Consumer cost for digital TV transition $3.5 bln-CU/CFA

[UpInArms]

http://www.marketwatch.com/news/newsfinder/pulseone.asp?siteid=mktw&guid=%7BB89F8B18-B5E6-4A57-B6E0-E400B04F21A1%7D&

NEW YORK (MarketWatch) -- The total, direct cost to consumers for switching televisions to digital-only broadcasts could reach $3.5 billion or more, the Consumers Union, nonprofit publishers of Consumer Reports, and the Consumer Federation of America concluded, using an estimate from the Government Accountability Office of a $50 per-tuner cost and its own estimates that 42 million households, or 39 percent of all TV-viewing households rely on a total of over 80 million over-the-air-only television sets. Congress is considering legislation to require a firm deadline for the transition to digital-only television broadcasting which will eliminate analog signals that most televisions sets are designed to receive.

...very short newsblurb...

Nothing like some freakin' unfunded mandate that affects every household in the country.

[leveymg]

1. Just one more reason to not watch broadcast TV - cable/sat industry

and equipment manufacturers behind this. In the meantime, local stations in DC are firing staff to offset costs of switch-over. Isn't "progress" wonderful?:eyes:

[cannabis_flower]

2. I think this is really a non-issue...

really, for one thing, it isn't happening all right away. By the time it happens your TV will probably have gone out anyway and you'll have to buy another one. By that time they won't be selling analog TVs and it will be no big deal.

In fact, they've had digital TV's for several years now. You can probably buy one used from someone who just had to buy the newest and greatest 52" flat-screen stereo, DVD combo TV that also washes your dishes and vacuums your carpet.

A quick check of CNET showed that you can buy brand new digital TVs for less than $200. I don't see what the big deal is. I don't currently have a digital TV - but the TV I have is over 7 years old and doesn't have the correct jacks on the back to connect to my DVD. I had to go buy a RF modulator to get my DVD hooked up to my TV and cable box. It was a pain and if I ever move I may just as well get a new TV (or a newer used one) just so I don't have to mess with the mass of cords and RF modulator that I had to use to get everything working at once.

[UpInArms]

3. one of my television sets (of course I don't use it much)

is from 1982 - picture perfect.

Why should I have to spend money when I don't need to replace the object?

Oh, that's right - I'm supposed to be a mindless consumer and love planned obsolescence.

Welcome to DU, cannabis_flower! :hi:

[htuttle]

4. One other thing this does

It will make it nearly impossible to operate any sort of pirate television transmitter.

Not too many people ever do it anyway, but in theory you can hook up a ham radio amplifier to the RF output of any VCR (or DVD), hook up a bigger antenna, and you're on the air (on channel 3 or 4).

While you'd still be able to do that in the future, nobody's television will likely be able to receive it since it would be analog.

Minor point that's not important now, but could be in the future.

Just saying...

[rogue_bandit]

5. Hmmm, something else in the electronics?

Seems to me the switch is a great time to install snooping electronics in every household.

It wouldn't be hard to include digital internet connections with every new TV sold, allowing audtio household monitoring. It wouldn't be hard to include a micro tv camera to boot.

Just wild speculation....or is it?