HD replacing SD?

[taelon721]

I know that the FCC had postponed the completion date from converting from SD to HD........ Its supposed to be 2009, right?

But if they do what they say, what happens to us with Standard Definition FTA boxes? Does that mean my Coolsat 5000 and Pansat 2700A are going to be useless?

Is there a conversion box that will compress HD signals to work on a normal television?

I mean, the average low-income person, especially the average senior citizen is not going to be able to spend $800+ for an HD. And I would think, by law, you have to be able to have affordable access to your local affiliate TV stations for news, weather, and emergencies. I know I can't afford an HD TV.

2009 is not that far away, and I am starting to worry.

Iceberg, if I do have good reason to be concerned, and info is available, you might consider a Sticky. Many people may not realize that TV stations are suppose to give their SD frequencies back to the FCC after the change over to HD.

Many of the FTA channels like those on G25 (97 W), are a lot lower than standard quality. Are we going to wakeup one morning and have our FTA Globecast stations in HD? I just don't see that happening.

Is the HD situation only for major US stations?

I think that is enough questions to start with. My head is spinning!

 

[Hermitman]

Please remember that this law only pertains to Over-The-Air transmissions like from local TV stations. The satellite transmissions won't be effected.

 

[taelon721]

Please remember that this law only pertains to Over-The-Air transmissions like from local TV stations. The satellite transmissions won't be effected.

The OTA stations are suppose to give up their SD frequencies, after they change to HD though, right?

Does that mean we will have to subscribe to Dish or DirecTV to watch locals on SD TVs? I just dropped DirecTV about 2 years ago, when I got equipment to watch FTA. It is amazing that even with friends over, they can watch the foreign stuff on 97 W for hours. We are kind of partial to Korean dating shows on in the late ours of night. I only have so much money in the monthly budget, and it was either high speed Internet or TV, so DirecTV had to go.

 

[lumpkin666]

The OTA stations are suppose to give up their SD frequencies, after they change to HD though, right?

Does that mean we will have to subscribe to Dish or DirecTV to watch locals on SD TVs? I just dropped DirecTV about 2 years ago, when I got equipment to watch FTA. It is amazing that even with friends over, they can watch the foreign stuff on 97 W for hours. We are kind of partial to Korean dating shows on in the late ours of night. I only have so much money in the monthly budget, and it was either high speed Internet or TV, so DirecTV had to go.

When the switchover finally occurs, there will definitely be a plethora of products available for a reasonable price that will tune & downconvert HD to SD (actually they exist now, but I'm betting every wal-mart and k-mart will be carrying them when the cutoff date nears)

 

[Wescopc]

When the switchover finally occurs, there will definitely be a plethora of products available for a reasonable price that will tune & downconvert HD to SD (actually they exist now, but I'm betting every wal-mart and k-mart will be carrying them when the cutoff date nears)

The Feds are talking about a $40 or $50 coupon to help folks buy the converters.
Bob

 

[HokieEngineer]

Also please do not confuse the 2009 date with a "conversion to HD". It is a conversion from analog to digital. Many smaller stations will be broadcasting digital SD programming.

The main difference will be you will need an ATSC tuner to demod the digital stations.

 

[giraffejumper]

Find someone who has an hd tv and turn the channels.
Most of them have the analog channel first, the hd channel second, and a third digital station that is a lot like satellite quality.
The only thing that will end on the changeover day is that first analog channel.
Digital is more reliable than analog and easier to send and receive.
Digital television - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Hd is a nice side product of this - and once you see the quality that can be just sent over the air and picked up with rabbit ear antennas, you might not care if your boxes will soon be outdated!
But if anything - they are making regular tv MORE LIKE DIGITAL SATELLITE TV.
However - I can't wait until EVERYTHING is 1080!
And you CAN make your regular tv hd with this : US Digital HDTV Tuner/Receiver - Wal-Mart
I am pretty sure the prices will come down when everyone has to have one!
-phil

 

[Mr Tony]

Also please do not confuse the 2009 date with a "conversion to HD". It is a conversion from analog to digital. Many smaller stations will be broadcasting digital SD programming.

not necessarily...found this today

A Consumer Advisory issued by the FCC this week may bring a surprise to many: analog TV broadcasts will not be completely dead after February 17, 2009. The advisory says that while full-power stations will cease analog broadcasts on that date, low-power, class A, and translator stations may continue broadcasting in analog. There is no statutory deadline for the stations to convert to digital, but the FCC will require them to convert eventually.

 

[Tron]

Iceberg, that is interesting. I hadn't heard that before. It does make sense, however, as I am sure that many LP stations do not have the financial resources to complete the conversion on time.

 

[tvropro]

The way everything works I think there may be an extention on the 2009 deadline for full power stations. The majority of people are clueless that anything is happening. I can't see that one day 90% of the public not ready for digital ATSC broadcast turn on there tv and see nothing, all hell would break loose. They still haven't come out with the cheap convertor boxes they promised a couple years back. They need to get the public informed and allow everyone to be able to have access before they pull the plug IMO.

 

[Corrado]

I wonder if the converter boxes will also receive the DT extra channels. Most here have at least 2.The local OTA has 3 PBS channels, one dedicated PBS HD. CBS and ABC have a 24 hour local weather channel each. CW had the Tube but just ended. One seems to be a local access channel similar to cable for various organizations.

Most evening network primetime is HD. I have noticed game shows like the Wheel of Fortune and even some commercials.

On satellite I have seen a Universal HD channel promo but have yet to find it.

 

[Larry1]

I wonder if the converter boxes will also receive the DT extra channels.

I'm sure they will. I purchased the Philips DVDR3575H/37 It is essentually the converter box with a hard disk and DVD recorder. It receives the main and sub channels. I use it for my OTA (antenna) digital signals and view it on a standard definition TV. It downconverts the signals to standard definition and can store them (in the downconverted format) on the hard disk or burn them to a DVD. I'm in Canada and this is the first box of this kind that I have found. It was about $300.00 which is one of the cheapest PVR's I have seen in my area. If they can make this for this price, I'm sure you will be seeing low priced converter boxes when you get closer to the switchover date. Once the demand is there, there will be a lot to choose from.

 

[Mr Tony]

Iceberg, that is interesting. I hadn't heard that before. It does make sense, however, as I am sure that many LP stations do not have the financial resources to complete the conversion on time.

yep. And alot of the translator stations are privatelly owned. Here in MN there are a couple areas where a co-op or a company has a huge translator setup (since the Mpls DMA is so huge) to get the locals to those areas. A few even have some cable type channels as a UHF OTA setup. About 1/2 hour from my uncles house the town has a setup like that. Be kinda nice to have a few cable channels for free (well they charge a $80 per year donation"

Alexandria

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[kymics]

However - I can't wait until EVERYTHING is 1080!

That will likely never happen.

 

[taelon721]

Thanks guys!

I want to thank everyone for all the information that they provided... definitely puts my mind at ease. The quick response and the amount of people that responded, goes to show why Satelliteguys.us is the best place for FTA.

 

[SatSniper]

You can already get a cheap SD TV that can convert the digital signal at wal mart. Most people have cable or a dish so i bet the impact will be low. You will just need a new tv or will have to haul your dish if you want to tailgate and watch the early game while having a few drinks .

 

[updatelee]

You can already get a cheap SD TV that can convert the digital signal at wal mart. Most people have cable or a dish so i bet the impact will be low. You will just need a new tv or will have to haul your dish if you want to tailgate and watch the early game while having a few drinks .

or get this sweet baby

DIRECTV: Sat-Go

 

[jayelem]

You can already get a cheap SD TV that can convert the digital signal at wal mart. Most people have cable or a dish so i bet the impact will be low. You will just need a new tv or will have to haul your dish if you want to tailgate and watch the early game while having a few drinks .

Was just at Wal-mart , and they took down all the disclaimers about the analog TV sets not complying with changes for 2009.

In fact all the SDTV televisions on the showroom floor have Analog and Digital ATSC/Qam tuners , they had a Flat RCA 20inch for $113.

So it looks like plenty of people who don't care about HD will be getting these TV's if they don't buy the converter.

 

[Corrado]

Panarex has a "Terrestial HD receiver" called Ezneo on the PansatUSA website. Perhaps the beginning of such boxes.