accusing us of procrastinating, or of being "backward".

We live in a rural area where there is no cable TV, and our current satellite provider does not offer local channels.  We've been getting 3 locals (NBC, CBS, PBS) OTA from transmitters 60+ miles away, via a directional antenna on a 25-ft pole in the yard.  We applied for coupons as soon as they were available, and we bought 2 different converter boxes.  Neither one can bring in any digital signals at all.  None.  So, once the switchover takes place, we lose all our local TV broadcasts.

Fortunately, we found out that the other major satellite provider does offer locals in our county, so we switched satellite companies for that reason.  People living just 2 miles down the road—across the county line—are out of luck, though.  Neither satellite company offers locals to homes in that county.

A delay won't help with any of this, because no one is paying any attention to rural homeowners who already have tall antennas and have already installed converter boxes, but still can't get digital signals.

I am a senior citizen whose main TV is on satellite and my 2nd TV is analog with rabbit ears.  Since I am frightfully frugal, my ideas for DTV in the bedroom did not include spending $5.99/mo. for a 2nd satellite hookup.  Considering it the best option, in a very timely manner, I signed up for the $40 converter box coupon.  However, I was really caught off guard by the government's outlandish enthusiasm in mailing the coupon in April (with an expiration date of 90-days later on 7/11/08). 

I have no idea whether boxes were availalble in Apr, May or June; but in July, with time running out, I found that the stores wanted $59 for the boxes, leaving me to pay $20.  At that point, I pondered the option of replacing the TV altogether, shopping in earnest during the Fourth of July sales.  Well, I'll level with you. My early planning and crowd fighting ran amuck.  On July 12th, I was left with one expired coupon and no new TV.  As with many problems I ponder of late, I believe the time has now come to simply cut my losses regarding this perfectly good TV (and all its accompanying issues) and haul it to the dump—forgetting the whole thing.

I do, however, have some questions:
(1)  Why do you suppose my coupon expired so early (7/11/08) when the transition wasn't until Feb '09?
 
(2)  Do you think, perhaps, a lot of EXPIRED coupons like mine are out there rattling around in purses and drawers, never to see the light of day?
 
(3)  And do you think these unredeemed coupons are being tracked (resulting in a credit of $40 on gov't books)?  Or do you think, perhaps, they are being counted as $40 spent (exaggerating the program's neediness and expenditure)?

And I have a final question:  The very first sentence on the sheet accompanying the coupon reads:
"IMPORTANT UPDATE REGARDING REFUNDS:  You will not be able to receive cash or credit for the coupon amount, but you can receive cash or credit for any amount you paid out of pocket, if the store policy permits."

Before retiring, I worked in the legal community.  Even so, I'd be hard-pressed to guarantee any interpretation of that sentence.  I'll take a stab:  The converter box is free at some stores.

Who knew.  A $40 coupon might be worth more than $40.  Or have I run amuck again?

"We’ll still have radio."

We'll probably be forced to talk about that soon enough when lobbyists and legislators tell us that we'll all be better off with digital, static-free radio and begin to auction off portions of those airwaves as well.

"Congress elected to delay the digital switch in part because lawmakers don't want people to go without TV."

that line says it all basically.

without TV, how else would you steer views and keep people from talking with their next door neighbors? what's next? sitting on your front porch swing during the summertime evenings again? madness!

We'll still have radio.

I don't understand why it's the government's job to provide me with access to television.  I'm not a cable subscriber and my TV is rather old and I would need a converter box if I cared to bother with it.  I understand that there are people who might have some trouble paying for the converter box, but why is it the goverment's job to to make sure they can continue watching television?  When did watching TV become a right?

"The converters aren’t magical.  What happens after hooking up the converter is the only the strongest signals come through."

Excellent point about the "cliff effect," and potentially an even bigger issue than the availability of coupons and converter boxes. With DTV, unless you can receive a perfect picture (which depends on such factors as proximity to the transmitter, local terrain, the channel's frequency and, importantly, your antenna), you get no picture, not even a marginal one. At least I can still get PBS.

The pepole that are not ready now will not be ready in June. Most will not get a box until ther set stops working.  Also If they do not have the money now how will they have it in june?

To Tim,

This is not about ‘hype’, it is about high quality television signals (even with standard definition) as well as efficiency.

Example: I live approx 48 miles from channel 16. The analog channel requires an outdoor antenna to get a good analog signal. With an indoor antenna it is poor at best.

The digital signal from the same channel is 100% clear with an indoor antenna! No snow, ghosts or any other types of interferences. This absolutely cannot be done with an analog signal.

Also, the same channel with just one transmitter sends out 5 channels worth of programming. It would take 5 analog transmitters to do that. That would require a ton of expenses that the station cannot afford and bandwidth that is simply not available.

Even with the local analog channels (within 10 miles from me) many of them in my area have ghosts or other interference problems. I rent an apartment and can only use an indoor antenna. All of those local channels come in 100% clear with digital. Not only that, the color is much better because there is not balancing of the color carrier with the video carrier as there is with analog. Also there is a much greater color depth with digital than analog because analog has very little room in the bandwidth for color.

As for the delay, those who procrastinate now will do so in four months and be no more ready then than they are now.

It takes a deadline to light a fire under people’s feet!!!

I just got me two boxes that normally costs $40.01 each. With my two coupons they costs 2 cents for both of them. Add shipping because I bought them online and my total cost was $12.97.

I am on SSI disability and have a very limited income and I was able to afford them. They work great by the way. And I am using rabbit ears.

The only reason people aren’t ready is because they are either as stupid as you are and/or too lazy to get off there rears and do what is needed to get ready for the transition. Meanwhile in an economic recession, companies are losing big money because of people like you!

And NO it is not about their tracking our buying habits! Such incredible ignorance!!!

Try learning about something before you comment on it!

The converters aren't magical.  What happens after hooking up the converter is the only the strongest signals come through.  My parents live 60 miles north of Columbus, OH and 90 miles south of Cleveland, OH, basically an hour or more from a tv station.  When they hooked up their converter box, they went from 10 channels to 2 because the weaker signals are dropped.  Where they live, cable isn't available, only satelite and even the most basic service isn't cheap.  So, people who watch sports on Sunday and the news are forced to start paying for service that was free. 

Think of it this way, if the government decides we should all drive hybrids by 2011, should everyone that has already paid off their car have to spend money to transition and be able to drive, fair?  The government should not have the right to force people to make changes for minimal benefits.

No one yet talked about the conversion from black and white siglans to color signals back in the day.  Why is this important?  Because the FCC and other groups were actually concerned that some of the population who couldn't (or didn't want to) buy a color television would be left out.  So, stations had to broadcast a signal for BOTH.  And this can't be done today because of money?  Stations already have analog transmitters, put 'em alongside the digital ones, and everyone will be happy.  The coupons are a nice idea, and the government had its heart in the right place, but honestly, forty bucks is a lot to me, and I work two jobs!  The coupons, strangely enough, have expiration dates on them.  Why?  And if you ordered two and you lost them, didn't redeem them in time, they burned up in a fire, etc., you are screwed, but if you ordered one and those situations happened to you, you were able to get another one.  Is it not possible that some of these people have more than two analog TV's?  I agree with those that say people with old tv's should have gotten the converters long ago, but those folks are also the ones with cable, satellite, or big screen tv's.  There are lots and lots of folks out here that don't have that stuff.

I'm not really getting why this is such a big deal. I have evolved and my electronics have evolved with me. For those still living in the 80's, maybe it's time for an upgrade anyway. Nothing lasts forever..

No one should be forced to do this.  Look beyond the hype.  This is all about advertisers being able to track our commercial and buying habits.  Let them pay for ALL the boxes!  It has nothing to do with freeing up fequencies for emergency response.  Those frequencies will be parcelled out to big business entities for more gadgets to be created and sold to YOU.  Who really wins?  I have been fine with analog signals for over 4 decades.  I don't care to upgrade and I can't afford to upgrade.  Analog and antennas are great for my use (and descret).  Who needs these $40 HD vouchers from the government, when they don't have a job or food to eat?  This should be delayed indefinitely!

In our case where I live in South Mississippi, the digital stations are only transmitting a very low digital signal.  Every one here either has digital sets or the convertor boxes.  The stations haven't told us that they won't be transmitting at full power until they get new transmitters.  That's the problem here.  We are about 50-60 miles away from closest station.  Analog signals are good to fair, but digital might come in sometimes and most times not.  The people on a whole are ready;  the stations aren't doing their jobs on getting signals to us.  It is not fair to the people to have to spend hundreds of dollars to try and get what they were already getting on their present analog systems.
Wake up!  It is 2009!  We should be at the height of the electronic age, and here are going blank!
Fred Mashburn

BRING ON DIGITAL TV, BEEN WAITING FOR A LONG TIME….I GRADUALLY BOUGHT ONE DTV AT A TIME… .AS THE OLD ONES WENT OUT,...  TO FIX WOULD HAVE COST MORE,,WITH WALMARTS,INTERNET SHOPPING… WITH WALMART THE REGUALR TV'S HAVE DIGITAL TURNERS,AS THE FLAT PANEL TV'S HAVE DIGTIAL TURNERS…DONT LIVE IN STONE AGE…

"no one has EVER explained why we need the switch to digital in the first place."

Follow the money: Who's complaining loudest about the June delay?

Since the late 1980s, the USA has delayed digital video, 4 or now 5 times, while the rest of the modern world moved on.  By the early 1990s, it was a done deal in Japan, Europe, et al.  Those countries and others wondered why in the world we adhered to 320 line analog picture.  Here it is 2009. I am an OLD man and those countries can still wonder why we do not join the rest of the world in an HD standard.  BTW, our digital pic will still be inferior to the standard that the other countries chose. 

But, then, again, we still do not have any digital basic standard of any kind in place.  This is an excellent representation of the modern USA "head in the sand" attitude.

Is this the "change" we can't believe in?

Change always disrupts someone.  Tires with tubes anyone?

"no one has EVER explained why we need the switch to digital in the first place"

As others have said, Analog signals take up space.  A LOT of space.

A good analogy would be like having bicycle crossing paths in the middle of the freeway, every quarter mile or so.  It's unnecessary and takes up a lot of room, slowing down everyone else. 

With that air-space freed up, the city will be able to utilize better emergency service communication.  Big companies can buy some of that space, to improve Cell strength and allow for better downloads.  Qualcomm has talked about putting TV shows to mobile devices, once the area is cleared up.

With the switch-over being voluntary now, I wonder if big companies will try to cut their losses (Qualcomm said that they'd be losing millions over the delay) by paying cable companies to volunteer early.  hmmmm

My concern is that big box stores were fined because they still had analog tuners last year.  Is the gov't going to be fined for putting this off another 4 months?  They should be…how about taking it out of their retirement funds and repaying back those that were fined to begin with?

It is just like the passport mess, when congress decieded that passports were needed to go to mexico and canada and everyone waited till the last minute to get one.  Congress gave over a year notice on passport requirements! If anyone did not get a passport too bad.  It should be the same for televisions.  People were bomarded with notices on television, in the newspapers and you know what?enough is enough.  It should be like tax day.  Taxes are due on april 15 (if business day) no and if's or buts.  If not filed in time penalties start accumulating.

This is very simple.  DTV is not HDTV.  DTV does not require an HDTV.  Just about every TV built within the last 10 years is already DTV capable.  If you have a set that is NOT DTV capable, then spend the $40.00 and get the converter box.  I live in an area that has been supporting DTV broadcast for a long time.  I get about 30 DTV stations (many of which are HDTV) off the air with a $25.00 UHF antenna I bought at Home Depot. 

The whole point of this conversion is to free up analog airwaves so they may be used by other people.  Analog signals take up much more space (up to 8X) than Digital signals.  If we eliminate the massive volume of bandwidth taken up by the Analog broadcast then we can expand communications for Emergency Services.  Some of the space has already been sold to other communications companies to expand the available products.  This will also benefit us in the long-run by giving people more / greater options for various types of communications.

The same people who are opposing this are probably still driving a Ford Model-T….

I don't understand why after all this time people couldn't just buy a digital television.  People are not THAT poor.

After all is said and done as well as the government spends all that money for the $40.00 coupons ultimately those digital to analog boxes will end up in a landfill somewhere and we are talking millions of boxes not Atari E.T. cartridges.

This whole thing was badly set up and even though, if I tried hard enough I could probably find out if I searched on the web, no one has EVER explained why we need the switch to digital in the first place.

KP