The world has been watching television for damn near an entire century. Like any form of technology, the appearance and functionality of TVs have evolved with time. It is human nature to continuously attempt to revamp and rework the wheel, even if there is no need to reinvent it. So I guess something like the upcoming digital TV conversion was only a matter of time…
I am sure most of you are aware of the pending death to analog broadcast television, mandated by Congress, expected to take place on February 17, 2009. The switch to digital broadcasting will improve the quality of television broadcasts and provide more programming options, while freeing the analog airspace for public safety communications.
I am one of few folks I know who still watch TV sans a cable or satellite hook up, a.k.a. free TV. I am a proud, card-carrying member of the rabbit ears crew (REC). There are still a few million of us around the U.S.
REC membership has many benefits. I do not have to wait at home for cable repairmen who never show up at their scheduled time. A small thunderstorm or light winds will not chop & screw my reception. A lesser selection of channels and programming has a direct effect on our CP status…CP stands for couch potato (I know what y’all were thinking). The more time we spend on the couch watching TV, the less time we spend being physically active. And why do they call it the idiot tube again? That's another entire blog entry right there...
But the number one reason why the majority of us REC members even joined the club is money. Poor folks and cheap people ain't feelin' such trivial expenses. REC members save beaucoup cash annually by avoiding service fees, monthly subscriptions, and the purchase of big-ticket items that come in large, flat boxes with words like "HDTV" on the front.
I own one television. We been hangin' tight since my freshman year of college in 1999. It was the first item I purchased for my dorm room. All black, 13" screen, remote control - pure beauty. Cable ready (just in case I got the hook up) and in color, of course. Been faithful all these years... Why give up a good thing? Many times, I've contemplated an upgrade. But I could never justify the outrageous price tags. (Outrageous by my standards, okay?)
I recently started looking at copping a used set from an ad on craiglist. You gotta admit TVs last a long time, if you don't beat 'em up. You will usually outgrow them before they outgrow you. Therefore, a 27" priced at $65 is my kinda deal! I don't mind if someone else wants to pay thrice the price and break it in before I... But if an older TV is not equipped with the new digital conversion technology, should I even bother?
Retailers are selling converter boxes for us REC members to use on our older models. Uncle Sam has even sweetened the deal with coupons for $40 off the price of the converter boxes; each household can receive two. The average price of the box is $50-70. Still a lil' steep if you ask me, but I always appreciate a coupon.
Most people I know could care less about this conversion crap because whatever they're watching is a few light years ahead of my '99 Sanyo. But I am irritated because I do not feel that all the kinks have been worked out concerning this conversion. There are already legal battles going over the patents for the converter box. And I don't believe the b.s. story about a need for airspace for public communications. Turn on your radio right now and start turning the dial... I promise you will find many settings that are pure static. That means no one is using the frequency dial. And some of the airspace will be auctioned off to wireless service providers. Doesn't sound like a public "need" to me.
Shot out to my REC members.
Tumultuously Yours,
Dark & Stormy
I am sure most of you are aware of the pending death to analog broadcast television, mandated by Congress, expected to take place on February 17, 2009. The switch to digital broadcasting will improve the quality of television broadcasts and provide more programming options, while freeing the analog airspace for public safety communications.
I am one of few folks I know who still watch TV sans a cable or satellite hook up, a.k.a. free TV. I am a proud, card-carrying member of the rabbit ears crew (REC). There are still a few million of us around the U.S.
REC membership has many benefits. I do not have to wait at home for cable repairmen who never show up at their scheduled time. A small thunderstorm or light winds will not chop & screw my reception. A lesser selection of channels and programming has a direct effect on our CP status…CP stands for couch potato (I know what y’all were thinking). The more time we spend on the couch watching TV, the less time we spend being physically active. And why do they call it the idiot tube again? That's another entire blog entry right there...
But the number one reason why the majority of us REC members even joined the club is money. Poor folks and cheap people ain't feelin' such trivial expenses. REC members save beaucoup cash annually by avoiding service fees, monthly subscriptions, and the purchase of big-ticket items that come in large, flat boxes with words like "HDTV" on the front.
I own one television. We been hangin' tight since my freshman year of college in 1999. It was the first item I purchased for my dorm room. All black, 13" screen, remote control - pure beauty. Cable ready (just in case I got the hook up) and in color, of course. Been faithful all these years... Why give up a good thing? Many times, I've contemplated an upgrade. But I could never justify the outrageous price tags. (Outrageous by my standards, okay?)
I recently started looking at copping a used set from an ad on craiglist. You gotta admit TVs last a long time, if you don't beat 'em up. You will usually outgrow them before they outgrow you. Therefore, a 27" priced at $65 is my kinda deal! I don't mind if someone else wants to pay thrice the price and break it in before I... But if an older TV is not equipped with the new digital conversion technology, should I even bother?
Retailers are selling converter boxes for us REC members to use on our older models. Uncle Sam has even sweetened the deal with coupons for $40 off the price of the converter boxes; each household can receive two. The average price of the box is $50-70. Still a lil' steep if you ask me, but I always appreciate a coupon.
Most people I know could care less about this conversion crap because whatever they're watching is a few light years ahead of my '99 Sanyo. But I am irritated because I do not feel that all the kinks have been worked out concerning this conversion. There are already legal battles going over the patents for the converter box. And I don't believe the b.s. story about a need for airspace for public communications. Turn on your radio right now and start turning the dial... I promise you will find many settings that are pure static. That means no one is using the frequency dial. And some of the airspace will be auctioned off to wireless service providers. Doesn't sound like a public "need" to me.
Shot out to my REC members.
Tumultuously Yours,
Dark & Stormy
3 comments:
Two things:
1. Over 10 years ago, one of my high school teachers who left a 6 figure TV job to teach, told us that the world was going digital. We all looked at him like what the hell... Oh if only we knew.
2. My conspiracy theorizing aunt who has had the same tv for over 25 years refuses to get a converter box. She says the government has put a chip in the box and they'll be tracking us the same whay they're listening to our phone calls. We keep tryna tell her that means her tv won't work, but she wants no part of that...
Yeah I'm pretty mad about this. I grew up without cable. I barely watch TV now, except the few times I need to catch something. I mostly leave it on in the mornings for the weather. I'm not home enough to watch the amount of TV I'd be paying for. I'm a little upset.
Besides, the TV at home is the same one we've had since before I was born -- I'm talking about, this shit is the size of my dresser, it's wood paneled all around, we can fit 8 vcrs and probably 2 more tvs on top of it. Cockaroaches and flies are still magically drawn to its screen and more often than not, the network channels are fuzzy. It's a Zenith. Universal controls have a hard time recognizing this TV, its how old it is. But its still perfectly functional. Why would we throw this out?
Are they seriously going to force everyone to pay for this? I guess they realized, what with the prices of cigarettes, gas and transportation (metrocard fare hikes, anyone?) continuously going up to outrageous prices, that we know we have no other choice but to follow, and we'll do it.
Sigh.
We just simply can't afford it. That's the God's honest truth.
Hey, look on the bright side. At least you'll save on aluminum foil usage on your rabbit ears....
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