conversion to digital tv. is everyone ready?

[davidpizzica]

Tomorrow is changeover day for digital tv. Does everyone have a converter box or a digital tv? I should be okay as I have a digital tv and two older TVs that are hooked to Comcast.

[aTailOf2Kitties]

eh, I've got cable on all but my guest room TV, so I'm good. Actually it is a digital TV come to think of it....

[Marigold2]

I don't know anyone who is NOT ready. I don't know anyone who still has those old TVs.

[blue]

I have one TV and it is not digital ready and I dont have a converter box, Ive been using my computer as my TV. I do need to get a better video card, the one I have clips with the digital broadcasts.

[Seravieve]

We're ready.. both tv's are digital and on top of that we pay for Dish satellite.. =)

[smokey the elder]

We've had DirecTV for awhile now, so we're good to go!

[BitsyNaceyDog]

Our main TV is digital. We have it hooked up to a computer (acting as a DVR and for hulu and such) and a digital antenna so we're ready.

We have another TV that's not ready, but we never use it for live TV anyway. We only ever use it for watching DVDs and playing older video games.

[prechrswife]

We have an older TV, but we have Direct TV, so we are okay.

[moosmom]

Yup, I'm all set.

[lvpets2002]

:) Yup I am good with Digital Converter Box thur my Internet Cable Company Suddenlink.. Yup they say as of noon today Tx will be disconnecting Analog..

[Pinot's Mom]

Been ready...we have DirecTV on 3 (one on each level) TV's and we have a TV we take on long camping trips that I got a converter box for (back when the original turn off was supposed to take place). We also use that one on the deck to watch Ravens games in nice weather.

I have an extra converter box I don't need. I bought it for the TV in the lunch room at work, but the TV is so old I can't use it. Does anyone need one?

[phesina]

I have one of those old TVs! And a converter box and a new antenna, and I've been hooked up for a couple of months now.

This way sucks. When the picture is there, it's gorgeous, much clearer and in better color than the old way. But.. note I said "when" it's there.. The picture starts to break up into little squares or go black and the sound goes off.. It can come back, but then it goes off again.. I have to move the antenna around all over the place, which is just as likely to make things worse as better. If I change the station, of the few that I can get (fewer than with the analog), the new one usually needs another move of the antenna. And of course, none of them stay the same for that station from one time to the next.

I gather that the main problem is I am too far away (40-50 miles?) from the stations, and the metal framework of my apartment building also screens out some parts of the transmissions.

I really don't watch TV.. I just have it on when the news is on while I'm doing other things, so I can pick up on what's going on out there and have some idea of the weather.. That's why it matters much more to me to have the sound than to have a better picture. So it isn't worth my while to spend a lot more money for cable or whatever, besides which I keep hearing that they're raising their rates and what a pain in the a$* Comcast (the monopoly for this area) is to deal with anyway.

Grump, grump, grump...

[Hellow]

We dont even have cable television, I get all of the viewing pleasure I need from the internet.

For those of you that have horribly old TVs, you can find good new LCD TVs for prices at or under $300. Take a look at this ViewSonic: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16889107062

[lvpets2002]

:) Oh I hear ya Pat on the cable companys keep going up on monthly rates.. I pay $104.00 a month for Digital TV & High Speed Internet.. It started out one year ago being $86.00 a month special package deal.. Yow right.. Anyways I get real Grumpy when I seen tons of TV commercials from them on how cheap they are.. GRRRR = Our High Monthy Statements are paying for all of that Hot Air of Commercials.. But that is the only cable around here unless you get Dish TV.. I have heard they do the same thing of monthly rates going up..

[happylabs]

DISH network. I'm a TV addict. I have 4 televisions...one in computer room, one in living room, one in my bedroom and my daughter has one in her room. :D

[phesina]

Oh, I don't mean to suggest I don't watch because I'm an anti-TV snob.. I just don't have TIME to sit down and watch. I'd love to check out a lot of the shows!

I also don't have much extra money, to spend on cable bills or a new TV.. Any spare money lying around is first going to go for stuff for the cats or donations to people doing good works to help critters or things like shoes! (see thread about girly accessories..)

[phesina]

:) Oh I hear ya Pat on the cable companys keep going up on monthly rates.. I pay $104.00 a month for Digital TV & High Speed Internet.. It started out one year ago being $86.00 a month special package deal.. Yow right.. Anyways I get real Grumpy when I seen tons of TV commercials from them on how cheap they are.. GRRRR = Our High Monthy Statements are paying for all of that Hot Air of Commercials.. But that is the only cable around here unless you get Dish TV.. I have heard they do the same thing of monthly rates going up..

Yeah, Comcast is the only game in town around here.. They've been running lots of commercials in the last week offering to "HELP" those of us with antenna TVs... yeah, help you into signing up for Comcast.

[phesina]

We dont even have cable television, I get all of the viewing pleasure I need from the internet.

For those of you that have horribly old TVs, you can find good new LCD TVs for prices at or under $300. Take a look at this ViewSonic: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16889107062

P.S., thanks for the link, Collin.. I took a look, and I'll keep this around in case the urge does strike me! and I already spend so much time on the computer that I don't have time to watch TV.

[Marigold2]

Thank goodness it is all done. I was so tired of the commericals. You would have thought it was a matter of life and death the way they advertised it for over a year.

[catnapper]

Comcast is the only game in town here too. I HATE Comcast, but cable is sooooo much better than dish. We had oodles of problems when we were with a dish provider.

I paid $309 last week for two month's worth of Comcast bills. We do have cable, internet and phone, but its way more expensive than what they snooker you in with. I think the current promotion is $99 a month for all three. So why does a customer in good standing (well, with on late month :o) have to pay $50 a month extra than new customers? :mad:

Sorry, I didn't mean to hijack with a Comcast rant.

To answer your question: Yup, we've been ready because we've had digital cable forever. I wonder what mom's doing -- she had regular Comcast. I know she had all sorts of problems with my remote because it sets up different on digital than analog cable. I bet she is having a fit tonight!

Oh, and I too have been soooo tired of the commercials! I coulsn't understand why they pushed it back from February to June. I figure with all the commercials and news about it, that if anybody was that bad a procrastinator, they could pay the price by not having their tv until they got off their butts and got the convertor or a new TV.

[RICHARD]

THis really irritates me....

I called up the cable company about another problem and the woman asked me about getting set up for DTV.

I told her that I had heard that I would not need a DTV box for my tv.


There are three, One is on a cable box and the other two are on the cable feed, w/no box.

SHe told me that there was a one-time 12.95 charge to convert them.:confused::eek:

She them told me to wait because they were going to have a special as the date (6/12) got nearer.

Since I don't watch much TV I sent away for the coupons for the porch TV.

I went to another set that does not have box and it still works!?!?!?

I'll wait to see what happens, Just like the Millenium Bug, I think it's a lot of hype for nothing???:confused:

[cassiesmom]

Yes and no. The TV in the living room is attached to cable. I flipped through the channels when I got home - didn't look any different to me than before the conversion :confused:. The TV in the bedroom is the one I got for my high school graduation in 1983. I need to get a converter box or a new TV back there.

My cable bill has gone up at least once a year since I moved to the place I live now. It's so frustrating because we have to have cable to get any kind of reception. If I wanted to switch to satellite TV I'd have to put the dish on the balcony rail, but I don't want to do that because the rail is already loose in the mortar. Hence - cable.

[Pinot's Mom]

I have a long time hate for Comcast but that's another thread.

Seriously, Richard and Cassiesmom, if you need a converter box PM me your address and I'll send it. I have no use for the extra one.

[blue]

Reset the TV tuner card in this computor today. Friday I had 7 TV channels, today I have 12, 10 TV and 2 FM radio.

I cant do to much on this comp if I want to watch TV or the video starts clipping.

[RICHARD]

I have a long time hate for Comcast but that's another thread.

Seriously, Richard and Cassiesmom, if you need a converter box PM me your address and I'll send it. I have no use for the extra one.

I have two extra boxes myself. I don't think that anyone really has the answers for all the questions. I got the coupons for the TVs AFTER my converstation with the cable gal.

Oh well, I think that there is a TV in the garage in my future!:rolleyes:


I guess a radio that picks up the audio bands is useless now, too?