Question About Digital TV:

[orleans]

how is this going to work exactly? will i be able to get a converter box and access a ton of "cable" channels such as msnbc or comedy central and dump comcast (get rid of my cable company)?

anyone know?
thanks in advance

[aquart]

1. No.

[1]

2. even more. first run movies, i'm told... n/t.

[orleans]

6. but will i be able to get rid of my cable company??

that's my really important question here. i'm dying to get rid of my cable bill--i always swore i'd never pay over $50 for TV and if that can happen i am so looking forward to it

[1]

8. yes. and unlimited local and long distance calls for a fraction of the cost...

this dtv switchover is amazing!

[Garbo 2004]

3. Broadcast tv signals switching from analog to digital, that's all. If you want cable channels you

need to have cable.

[dysfunctional press]

4. not unless you get the converter box from directv or dish network...

and subscribe to their services.

[Sebastian Doyle]

5. The digital conversion is for over the air antenna stuff.

You aren't going to be able to get cable channels as these aren't broadcast over the air. Just whatever your ABC/NBC/CBS affiliates and any other local channels in your area. Assuming you live somewhere that antenna reception is still worth a shit.

[AndyTiedye]

7. At Best, You Will Get What You Can Get Over the Air Now

Most people will get fewer channels (or NONE) due to the move of so many stations to shorter-range UHF frequencies,
and the fact that digital TV requires a much stronger signal to get a watchable picture (snowy analog = "No Signal" on digital).

[silverojo]

9. You can't access cable channels with an antenna

Digital or analog, an antenna can only pick up over-the-air broadcasts.

Cable channels are only available on cable or satellite services (Dish Network, DirecTV).

The only way you can dump Comcast and still watch Keith and Rachel would be to switch to satellite.

Hope this answers your questions. :)

[cornermouse]

10. Basically a lot of people will spend money buying converters.

Then they'll have to buy new antennas, new tvs, and eventually they'll give up and either have to subscribe to satellite or cable. In other words added expense for us, additional profit for various entities with the exception of your local tv stations.

[Blues Heron]

11. many analog channels have 3 or more digital channels

pbs for example has 4 channels - one of which is called "create" - cooking, gardening, crafts etc. And our nbc affiliate has 3 channels (4.1 4.2 4.3) one of which is all sports, on eall weather, one normal nbc stuff

the big problem is reception - audio dropouts, pixelation, etc. expect major antenna tweaking

[KharmaTrain]

12. Here's A Site Which Will Tell You What You're Getting...

Others have explained it well...it's an long-needed upgrade of over-the-air television that includes a vareity of "sub-channels" that offer alternative programming. For example, many PBS stations have two or three of these channels with kids, do-it-yourself and otehr programs.

Here's a website that lists all the television markets and what channels (including the sub channels) are available:

http://www.rabbitears.info/

Around here, I used to only get about 12 analog TV signals, with DTV, I get 30 channels.