Do you know that your analog tv will not be receiving after Feb. 19, 2009?

Question

After February 19, 2009 all television stations in the United States will no longer be broadcasting in analog. All television stations will be broadcasting in digital and all of the old television sets will be garbage. It will be like the old radio sets that can not receive FM broadcasting. Everyone will have to go out and buy a new television and what is going to happen to all of the old sets. They are going to end up in the garbage and in our garbage dumps. Can you imagine the waste that this is going to cause along with the expense for everyone? In these tough economic times when we can not afford to buy gas, and food and heat our times, the televison and radio commission is going to force everyone to have to go out and buy a new televison.

I believe that this should be stopped; it is only being pushed now and in the last few years by television moguls like Rogers who want us to have to spend more and more money to get digital receiving. WHAT DO YOU ALL THINK can we stop it?

Answer 1

Yes i already have the 40$ government rebate and I am already receiving the Digital input. its far greater and has a menu to the stations and information on the TV show on like you do with cabel and satellite.

Definitly cannot stop it because its just more efficiant. Better sound more channel bandwidth and the quality of the picture is unbeatable when you use regular TV antennas.

You should forget about analog Television Sir.

Answer 2

Why would anybody in their right mind want to stop this? Have you seen HDTV? No need to buy a new tv and nobody is forcing anybody to buy anything. Sounds like you don't watch much tv anyway

Answer 3

You seem to have missed an important point:

Digital TV signals can be cheaply converted to the old analog type!

For over the air broadcasts, all you need is to install converter boxes between your TV antennas and your analog only TVs. Using the government coupon program that will cost you  $10 - $20 each.

All of my analog only TVs will be working just fine on Feb 20, 2009.   One of them already has a converter box on it. That TV now gets more channels with far better picture quality than with the old analog broadcasts.

(The date is 2/18/09, not 2/20/09.)

Answer 4

only it you use an old antenna

if you have cable or satellite TV

you will not have a problem

if you do have a antenna

you can buy a converter box at any radio shack

or TV shop

and it will still work

you can even get a free coupon and save yourself

40 dollars towards the cost of the box

so don't panic

Answer 5

I hate to point this out, but man are you ignorant of the facts.

Firstly, you make reference to "moguls like Rogers" which leads me to believe that you are Canadian, and as such the date Feb 19, 2009 has absolutely no relevance to you (the analog to digital switchover date for Canada is in 2011).

Secondly, very few people have a digital television and yet over 75% of all Rogers Cable subscribers are already receiving their television shows on a 100% digital signal.  This is courtesy of the digital boxes that have been standard issue with the packages for over 2 years.  These boxes convert digital signals to an analog (channel 3) signal ensuring that your old television will continue to be useful long after they've pulled the plug on analog broadcasts.  

Bottom line is that your statement that this "is going to force everyone to have to go out and buy a new television" is not only wrong, it's an indication that you have absolutely no clue what you're talking about when it comes to the digital switchover.