# Analogue TV goes bye-bye **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [October 16, 2007, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/analogue-tv-goes-bye-bye/422874 "2007-10-16T04:12:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![groo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ecd19e/32.png) [@groo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/groo)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2007, 11:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/analogue-tv-goes-bye-bye/422874/41 "2007-10-18T11:38:17Z")
Just went to HD-DirecTV (and am enjoying their recent deployment of ~40 HD channels). Some thoughts: [ul] [li]Some people should not be viewed in HD – too much pancake makeup, now-visible wrinkles, etc. Our local newscasters are much older than I’d imagined.[/li][li]OTOH, some women have turned into total knockouts now that I see them in all their HD glory. (Can’t comment on guys; I think we all look like, well, guys).[/li][li]I’m not a sports nut, but **damn!** There are some beautiful golf courses out there, and when did football broadcasters get the magical first down line that is digitally superimposed onto the field? That’s way cool.[/li][li]I think it’s my duty to tell y’all that I’ve purchased a Blu-Ray player, which will result in HD-DVD quickly becoming the market standard. You’re welcome. Blu-Ray is much better than upsampled DVD images, but the upsampled DVDs still look great (meaning, I’m not sure how quickly High-Def disks will be adopted, at least in comparison to how DVDs were adopted. But that’s for another thread).[/li][li]Kudos to the nature / documentary programs for embracing HD and showing how much beauty is in the world. (Also kudos to programmers who knew that there’d be a market for High-Def shows wherein bikini-clad women wander around the world wearing bikinis and doing things that require that they wear bikinis. And they wear bikinis).[/li][li]If you don’t want to spend $100/month on cable or satellite, that’s okay – local digital broadcasts come in stronger and clearer than older VHF broadcasts. But you don’t get **Bikini Destinations, Get Out! or Sunrise Earth**. (I live in LA; YMMV).[/li][li]Harmony remotes are difficult to figure out at first, but if you spend the time to figure them out, they rock.[/li][li]Some broadcasters screw things up by stretching 4:3 images to 16:9, making it impossible (IMO) to watch them. Do people really want to see lots of wide people wandering around flattened vistas? If you only have a 4:3 picture, just display it that way. (History Channel, I’m looking at you).[/li][li]Even though they’re not 16:9, many older programs still benefit from the increased bandwidth used in HD broadcasts. However, now we’re at the mercy of the broadcasters – they can dial back the resolution to whatever they want, resulting in some still-crappy-looking programs. (I think there must be some sort of horse trading going on – lesser channels like ABC Family seem to have low bandwidth and look muddy, while popular channels get more bandwidth and more detail).[/li][li]My supervisor’s acting like a timid weenie, and I’m getting tired of trying to figure out what he’s talking around. Time is money, and communication via allegory is really inefficient. Sorry about that, but it’s really bugging me.[/li][/ul] ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2007, 11:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/analogue-tv-goes-bye-bye/422874/42 "2007-10-18T11:45:20Z")
[QUOTE=Usram] Especially when you consider that a 16:9 standard definition picture is no higher in resolution than most 4:3 pictures. They just stretch the picture out horizontally, which will make MPEG artefacts more visible. And they’re already bad enough in 4:3 on some channels that use very low bitrates. Although for 4:3 some of the channels use very low horizontal resolutions like 544 pixels and scale that up to 4:3. It’s all about cramming as many channels as possible into a fixed total bitrate. [/QUOTE] Worse still, some channels seem to broadcast some of their 4:3 content in a horizontally-compressed box in a black 16:9 background - even when I force the TV to stretch it to 16:9, the box still seems too tall and narrow - so everybody looks too tall and thin. I guess again they probably do this to save bandwidth - plain black compresses down to more or less nothing. ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2007, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/analogue-tv-goes-bye-bye/422874/43 "2007-10-18T13:22:38Z")
[QUOTE=Small Clanger] a Milton Keynes bylaw bans outside aerials [/QUOTE] Come off it. You know Milton Keynes is someone’s idea of a joke, like Mornington Crescent and the BNP. > [@groo](#): > > Some broadcasters screw things up by stretching 4:3 images to 16:9, making it impossible (IMO) to watch them. Do people really want to see lots of wide people wandering around flattened vistas? If you only have a 4:3 picture, just display it that way. (History Channel, I’m looking at you). You know all those people who hate letterboxing because “They’re stealing my screen!”? The same thing is going to happen with the vertical-bar version from showing 4:3 stuff on a wide screen set. People will clamor for the pan-and-scan or stretched versions so they don’t see those “ugly black bars stealing my screen”. Hopefully TCM remains unsullied and shows all of their old movies with the vertical black bars. ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2007, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/analogue-tv-goes-bye-bye/422874/44 "2007-10-18T14:12:46Z")
Groo, what a great post! I would add that I never dreamed I could become a NASCAR fan — until I saw a race in HD. My god, it’s breathtaking. ---
**Author:** ![Rayne\_Man](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/df705f/32.png) [@Rayne\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rayne_Man)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2007, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/analogue-tv-goes-bye-bye/422874/45 "2007-10-18T16:52:59Z")
One thing to remember about digital switch-over is that all VCRs have analogue tuners. You can use them to record programmes from you digital TV but you will lose the ability to watch one channel while recording another. So you will have to get either a hard disk recorder (called a PVR) or a DVD recorder and they must have twin tuners. I already have one of these (a Topfield) and it’s excellent. The recorded sound and picture as good as the “live” programme. You can pause a recording , you can “chase-play”, which means you can start watching the beginning of a programme while it’s still being recorded, and it stores 140 hours of programmes all nicely catalogued and easily retrievable. But you are looking at cost of one of these machines of between £100 and £200. ---
**Author:** ![Rayne\_Man](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/df705f/32.png) [@Rayne\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rayne_Man)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2007, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/analogue-tv-goes-bye-bye/422874/46 "2007-10-18T17:07:46Z")
I forgeo to point out that the PVR also acts as the Freeview box. ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2007, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/analogue-tv-goes-bye-bye/422874/47 "2007-10-18T18:45:20Z")
Update: Best Buy, the electronics retailer, [ceases selling analogue television receivers](http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20071017.wgtbestbuy1017/BNStory/Technology/home?cid=al_gam_mostview), presumably in the US. > [@](#): > > Best Buy, one of the largest consumer electronics chains in North America, says it has pulled all analog televisions off store shelves. Flat-panel and high-definition screens have taken their place. > > Beginning in February, 2009, [US] broadcasters plan to stop transmitting analog signals, although people with older sets can still get programming via special converter boxes, set-top box or direct satellite… > > After the first of the year, the [US] government will be making available coupons that can be used to buy converter boxes. Best Buy will sell coupon-eligible converter boxes starting early next year. ---
**Author:** ![Ximenean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/aca169/32.png) [@Ximenean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ximenean)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2007, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/analogue-tv-goes-bye-bye/422874/48 "2007-10-18T19:24:43Z")
[QUOTE=Rayne Man] I already have one of these (a Topfield) and it’s excellent. The recorded sound and picture as good as the “live” programme. You can pause a recording , you can “chase-play”, which means you can start watching the beginning of a programme while it’s still being recorded, and it stores 140 hours of programmes all nicely catalogued and easily retrievable. But you are looking at cost of one of these machines of between £100 and £200. [/QUOTE] And you can load [this](http://www.sl8.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/UkAuto/website/screen.html), [this](http://www.bobdsmystuff.co.uk/cgi/Screenshots.cgi) or [this](http://www.shinyford.co.uk/toppy/) on it and turn it into something very like a Sky+ (arguably better), but with no subscription. It is absolutely the dog’s bollocks. Woohoo! Another Toppy owner ---
**Author:** ![E-Sabbath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e19adc/32.png) [@E-Sabbath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-Sabbath)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2007, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/analogue-tv-goes-bye-bye/422874/49 "2007-10-18T19:25:32Z")
Seriously, for people who get cable or satellite, does this _matter?_ Should I be looking for a flatscreen bargain? Does this mean the TV has no HDMI input, or what? ---
**Author:** ![Rayne\_Man](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/df705f/32.png) [@Rayne\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rayne_Man)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2007, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/analogue-tv-goes-bye-bye/422874/50 "2007-10-18T19:36:17Z")
[QUOTE=Usram] And you can load [this](http://www.sl8.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/UkAuto/website/screen.html), [this](http://www.bobdsmystuff.co.uk/cgi/Screenshots.cgi) or [this](http://www.shinyford.co.uk/toppy/) on it and turn it into something very like a Sky+ (arguably better), but with no subscription. It is absolutely the dog’s bollocks. Woohoo! Another Toppy owner [/QUOTE] I use the Mystuff TAP, excellent. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2007, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/analogue-tv-goes-bye-bye/422874/51 "2007-10-18T21:49:04Z")
[QUOTE=Unintentionally Blank] It’s not just grass. It’s grass and HAIR! I swear, billions and billions of dollars (euros and pounds) spent to see individual hairs. [/QUOTE] Every hair on the bear… 😃 ---
**Author:** ![MJinks](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/da6949/32.png) [@MJinks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MJinks)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2007, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/analogue-tv-goes-bye-bye/422874/52 "2007-10-18T21:49:54Z")
Your need for a large aerial will vary. I can pick up _most_ channels perfectly with a shitty £10 aerial from Argos (and a shitty £30 digital box). I’ve had it a couple of years now, while I don’t use it all the time, it’s one of the best £40 I can recall spending. Once the analog signals have been turned off they’re supposedly going to boost the digital one, making it easier to pick up. That should help me with the other channels. I might be in the minority but I love the new ‘Dave’ (UKTVG2) channel. I can finally watch those old ‘Whose Line Is It Anyway?’ episodes! ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2007, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/analogue-tv-goes-bye-bye/422874/53 "2007-10-18T22:28:09Z")
[QUOTE=Airman Doors, USAF] I’m completely disinterested in Digital TV except for the technology. Paying premium price for greener greens is not high on my list of priorities when what I have is good enough, and quite adequate for me. [/QUOTE] Amen. I’ve said it before–I’ve seen digtal, & it’s a big ho-hum. ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2007, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/analogue-tv-goes-bye-bye/422874/54 "2007-10-19T04:15:52Z")
Someone enable my laziness: What is the FCC going to do with the bandwidth reclaimed from analog TV in America? Is it going to be given to the digital TV stations or split among multiple users or left fallow for a while? ---
**Author:** ![Unintentionally\_Blank](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/unintentionally_blank/32/5418_2.png) [@Unintentionally\_Blank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Unintentionally_Blank)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2007, 11:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/analogue-tv-goes-bye-bye/422874/55 "2007-10-19T11:54:30Z")
[QUOTE=Derleth] Someone enable my laziness: What is the FCC going to do with the bandwidth reclaimed from analog TV in America? Is it going to be given to the digital TV stations or split among multiple users or left fallow for a while? [/QUOTE] It will certainly NOT be left fallow (which is a funny visual…leaving the airspace to recover its nutrients for next year’s crop.) There’s a BIG auction for that airspace that’s being persued by cable industry, telco industry, and folks like Google and Microsoft. It’s got a TON more theoretical bandwidth than anything that’s currently available, and _it goes through walls and buildings_. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/analogue-tv-goes-bye-bye/422874.md?page=2)