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will the digital broadcast "switch over" in 2009 effect cable telivision?
JoyMonkey:
Here's one Dutch guy's point of view, I couldn't find much related news stories:
http://www.thedonkeysmouth.com/2006/12/dutch_tv_goes_digital.php
AtomSmasher:
My grandmas tv company (time warner I think) just switched to an all digital signal. She received something in the mail telling her about it and was freaking out that she would need to get a new tv. I told her not to worry about it because she already had one of their newer cable boxes, so she shouldn't even notice the switch. The switch came and went she never had any problems.
boykster:
JM's netherlands link actually states a very interesting problem....just as interesting and imminent as Chad's comment about price of the box (which WILL be an issue I'm sure). He only touched on it briefly
...couldn't even guarantee that the signal would be available in all areas yet.
Tuning a digital channel is much different that an analog one. Digital signals are MUCH more directional and phase specific -> IE your antenna not only has to be pointed in the right direction, but also may have to be tilted to receive a strong signal. Also, unlike analog signals, digitals signals are binary. you either have enough signal to receive the transmission and it's crystal clear, or you don't. With analog reception, even a marginal signal would be able to be received, albeit fuzzy and fading in and out. Fading in and out of a digital signal is much less elegant.
I spent many months trying to receive HDTV OTA via a rooftop antenna with an antenna rotator that I could control with a remote. I had presets for different stations that would turn and tilt the antenna for different channels, etc. It got to be WAY to onerous to keep working properly, and most often I'd start losing signal during the ONE show I actually wanted to watch. As soon as HD over cable was available in my neighborhood I signed up. i was the first customer on my "loop" to adopt it.
I would bet that a large portion of the "general" population don't even know that this is coming, or at least don't understand the real world implications....sit back and grab some popcorn!
;D
Ken Layton:
--- Quote from: boykster on December 11, 2006, 03:39:56 pm ---
I would bet that a large portion of the "general" population don't even know that this is coming, or at least don't understand the real world implications....sit back and grab some popcorn!
;D
--- End quote ---
Neither does that "figurehead" at the FCC understand the implications.
boykster:
--- Quote from: Ken Layton on December 11, 2006, 05:50:49 pm ---
--- Quote from: boykster on December 11, 2006, 03:39:56 pm ---
I would bet that a large portion of the "general" population don't even know that this is coming, or at least don't understand the real world implications....sit back and grab some popcorn!
;D
--- End quote ---
Neither does that "figurehead" at the FCC understand the implications.
--- End quote ---
I 100% agree with your statement.