This is a matter of principle. The airwaves belong to the people. Air, sunshine is a given in our environment. I understand that our government shall regulate the use of the airwaves. If not, there would be interference where ever you go on the air wave spectrum. We need designated spaces for TV, emergency broadcast, Police, Fire. That is a given. Still, the airwaves belong to the people. The government can't sell it ALL to commercial interests. That is why We have over the air TV. The law protects that little piece of spectrum for us. It is free.
I remember when cable TV first came on board. A neighbor was first to have cable. She said, "After all, it is only four dollars a month." That was in the 1960s. It is now between twenty and forty and up. I think of all the money I did not spend by sticking to my rabbit ear antennae.
Then friends would say, "Look at all the good programs you are missing." That is true. Also look at all the books I haven't read, the fairs I haven't attended. There is more to do than I have time for.
When I am in a motel room, or visiting my daughter, I look at cable TV. I like home and garden shows because I am renovating my house and I like my garden. After a few of these shows, I get the message. There is a lot of repeats. I don't need to see any more.
All stations are now switching over from analog to digital TV. Either you get a station with good picture and sound, or you get nothing. Is this the time to sign up for cable? Satellite TV? AT&T? I investigate and learn that I still can have TV with an antennae. I purchase converter boxes for each of my TVs. Then, I learn I must purchase a better Antennae. Rabbit ears simply are not sensitive enough to pick up a signal. One new antennae purchased and installed.
This is the day I try out the new system. My grandsons help me set it up. I can get several infomercial channels, one Spanish language station, and public television. Public television is the only channel that interests me. I can't get the major networks: ABC, NBC, CBS. I need the local channels from New Haven and Bridgeport to keep up with local news, emergencies, weather, etc.
This house has a roof antenna in the attic. I never hooked it up. I shall call a technician to see if He can attach my TV to the roof antenna and adjust it to get good reception. I am not giving up. After all, the airwaves belong to the people.
I remember when cable TV first came on board. A neighbor was first to have cable. She said, "After all, it is only four dollars a month." That was in the 1960s. It is now between twenty and forty and up. I think of all the money I did not spend by sticking to my rabbit ear antennae.
Then friends would say, "Look at all the good programs you are missing." That is true. Also look at all the books I haven't read, the fairs I haven't attended. There is more to do than I have time for.
When I am in a motel room, or visiting my daughter, I look at cable TV. I like home and garden shows because I am renovating my house and I like my garden. After a few of these shows, I get the message. There is a lot of repeats. I don't need to see any more.
All stations are now switching over from analog to digital TV. Either you get a station with good picture and sound, or you get nothing. Is this the time to sign up for cable? Satellite TV? AT&T? I investigate and learn that I still can have TV with an antennae. I purchase converter boxes for each of my TVs. Then, I learn I must purchase a better Antennae. Rabbit ears simply are not sensitive enough to pick up a signal. One new antennae purchased and installed.
This is the day I try out the new system. My grandsons help me set it up. I can get several infomercial channels, one Spanish language station, and public television. Public television is the only channel that interests me. I can't get the major networks: ABC, NBC, CBS. I need the local channels from New Haven and Bridgeport to keep up with local news, emergencies, weather, etc.
This house has a roof antenna in the attic. I never hooked it up. I shall call a technician to see if He can attach my TV to the roof antenna and adjust it to get good reception. I am not giving up. After all, the airwaves belong to the people.
Labels: Analog to digital TV
posted by gardenbug at Tuesday, June 16, 2009
3 Comments:
We're digital here, as well, and although the picture is great - there's a big IF you can get the TV antenna to tune into it directly. With analog, there was a wide band available for tuning in stations. With digital, the falloff is very narrow. You either get the station, or you don't. We don't get the infomercial stations - we get four channels of nothing but sports. So much for better television! I'm sure this will improve with time, but for now, we still rarely watch television. We stick with DVDs.
The switch from analog to digital has been frustrating to a lot of people. I don't watch much TV anyway, so it really doesn't matter to me. But there are many people who are dissatisfied with the fact that the signal isn't always reliable, even with a good antenna.
When television first came in, the family would race to the livingroom to watch TV. It was fascinating...like having a movie theatre in your own home. Today, much of TV is of no interest to me at all. I don't watch sports. I don't speak spanish. I don't buy products from home shopping networks. Children's programming is Pap and poorly done at that. Cartoons have lost most of their quality, except for Japanese annimation. I can't see paying for garbage.
Another fact that most people aren't aware of is that cable is a two way connection. Just like the computer, information goes two ways. I know I don't want commercial interests monitoring what I watch. My solution is a good book or movie in bad weather and going outside in good weather.
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