Why do so many people still trust the government to lift up the downtrodden when so many of its actions end up screwing the poorest among us?
NEW YORK (AP) -- TV's big switch from analog to digital broadcasts will be complete in just one year, on Feb. 17, 2009, and many consumers are puzzling over how the shift will affect them: Do they need a new converter box, a new TV, a better antenna?
[. . .]
Those who will be affected are the 13 million or so households that get TV broadcasts exclusively over the air and have a TV more than a few years old - or even a newer TV that's relatively small. Also affected are TVs not connected to cable, even if a home has cable.
Of course government will be there to fix the problem it has caused, with one of its usual collect-and-redistribute schemes, this time in the form of a $40 coupon to be applied toward a converter box.
Comments
And so, Leo, we are left with the options of the $40 box, a free box -a government giveaway-, or staying with old technology indefinitely. What to do, what to do?
There is some other things to consider here-
The FCC is moving the bandwidth spectrum for TV to the Digital bands. Then they will "sell" the old TV spectrum for BILLIONS of dollars.
The $40 converter box was figured into the math I think....but I am not sure of that.
Just another case of "If it ain't broke, trust the GOVERNMENT to FIX it (anyway)".
Hey maybe there'll be a jar of vaseline with every converter box?
We can only hope.
;)
B.G.
Good time to shut off the old idiot box once and for all. - Good time to reinvent family time talking, playing games, reading and so forth. Besides I get most of my news from the web anymore anyway.
There 'ya go, AJ...
A PIANO in EVERY parlor!
Time to dig out & dust off the AUTOHARP.
Everybody sing along!
Who needs American Idol, when we have family members just as good (or bad)?
And where's that parchessi board?
Considering any TV I watch is mainly OLD movies, hell, I can BUY them on eBay!
I can count the channels I watch (out of potentially HUNDREDS) on ONE hand.
Maybe we CAN send a message to these people.
;)
B.G.