Blinky the Shark wrote:

> jmcquown wrote:
>
> > "Lou Decruss" > wrote in message
> > ...
> >> On Thu, 8 Jan 2009 08:54:28 -0500, "jmcquown"
> >> > wrote:
> >>
> >>>"Chemiker" > wrote in message
> ...
> >>>> As many of you know, here in the US of A there is a mandatory
> >>>> conversion from analog to digital TV transmissions. Well, all
> >>>> the TV's in MY house are analog. One of my options is to
> >>>> abandon my current provider and subscribe with his
> >>>> main competitor. These are, of course, Direct TV and
> >>>> Dish Network.
> >>>>
> >>>Or you could just go to the website, get a coupon and order a
> >>>converter box
> >>>to convert your Analog to Digital.
> >>>
> >>>http://www.instantgrant-search.com/g...to-give-money-
> for-
> >>>converting-your-analog-tv/
> >>
> >> I heard on the radio last night the funding for the coupons has
> >> run out and they trying to figure out if they may extend the
> >> changeover. The whole thing is stupid to begin with.
> >>
> >> Lou
> >
> >
> >
> > I agree, it's stupid to force people to go digital.
>
> You don't have to go digital, so there's no force; you can stop
> watching television. If you choose to watch television, you can
> use the technology that is in use.
>
> > It's not like analog television hasn't been the norm for the
> last nearly 70 years.
>
> Do you hate power steering and power brakes, too? Non-power
> steering and brakes were the norm for a long time, too.
>
> > I can only imagine government kow-towed to the cable
> > and satellite TV lobby. Who else cares about how we receive
> > television signals?
>
> Yeah! Imagine someone wanting a better signal! Bah!


The present NTSC standard was established IIRC in August of 1941. A TV from
that era (and there were a few around) would work today okay in receiving
broadcasts, as would a tube - type set from today work okay back in 1941...

Our color broadcast standard (the RCA electronic system was adopted in the
early 50's, US color broadcasting began in late 1954... the first color sets
were a thousand bux, equivalent to over 7K in today's money) is inferior to
the PAL and SECAM European color broadcast standards that they adopted in
the late 60's...heck, even the early European b/w TV broadcast standards
were better than ours.

So the US TV has lagged technologically for a long time, best to start anew.
We badly lag in cellphone and broadband so at least we'll have somewhat
decent TV quality...

Lemme tell ya, I pooh - poohed the whole digital TV thang until recently,
then a friend bought a new 42" Sony - yowzah! And a Blu-Ray DVD looks
incredible on HDTV, too...I'm hooked! The new TV technologies are so
superior to the old that there's not even any comparison, digital blows
analog awaaaaay...it's like comparing 78's to CD's


"Flat television sets that you can HANG on the WALL!" are one of the few
futuristic Jetson - type things that has eventually come to
fruition...atomic cars and vacation trips to the moon and food pills we can
do without. Flat - screen HDTV's are one of the few things that someone
from 50 years ago transported to today might truly be enthralled by...


--
Best
Greg