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Tonight?? Old
TV Switches
Off Forever!!

I remember when Final Fantasy 8 by JudasPriestly	Jun 12th, 2009 04:43:53 AM
predicted that this would happen.
I can vouch... by Bob Loblaw Law Blog	Jun 12th, 2009 05:11:39 AM
that people born after 1975 know about UHF and VHF signals. I was born in 1980 and I have fond, fond memories of trying to get signals using tin foil and rabbit ears on a B&W TV in my bedroom as a kid. Too much fun. We had cable for a little bit when I was a kid, but then we moved, and couldn't get it anymore. I didn't have cable TV until college after that. Now that I have digital HD cable, two HDTVs and two DVRS... I'm never going back.
We're way behind by evilody	Jun 12th, 2009 05:14:13 AM
In the UK, we're turning off analogue signals one region at a time and it will take three years to complete. Guess what? There's loads of confusion. Just turn the bugger off like the damn yanks
They are doing this in the UK too.. by SUPERJIM	Jun 12th, 2009 05:20:07 AM
...but gradually between 2008 and 2012...I think. It sounds like you Yanks are getting a lot more help than we are, I feel sorry for our OAPs. I believe we have a telephone number we can call where you can get advice, but no help with installation or money-off coupons for equipment. I think the cheapest Freeview box I have seen is around £15 though, so not really an issue unless you are really broke. Also, does anyone know why America already had free to air HDTV and we do not? There has been talks of between 2 and 4 paltry free-to-air HD channels after the digital switchover but "there is no space for them at the moment". How the fuck can the US find the space but we cannot? Where the fuck is our space, or more accurately, who the fuck have they already sold the spectrum off to? Its a joke over here. How many HD channels are available over in the US that run alongside the old analogue signal? Excluding cable and satalite, of course.
SUPERJIM by Andy Dufresne	Jun 12th, 2009 05:22:57 AM
I think you can get free-to-air HD on Freeview can't you? With ITV? I know with Sky it's a tenner a month
To add to that bitching rant.. by SUPERJIM	Jun 12th, 2009 05:23:42 AM
...typing that made me forget I had a bath running and I nearly flooded my house. Fuck the Government and their half hearted approach to TV, ha.
Andy Dufresne by SUPERJIM	Jun 12th, 2009 05:25:58 AM
No mate, no HDTV on Freeview. You can get Freesat which has BBC HD and possibly ITV HD but it is fairly expensive and not really worth the cost until they add more channels.
Freesat by evilody	Jun 12th, 2009 05:55:51 AM
Freesat has an astonishing one HD channel. ITV HD appears very occasionally, but there is no proper HD channel - to get it you have to press the red button for the two shows per year they show in HD (usually football). Most of the HD channels on satellite are not full HD either. I think only BBC, Nat Geo and Discovery are in 1080
goodbye U-62 by patch_adams_dickblood	Jun 12th, 2009 06:25:03 AM
goodbye Wheel Of Fish.
Piracy... by SUPERJIM	Jun 12th, 2009 06:25:17 AM
I bet they wonder why there is so much TV piracy here in the UK. If they sorted their shit out no one would have to resort to Piracy.
I doubt Megan Fox ... by TheCap	Jun 12th, 2009 07:00:31 AM
... is aware of anything at all except her buttcrack. And I have serious doubts about even THAT.
We all know that one house that still uses the antenna by terry1978	Jun 12th, 2009 07:23:02 AM
Either they're our parents or grandparents that just never wanted to switch over, someone that just doesn't want or need to pay for cable, or they just could never afford cable.
Best Buy Free Service by RobMota	Jun 12th, 2009 07:29:18 AM
Best Buy is installing converter boxes for free too.
Time to pack up... by D_T	Jun 12th, 2009 07:46:41 AM
...my abacus and gas lanterns.
It's also a Web Series by vmj19	Jun 12th, 2009 07:56:03 AM
The digital conversion is an epic fail causing massive media madness. http://www.youtube.com/theconv ersion
I got more channels today by Moviegimp	Jun 12th, 2009 09:15:19 AM
I'm probably one of the only Yanks that still has a an old tv that comes to the boards. Besides a couple of cool series never found a reason to get cable or satellite. Basic cable is mostly just 40 channels of crap. Anyway I've had my digital box for most of the year and been watching several new digital channels during that time. This morning noticed that the ABC channels weren't coming in so I did a re-scan of the channels and the box picked up about 6 new channels. Nothing mind blowing or even useful, basically other versions on PBS from farther away. I live in the middle part of Michigan and now I get some Detroit stations. I also turned the tv on without the box and found that the old stations are running snowy PSAs to tell people to convert already. Also, good point about when cable goes out during a storm or whatever, those people better get a box.
But, my dear Britons... by daggor	Jun 12th, 2009 09:26:21 AM
You have Max Headroom as a spokesperson for the switchover. I'll take that over a coupon any day. How polite a term is "Yank?" Is it as rude as "Limey?"
crappy challens with better reception? by RipperGiles	Jun 12th, 2009 09:52:22 AM
I doubt it. Two out of the six local channels in my area said fuck the FCC and switched over wayway in February when this was first supposed to go down, back whem B-Rock felt bad for people too simple to heed the warnings that something was coming and do something about it before it was too late (kinda sounds like another disaster that people paid no attention to and drowned in). They look absolutely no better than the basement broadcast CW and FOX stations (around here, CW is a secondary station of our CBS affiliate, and FOX is a bastard child of the ABC affiliate). This just made me realize we can no longer go up to camp in the northern Maine woods and use our little B&W set and a jury rigged antennae to snag the CBC station coming out of New Brunswick.
terry1978 by RipperGiles	Jun 12th, 2009 09:53:47 AM
That person is my grandfather. He says there's nothing on TV worth the effort. And everytime I surf the channels, I agree with him just a little bit more.
RipperGiles by JackNF	Jun 12th, 2009 10:04:56 AM
Canada's digital transition isn't till... 2011 if I remember correctly. So yes, you CAN still pull in CBC over the air when camping, for now, just not a whole hell of a lot else with that set.
maybe its an american thing since im canadian but.. by Bouncy X	Jun 12th, 2009 10:13:39 AM
i can't believe in this day and age there are people who aren't using cable. i can understand maybe a tv in someone's room or whatnot but a whole household without cable? not even basic cable? wow....i've never met anyone, i dont know anyone now who doesnt at least have basic in their living room. anyway it'll be interesting to see the "havoc" this will cause for some. lol
About goddamn time. by Harry Weinstein	Jun 12th, 2009 10:16:50 AM
They shouldn't have delayed from February. And they should start packing rabbit ears with TVs again. Fuck cable. Cable is too expensive for what you get. The handful of shows I actually watch I can get online or over the air locally. And the quality of ATSC broadcasts shits all over cable. You're looking at the signal that your cable company is then recompressing the hell out of. For the highest quality out of local stations it's worth getting an antenna. Also, ThisTV rules.
Bouncy X by DennisMM	Jun 12th, 2009 10:21:56 AM
In my area, basic cable is $65/month. The cheapest dish starts at $40/month. I have a coworker who is so burdened by other costs that she refuses to drop that money. It goes for basics.
i've noticed a difference... by Bouncy X	Jun 12th, 2009 10:23:26 AM
between the definition of "cable" between americans and canadians, or least the canadian that is me. when americans refer to cable, they usually mean things like HBO, Showtime etc... channels you have to pay extra to get. well again i dont know if its all canadians or just me but when i refer to cable, i just mean when you plug a cable into your television to get that basic channel lineup, over here its around 60 channels or so. so yeah i mentioned earlier i couldn't believe some people didnt have cable these days, thats what i'm talking about.
Basic cable here - by DennisMM	Jun 12th, 2009 10:25:34 AM
- no premium channels - requires a box. There is no plugging the coax into the back of your tv. That is available in some outlying communities, but not in my city of 120,000. I tried to get it, for $20-odd dollars/month. No dice.
Well ... by DennisMM	Jun 12th, 2009 10:27:09 AM
you could plug the cable into the back of your TV, but you wouldn't get any signal. A second TV can have just the cable plugged in, but the channels are limited and you can't have an account without the box.
Herc, I was born in 1976 by indyjonez100	Jun 12th, 2009 10:27:44 AM
And clearly remember having to move the antenna so I could watch TV in all its grannieness. Well, we'll miss you analog. We hardly knew thee.
no plugging the coax available? by Bouncy X	Jun 12th, 2009 10:27:54 AM
i figured some rural areas might not have that available but a 120 000 population town/city and still not? damn, i had no clue there were situations like that. the things you learn at AICN. :p
plugging directly to tv by Bouncy X	Jun 12th, 2009 10:31:05 AM
i AM in a reasonably big city so maybe thats why i hadn't heard of this sorta this. because as i said over here you dont need the digital receiver if you only want the basic channel lineup. you can simply plug directly into the tv. the receiver just gives you those extra 600 channels or whatever and supposedly improves the picture but yeah it isnt needed. although our nationwide digital conversion hits in 2011 so i'm sure that wont work then either and everybody WILL need that receiver. its an informative day indeed.
Nope. Can't do it. by DennisMM	Jun 12th, 2009 10:33:03 AM
Until a handful of years ago, you could. But Comcast figured out that people would pay the extra $30-40 a month extra for the box, if the alternative was no cable at all. I only watch three or four channels, and I pay $60 a month, prorated with my internet and phone package.
You don't need cable by ThrowMeTheIdol	Jun 12th, 2009 10:43:46 AM
A reasonably priced hd set and a not too expensive powered antenna gives you a spectacular hd picture on most shows, better than digital cable. Sure it's only the major channels but really are comedy central and bbc america worth 75 bucks a month? I haven't cut cable yet but I'm thinkin' about it.
Who cares about Megan Fox!???? WTF! by Orionsangels	Jun 12th, 2009 10:43:50 AM

Are Megan Fox and the rest of humanity. by Orionsangels	Jun 12th, 2009 10:53:33 AM
Are Megan Fox and God. Are Megan Fox and the Universe and everything. Are Megan Fox and life as we know it.
I was born in 72. Happy Days was the shit! Ayyy! by Orionsangels	Jun 12th, 2009 10:55:59 AM
I remember changing the 13 channel dial on TV. Fixing the atenna. I remember the early Cable boxes that had a wire running to the cable box. I remember record albums.
doesn't matter when u were born, it's how rich or poor u were by Orionsangels	Jun 12th, 2009 10:59:12 AM
I knew friends growing up all through the 80's that never had cable and had 13 channels and an antenna. There's still 3 million people who were using antenna, up until today.
Good, fuck TV anyway. by cookylamoo	Jun 12th, 2009 11:27:41 AM
I'm going back to pornography where I belong.
Madness, yes by The StarWolf	Jun 12th, 2009 11:29:44 AM
Worst part being, there's not any need for it. Increase bandwidth? Why? To allow for more channels? Heck, many specialty channels have about 30 viewers as it is. How much more fragmented do they want this to be? Or is it for High Definition? What? So we can see all that 'screen clutter' crap more clearly? "You're watching..." "Brand new episode..." and the rest of the *&#% they feel we can't live without on screen while trying to actually SEE what we're watching? I'll pass. With any luck, this lamebrain move will have millions of analog households join a couple of households I know up here in Canada. They can easily afford tv/cable, but aren't interested. They have no use for television. Don't even own one. Perhaps the soon-to-be-signal-less homes in the US will decide to just not bother converting. We can but hope.
does anyone know... by Bouncy X	Jun 12th, 2009 11:32:35 AM
has this already started like today or does it only hit at a specific time this evening? its 12:32pm EST as i write.
The days of Cable and Sattelite are numbered by ArianeB	Jun 12th, 2009 11:35:15 AM
We grew up with cable TV and cant imagine people still using an antenna. The newborns today will grow up with IPTV on demand where you can watch what you want when you want it and will not believe there are still people watching boring cable networks. Personally, I got my cable yanked a few months back when they removed HD locals from the list of channels you can get without a converter box. I get HD from rabbit ears, and anything else I want from Hulu or itunes.
daggor by raw_bean	Jun 12th, 2009 11:38:04 AM
As a Brit I don't take any offence at the word 'limey' as used to describe me (depending on context of course), and frequently use 'yank' without intending it to be offensive to Americans, since I have friends who are yanks. :) I don't even watch broadcast television any more. It all comes off the internet for me, legally or otherwise. The TV in the apartment is for watching DVDs and my flat-mate's PS3.
I saw the future of TV in Back to the future II by Orionsangels	Jun 12th, 2009 11:49:27 AM
When Marty's son sits in front of his large screen paper thin TV and says, channel 16, channel 54, channel 35, channel 98, channel, channel 5 and channel 10.
Can't Wait for the Chaos by ThusSpakeSpymunk	Jun 12th, 2009 11:50:03 AM
This is going to be precious. Watching Middle America freak out beyond words, watching as thousands of television signals vanish and people pound on the side of their sets fruitlessly like that computer scene in ZOOLANDER. An independent poll did follow-up to government efforts to notify people about the changeover door-to-door, and found that roughly HALF the people didn't know what the pollsters were talking about - even though someone had been by their house a week before to PHYSICALLY IN-PERSON EXPLAIN IT TO THEM. THE LACK OF INTELLECT IN THE US IS SO STAGGERING, SO DEEP, SO PROFOUND it's like it's a medical condition. Sometimes I wonder if something really is wrong with the water. I mean, I honestly believe at this point you could tell a person in the US, "Remember that I'm holding a button in my left hand." and they would say "Ok." and then you'd say "What am I holding in my left hand?" and they'd say "Uh, hold on, I'm trying to think."
ThrowMeTheIdol by DennisMM	Jun 12th, 2009 11:54:40 AM
That would be great if I watched broadcast TV. I don't watch much TV at all, but what I do watch is almost all cable stations. I might watch two hours a week from broadcast outlets. Good suggestion for many, though.
Song Lyrics or Typical American Thought Process? by ThusSpakeSpymunk	Jun 12th, 2009 11:59:35 AM
"I've had a little bit too much. All of the people start to rush. Start to rush by. A dizzy twister dance! Can't find my drink or man. Where are my keys? I lost my phone. What's going on on the floor? I love this record baby, but I can't see straight anymore. Keep it cool. What's the name of this club? I can't remember but it's all right, all right. Just dance. Gonna be okay. Da-doo-doo-doo. Just dance. Spin that record babe. Da-doo-doo-doo Just dance. Gonna be okay. Duh-duh-duh-duh. Dance. Dance. Dance. Just dance. Wish I could shut my playboy mouth. How'd I turn my shirt inside out? Inside out - right. Control your poison, babe. Roses have thorns they say. And we're all gettin' hosed tonight. What's going on on the floor? I love this record baby, but I can't see straight anymore. Keep it cool. What's the name of this club? I can't remember but it's all right, all right." "When I come through on the dance floor, checking out that catalogue, can't believe my eyes! So many women without a flaw. And I ain't gonna' give it up, steady tryn'a pick it up like a call. I'm gonna hit it! I'm gonna hit it and flex and do it until tomorrow, yeah! Shorty, I can see that you got so much energy the way you twirling up them hips round and round. There's no reason at all why you can't leave here with me. In the meantime, stay! Let me watch you break it down." "Half Psychotic, Sick hypnotic got my blueprint its symphonic. Half Psychotic, sick hypnotic got my blueprint electronic. Half Psychotic, Sick hypnotic got my blueprint its symphonic. Half Psychotic, sick hypnotic got my blueprint electronic." "Go! Use your muscle! Carve it out! Work it! Hustle! I got it! Just stay close enough to get it! Don't slow! Drive it! Clean it, Lysol! Bleed it! Spend the last dough - I got it - in your 'pocko!' I got it!" The Unitefd States, ladies and gentlemen!
who still watches tv anyway? by JAMF	Jun 12th, 2009 12:06:53 PM
i've got rapidshare and torrents for my tv shows. they only wanna make tv and radio digital to make it easier for them to take over in 2012... expect the microchips and barcodes next... although i reckon i already got a chip put in me when i (and millions of other british kids) got the BCG jab at school. what do you guys think?
This isn't great for emergencies by SmokeFilledTavern	Jun 12th, 2009 12:09:31 PM
was always nice to have the possible chance to get a signal at your cottage in the woods.
A lot more people watch TV than you think. by Orionsangels	Jun 12th, 2009 12:15:20 PM
From a young person's perspective who's into their tiny gadgets internet world. It would seem everyone is on board the digital highway. I barely watch it, but some people just aren't into these modern digital times.
Holding hands by paburrows	Jun 12th, 2009 12:17:28 PM
So why does the government think they need to be a part of this. Why do we have the mentality that if the government isn't holding our hands and paying for our food, clothing & shelter that everything is wrong in the world? Its kind of silly that the government has to waste tax money on making sure that everyone can watch TV when the ecconomy is screwed up like it is and only getting worse since the year started. We have to much hand holding by the government.
R.I.P UHF by AzulTool	Jun 12th, 2009 12:28:21 PM
Dialing for dollars, QVC, Dr. Gene Scott 24/7, F-troop reruns...Ahh, you will be missed.
RIP UHF? by Dreamwriter	Jun 12th, 2009 12:31:36 PM
I dunno about where you live, but where I live, those cheapo little stations made the transition. I've got a couple shopping channels, a Spanish Soap Opera channel, some religious channels and more, all fully digital...
RipperGiles, "They look absolutely no better"... by Dreamwriter	Jun 12th, 2009 12:40:15 PM
You must not be watching the digital channels then. Digital channels have absolutely no snow ever, no ghosts ever, nothing. The only way it could look the same as analogue TV would be if you were already getting a perfect picture from your antenna on that, and that's rare. Even when watching on a normal, non-HDTV, it should look better than cable. With digital you either get a perfect picture...or nothing. Or if you are just barely on the verge of getting a usable signal, you get a bunch of macro blocking (a perfect picture broken up into a bunch of little squares).
Switch happened at Noon in Chicago by Kauzi Sezso	Jun 12th, 2009 12:51:02 PM
If the endless promos are to be believed.
Next year by Kauzi Sezso	Jun 12th, 2009 12:51:49 PM
Analog conversion of the Internet.
Not having cable or dish is usually a by Samuel Fulmer	Jun 12th, 2009 01:01:21 PM
Money thing (not having enough, or being smart enough to realize how big a rip both cable and dish are), an age thing (too old to care), or a snob thing (Oh I just watch Masterpiece theatre, Frontline, and Charlie Rose so good heavens, I won't buy that cable rubbish). I'm guessing most people here who were kids in the 80's know what over the air tv is because they probably had their own tv in their room that had bunny ears. I didn't know any kid who's parents hooked up cable in their room. I remeber having a little black and white set that I watched cartoons on.
As for Megan Fox by Samuel Fulmer	Jun 12th, 2009 01:02:39 PM
Of Course she wouldn't know. She wasn't built in the replicant factory until this decade.
The Bay Area, some of the quircky channels are gone. by AzulTool	Jun 12th, 2009 01:06:23 PM
Not all of them, but some of them. And, it just doesn't seem like UHF without the snow and the crappy signal. I even miss the vertical hold. Well, until I start watching sports on my 1080P.
I mean, quirKy by AzulTool	Jun 12th, 2009 01:08:10 PM

At least if you had a snowy channel by Samuel Fulmer	Jun 12th, 2009 01:09:57 PM
You could somewhat watch it. You can't watch a bad digital signal.
FM is still around? by JackRabbitSlim	Jun 12th, 2009 01:22:00 PM
Terrestrial radio blows. And people not watching TV = A GOOD THING. Its a proven fact - Teluhvizun makes you dum. But you sure know a hell of a lot about the flaky goodness of Pillsbury Dough Crisps. Buy some today!
I have a HD ANtenna and update my Digital air tuner regularly... by HB_Dad	Jun 12th, 2009 01:33:03 PM
But I still have Directv. I wish USA was broadcasting over the air in my area because I love their summer shows. Since they and many other "cable" networks don't, I must pay for services to get such channels. What's funny is that my local broacasts come in clearer over the air than I had with Time Warner, Verizon Fios, and Directv. If only there was an HD DVR that recorded HD over the air broadcasts...
millions of old tvs on the curb tomorrow by iownyou	Jun 12th, 2009 02:00:03 PM
yeah
HD DVR for over the air broadcasts by Dreamwriter	Jun 12th, 2009 02:02:43 PM
HD Tivo does that. And if you get an HDTV card for your computer, Windows Media Center does a great job (I used that the last two years, all I watched was OTA digital).
"They're here" In front a snowy TV seems dated now. by Orionsangels	Jun 12th, 2009 02:33:07 PM

Dreamwriter... by HB_Dad	Jun 12th, 2009 02:34:08 PM
The Tivo one requires paid service granted its only $12.95. I was looking for a service free one that uses the TV Guide signal. I have an old Analog (I believe Panasonic) one and its only real drawback was that it was Analog. I need the same type of thing for HD. As for the HDTV card, I would need the Mac version. However, I want to watch TV in my living room on my 47 inch Westinghouse, not on a computer screen. Thanks for the info though...
Even with a converter box... by Banditmania	Jun 12th, 2009 02:52:52 PM
the picture is better than DirecTv. Now if PBS would boost their signal.
I guess with the new Poltergeist remake by terry1978	Jun 12th, 2009 02:55:48 PM
She'll be sitting in front of a tv that just finishes up the latest TV Prevue Guide, and then the little macro squares come up. Scary.
macro blocking poltergeist by Bouncy X	Jun 12th, 2009 03:00:17 PM
"they're heeere....sorta....no they aren't... wait....yes they are...umm, maybe not....i dont know anymore i'm going to bed mommy"
I remember the promise of cable in the 1970s by Ingeld	Jun 12th, 2009 03:04:10 PM
Hundreds of channels and NO COMMERCIALS. Yeah, that was the only way anbody back then would even consider paying for something which was already free--over the air television programs. Think of the bills your parents never had--cell phone, internet, cable. Now even radio is requiring a subscription. Sure, there was less electronic media, but then kids actually went outside then.
Yank by Kaladrax	Jun 12th, 2009 03:10:00 PM
Calling someone a 'Yank' who lives in the Southern United States is fightin' words lol.
It's a great picture, but the shows still suck ass by lockesbrokenleg	Jun 12th, 2009 03:19:31 PM
It's all Who Wants to Date My Celebrity Challenge?
We got it all on UHF! by BacardiRocky	Jun 12th, 2009 03:25:51 PM
Oh wait...No we don't. Fuck, I can't drink from the fire hose anymore.
Man don't really care by Series7	Jun 12th, 2009 03:29:35 PM
But I got a couple of old like small portable TV. Now they will never work.
THE TV'S ARE GONNA BLOW!!! MOVE!!! by MrMysteryGuest	Jun 12th, 2009 03:32:56 PM

Idiot by Dkev00	Jun 12th, 2009 03:36:27 PM
It's not at midnight. It's at 1PM EST Friday. It's already done.
people who don't watch actual tv... by Spice-Orange	Jun 12th, 2009 03:37:59 PM
miss out. hulu is trash because its not live and its not forever. shows only stay up for X amount of days, so good luck watching the whole season of a show you love. in low Def. Torrents are great, but again, the soonest you'll get them is the day after it actually airs. and quality can sometimes be awful if its not a super popular show. HD over-the-air is the highest quality signal you have access to. congrats that its free. if you are so out-of-touch with society and culture to not understand what happens tonight, you deserve to have static.
WHAT?!! How come no one told me this was happening?!! by m00kiedood	Jun 12th, 2009 04:15:16 PM
Jesus!!!! Could have given a bit of warning! Thanks alot for pulling the rug out from under me, government!!
Antennae user with mixed feelings by Hikaru Ichijo	Jun 12th, 2009 04:43:06 PM
What you pay for on cable is garbage. One or two quality programs is not worth the rates they charge. Further more, cable and satellite deprive you of your local broadcasting, like Comcast did with WBGN here in the 'Burgh. BGN was the non-affiliated, low rent operation that ran old prints of Hawaii Five-O and Godzilla vs. Megalon, not to mention the excellent "The It's Alive Show." It was the last one, excluding religious and shopping channels. Comcast pulled the struggling local broadcaster and replaced it with dead air. Fuck cable. A crisp new signal to better enable free self-hypnosis is a great thing, for sure, but there is definitely something to be lost for it. So many low stakes players have to get out of the game because of this decision, and that means less variety and local insight. If you live in a major city, you owe it to yourself to view as much of your local independent broadcast stations as time allows, because that is the real question you need to ask Megan Fox, "Do you remember local, independent broadcasting?"
Cable by chrisdosmil	Jun 12th, 2009 04:46:29 PM
I've never really seen the appeal of cable. At one point my roommate and I had free cable and I still didn't watch any of the cable channels. Most of the shows I watch are on the basic networks like NBC, FOX, ABC, and CBS. Of course I also don't really watch that much TV anyway. I'm either watching a movie or playing videogames.
JAMF by DennisMM	Jun 12th, 2009 05:09:21 PM
Some of us just don't believe in illegal downloads, even if we do engage in the practice on rare occasions.
I remember back in the good old days before by lockesbrokenleg	Jun 12th, 2009 06:08:34 PM
Comcast the late night shows were all hicks selling overpriced baseball cards
My TV has fake wood paneling and knobs. by Billy Goat	Jun 12th, 2009 07:00:47 PM
Remember those? You pull the knob out to turn it on, rotate it like a dial to adjust the volume, and push it in to turn it off. That's multi-functional! I subscribe to cable. Up until now, I've had the cable itself going into a splitter. One branch goes directly into my cable-ready VCR. (Yes, that's right, VCR, you young whippersnappers!) Comcast hates it when people do that, because it means you don't need to rent a converter box. But dammit, that's what all the VCR's channels are for! It says so in the instruction manual! The other branch goes into the converter box, to keep the clock and the on-screen program listings up to date. Plus, the converter gets a few of the higher-numbered channels the VCR can't, plus the On-Demand programming. Plus, I can watch one show and tape another. Anyway, it's been working just fine for years, until about 2 weeks ago, when the converter box wasn't getting any channels anymore. The VCR was fine, though. The cable guy came over to fix it, and sure enough, he took the splitter out of the loop. Presto, all the channels were back. He said, "it's because of the splitter. Don't use the splitter." Yeah, right, old man. Cable-ready VCR! Instruction manual! Hello? So I hooked it back up the way I like it, and all the channels went away again! I tried using different coaxial cables, different connectors, and everything works fine until I use the splitter. I even bought a new splitter, and it didn't work either! Dammit, I've been doing it the same way for 10 years, why is it not working anymore? Does it have something to do with the conversion to digital? Get off my lawn, you stupid kids! Whew. I guess I just needed to get that off my chest.
WBGN in Pittsburgh by Billy Goat	Jun 12th, 2009 07:06:31 PM
Hey, Hikaru! Another Pittsburgher here! Looking forward to new "It's Alive" episodes on the new channel this weekend.
Yes Herc, the ghosts should go away. by Agentcoop007	Jun 12th, 2009 07:28:32 PM
The ghostly images, your "crappy picture" on 2, 4 & 5 should go away after the signal has stopped broadcasting. I also gotta say I love the Weird AL UHF references, gonna miss the old UHF :(
"Radio" TV... by BoggyCreekBeast	Jun 12th, 2009 07:47:45 PM
... forgot this woukd go away too! Dang, used to listen to Seinfeld reruns on my little radio sometimes while on walks.
yanks still some way behind asia by semisaj	Jun 12th, 2009 08:03:53 PM
guys nobody watches TV anymore..it's all about downloads...soon you will realize that hard copy/formats are also consigned to history!!
Billy Goat by BobbyMcPresscott	Jun 12th, 2009 08:15:22 PM
You're describing the exact setup I had in my room from the early 90s up until early 2002 when I got a new TV, fake panelling, knob and all. I played all my video games via RF adapter until then. When I plugged my GameCube in through S-Video on a 27 inch I did in fact shit myself. My only regret is that I
1 hour to go! by chrth	Jun 12th, 2009 09:04:05 PM

(well, at least for my local NBC station) by chrth	Jun 12th, 2009 09:04:26 PM

Ireland by Gigabrian	Jun 12th, 2009 09:05:19 PM
Ireland is a joke with regard to all this. We're completely reliant on British broadcasters for decent programming and HD. I'm not complaining about the dominance of British broadcasters, in fact, if it weren't for them I'd have lost my mind years ago, but for fuck sake, whenever I think about how backward this place is, my soul pukes. And that's just TV, I haven't even mentioned Broadband rollout. I'm moving.
billy goat by Pouchstalker	Jun 12th, 2009 09:06:43 PM
I have cox cable and had the same problem. I had just switched to a new cable box and was getting the signal. I called about it and they asked me if I was using a splitter. I told them I was and they said to come in to the office and they would get me a splitter that allowed two communication through the splitter. Apparently when the box sent signals back to the office it the splitter was blocking the response. Anyway, I changed the splitter and now it works.
Am I the only person who doesn't trust this? by CherryValance	Jun 12th, 2009 09:23:58 PM
I mean what if they start doing bad stuff and people can't get the message out because there are no normal airwaves? I mean if normal people can't broadcast then they've got us right where they want us.
Billy Goat by CherryValance	Jun 12th, 2009 09:27:15 PM
My mom still has one of those that she'd leave on overnight. It was still working until the switch earlier when most of our local channels changed. It doesn't even have the plugs for the converter boxes.
I'm not ready and I don't care. by Bob Cryptonight	Jun 12th, 2009 09:42:42 PM

this is the worst time ever by sharpie	Jun 12th, 2009 09:47:15 PM
to work for radioshack... god i hate my job
Is there ever a good time to work for Radio Shack? by chrth	Jun 12th, 2009 09:55:36 PM
Don't you get punched daily harassing customers for their addresses and phone numbers when they just want to buy some batteries?
CherryValance: Great point! by chrth	Jun 12th, 2009 09:56:46 PM
If only there was a vast network of computers that could communicate with one another to spread any message all over the world
meh by sharpie	Jun 12th, 2009 10:00:36 PM
radioshacks not usually that bad, its easy to make good money, we only have to ask for addresses when you buy a phone or a service plan or something, and not all the service plans completely suck. and hell, its one of the last electronics retail stores that works on commission
Our long national analog nightmare is over by chrth	Jun 12th, 2009 10:44:38 PM

DennisMM by ThusSpakeSpymunk	Jun 12th, 2009 10:49:25 PM
If you don't believe in the practice, you wouldn't do it. Simple. Doing it even once means you believe in it. **** you.
Will this make Letterman funny? by Moviegimp	Jun 12th, 2009 10:57:40 PM
From his top ten tonight. Classic.
this is interesting by Hercules	Jun 12th, 2009 11:09:56 PM
It's 8:50pm PT and I just unplugged my cable so I could see the last few analog signals disappear. KTLA (CW), KCOP (MyNet) and KTTV (Fox) are all running their usual stuff, but KCBS and KNBC aren't broadcasting the Ghost Whisperer and Access Hollywood signals the cable is feeding. Instead both the CBS and NBC affilaates are running informercials on the digital switch. KABC and KCAL already look like pure static. Creepy! KWHY, which is supposed to be channel 22, is somehow coming through bright and clear on channel 73. Weird.
3 things by Agentcoop007	Jun 12th, 2009 11:21:34 PM
!. I am was born in 1977 have have far too memories to list involving using "rabbit ears" and all sorts of tin foil to get my favorite UHF station in. 2. I'm in shoch that Radio Shack outlived Circuit City 3. Does anybody think that pirate UHF stations could spring up with the airwaves clear? I for one hope so :)
Is this when the Aliens finally take over our world? by lockesbrokenleg	Jun 12th, 2009 11:42:53 PM

Somewhere out there Weird Al is planning his UHF takeover. by dailysportspages	Jun 13th, 2009 01:06:43 AM
Somewhere out there Weird Al is planning his UHF takeover. It was only a matter of time.
Lot more people thinking of cutting cable... by SK229	Jun 13th, 2009 01:55:58 AM
I know I am. Time Warner dropped the HDnet and it was one of the few things I actually watched. Besides that, there was a whole fiasco where they basically said one thing to shareholders (the cost per household is WAY down, tons of profits, yay!) and customers another (it's costing us more to get the cable to you, please pay more...). They're full of fucking shit and should rot in hell. As far as I can tell, cable television isn't water or gas for my oven. It's 500 channels of mostly shit which I pay close to $100 for every month. And it keeps going up!!! My parents have a summer home at which Cablevision said they couldn't have cable without internet (what?! obviously a douche CSR). So they said called their bluff and said, ok, get rid of both then. The house is near the beach, and if you're sitting inside watching $150 cable, what the hell are you doing there in the first place? GO OUTSIDE, right? I don't know, I think these scumbag service providers don't realize just how fed up everyone is with the cost of cell phones, internet, house phones, cable television, etc., and are dangerously close to being like, ya know what, fuck it, I don't even have a job, time to cut all this b.s. out, because life was actually easier without it.
All I know is Comcast sucks ass by lockesbrokenleg	Jun 13th, 2009 02:06:50 AM
We have like 10 HD channels. Sure, the movie channels are in HD, but with Blue Ray, who cares. The main HD channel reruns the same shit over and over, and it's always about fucking cars. Half the cable stations rerun the day shit over and over again, too. Fuck Cable.
hey herc, how was the switchover on TW? by Holodigm	Jun 13th, 2009 04:51:54 AM
did anything actually change, and did you actually keep all the same channels on the TVs connected to the wall?
superjim by gumkicker	Jun 13th, 2009 05:07:26 AM
there is a helpscheme in the uk, that provides digital equipment and installation for free to the elderly and disabled
i know this because... by gumkicker	Jun 13th, 2009 05:09:51 AM
its my job, i book installs all day long, 5 days a week, 90 percent for free and a small amount with a contribution
As long as I can still try to watch the Playboy Channel... by Clavius	Jun 13th, 2009 07:47:43 AM
...between the static and squiggles in the hope that I may catch a fleeting glimpse of boob, then I'm good.
Windows Media Center gets a big fat "Fail" by ArianeB	Jun 13th, 2009 10:12:59 AM
The idiots at Microsoft decided a scan for channels was not a necessary function of Windows Media Center since the relevant frequencies can be download online. Except that the frequencies all changed yesterday! Windows Media Center fails to show 4 major networks here, because it keeps trying to lock into the wrong frequencies. My TV and third party tuner card utilities pick up all the channels just fine. Time to dump this Microsoft turkey and find the GNU equivalent.
Hercules- by Lobanhaki	Jun 13th, 2009 10:13:27 AM
If your TV is new enough, or one of the HD sets, that may be an HD signal you're getting. They started putting tuners in new Analog sets pretty close to the transition the last couple of years.
FuCC the FCC by ArmandVA	Jun 13th, 2009 11:04:43 AM
i know everybody rememebers the Janet Jackson/Super Bowl BS. the FCC was all offended that such a thing happened over the "public airwaves". and yet the government just decided to take them away. our government is so full of shit. at least i still get ABC so i can watch Lost come next January, lol. other than that, and my DVD collection, my tv is now a paperweight. i'm in a downstairs apartment, no other signal, and no chance for an outdoor antenna. the above poster was right when he said you could at least watch a snowy analog signal, but not so with digital.
by res8323	Jun 13th, 2009 11:49:30 AM
I'm 20 and never had cable until I left for college. I have plenty of memories watching Fox Kids (Batman, Spider-Man, Bobby's World) when all my other friends were watching Nickelodeon. I still contend I'm smarter for it, never having been subjected to the inane shit that is Sponge Bob Square Pants.
Channel 22 on 73? by ChrisPC24	Jun 13th, 2009 06:35:08 PM
That's due to having your TV still set to cable channels. VHFs will be the same, but UHFs show up as a different channel number.
Re the British term Yank..... by PhilipMarlowe	Jun 13th, 2009 07:54:36 PM
I was told it was almost but not quite as bad as being called a jerk.
no cable or sat. by W3bzpinn3r	Jun 13th, 2009 07:57:15 PM
Why? Anything I REALLY wanna see on cable or satellite I can just watch on hulu.com, download the torrent, or wait for the dvd box set. no commercials for erectile dysfunction, tampons, etc. I haven't had satellite in 4 years and I honestly don't need it. The only channel I really watched was cartoon network with my kids, but now, that is the 24hr Spongebob-clone network. for-pay TV is nothing but pornography and infomercials today.
I AM TOO POOR TO PAY FOR CABLE.. by VALENTINEproductions	Jun 14th, 2009 03:36:06 AM
I still use an antenna. I got that dtv box months ago, and you know what? Fuck cable. This works fine just for me. I live alone and i cant afford paying for cable. Its not important enough. The recession has kicked my ass and i have to leave my apt soon too. Life isnt great right now but having no cable is just fine by me.
Reality TV in high-def digital! by Subtitles_Off	Jun 14th, 2009 02:04:08 PM
Progress sucks.
Cable sucks by ackack	Jun 14th, 2009 04:32:25 PM
I'm fine with what I got. Too many useless channels with cable.
The digital TV signal is great looking! by Bill Clay	Jun 15th, 2009 12:36:35 AM
I can really understand people canceling cable & satellite and just watching the new free HD over-the-air channels. Most of my favorite shows are downloaded now, anyways. Pay TV is gonna get their asses kicked when people realize that you can now get HDTV for free.
Gigabrian.... by Gym	Jun 15th, 2009 03:05:26 AM
Agreed. If it wasn't for the fact that we lived near the border and got the british channels for free, TV just wouldn't have been worth it. I recently went through a phase of only having RTE 1 while waiting to be able to afford cable, and it drove home what an utter waste of the airwaves it is. All those ads about how you need a tv licence, which entitles you to watch more ads about how you need a TV licence. Fuckwits.
The sounds drops out once a minute. by Smashing	Jun 15th, 2009 09:05:22 AM
Here in the UK the reception is poor, i called the digital people today about the fact that every 60 seconds or so the sound drops out from the signal, they said they had never heard this complaint before, are they kidding?

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