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CBS reception question

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Marcia

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Mar 7, 2008, 4:16:34 PM3/7/08
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I'm sure it's just my lovely cable provider, but on both my analog and
digital towards the end of Dave and Craig, I get 2 "burps" on my screen
every night. One looks like a flash of green, and the other goes to
black for a moment. I've asked on the Cox newsgroup and never received
an answer, so I still don't know if it's a local problem or a CBS one.
Does anyone else have that happen???

Thanks,
Marcia

Bill Kawalec

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Mar 7, 2008, 7:34:56 PM3/7/08
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<Marcia R.spamless...@cox.net> wrote in message
news:47D1B0B2...@cox.net...

You have never seen this at any other time on SeeBS? To me, it sounds like
one of those glitches induced by a local affiliate when thet switch from
digital to analog simulcast. Impossible for me to say for sure though...

Marcia

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Mar 8, 2008, 4:15:43 AM3/8/08
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Bill Kawalec wrote:

Nope. It started happening a few weeks ago. The only other CBS show I watch
is How I Met Your Mother, and I haven't watched it since the strike, so it
might be happening on other shows I don't know about.

Marcia

Bill Kawalec

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Mar 8, 2008, 2:20:37 PM3/8/08
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<Marcia R.spamless...@cox.net> wrote in message

news:47D2593F...@cox.net...


Well, I suspect it's not the network. I don't recall seeing anything like
that here. Only the Fox affiliate here still has a glitch when going from
analog to digital.


>
> Marcia
>


Ryan Robbins

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Mar 8, 2008, 7:45:10 PM3/8/08
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"Bill Kawalec" <billk...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:o_GdnUjwhM9ge0_a...@comcast.com...

>
> Well, I suspect it's not the network. I don't recall seeing anything like
> that here. Only the Fox affiliate here still has a glitch when going from
> analog to digital.

What do you mean, "analog to digital"?


Bill Kawalec

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Mar 8, 2008, 11:37:23 PM3/8/08
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"Ryan Robbins" <redbi...@verizon.net> wrote in message
news:qqGAj.4150$FG2.690@trndny08...


well, ya know, that's probably not very accurate. All that stuff is probably
"digitally" stored these days. What I really mean is a switch from local
standard definition tv to network HDTV.

Message has been deleted

Bill Kawalec

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Mar 11, 2008, 2:45:00 PM3/11/08
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"Cyrus Afzali" <pns...@lnubb.pbz> wrote in message
news:sk3dt3lq7fu4388qp...@4ax.com...
> Anybody who's a cable subscriber has gotten their network signals
> digitally for years in the form of direct digital feeds, regardless of
> whether they are a standard def or high-def customer. That's why all
> this 2009 analog signal deadline will only affect people with some
> form of antenna.


Depends on the cable company, and how the customer is viewing. Those who
have the cable directly to their TV will be affected if/when the cable
company goes to all digital transmission.

>
> Cable subscribers shifted away from analog transmissions once they
> converted networks to fiber-optics and started offering the "triple
> play," since digital transmissions take much less bandwidth than
> analog.


Message has been deleted

Bill Kawalec

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Mar 13, 2008, 4:08:41 PM3/13/08
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"Cyrus Afzali" <pns...@lnubb.pbz> wrote in message
news:eevit39l21il3vtu8...@4ax.com...
> Generally not anymore because the digital transmissions the TV systems
> have been sending to cable operators for more than a year now in many
> cases have already required a box. Besides, it's been ages since most
> people got TV programming via a cable provider with a direct line in
> to their TV sets. Cable companies have for years wanted to protect
> their systems from piracy, wanted to offer pay-per-view, etc. and you
> can't do any of that without a cable box.

I personally know a lot of people with cable still going directly to their
TV. They've been in business long enough to know how to deal with piracy.


Marcia

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Mar 13, 2008, 6:08:21 PM3/13/08
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Bill Kawalec wrote:

The only room that doesn't have cable running directly to my TV is my living
room, where we just got digital and a DVR.

Marica

Default User

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Mar 13, 2008, 6:37:17 PM3/13/08
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Marcia R.spamless...@cox.net wrote:

>
>
> Bill Kawalec wrote:

> > I personally know a lot of people with cable still going directly
> > to their TV. They've been in business long enough to know how to
> > deal with piracy.
>
> The only room that doesn't have cable running directly to my TV is my
> living room, where we just got digital and a DVR.

I have a digital box, but also use the analog cable as well. That gives
me "record one watch one" capability. I don't have a cable DVR, so I'm
still on VCR for all my time-shifting needs.


Brian

--
If televison's a babysitter, the Internet is a drunk librarian who
won't shut up.
-- Dorothy Gambrell (http://catandgirl.com)

Bill Kawalec

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Mar 13, 2008, 7:07:29 PM3/13/08
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<Marcia R.spamless...@cox.net> wrote in message
news:47D9A5D5...@cox.net...


there ya go! I never cease to be amazed at what people *think* they know.
February 17, 2009 is going to be a disaster for that very reason.
IMO, even with the cable, if you're planning on keeping those analog TVs,
get a couple of the adapters while the FCC is subsidizing them.

>
> Marica
>


R H Draney

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Mar 13, 2008, 8:23:17 PM3/13/08
to
Bill Kawalec filted:

>
>there ya go! I never cease to be amazed at what people *think* they know.
>February 17, 2009 is going to be a disaster for that very reason.
>IMO, even with the cable, if you're planning on keeping those analog TVs,
>get a couple of the adapters while the FCC is subsidizing them.

Screw that, I'm just going to start downloading shows from Usenet binaries and
the occasional Torrent...(that gives me almost a year to actually get Torrent
software to work)....

I'll use the TV set to watch DVD box sets...still haven't cracked open the
shrink-wrap on that "Bugaloos: the Complete Series" set....r


--
What good is being an executive if you never get to execute anyone?

Ryan Robbins

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Mar 13, 2008, 10:52:05 PM3/13/08
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"Cyrus Afzali" <pns...@lnubb.pbz> wrote in message
news:eevit39l21il3vtu8...@4ax.com...

>Besides, it's been ages since most
> people got TV programming via a cable provider with a direct line in
> to their TV sets.

Time-Warner doesn't require a cable box.


Ryan Robbins

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Mar 13, 2008, 10:54:16 PM3/13/08
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"Bill Kawalec" <billk...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:8pqdndzhCfE2LkTa...@comcast.com...

>
> there ya go! I never cease to be amazed at what people *think* they know.
> February 17, 2009 is going to be a disaster for that very reason.
> IMO, even with the cable, if you're planning on keeping those analog TVs,
> get a couple of the adapters while the FCC is subsidizing them.

I don't follow. Cable subscribers will not be affected by the changeover. My
parents have standard cable and will continue to receive an analog signal
from the cable company.

Bill Kawalec

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Mar 14, 2008, 2:17:44 AM3/14/08
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"Ryan Robbins" <redbi...@verizon.net> wrote in message
news:sNlCj.10096$y83.1815@trndny06...


For now. In the future, the cable company may change, or perhaps your
parents will decide they don't want the cable anymore. I'm merely suggesting
that, if your going to keep analog TV, it's not a bad idea to get an adapter
box for over the air digital while the FCC is subsidizing the purchase.

>
>


Default User

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Mar 14, 2008, 2:44:12 PM3/14/08
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R H Draney wrote:


> Screw that, I'm just going to start downloading shows from Usenet
> binaries and the occasional Torrent...(that gives me almost a year to
> actually get Torrent software to work)....
>
> I'll use the TV set to watch DVD box sets...still haven't cracked
> open the shrink-wrap on that "Bugaloos: the Complete Series" set....r

I don't like watching TV on the computer.

Default User

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Mar 14, 2008, 2:48:24 PM3/14/08
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Ryan Robbins wrote:

>
> "Bill Kawalec" <billk...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
> news:8pqdndzhCfE2LkTa...@comcast.com...
> >

> > there ya go! I never cease to be amazed at what people think they


> > know. February 17, 2009 is going to be a disaster for that very
> > reason. IMO, even with the cable, if you're planning on keeping
> > those analog TVs, get a couple of the adapters while the FCC is
> > subsidizing them.
>
> I don't follow. Cable subscribers will not be affected by the
> changeover. My parents have standard cable and will continue to
> receive an analog signal from the cable company.

This was a topic of discussion on rec.arts.tv. Currently, some cable
systems provide very good analog service. Charter here in St. Louis is
one such. Others reportedly provide minimal service. At any rate, if
you have cable or satellite the changeover to digital in 2009 has no
impact. It only affects over the air broadcasts.

Even that isn't relevant. If you have digital cable, you can still
watch with an old-style TV, the converter boxes they are selling won't
make any difference. That's because you have to use the cable company's
converter already.

R H Draney

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Mar 14, 2008, 2:56:13 PM3/14/08
to
Default User filted:

>
>R H Draney wrote:
>
>
>> Screw that, I'm just going to start downloading shows from Usenet
>> binaries and the occasional Torrent...(that gives me almost a year to
>> actually get Torrent software to work)....
>>
>> I'll use the TV set to watch DVD box sets...still haven't cracked
>> open the shrink-wrap on that "Bugaloos: the Complete Series" set....r
>
>I don't like watching TV on the computer.

That's easy enough to fix...download, burn to DVD, play it in the living
room....r

Bill Kawalec

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Mar 14, 2008, 3:26:51 PM3/14/08
to

"Default User" <defaul...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:63vvjoF...@mid.individual.net...

> Ryan Robbins wrote:
>
>>
>> "Bill Kawalec" <billk...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
>> news:8pqdndzhCfE2LkTa...@comcast.com...
>> >
>> > there ya go! I never cease to be amazed at what people think they
>> > know. February 17, 2009 is going to be a disaster for that very
>> > reason. IMO, even with the cable, if you're planning on keeping
>> > those analog TVs, get a couple of the adapters while the FCC is
>> > subsidizing them.
>>
>> I don't follow. Cable subscribers will not be affected by the
>> changeover. My parents have standard cable and will continue to
>> receive an analog signal from the cable company.
>
> This was a topic of discussion on rec.arts.tv. Currently, some cable
> systems provide very good analog service. Charter here in St. Louis is
> one such. Others reportedly provide minimal service. At any rate, if
> you have cable or satellite the changeover to digital in 2009 has no
> impact.

at this time.

It only affects over the air broadcasts.
>
> Even that isn't relevant. If you have digital cable, you can still
> watch with an old-style TV, the converter boxes they are selling won't
> make any difference. That's because you have to use the cable company's
> converter already.

please do read. what I've said, twice already, is that it's not a bad idea
to get an OTA converter, now while the FCC is subsidizing the purchase, so
you can be covered if you decide to not have cable at some point in the
future. "NOT A BAD IDEA." get it?? I'm not saying you need it, or you must
get one. get it????????

Default User

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Mar 14, 2008, 4:52:45 PM3/14/08
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R H Draney wrote:

> Default User filted:

> > I don't like watching TV on the computer.
>
> That's easy enough to fix...download, burn to DVD, play it in the
> living room....r

For certain definitions of "easy", I suppose. At any rate, my computer
lacks that ability.

Bill Kawalec

unread,
Mar 14, 2008, 4:55:56 PM3/14/08
to

"Default User" <defaul...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:6406stF...@mid.individual.net...

>R H Draney wrote:
>
>> Default User filted:
>
>> > I don't like watching TV on the computer.
>>
>> That's easy enough to fix...download, burn to DVD, play it in the
>> living room....r
>
> For certain definitions of "easy", I suppose. At any rate, my computer
> lacks that ability.

and hey, why would I want to watch TV on a 19" LCD computer monitor, when I
have a 34" HDTV in the other room that is sooooo much better?

R H Draney

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Mar 14, 2008, 5:02:46 PM3/14/08
to
Bill Kawalec filted:

>
>
>"Default User" <defaul...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
>news:6406stF...@mid.individual.net...
>>R H Draney wrote:
>>
>>> Default User filted:
>>
>>> > I don't like watching TV on the computer.
>>>
>>> That's easy enough to fix...download, burn to DVD, play it in the
>>> living room....r
>>
>> For certain definitions of "easy", I suppose. At any rate, my computer
>> lacks that ability.
>
>
>
>and hey, why would I want to watch TV on a 19" LCD computer monitor, when I
>have a 34" HDTV in the other room that is sooooo much better?

Two words: Carrot Top

Bill Kawalec

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Mar 14, 2008, 5:38:55 PM3/14/08
to

--
I never read email at the Yahoo address!
"R H Draney" <dado...@spamcop.net> wrote in message
news:frep5...@drn.newsguy.com...


> Bill Kawalec filted:
>>
>>
>>"Default User" <defaul...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
>>news:6406stF...@mid.individual.net...
>>>R H Draney wrote:
>>>
>>>> Default User filted:
>>>
>>>> > I don't like watching TV on the computer.
>>>>
>>>> That's easy enough to fix...download, burn to DVD, play it in the
>>>> living room....r
>>>
>>> For certain definitions of "easy", I suppose. At any rate, my computer
>>> lacks that ability.
>>
>>
>>
>>and hey, why would I want to watch TV on a 19" LCD computer monitor, when
>>I
>>have a 34" HDTV in the other room that is sooooo much better?
>
> Two words: Carrot Top

I'll pass

Message has been deleted
Message has been deleted

Bill Kawalec

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Mar 18, 2008, 3:35:57 PM3/18/08
to

"Cyrus Afzali" <pns...@lnubb.pbz> wrote in message
news:4760u3llg3jlis2p1...@4ax.com...
> On Thu, 13 Mar 2008 19:07:29 -0400, "Bill Kawalec"
> I'd love to know where these folks live. I haven't seen a cable
> subscriber not using a box since 1987 and I've lived in three
> different states during that time.

don't know what to tell you. I know people doing it, and I'm obviously not
the only one.


Message has been deleted

Bill Kawalec

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Mar 18, 2008, 3:48:59 PM3/18/08
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"Cyrus Afzali" <pns...@lnubb.pbz> wrote in message
news:ta60u35hmhb30a2kt...@4ax.com...
> Even when they change to digital, all that will happen is they'll give
> his parents a digital box and it will hook to the TV the same way the
> analog box does.

not necessarily. I can't say when, but I guarantee ya cable will eventually
phase out analog. The channel 3 modulator is going to be a dinosaur.


Bill Kawalec

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Mar 18, 2008, 3:50:43 PM3/18/08
to

"Cyrus Afzali" <pns...@lnubb.pbz> wrote in message
news:nd60u39k23uo6a85s...@4ax.com...
> Not so, at least systemwide.

duh
yes, it's entirely possible that a franchise in one town operates
differently than a franchise in another town.

I was a TWC of NYC subscriber for a
> decade and had analog and then digital boxes with them the entire
> time.


R H Draney

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Mar 18, 2008, 4:48:45 PM3/18/08
to
Cyrus Afzali filted:
>I'd love to know where these folks live. I haven't seen a cable
>subscriber not using a box since 1987 and I've lived in three
>different states during that time.

I haven't used a box since I decided there was nothing worth watching on HBO,
Showtime, Movie Channel or Cinemax....r

Brady

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Mar 18, 2008, 8:00:27 PM3/18/08
to
R H Draney wrote:

You must be forgetting Cinemax's 'After Dark.'

Brady

R H Draney

unread,
Mar 18, 2008, 8:16:58 PM3/18/08
to
Brady filted:

>
>R H Draney wrote:
>
>> Cyrus Afzali filted:

>>> I'd love to know where these folks live. I haven't seen a cable


>>> subscriber not using a box since 1987 and I've lived in three
>>> different states during that time.
>>
>> I haven't used a box since I decided there was nothing worth watching on HBO,
>> Showtime, Movie Channel or Cinemax....r
>
>You must be forgetting Cinemax's 'After Dark.'

It was okay for a while, but it's even possible to get tired of Sherilyn Fenn
naked over and over and *over* again....r

Brady

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Mar 18, 2008, 8:52:08 PM3/18/08
to
R H Draney wrote:

> Brady filted:
>> R H Draney wrote:
>>
>>> Cyrus Afzali filted:
>
>>>> I'd love to know where these folks live. I haven't seen a cable
>>>> subscriber not using a box since 1987 and I've lived in three
>>>> different states during that time.
>>> I haven't used a box since I decided there was nothing worth watching on HBO,
>>> Showtime, Movie Channel or Cinemax....r
>> You must be forgetting Cinemax's 'After Dark.'
>
> It was okay for a while, but it's even possible to get tired of Sherilyn Fenn
> naked over and over and *over* again....r

You take that back!

Sacrilege.

Brady

R H Draney

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Mar 18, 2008, 9:06:56 PM3/18/08
to

Ever notice how you never see her and Joan Severance together?...r

Message has been deleted

Marilyn

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Mar 19, 2008, 12:46:27 PM3/19/08
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Marcia wrote:
> I live in Las Vegas, and all I have is basic cable, so no box.

Donz, don't you dare.


Marcia

unread,
Mar 19, 2008, 5:12:13 PM3/19/08
to

Marilyn wrote:

Do people still use that expression, or are we just old? LOL.

To put this back on topic, I watched Craig on a completely different
television in my house last night, and it still went to black for a
moment twice about 10 minutes from the end. If I thought I'd get a
straight answer from Cox (don't go there LOL) after waiting on hold for
an hour, I'd call them. They never have a clue about anything else, so
I'm not going to waste my time.

Marcia

Bill Kawalec

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Mar 20, 2008, 2:14:34 AM3/20/08
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<Marcia R.spamless...@cox.net> wrote in message
news:47E181AD...@cox.net...

>
>
> Marilyn wrote:
>
>> Marcia wrote:
>> > I live in Las Vegas, and all I have is basic cable, so no box.
>>
>> Donz, don't you dare.
>
> Do people still use that expression, or are we just old? LOL.
>
> To put this back on topic, I watched Craig on a completely different
> television in my house last night, and it still went to black for a
> moment twice about 10 minutes from the end.


Oh. I somehow missed that you thought it might be your TV. No way. It's
either your local affiliate or your cable company, but neither of them may
be able to actually track it down ...

Marcia

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Mar 20, 2008, 3:18:51 PM3/20/08
to

Bill Kawalec wrote:

> <Marcia R.spamless...@cox.net> wrote in message
> news:47E181AD...@cox.net...
> >
> >
> > Marilyn wrote:
> >
> >> Marcia wrote:
> >> > I live in Las Vegas, and all I have is basic cable, so no box.
> >>
> >> Donz, don't you dare.
> >
> > Do people still use that expression, or are we just old? LOL.
> >
> > To put this back on topic, I watched Craig on a completely different
> > television in my house last night, and it still went to black for a
> > moment twice about 10 minutes from the end.
>
> Oh. I somehow missed that you thought it might be your TV. No way. It's
> either your local affiliate or your cable company, but neither of them may
> be able to actually track it down ...
>

I figured it was my cable company, but I was willing to give them the benefit
of the doubt one last time. It's still odd to me that it happens both on
analog and digital, whatever it is.

Marcia

Bill Kawalec

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Mar 21, 2008, 12:11:28 AM3/21/08
to
ya know, this whole cable TV discussion got me to thinking about how much
bad information is circulating about the transition to digital broadcast.
I'll bet almost anything that, no matter how many announcements they make,
on February 18 of next year, stations will be getting phone calls from
viewers wanting to know why their off the air.
Among the more misleading ""information"" I've heard is some nonsense about
how, after the analog stations go off the air, stations will broadcast
digital on the same channel that they were broadcasting analog. NOT gonna
happen! SOME stations will have a different digital channel assignment from
what they have now, but, for the most part, they are what they are, since
the whole purpsoe of this transition is that the FCC is reclaiming the VHF
TV band, for emergency services.

Tom W

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Mar 21, 2008, 11:08:28 AM3/21/08
to

The people who deal with customers, meaning salespeople at big box electronics
retailers, have no more insight than consumers. And the people who are going to
be most affected are mostly older and never hooked up to cable/satellite and
they're the toughest ones to reach. And when their TVs go black next February
and they go into Radio Shack to see what can be done, they will probably be
pushed to buy a new TV rather than a converter box. Or sign up for a cable package.

And the funny thing is that the changeover will only really be a disaster for
the networks since their ratings will drop if non-cable households can't get
their stations. They should be the ones subsidizing the converter boxes fully
rather than make the government subsidize them partly.

Tom W

Bill Kawalec

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Mar 21, 2008, 2:59:08 PM3/21/08
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"Tom W" <ble...@myway.com> wrote in message news:MbQEj.2$EJ2.0@trndny03...


ohhhhh, I can't agree, because they're not the ones who made the decision to
take analog TV off the air.

>
> Tom W


Message has been deleted

Bill Kawalec

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Mar 29, 2008, 2:18:49 AM3/29/08
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"Cyrus Afzali" <pns...@lnubb.pbz> wrote in message
news:qfpqu31894eh2qgd8...@4ax.com...
> On Tue, 18 Mar 2008 15:48:59 -0400, "Bill Kawalec"
> I've been on digital for years and the various Scientific Atlanta
> terminals I've been given all worked off channel 3, so I speak from
> experience.


...and??????
I stand by what I said previously, and what you say really has no relevance
to the future.


Bill Kawalec

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Mar 29, 2008, 2:26:13 AM3/29/08
to

"Bill Kawalec" <billk...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:962dnXKRV6HfQnDa...@comcast.com...

it does occur to me, however, that if it is truly channel 3, that's not
digital television. The cable transmission may be in a digital form, but if
your TV is getting it on channel 3, it is being converted back to a standard
definition analog signal in the box.


>
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