Digital Tv Broadcasting Coming Soon Options

[DXSMac]

I've also heard that the strike will start to affect the movie industry if it goes on much longer. Because movies are filmed quite some time before they are released, new ones are still coming out right now. I read that most of the summer 2008 blockbusters got filmed, but are experiencing a little trouble if some scenes needed to be rewritten, and if the director or actors are members of the writers guild(which some of them are) even they can't do the rewrite. Well, that's ok. There are a LOT of movies out on DVD that we haven't seen.

Well, my understanding is that directors prefer movies to be released at Christmastime anyway, because those have a better chance of getting nominated for Oscars. So we don't have any summer blockbusters........

JJ

[DXSMac]

An engineer friend of mine, who "claims" to be an "expert" in electronics, told me that the reason it won't be a problem if you have cable is because you will receive your cable, but it will be "pushed through" as analog if you don't have an HD ready TV. That kind of doesn't make sense to me. Who knows.

But if you are getting your TV via an antena, you will need a converter. I'm wondering where I will have room for the converter box on my front TV, which pretty much takes up a lot of space in it's specially made TV nook. My front TV is bolted to a slide out stand, centered in the nook, and there is only 3 inches of clearance on the top and sides.

JJ

[Big Ben]

You guys are making to big a deal out of the digital thing. It is a great excuss to buy a new MH.

[Butch]

You guys are making to big a deal out of the digital thing. It is a great excuss to buy a new MH.

Thanks Big Ben, now we have a reason to justify our looking at new motor homes !!!!!

[BJMA]

WalMart is selling Digital to NTSC converters... somewhere around $90.00. The gov't in their infinite "wisdom" is going to give everyone a $40.00 coupon... this ought to be real interesting on how that project/program is going to run....

An antenna is an antenna, it does not give two hoots if it is pulling in a digital signal or an analog signal, the antenna just does not care. The ONLY reason why the MARGINAL AT BEST (Piece Of Stuff) bat wing antenna is or may be a problem is only because the digital TV broadcasts are "way up" the TV band. This may change, as analog transmitters die off and the band empties, it will soon fill up with digital signals, so the maginal at best POS batwing will be back in its element. EXCEPT on 700MHz, this bands fate has already been predetermined. Many of the old analog broadcast bands may meet the similar fate as public service users decide they need more spectrum.

The whole idea to kill off analog bandeating broadcasts was inevitable. It is only that it took the congress to mandate the move since if it were left up to the industry, the move would never have happened.

As a TV watcher, I would not be in a tizzy over this. The DBS systems will still be both "HD" and NTSC, same with cable. As long as camp grounds offer cable TV, our old TVs will still work, and if you subscribe to a DBS service, there is no huge hurry to switch. The only user that needs to upgrade to digital are those that only use off the air signals, the only reason to replace the antenna is for one with higher gain on the higher frequencies. But, as I said, as things settle down, and the bands are either repopulated or refarmed, then the existing antenna will be fine.

[f94]

I called the 1-800-DTV2009 number yesterday and applied for two coupons to help with the purchase of the converters. Was told that the coupons would be mailed out sometime in late February or early March and that they have a 90 day expiration date. I was going to wait until later in the year, but since they are limited and on a "first come, first served" basis, I thought it would be best just to go ahead and get them.

Now ................. the issue of the color of our batwing antenna is another story. Since the RV is in storage, I'll have to wait awhile to see what I need in that regard.

[BJMA]

We in RV life have around 14 months to think about the best way to get ready to fix this problem.
What will we do next?

IF you have direct broadcast satellite service (DirecTV, Dish Network) you will NOT need to change anything. If the campground offers CATV - cable service, you do not need to change anything. The only users that must "upgrade" to a newer DTV tuner TV or to add a DTV tuner to the existing TV are those that get you TV broadcasts off the air. MATV may need a new TV or converter because you are only sharing the big TV antenna. I have never seen MATV used in a park - yet.

Also, a TV antenna is a TV antenna. The old batwing has ALWAYS been a marginal antenna and with many of the new digital broadcasters way up the band, then you may need to upgrade, but many are also on the low end of the UHF band too. Here in Cincinnati, they are around CH31. The "upgrade" maybe as simple is a wider bandwidth pre-amp since newer solid state devices are getting lower noise figures and higher gain than the old (pre-historic) FETS used in the older pre-amps.

[DXSMac]

Ok, we are hearing that if you have cable, you do NOTHING. DTVAnswers.com is telling us this. I'm not so sure that is entirely true.

I have one Digital-ready TV, and one LCD TV that I believe is analog (bought it in 2002).

My cable company sent me a revised list of channels. My Digital-ready TV has two connections, one for standard and one for digital. I was using the standard connection. I switched to the digital connection and rescanned the channels. Well, guess what. I got three extra channels (and about 20 "audio" channels), and I CANNOT get these channels on my small 14 inch LCD.

I'm still thinking you might need a tuner, even if you are getting cable. From what I am reading on DTVAnswers.com, anyone can apply for up to two coupons until March of this year. After that, only people who absolutely do not have cable/satellite and are ONLY getting TV via antena can apply for any coupons.

I applied for ONE coupon. I was going to apply for two (one for that 14 inch LCD, and one for the TV in my RV, which is definitely analog....), but I didn't.

When I get my coupon, I will get my tuner and hook it up to my 14 inch LCD and let you know what happened.

And, for people who are concerned that ordering the coupons will put them on any sort of junk mail list, the DTVAnswers.com web site indicates the addresses are ONLY to be used for mailing the coupons, and the information will not be sold. (However, I'm still skeptical.... I've heard that one before......)

JJ

[Texasrvers]

JJ,

Your situation sounds similar to ours. Here's what I know (I think). We subscribe to a cable service. It provides channels from 2 all the way up to 900+. Our newest TV is 5-6 years old (I think it is digital ready, but I'm not sure). We also have a couple that are so ancient that they have to be analog. All but one of them are connected directly to a cable outlet in the house, and they all receive channels 2-99 without any kind of cable box. The one remaining TV does have a digital cable box. It could receive all the channels, but we do not pay for all that are available. Your information got me to thinking about our service so I called our provider and asked these questions.

1. With the service I currently subscribe to will I need to get additional digital converter boxes for my older TV's before 2009. They said no.

2. If I have a digital ready TV will it still need a box to get channels above 99. Yes, because that is how they control what service we pay for.

3. If we put the box on the older TV's will we also get the higher channels. Yes, but only those we pay for.

Now of course this is for our cable company, and others may be different. But based on the information I got today I do not plan to change anything at our house. Also right now I am thinking I will not need to do anything in the RV either. That TV is about 4 years old. When we travel we almost always choose parks that have cable so that TV should work just fine under those circumstances. If it won't work with just the antennae, then I'll probably get a box, but that is down the road.

Right now we think we are all set for 2009, but time will tell.

By the way, you said the coupons would be available through March of this year. Aren't they available through March of 2009?

[DXSMac]

By the way, you said the coupons would be available through March of this year. Aren't they available through March of 2009?

I stand corrected. ALL households can request coupons up to March 2009.

JJ

[gwbischoff]

Does anyone have any experience with the new converters yet?

I'm debating whether to do that or just suck it up and install a sat.

[DXSMac]

Does anyone have any experience with the new converters yet?

I'm debating whether to do that or just suck it up and install a sat.

I'm still waiting for my coupon! Even though I solved my RV problem by trading RV's, I still need the coupon for my 14 inch analog at home! I have cable service, but it is my belief that one still needs the converter box even in that situation. Ok, I will still have TV without the converter box, but I won't get all the channels I get on my digital TV!

I'M USING THE "EDIT POST" FEATURE. I JUST NOW GOT MY COUPON! I'LL GO TO BEST BUY AND GET ONE OF THOSE BOXES AND SEE IF IT LETS ME GET THOSE EXTRA CHANNELS.

JJ

[MoJo Man]

I found a great source for custom HDTV Upgrades to replace your old Analog tube TV with a Hi-Def HDTV. They provide a custom wood frame (to match your existing cabinet frame but with a 16:9 opening to match a new HDTV), choice of HDTV's and a special heavy-duty mount -- that mounts your HDTV inside the existing cabinet.

They provide Professional Installation at your RV anywhere in the U.S. and D-I-Y kits (if you are very handy and have a buddy to help).

Check out www.RVdigitalTV.com

This is a ingenius approach to solve the Digital Transition coming in February, 2009... and let you enjoy the same Hi-Def "over-the-air" progamming you enjoy at home. I've got mine ordered now!

MoJo Man

[Texasrvers]

I'm sorry. I must be missing something. I clicked every link on the site in Mojo man's post, and all I got were links to information about switching to digital TV. While that was helpful, I never did find out anything about an actual upgrade kit to use in RV's although this is what the advertisement claims it is about. I would want to know what the "kit" looks like. What comes with it? Who is the professional that installs it? AND how much does this cost??? I know there was a form to fill out for more info, but it said this would reserve the kit. I'm not ready to order until I have more answers. Did I just not see the information that should be there??????

[DXSMac]

I'm sorry. I must be missing something. I clicked every link on the site in Mojo man's post, and all I got were links to information about switching to digital TV. While that was helpful, I never did find out anything about an actual upgrade kit to use in RV's although this is what the advertisement claims it is about. I would want to know what the "kit" looks like. What comes with it? Who is the professional that installs it? AND how much does this cost??? I know there was a form to fill out for more info, but it said this would reserve the kit. I'm not ready to order until I have more answers. Did I just not see the information that should be there??????

I'm glad YOU asked the questions, now I don't feel so stupid! I was wondering the same thing!

JJ