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Time to switch
Millions of televisions may not be ready
Published Thursday, June 11, 2009
Friday marks the end of the analog era for United States television.
The transition from analog to digital TV will be complete Friday, leaving some viewers without programming.
Despite the widespread publicity by the Federal Communications Commission and more than $2 billion being spent on the project, nearly 3 million people are expected to lose their TV signals.
This number has been cut in half since previous February deadline.
Subscribers to cable and satellite services will not be affected, but people who have older, analog TVs will lose reception unless they attach a digital-to-analog converter to their television.
Local sales of television sets and converter boxes have been affected by the approaching deadline.
April Lucas, sales representative at Handy TV Appliance, said they have sold many converter boxes.
“We actually sell every one we get in,” Lucas said. “We can’t keep them in.”
Lucas said she thinks that most people are aware of the switch, but expects to see sales increase after the deadline.
“I think we’re going to have a lot of angry customers,” Lucas said. “I don’t think they’re going to be happy.”
Lucas said a lot of customers do not understand that their small rabbit-ear antennas will not suffice.
Some local broadcast TV stations have already switched to the digital format.
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Comments
Posted by kittycreek (anonymous) on June 12, 2009 at 8:45 a.m. (Suggest removal)
My antenna will only pick up the digital channels when the weather is clear. The thing with digital is that is gives you a perfect picture - or, a blue screen. With analog, you could at least see a snowy picture and still hear the sound. I've heard some people say that when the stations make this official switch and go to the "new" channels that their signals will be boosted up a bit. Is that true?
I have DirecTV but I like to watch local Montgomery news sometimes.
Posted by REK1138 (anonymous) on June 12, 2009 at 9:39 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Well this is certainly a bolt out of the blue. It would have been nice had the media given us some kind of heads up, let us know about this transition.
Posted by TheDude (Michael Wells) on June 12, 2009 at 10:02 a.m. (Suggest removal)
HEY! Maw, the dang tv ain't workin'! What's the deal?
PAW! Push the "Power" button on the remote! DOH!
Posted by TheDude (Michael Wells) on June 12, 2009 at 10:19 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Nimrod, you took the bait ... I hope.
Posted by kwsrgraves (anonymous) on June 12, 2009 at 10:20 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Nimrod......you....er....ummmm...never mind. REK, I see my sense of humor, AKA sarcasm, has rubbed off on you. Hey Dude, don't forget, "turn it a little more! Wait, back, back, I SAID BACK!!! Right there, you got it!" Funny thing, 30 years later I do that with my DIRECTV "travel dish, cept I can turn the volume up and listen for the tone.
Posted by kittycreek (anonymous) on June 12, 2009 at 1:43 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Sorry Mr. Nimrod,
The point was that REK was being sarcastic. Ya know - a J-O-K-E. OK, you can go back to sleep now. You need your rest. Have a nice day! ☺
Posted by kittycreek (anonymous) on June 12, 2009 at 1:57 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Ummm, American_Nimrod, are you a Ms. or a Mr.???
I don't recall reading any of your posts that reveal that..
Posted by kwsrgraves (anonymous) on June 12, 2009 at 4:17 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Hate I missed those words of wisdom. I am sure they were extremely well thought out. And being a product of Chilton County, Dimrod, I know you are always sincere.
Posted by Rickey (anonymous) on June 12, 2009 at 4:21 p.m. (Suggest removal)
What difference does it make if Nimrod is male or female. One should comment on the issue at hand. The ONLY reason kittycreek wants to know stuff that ain't her / his business is so that degrading comments can be made. Comment on the issue and NOT on things that have not been revealed to you!
Posted by kwsrgraves (anonymous) on June 12, 2009 at 4:55 p.m. (Suggest removal)
UHHH Ricky, I am probably the least edumacated dummy here, but, aint what you described, what you jest did?
Posted by kittycreek (anonymous) on June 12, 2009 at 8:13 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Ricky,
We just like to kid around a bit....not out to "degrade" anyone. Of course I'm back to that childish thing where I have to say, "But he started it!"
Thanks for clearing me up on that, American Nimrod.
By the way, my air DTV channels are working better now that the big switch is official. I can get Montgomery and Tuscaloosa channels. I know y'all don't care, but I had to get back to the topic so Ricky wouldn't fuss at me.
(I'm just kidding, Ricky.)
Posted by CoachLee (anonymous) on June 13, 2009 at 8:25 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Hello, kitty - Channel 12 and Channel 8 in Montgomery have been airing announcements for several months that their digital signals were operating at about 60 percent power. By the time you read this, they should be at full strength.
Posted by kittycreek (anonymous) on June 13, 2009 at 9:23 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Thanks for the info Mr. Lee.
I haven't been able to pick up those stations well enough to get that info until now, although I thought I had remembered reading that somewhere.
Posted by kwsrgraves (anonymous) on June 13, 2009 at 10:35 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Coach Lee, Does Jimmy broadcast in 3/4 time and does Margaritaville get satellite reception? Cause I like to sail there regularly and the programming is usually obscure!
Posted by Rickey (anonymous) on June 14, 2009 at 12:39 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Maybe I just need to lighten up a bit :) I'm glad everybody's TV is working and I hope all of you get every single channel you want.
Posted by eagle1 (anonymous) on June 14, 2009 at 4:53 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I drove 20 miles to the Clanton Walmart to get one gallon of distilled water for medical equipment and they were SLAP OUT! Had to travel clear across town to Winn Dixie to get it. WINN DIXIE HAD PLENTY OF IT IN STOCK! This is not the first time this has happened. What is wrong with you people? Can't mind the store? Did you know that distilled water is used in CPAP and BPAP equipment to help patients breathe while sleeping due to sleep apnea? Do you not think is is important to keep distilled water in stock? Are you having a problem with your inventory management? You need help? Thanks Winn Dixie!
Even though this little fit didn't have a thing to do with the digital tv switch, it made me feel a lot better. This story was playing out anyway.
Posted by steve42 (anonymous) on June 15, 2009 at 8:39 a.m. (Suggest removal)
There is a fifth dimension, beyond that which is known to man. It is a dimension as vast as space and as timeless as infinity. It is the middle ground between light and shadow, between science and superstition, and it lies between the pit of man's fears and the summit of his knowledge. This is the dimension of imagination. It is an area which we call the Twilight Zone.
Posted by REK1138 (anonymous) on June 15, 2009 at 9:11 a.m. (Suggest removal)
You know eagle, you can distill your own water. I just clean the corn mash out of the pot, put in spring water, and then fire her up.
So, the transition happened, computer's didn't explode and stop working, the elderly didn't run from their homes, rabbit ear antenna's in hand, screaming at the sky. I feel kind of foolish after dropping $40 on my Hank Erwin The World Will End When the Digital Transition Occurs Official Survival Kit.
Posted by steve42 (anonymous) on June 15, 2009 at 10:02 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Told my set to scan for new channels yesterday. I'm now picking up Gulf Coast, Meridian, West Point (MS), Columbus (GA) and several thus-far unidentified cities.
Of course, I've got an amplified directional antenna sitting at about 740 feet above sea level.
According to antennaweb.org, I should only be getting 7 channels. I'm getting nearly 20 (not including side channels). Looks like I have succesfully avoided paying for satellite TV for a few more years!
Did anyone see where over 800,000 people called the FCC to ask what happened to their televisions?
Just imagine how high that number would be if they all could figure out how to work their telephones!
Posted by TheDude (Michael Wells) on June 15, 2009 at 10:08 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I did steve. About 30% of them were so scared of the change, the reason their tv didn't work is because they didn't push the power switch on their remotes. DOH!
Posted by kittycreek (anonymous) on June 15, 2009 at 11:57 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I know what you mean, Eagle1. I couldn't get 12 oz. cans of V-8 Juice the other day. I can very seldom get 20 oz foam cups there. Some items, you would think, they would always have. I think they do have an inventory control problem.
My digital air channels still go away when it rains. (I'm not blaming Walmart for that......Yet).
I'm in a grouchy, whiny mood today....Thanks for listening.
Posted by REK1138 (anonymous) on June 15, 2009 at 3:18 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I've noticed a pattern with Wal-Mart. They seem to start out strong with clean, well stocked stores, plenty of cashiers, etc. Then, after a while, the aisle space begins to diminish as they cram more stuff into the limited space, they seem to stop stocking every day and many items frequently run out, and overall store just seems to exhibit a slow demise. Then, they'll come in, do a total overhaul/facelift, new floors, new aisles, and things are nice and well stocked and shiny again...and the process starts all over, slowly getting worse over time. I've seen it happen in Clanton, at the Calera and Pelham Wal-Mart's and now at the newest Wal-Mart in Alabaster.
Posted by steve42 (anonymous) on June 15, 2009 at 3:56 p.m. (Suggest removal)
They definitely are stocking SOMETHING everyday in Clanton, considering the number of times I've had to walk all the way to the back of the main aisle to go across the aisle due to the pallets of stuff they insist on bringing out before the crews are ready for another pallet.
I would say it was like shopping in a warehouse, but Sam's Club is a warehouse and it's easier to move around in there. <forehead slap!>
I watched Columbus TV last night when I couldn't sleep. (There, I'm back on topic!)
Posted by eagle1 (anonymous) on June 15, 2009 at 4:05 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Notice the new parking places that take up half the spaces towards the front of the store in Clanton? Handicapped, expectant mothers, pharmacy, over 60, under 16, etc.
Posted by kittycreek (anonymous) on June 15, 2009 at 4:42 p.m. (Suggest removal)
When it comes to ANGRY CUSTOMERS, I don't think Handy TV is even in the race with Wal-Mart!
Posted by kittycreek (anonymous) on June 15, 2009 at 4:47 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Notice how I cleverly brought the two topics together....
Posted by kwsrgraves (anonymous) on June 15, 2009 at 6:48 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Ya'll are starting to sound like the "kw hates the evil empire of wally world club". I was saying the same things you all are, back in the fall. And I was getting bashed for being "uppity" and looking down on wally world. And they still won't stock chlorine and bromine in the winter at CLANTON'S wally world. They stock it in Alabaster, but not Clanton. When I asked about it, they said people don't use their hottubs and pools in the winter. That may be true in New York, where Wal-Mart is NOT allowed.
Posted by kittycreek (anonymous) on June 16, 2009 at 9:17 a.m. (Suggest removal)
There's no Wal-Mart anywhere the the state of New York?
Posted by kittycreek (anonymous) on June 16, 2009 at 9:21 a.m. (Suggest removal)
OOps. Let me try that again
There's no Wal-mart anywhere IN the state of New York?
Posted by Rickey (anonymous) on July 12, 2009 at 10:08 p.m. (Suggest removal)
New York and California DON'T need Walmart stores. We have fewer trailer parks!
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