Comments on: Analog To Digital Conversion Delayed – Or Maybe Not

By: God's Dancing Child

God's Dancing Child — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 18:49:35 +0000

I don’t mind it one way or another, waiting for the conversion or doing it now. There was plenty of warning, *but* many people were waiting for the coupons (which is a lovely way for the government to track people’s goings-on).
My only issue has been that we got that stupid converter box and then found that our antenna was “too old” and had to buy a new one.
It’s kind of ridiculous to force a swap like this on so many companies and people when the way it’s been has been just fine… and in some respects, better.

By: Software Marketing

Software Marketing — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 01:19:54 +0000

Can we just make the switch. I hate the wait. I want my HDTV

By: Anne-Marie

Anne-Marie — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 03:40:41 +0000

To tell the truth, I haven’t been paying attention to this issue at all because we don’t have any tv service; the antenna jack broke a few years ago and we never got around to fixing it. But we just inherited a late-model TV from my grandmother, which I presume is digital-compliant, though we haven’t checked. Does digital TV really come without advertising? How will the networks make their money?

By: Alison @ This Wasn't In The Plan

Alison @ This Wasn't In The Plan — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 04:32:37 +0000

I agree that people have had plenty of time to do what was necessary to switch over, and in that sense, the delay irks me because it seems like it’s just enabling people. I’m a huge procrastinator, but I requested our coupons early on for fear the funding would run out. The fact that the coupon program really didn’t work as planned and the funding is gone before people had a chance to get coupons is a somewhat valid reason for delaying the conversion, but, like an earlier commenter said, watching TV is not really a right.

By: Rachel

Rachel — Sat, 14 Feb 2009 20:38:40 +0000

I am actually a little irritated that they pushed back the deadline. For one, there was PLENTY of time for people to get a converter box. Two, it’s television, it’s not a necessity in life by any means! Even if one doesn’t have internet access, you can get news on a radio, and anything else is just entertainment — nice to have, but not a necessity. Three, it kills me that the government is spending so much time and money on this. Four, I am SO tired of the stupid commercials!!

I wish the switchover would just happen and all the commercials would go away. The government obviously has far bigger problems to deal with than people not having access to television programming!!

By: jules

jules — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 16:58:37 +0000

I thought I read somewhere that the FCC wasn’t letting TV stations that still intended to convert on Feb. 17 do it. I know the stations in our area were all ready to go too, but now have a notice out on their websites that they won’t be converting over until June.

By: Bri

Bri — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 15:23:04 +0000

I agree that people have had PLENTY of time to get the boxes. My husband and I also weren’t able to use our coupons before they expired (we just didn’t have the money at all…we wanted to be able to eat). We were able to get a coupon from my mom who ordered two just to have boxes in case she ever cancelled cable (which I think a lot of people did). She gave us one of hers. From what I remember you could buy converter boxes online from several retailers, you didn’t have to buy them in store.

A. D.: They did run out of funding for all of the active cards that are out. That is why they have the waiting list, as coupons expire and aren’t used they make new coupons available to those on the waiting list.

By: Frugal.Homemaker.Plus

Frugal.Homemaker.Plus — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 13:30:28 +0000

We’re ready. We ordered the coupon and bought the box when they first came out. I don’t like the digital. We live by an airport and every time a plane flies over, it messes with our signal. Most our stations are converting on the original date, so I’m glad we’re ready.

By: A.D.

A.D. — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 01:08:58 +0000

Here’s my gripe: We ordered our coupons promptly when the program began. Then we watched for good prices on the boxes (which were expensive at first). Finally, the prices started coming down. But when we tried to buy, all the stores were out. When our coupons got close to expiring, we still couldn’t find in-stock converter boxes at a reasonable price. So our coupons expired. We were even on a waiting list at Walmart, but by the time they had them in, our coupon expired and they wouldn’t take them. The gov’t won’t issue us more coupons, so we are out of luck too.

It makes me wonder: if people have the coupons but can’t use them b/c they expired, the gov’t won’t actually be spending the $. So they THINK the funding has run out, but it hasn’t really. So why can’t we use the expired coupons?

By: James

James — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 23:13:27 +0000

It’s my understanding that even though some stations will be going to digital, they will not discontinue their over-the-air broadcast. Of course, I’m sure that will be one of those “check with your local station” deals.