COMMENTARY:
DTV could cause an uproar

Martin Rowe, Senior Technical Editor -- Test & Measurement World, 2/16/2006 10:31:00 AM

Martin Rowe

Three years from now, your analog TV will no longer work without a digital converter box. According to a statement released by the Telecommunications Industry Association, February 17, 2009, will mark the final transition to digital terrestrial TV in the United States. The TIA statement reported that Congress included DTV-related provisions in its recent budget reconciliation bill. Keep in mind that the original transition date (January 1, 2006) had already passed, so you shouldn't be surprised if the transition date is once again pushed back.

Why? Because the vote in the House was very close, 216 to 214. A change in the congressional make-up following the 2006 elections could swing the vote the other way. Remember, laws were made to be changed.

If the date isn't pushed back, however, I envision the following press release being distributed on February 18, 2009:

Grandparents force restoration of analog TV

February 18, 2009--Grandparents were shocked yesterday to discover that their TVs no longer work. Frantic grandparents immediately called their children to ask what happened. "Digital," they were told. "Now you can get better picture quality and more channels on your TV."

"Digital schmigital," replied one Grandma. "I just want my TV shows, and on the same channels I've always found them. What do I care about better pictures and stereo sound? Why didn't you tell me about this?"

"We tried," said her son, "but you wouldn't listen. We tried to get you a converter box that would adapt your TV to the digital format. The government forced this upon us and has made money available, but the paperwork takes weeks to fill out, and the government money takes years to get. And you'd never understand how to use one of these boxes, so we figured it was better to leave you in the dark."

"The government did that?" yelled Grandpa. "I'm calling my congressman." (Everyone knows that if you want to get the attention of a politician, call or send a letter. Don't use e-mail.)

Phones rang off the hook at congressional offices everywhere. Furious seniors--who vote in large numbers--threatened to oust every member of Congress from Asheville to Anchorage. This has been the biggest calling day since January 19, when the previous administration in Washington announced that social security had been repealed. "I didn't vote for it," said one congressman, "so don't blame me."

The newly inaugurated President was one of those grandparents who discovered he could no longer watch the local news. "This is outrageous," he declared. "They've neglected an entire generation. This could have only happened under the previous administration, the one that left office 28 days before the TVs stopped working."

The seniors forced an emergency session of Congress, which immediately repealed the law forcing the conversion to digital.

There may, however, be a silver lining in the DTV transition. Many people subscribe to cable just to get a better picture from their local channels. I'm one of them. With terrestrial DTV, your picture will either be perfect or nonexistent. I expect perfect reception will come to my house, and I can then save $50 a month in cable-TV costs.

What do you think? What impact will the switch to digital have? Send me an e-mail with your comments.