The DTV Debate

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ConservativeOne said:
I finally received converter box coupons (I’d let original ones expire anticipating getting cable). My area only has one cable company available unless you have satellite; and it was from this cable provider that I was told they would not only have to hook cable up but then add a “box” (my neighbor had theirs attached last year by same cable company) to each T.V. The price for each box is MONTHLY charge of $6.75 - for each individual box - in addition to monthly cable bill. I was stunned. And personally, I just don’t get it - if you have CABLE, why do they insist on attaching individual box - as well? Something not right but I’ve really done my homework. Just can’t afford it, so I will go with trying just one converter box (paid $9.95 after coupon)…if it works, I’ll have add to other TVs. That $9.95 isn’t refundable if box is returned - strictly store credit. Another catch you don’t know until purchasing.

What’s most frustrating was I thought I had this planned system all in place as to what was needed or not. I really feel like I’m in ancient history. I’ve even heard priests discuss cable programs during sermons. I just can’t imagine not having some news or favorite TV show available come June 12. How spoiled we are but it’s amazing how TV has become our companion. Maybe, we should have let the companies go bust waiting for us to sign up (and then be forced to lower their prices / plans) - Meantime, we could have been praying instead of watching T.V. sigh 🙂

Tune in next week - for whatever may happen! You know I’ll be back! :eek:
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They are really taking advantage of you with that monthly surcharge. If you have a contract for a specified time, then the receiver (what Dish calls it) has no extra cost per month. Ours was for 2 years, whereby the receiver is paid for by the ordinary monthly payments. The installation was free. There is a camera installed on the Echostar satellite, which gives us a continuous picture of the earth … from the southwest, so you see Baja Peninsula in the middle.
 
Where I live, the business operating the “wires on the mountains” decided to (be helpful, responsible, or maybe just to keep business) convert the anten. so families receiving through the air did not need to do anything. This is good because with the mountains and weather signals become weak. Converters tend to have “no signals” when the signal becomes weak.
 
lizaanne said:
Hey marytk, sounds like you are in the Detroit area. This is what we get with just a tv top antenna and a converter box:

2-1 FOX
2-2 FOX (identical programming)
4-1 WDIV
4-2 WDIV Weather
7-1 ABC
7-2 (RTN - Retro channel)
7-3 ABC Weather
20-WB network
38-WADL - local channel
50-CW - local channel
56-1 (PBS regular channel)
56-2 (PBS kids)
56-3 (PBS Create channel)
62-WWJ-TV - CBS

I’m hoping to pick up more after the conversion happens - make sure you rescan after the cut over date, there may be other stations going on line that we don’t see now. 👍

~Liza
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Yep that is what I get. I WISHED we would get CBC channel 9 because I don’t get it anymore. I see you don’t get a high def channel 50 either so maybe after the conversion.
(Channel 4-2 is now THIS instead of weather. it is old movies and shows.

The thing I don’t like about this is that if a channel is iffy I can’t just watch it inspite of the Snow. It turns into pixels that disappear and I can’t get audio.
 
marytk said:
Yep that is what I get. I WISHED we would get CBC channel 9 because I don’t get it anymore. I see you don’t get a high def channel 50 either so maybe after the conversion.
(Channel 4-2 is now THIS instead of weather. it is old movies and shows.

The thing I don’t like about this is that if a channel is iffy I can’t just watch it inspite of the Snow. It turns into pixels that disappear and I can’t get audio.
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We also do not get CBC Channel 9, Lima, nor the local H.S./Community Channel which is strictly Time-Warner. When you have locals, you only have one metro area, and ours is Toledo, although they include BGSU.
 
I stopped in briefly and noticed some of you from the Detroit area or thereabouts - discussing your reception results. Does this mean you get more or less - with or without cable or satellite? I can’t help but wonder if I will be getting more/less - better or worse reception with just a converter box. Talk about a box? Seems cable or converter instead of antenna, we’re beginning to feel boxed in! :eek:
 
You said that you have cable. Call to see if they offer a discount for multiple services of internet and TV. We have the very basic basic cable TV and that is only around $13 a month. You may have to ask for the very basic cable. It may not be printed along with their other packages. We pay $59 per month for cable internet and TV.
 
Dandelion_Wine said:
Positives:
  1. ‘better’ reception generally. There were 2 channels we had a hard time getting to be clear. Overall though the picture is a lot crisper. {see negatives}
  2. more channels. Don’t know if this is a total positive, but we now have a cartoon channel.
Negatives.
  1. reception. If there’s bad weather outside, forget it.
  2. reception. If there isn’t a strong signal, we get nothing. or at best pixellated freeze frames. I’d take the old ‘poor’ reception because at least I could get a general idea of what was going on.
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I agree 100% with everything you said.

We got the coupons and bought our boxes several months ago (maybe even late last year). DH hooked them up and most of the channels didn’t come in at all/very pixellated/ etc… It annoyed us so much we just disconnected it and went back to the old way.

Now we are looking at DTV antennas and hopeing that will make it work better for us. If not, no more TV for us. We watch EWTN on the computer a lot of days anyhow. I’m willing to bet that if we no longer had a TV to look at we’d suddenly find ourselves with a lot more time.
 
I stumbled upon this, a NYTimes page w/all their articles on the subject this year.

Some of the articles are funny, some blatantly political (it’s Bush’s fault [like earthquakes]), many interesting.

Side note, a friend told me she got a begging letter from our local PBS station asking extra support because (among other things) of the extra expense of being forced to continue broadcasting analog after the original deadline.
 
ConservativeOne said:
I stopped in briefly and noticed some of you from the Detroit area or thereabouts - discussing your reception results. Does this mean you get more or less - with or without cable or satellite? I can’t help but wonder if I will be getting more/less - better or worse reception with just a converter box. Talk about a box? Seems cable or converter instead of antenna, we’re beginning to feel boxed in! :eek:
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Mine is a (new) Rabbit ears w/o a converter (My TV had died last year so I bought I new Smaller HD to replace it) But I get the same channel with a box on my tiny old TV(with the convertor box) in the bedroom (A few differences with reception since it is on the other side of the building)

So I would say that with HD I get more Detroit stations since many stations have a -1 and -2 choice -1 is the regular broadcast and the second one varies. BUT I can’t get HD of Toledo or Windsor stations that I use to get
 
is canada going digital as well? the only station i can get crystal clear is 42, from canada. detroit is over the “hill” and too far away for me. 🤷 it’s a good thing i don’t watch TV.
 
Mrs_V said:
I agree 100% with everything you said.

We got the coupons and bought our boxes several months ago (maybe even late last year). DH hooked them up and most of the channels didn’t come in at all/very pixellated/ etc… It annoyed us so much we just disconnected it and went back to the old way.

Now we are looking at DTV antennas and hopeing that will make it work better for us. If not, no more TV for us. We watch EWTN on the computer a lot of days anyhow. I’m willing to bet that if we no longer had a TV to look at we’d suddenly find ourselves with a lot more time.
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This only confirms my suspicions from the start. I bought one box (glad I didn’t get more). If reception is not that good, money’s been wasted on additional TVs - therefore, confirming my thoughts. I’m not trying to sound like a spoiled sport - really. But it sounds to me like “the powers that be” are trying their level best to corner us into paying a monthly fee - and hefty one at that - just to watch TV. I’ve had great reception all these years with an antenna - and didn’t need / can’t afford cable. *(and all we hear is freedoms and ‘pro-choice’). They know that those who use internet will opt for a package deal. I didn’t ask for / need cable or digital reception - I was content with good reception and stations - as is. IF the regular stations get bad reception, after the year-long converter box hype, then it’s a scam. People spending $9.95 on boxes that cannot returned for money back - strictly store credit. Customers disatisfied they’ve spent $9.95 - and then go with cable after all. Money out / money out.

The irony is that I’ve been glued to the boob-tube since childhood - and in adulthood heard about so many getting rid of their TVs because of the lack of quality shows. I may end up not having TV anymore, if converter box doesn’t work. These are tough times, and I simply can’t afford to add cable bill to my monthly debts.
 
ConservativeOne said:
This only confirms my suspicions from the start. I bought one box (glad I didn’t get more). If reception is not that good, money’s been wasted on additional TVs - therefore, confirming my thoughts. I’m not trying to sound like a spoiled sport - really. But it sounds to me like “the powers that be” are trying their level best to corner us into paying a monthly fee - and hefty one at that - just to watch TV. I’ve had great reception all these years with an antenna - and didn’t need / can’t afford cable. *(and all we hear is freedoms and ‘pro-choice’). They know that those who use internet will opt for a package deal. I didn’t ask for / need cable or digital reception - I was content with good reception and stations - as is. IF the regular stations get bad reception, after the year-long converter box hype, then it’s a scam. People spending $9.95 on boxes that cannot returned for money back - strictly store credit. Customers disatisfied they’ve spent $9.95 - and then go with cable after all. Money out / money out.

The irony is that I’ve been glued to the boob-tube since childhood - and in adulthood heard about so many getting rid of their TVs because of the lack of quality shows. I may end up not having TV anymore, if converter box doesn’t work. These are tough times, and I simply can’t afford to add cable bill to my monthly debts.
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If they’re paying $9.95 are they getting really cheap boxes? I’m assuming that price/quality makes a difference.

If there is a plot to force everyone to get cable or satellite they may outsmart themselves. I already have TW’s “all in one” cable, internet & phone deal – I may drop the cable and just watch “TV” on the net with no commercials. If too many cable internet instead of TV they will have shot themselves in the foot, or at least the networks will be screwed and blame them.

One thing I miss – I have an FM/AM/TV audio Walkman which will be useless for TV after the switchover. You’d be surprised how little you need the picture sometimes.
 
didymus said:
If they’re paying $9.95 are they getting really cheap boxes? I’m assuming that price/quality makes a difference.

If there is a plot to force everyone to get cable or satellite they may outsmart themselves. I already have TW’s “all in one” cable, internet & phone deal – I may drop the cable and just watch “TV” on the net with no commercials. If too many cable internet instead of TV they will have shot themselves in the foot, or at least the networks will be screwed and blame them.
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I think that the 9.95 might be how much you pay with the forty dollar coupon. I did buy a new antenna It wasn’t too pricey (probably less than I would pay for a month of “basic cable”) my regular Detroit stations come in pretty well most of the time.
 
didymus said:
If they’re paying $9.95 are they getting really cheap boxes? I’m assuming that price/quality makes a difference.

If there is a plot to force everyone to get cable or satellite they may outsmart themselves. I already have TW’s “all in one” cable, internet & phone deal – I may drop the cable and just watch “TV” on the net with no commercials. If too many cable internet instead of TV they will have shot themselves in the foot, or at least the networks will be screwed and blame them.

One thing I miss – I have an FM/AM/TV audio Walkman which will be useless for TV after the switchover. You’d be surprised how little you need the picture sometimes.
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I won’t say it’s a “plot” - not in those words. But we don’t have a choice as before (i.e. have cable or not). If we don’t hook up to cable, the results after buying converter boxes - are “iffy” at best. I always wanted cable - but had to cut corners. And now, with the current economic woes, who doesn’t ? That’s what makes me so angry. Why do this at such a low point when many are out of work? For me, every penny counts. Even that $9.95. If it doesn’t work, I’ve been had ! And I don’t get good reception on computer for TV shows. TV and computer are my only companions. I have to ask these questions - not out feeling there’s a plot - but people are truly not fully aware. I discussed with a neighbor - whose cable company hooked up converter box to TV a good year ago - and he wasn’t aware he was paying for it MONTHLY. People don’t realize. A cable package, including TV, the net and cable - adding the box - costs approx. $106.75 monthly. If you have multiple TV’s, add additional $6.75 per TV box.

I didn’t know about the FM/AM/TV Walkman - that’s a shame ! Sorry to hear that.
 
didymus said:
Well, how did it go?
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Thanks for asking.
:eek: Dreadful ! I’m without television. Stations began to disconnect here - at about 12:24 in the afternoon on Friday. Complete disconnect at midnight.
  1. I’d bought converter box. A Catholic friend who helped me shop for it and was going to connect for me - NOW decided that it was against their Christian values backed up by the Bible - and could not in good conscience hook it up for me :rolleyes: (more like a vindictive zinger) - but that left it up to me.
  2. I tried connecting converter box myself to one T.V. - TV’s antenna line (to be hooked up to converter box) doesn’t fit, AND to top it all - the box lights up but the remote doesn’t work. Maybe, batteries but it was brand new. :mad:
  3. I’ve spent several days/nights on phone with FCC reps - Very nice, trying to help but even they have difficulty from a distance, since every TV’s “setup” menu varies. And the manual with my supposed digital TV - is ambiguous about scanning.
  4. My one supposedly digital TV - I scanned during the day - and once scanned, I lost a number of stations already. I waited till after midnight to RE-scan as instructed. Now, I’ve lost more. In short, I can get Home Shopping (I don’t need to spend money) - and the repeated instruction station - on how to connect the converter box - and what stations I get aren’t sharp any longer.
I now have my radio and the computer (computer having serious issues lately 😦 …) but three T.V.s gone. And I dread the thought of PAYING for cable packages when so many include less-than-quality broadcasting, whether I view them or not. Maybe, I should offer it up but I can’t understand how this expensive offer comes at a time when so many of us are suffering financially/economically.

St. Anthony of Padua - whose feast it is today - please help me find the way that is pleasing to God. I have few friends and lost so many - now my only at-home companion is gone. St. Anthony, true lover of the Divine Babe, pray for us.
 
My Father said that everyone may not take down their tall TV Antennas! I had wondered what the change might bring, and, one show, Lawrence Welk maybe? was sized smaller. There was black on the top and bottom and blue on the sides. Well, my bro. bought this heavy Sanyo some years ago, and, … hey you! There are many TVs out there, probably being thrown out or at garage sales … get another one?!
 
ohioszo said:
My Father said that everyone may not take down their tall TV Antennas! I had wondered what the change might bring, and, one show, Lawrence Welk maybe? was sized smaller. There was black on the top and bottom and blue on the sides. Well, my bro. bought this heavy Sanyo some years ago, and, … hey you! There are many TVs out there, probably being thrown out or at garage sales … get another one?!
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My friend finally broke down (or maybe, St. Anthony answered my prayer above?) - and connected the converter box. But the only way it could comfortably fit - was to put one TV so high on a shelf - it’s uncomfortable. And, YES ! I have the same problem - I had no intention of taking down my rooftop antenna. With converter box, channels are bordered on four sides with black, while some just on top and bottom. I’m wondering if this is just with the box - or with cable, too?
Unhappy TV viewer - with only one TV - others just have home shopping ! UGH !
 
The signal being sent gives the video a rectangular shape, the shape of new TVs screens … I know very little about. There was only the one show with the blue side, maybe the station made an error.
 
Check your remote. When we first did ours, same thing. But I found a button on our remote that put it back to our regular screen.
 
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