I just read a NYT Opinion piece by William Kennard and Michael Powell, two former chairmen of the FCC. They think we need to delay the switch to digital TV. I agree.
I am so completely down on this digital switch, and here's why: we don't want to get cable. In part, we don't want to pay for cable, but even if we did have the extra money to throw at Comcast, from a pure time-management perspective, I can't handle the responsibility of cable.
So here we are with our rabbit ears (seriously). We get the main networks, and even a couple of PBS channels -- we get both Boston and New Hampshire channels. Sometimes some of them are a bit fuzzy; sometimes we have to twist the rabbit ears about for a little while to get just the right spot. But we can watch what we want to watch (30 Rock, the occassional episode of House), which was just fine with us.
But last fall, we dutifully set up our digital box to be prepared for February 17th. And now our reception is crap. With the regular TV, we could watch shows through abit of fuzz, or with slight shadows. But with digital, either the signal is fine, or there is NOTHING. When the signal gets weak (due perhaps to the trees blowing around outside???) the screen goes blank and there's no sound. When it's just a little bit weak, the image goes all boxy and the sound cuts in and out.
We are so not going to get cable, so I guess we just have to give up our 30-Rock-watching, wait for all TV to come out on DVD, and make our TV into a Wii-station and DVD-player. On the upside, no commercials. Downside: hopelessly behind the rest of Americans on current pop culture references. But let's face it, that's been the situation for quite some time now.
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I'm in teh same boat, except I only recently requested my coupon (before they ran out of funding-or so I hope!) I understand that the reception is crap now becuz most stations haven't yet flipped the switch to digital? please tell me that's right.
ReplyDeleteI'm pretty sure most stations have long ago started broadcasting digital signals, especially bigger stations such as Boston or DC area stations. In February they'll stop the analog signal.
ReplyDeleteI've been pretty happy with the switch so far. The signal is much better than it was, and most of the time it's strong enough that it doesn't crap out. And this is with little crummy indoor rabbit ears.
Last night we missed a punchline or two in the opening scenes of 30 Rock. Someone hasn't yet forgiven the TV. You shouldn't mess with B's Tina Fey consumption.