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K. B.
Guest
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 Posted:
Thu Oct 14, 2004 5:18 am Post subject:
2009 DTV Deadline |
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<http://www.freep.com/news/latestnews/pm763_20041013.htm>
"Q: Will I have to buy a new TV or will my old one work just
fine?
A: Your old TV will work as long as you buy a digital
converter for it. These go for about $120 right now. You can
buy a digital television starting at about $500."
$120 for an ATSC HDTV STB?
Kirk Bayne
alt.video.digital-tv Home Page
<http://www.geocities.com/lislislislis/avdtv.htm>
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Jeff Rife
Guest
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| Posted:
Thu Oct 14, 2004 8:05 pm Post subject:
Re: 2009 DTV Deadline |
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K. B. (hotmail.com@lis2lis2) wrote in alt.video.digital-tv:
| Quote: | A: Your old TV will work as long as you buy a digital
converter for it. These go for about $120 right now. You can
buy a digital television starting at about $500."
$120 for an ATSC HDTV STB?
|
Somebody posted that there is a $150 one at Sears, so $120 isn't too far
off the mark.
--
Jeff Rife | "My God, what if the secret ingredient is people?"
SPAM bait: | "No, there's already a soda like that: Soylent Cola."
AskDOJ@usdoj.gov | "Oh. How is it?"
spam@ftc.gov | "It varies from person to person."
| -- Fry and Leela, "Futurama" |
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dg
Guest
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| Posted:
Fri Oct 15, 2004 1:43 am Post subject:
Re: 2009 DTV Deadline |
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I am sure I have read about the things being handed out for free. It may
not have been the US, but another country where DTV is a little more
mainstream.
I really don't think its gonna take until 2009 to get DTV up and running in
a very usable way. Heck, in my little town we have 5 digital stations
already (standard def though). Why should it take another 5 years?
---Dan
"Jeff Rife" <wevsr@nabs.net> wrote in message
news:MPG.1bd86dc4b8bb63a98988b@news.nabs.net...
| Quote: | K. B. (hotmail.com@lis2lis2) wrote in alt.video.digital-tv:
A: Your old TV will work as long as you buy a digital
converter for it. These go for about $120 right now. You can
buy a digital television starting at about $500."
$120 for an ATSC HDTV STB?
Somebody posted that there is a $150 one at Sears, so $120 isn't too far
off the mark.
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Sal M. Onella
Guest
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| Posted:
Sun Oct 17, 2004 2:51 am Post subject:
Re: 2009 DTV Deadline |
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"Jeff Rife" <wevsr@nabs.net> wrote in message
news:MPG.1bd86dc4b8bb63a98988b@news.nabs.net...
| Quote: | K. B. (hotmail.com@lis2lis2) wrote in alt.video.digital-tv:
A: Your old TV will work as long as you buy a digital
converter for it. These go for about $120 right now. You can
buy a digital television starting at about $500."
$120 for an ATSC HDTV STB?
Somebody posted that there is a $150 one at Sears, so $120 isn't too far
off the mark.
|
I got a Samsung this past spring for $250.00 at a chain store, "Tweeter" in
California.
Works quite well. Prices will drop with mass-production, like with VCRs.
(My first
VCR (1979) was about $900 with only a wired remote pause control. Tapes
were
about $25.00 each. Look at what has happened since.)
Apparently the "next big thing" in ATSC is the 5th generation chipset, which
reduces
multipath susceptibility. If you don't really *need* that feature, earlier
boxes may be
real bargains as 5G boxes come to market in the next few months. |
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Stephen Neal
Guest
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| Posted:
Mon Oct 18, 2004 2:50 pm Post subject:
Re: 2009 DTV Deadline |
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dg wrote:
| Quote: | I am sure I have read about the things being handed out for free. It
may not have been the US, but another country where DTV is a little
more mainstream.
|
This may have been in Berlin, where analogue OTA has already been switched
off. AIUI subsidy vouchers were distributed to those on low incomes, to
allow them to purchase boxes at reduced cost. Don't think any boxes were
given away free though.
Also worth noting that Berlin, and the UK where analogue switch-off now
seems more likely to be 2012 rather than 2010 as previously mooted (though
rumours of a regional, phased, change-over starting in 2007 are quite
strong) are SDTV not HDTV only. In the UK it is possible to buy a very
basic STB with RGB output for approx GBP30, with a really decent box going
for about GBP70.
Out of interest - are there any STBs available in the US without HD outputs,
that just downconvert to SDTV NTSC composite or S-video? Might be good for
feeding a bedroom TV or VCR?
Steve |
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Guest
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| Posted:
Fri Oct 22, 2004 5:54 pm Post subject:
Re: 2009 DTV Deadline |
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"Stephen Neal" <stephen.neal@nospam.please.as-directed.com> wrote:
| Quote: | Out of interest - are there any STBs available in the US without
HD outputs, that just downconvert to SDTV NTSC composite or
S-video? Might be good for feeding a bedroom TV or VCR?
|
Not yet. There's not much demand at all for digital OTA SD boxes here
yet. Especially since they would currently cost more than the TV or
VCR it would be connected to.
When prices plummet (after upcoming tuner mandates force mass
production) and a possible firm digital shutoff date gets nearer, there
*may* be more interest in SD boxes for old analog TVs & VCRs. Time will
tell. |
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Alan
Guest
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| Posted:
Thu Oct 28, 2004 7:43 am Post subject:
Re: 2009 DTV Deadline |
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In article <Xns958A5AD37A2FAnot@151.164.30.48> not@127.0.0.1 writes:
| Quote: | Not yet. There's not much demand at all for digital OTA SD boxes here
yet. Especially since they would currently cost more than the TV or
VCR it would be connected to.
When prices plummet (after upcoming tuner mandates force mass
production) and a possible firm digital shutoff date gets nearer, there
*may* be more interest in SD boxes for old analog TVs & VCRs. Time will
tell.
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Inexpensive conveter boxes may never come into existance, as well.
Those without analog cable or analog signal sources may just have to
toss the old sets (even if they are functioning perfectly) in the trash.
As you say, time will tell.
I will be more of a believer in digital TV when I see the little
handheld LCD sets with ATSC tuners.
I notice that Hammacher Schlemmer is featuring a wristwatch color
TV ($199.95) -- apparently analog only.
I do know that my pocket sized LCD set would be a lot less convenient
with any of the current set top boxes for a converter.
Alan |
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