DTV delay passes, 264-158

[Shadowstorm]

Saw this over at Ars.

By a largely party line vote, the house on Wednesday approved a delay in the DTV transition, pushing the deadline for broadcasters—and over-the-air TV analog watchers who haven't yet obtained a converter box—to June 12.Stupid. I wonder how much more time/money is being wasted by trying to delay this. Should just do it and get it over with already.

Source (http://arstechnica.com/telecom/news/2009/02/dtv-delay-passes-264-158.ars).

[Stoke]

It was to be expected. There are too many idiots electing too many idiots into power. Maybe in a decade or so the generational change will mean more progressive people will be elected.

[Fubl]

doubt ful.....
A politician is a politician nomatter what generation no matter what party....
Lets be honest alot of people do not understand the reasons behind this change over and it doesnt help you have idiots telling people to go buy these converters, and not explaining clearly that if you meet certain things you dont need the damn box. doesnt help that people who dont need the boxes applied for the coupons. Doesnt help you have the gerbils on the floor at the stores selling them to people who dont need them.

[Kagger]

This is frankly appalling.

(To drive home the point, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's office circulated a chart (PDF) showing the number of households on the waiting list for a converter box coupon in each member's district.)

Sure, it seems like they care, making sure their constituents are taken care of. Really, it's just making sure they don't get yelled at. Clearly, during an economic crisis we should be forcing telecommunications companies to throw money down the drain so congress looks good. Fantastic.

[Khrymsyn]

This is frankly appalling.
Sure, it seems like they care, making sure their constituents are taken care of. Really, it's just making sure they don't get yelled at. Clearly, during an economic crisis we should be forcing telecommunications companies to throw money down the drain so congress looks good. Fantastic.

Pardon my ignorance, but how does this force telecommunications companies to throw money down the drain? I had though this was a deadline to make sure a company was all digital by point XX. Not one saying they can't be before then. I know Comcast, Optimum, and RCN have gone all digital in thier major markets already.

[cppcrusader]

I'm surprised so many voted against it.

[Widgetcraft]

Lame... it was going to go digital on my birthday. Honestly though, I don't really give a shit, as I've never used broadcast television. Are people really so cheap that they can't afford basic cable or satellite?

[cppcrusader]

Lame... it was going to go digital on my birthday. Honestly though, I don't really give a shit, as I've never used broadcast television. Are people really so cheap that they can't afford basic cable or satellite?

Yeah, there are many of us out there that don't consider it worth the price. Right now I have basic cable which is $20. All that gets me is the local networks, TNT, WGN and a shitfuck ton of spanish channels. I used to get Scifi, but last year Brighthouse felt I needed more spanish channels.

Digital Basic is $50 - 60, and considering there are only three or four channels out of that I want I consider it grossly overpriced. Same goes for satellite. I'm planning to cancel the basic cable once I get my damn coupon.

[Telefrog]

Digital Basic is $50 - 60, and considering there are only three or four channels out of that I want I consider it grossly overpriced. Same goes for satellite. I'm planning to cancel the basic cable once I get my damn coupon.

Digital basic is $50!? You are getting shafted.

[cppcrusader]

Digital basic is $50!? You are getting shafted.

That's pretty much the usual price down here, which is why I don't pay it anymore. Hopefully Verizon will get Fios here before the end of the decade, but they've only made it as far as Lakeland in the past year or two. That's roughly halfway-ish between here and Tampa.

[Kagger]

Pardon my ignorance, but how does this force telecommunications companies to throw money down the drain? I had though this was a deadline to make sure a company was all digital by point XX. Not one saying they can't be before then. I know Comcast, Optimum, and RCN have gone all digital in thier major markets already.

Force may not be the best word, but they are going to pretty much have to keep their analog signals going too. I'm not too sure if they are allowed to cut analog signals before then, but if they do and these 6 million people can't get ABC, they'll find a new channel for their news etc. What's costing them money is nearly having to run simultaneous digital and analog.

Also, they are having to spend a lot of commercial time on TV adds about switching, and they have been doing that. That is time blocks they can't sell.

The reality is whether they switch now or later, people are still not going to be fully ready because they aren't paying attention. The only way to get them up to date is to force their hand and black them out.

It also does not free up those portions of the spectrum to be sold/licensed to other companies, who can then provide service and jobs to more people.

[Johan]

Who cares? Your channels are already broadcasting in digital! You'd already know that if you were ready for it. :ROLLEYES:

* If you have cable/satellite, this is a non-issue for you either way.
* If you are already set up to receive digital through your antenna, this is a non-issue for you as you are already receiving it.
* If you aren't ready for digital TV, then you're happy about this, as it means you will be reimbursed for part of the cost of being FORCED to switch to a digital signal.

It's a non-issue.

[TheEpicOfTyler]

I think a number of stations in this area are getting rid of analog this month anyway. I wonder what the costs are like to send out both signals as opposed to only one.

[Kagger]

Who cares? Your channels are already broadcasting in digital! You'd already know that if you were ready for it. :ROLLEYES:

* If you have cable/satellite, this is a non-issue for you either way.
* If you are already set up to receive digital through your antenna, this is a non-issue for you as you are already receiving it.
* If you aren't ready for digital TV, then you're happy about this, as it means you will be reimbursed for part of the cost of being FORCED to switch to a digital signal.

It's a non-issue.

I'm gonna have to disagree. I think by stating "forced", you are making it seem like free television is a right, which it is not. It's fantastic, but not something out country was founded on. If say this box allowed you to vote, and the government was forcing you to buy this new box to vote, we'd have a problem.

I care that the congress which is blabbering on about how we have to pass a stimulus bill (which may or not may not be the right plan) RIGHT NOW or we are facing tremendous job loss when they are doing this to save face with constituents at in exchange for possible job loss in the television sector. Quite a bit of hypocrisy to hear Pelosi rambling about an impossible amount of jobs lost when she's will to sacrifice some for the sake of looking good. While job loss isn't a direct result of this delay, it will cost many companies money during this "economic" crisis. The companies who already bought the spectrum's being released but can't use it, the companies that now have to keep broadcasting digital and also lose ad revenue for the transition commercials.

[Johan]

I think by stating "forced", you are making it seem like free television is a right, which it is not.

No.

The frequency used for public television is in the public domain.

Also, the public has a right to compensation when the government decides to render their electronic devices useless.

[Kagger]

No.

The frequency used for public television is in the public domain.

Also, the public has a right to compensation when the government decides to render their electronic devices useless.

Incorrect.

http://www.newsobserver.com/business/story/1367908.html

What's more, Martin said, the federal government sold space on the analog spectrum for $20 billion to telecommunications companies and for use by police and emergency use. The new users expect to start broadcasting on the spectrum Feb. 17.

Part of it will go to services, other portions have been sold.

What right are you speaking of? The devices won't be useless. The FCC isn't coming in and smashing your screens. Now, they may not work the way they originally did, but I still don't see how they OWE us anything. Am I complaining that they are doing it? No, the coupon program is helping some people who really need it. There should be NO sense of entitlement.

[Jason]

I think a number of stations in this area are getting rid of analog this month anyway. I wonder what the costs are like to send out both signals as opposed to only one.

One of the local stations here is turning off the analog feed on the 17th anyway despite the delay. They say they'll save a million bucks by doing so. The other three or four locals haven't announced their plans yet.

[Johan]

Incorrect.

No...I was and am correct. That was the public's frequency, and is right now as well. It's been sold, but it's still the public's frequency until Congress releases it.

What right are you speaking of? The devices won't be useless.

They will be for a large segment of the population for what they principally purchased them for, which is broadcast television viewing over publicly owned analog frequencies.

The FCC isn't coming in and smashing your screens. Now, they may not work the way they originally did, but I still don't see how they OWE us anything.

If someone decides to remove the central feature of a product I use, because they are selling the publicly owned frequencies on which they depend, they damn well do owe some compensation.

Am I complaining that they are doing it? No, the coupon program is helping some people who really need it. There should be NO sense of entitlement.

Public frequencies. That's why stations have to dedicate portions of their programming to particular requirements, and why the government can't get away with killing it off without compensation.

They owe. Big time.

[Kagger]

No...I was and am correct. That was the public's frequency, and is right now as well. It's been sold, but it's still the public's frequency until Congress releases it.



They will be for a large segment of the population for what they principally purchased them for, which is broadcast television viewing over publicly owned analog frequencies.



If someone decides to remove the central feature of a product I use, because they are selling the publicly owned frequencies on which they depend, they damn well do owe some compensation.



Public frequencies. That's why stations have to dedicate portions of their programming to particular requirements, and why the government can't get away with killing it off without compensation.

They owe. Big time.

I realize now I misread your statement, hence my random response. I thought you said the freed up frequency's were going to be used entirely for public service things. My apologies.

[Widgetcraft]

Yeah, there are many of us out there that don't consider it worth the price. Right now I have basic cable which is $20. All that gets me is the local networks, TNT, WGN and a shitfuck ton of spanish channels. I used to get Scifi, but last year Brighthouse felt I needed more spanish channels.

Digital Basic is $50 - 60, and considering there are only three or four channels out of that I want I consider it grossly overpriced. Same goes for satellite. I'm planning to cancel the basic cable once I get my damn coupon.

I have heard nothing but bad things about Brighthouse. You have my sympathy.

[BlackPete]

This is beyond retarded. Enjoy watching these commercials for the next 6 months, and more of your taxpayer money going up in smoke.

[cppcrusader]

I have heard nothing but bad things about Brighthouse. You have my sympathy.

For the most part, they're not awful, just more mildly annoying. The worst I've had to deal with from them was a few years ago they didn't bother to tell me that they had discontinued their shitty modems and replaced them all with decent one's that didn't break every other week, and their online payment system. The irony that an ISP has the worst online payment system is not lost on them either.

Now the worst I've had to deal with here was Adelphia. I've lived in Adelphia neighborhoods twice, and I try to stay out of those neighborhoods now.

[Johan]

This is beyond retarded. Enjoy watching these commercials for the next 6 months, and more of your taxpayer money going up in smoke.

Yeah, I'm pretty pissed people are getting $40 coupon cards (two per household, maximum) in order to avoid being forced, because of a government decision/sale of public spectrum, to buy a new tv or get satellite/cable. That money should have been given to the bankers, businesses, and executives who are struggling with their two trillion in stimulus money and $18 billion in Wall Street bonus money.

I'm with you on that.

[Widgetcraft]

For the most part, they're not awful, just more mildly annoying. The worst I've had to deal with from them was a few years ago they didn't bother to tell me that they had discontinued their shitty modems and replaced them all with decent one's that didn't break every other week, and their online payment system. The irony that an ISP has the worst online payment system is not lost on them either.

Now the worst I've had to deal with here was Adelphia. I've lived in Adelphia neighborhoods twice, and I try to stay out of those neighborhoods now.

Yeah, Adelphia is terrible; they got ran out of my town a couple of years ago. Luckily, I always lived in the outlying areas, which have a regional provider which is pretty good (though, the 'net goes down far more than I'd like).

[BlackPete]

Yeah, I'm pretty pissed people are getting $40 coupon cards (two per household, maximum) in order to avoid being forced, because of a government decision/sale of public spectrum, to buy a new tv or get satellite/cable. That money should have been given to the bankers, businesses, and executives who are struggling with their two trillion in stimulus money and $18 billion in Wall Street bonus money.

I'm with you on that.

It's going to happen sooner or later. It's been announced for YEARS that this was going to happen. At this point if anyone's not ready for this, then they never will be up to and including the second the switch is flipped.

[Raen]

Can I ask if you guys have a television license over there? In the UK it's a requirement to receive any television transmission that you own a TV license, and then the money goes to providing the funding for the BBC. It's around a £100 a year. If not then I don't see how anyone has a right to be compensated for the removal of service.

[Johan]

Can I ask if you guys have a television license over there?

American taxpayers do not pay a direct fee to broadcasters through a line-item tax or anything of that nature, if that's what you're asking, but the federal government (FCC) regulates the airwaves because particular portions of the spectrum are legally public property.

In other words, the compensation is for the removal of a piece of public property from the public, necessitating a portion of the public's investment in a device that was not needed prior to the sale of this part of the public spectrum for broadcasting.

Frankly speaking, politicians may be dumb, but they're not REALLY dumb. They realize that people would be royally pissed at them for turning their televisions into glorified VHS/DVD display screens when television converts to a digital signal, so they ponied up money to defray part of the cost of the converter boxes. This is only right, since the government sold a public property for money, after all.

[TheFlyingOrc]

This seems dumb.