# Hdtv **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 9, 2002, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hdtv/127605 "2002-09-09T03:10:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![BZ00000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/47e85d/32.png) [@BZ00000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BZ00000)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2002, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hdtv/127605/1 "2002-09-09T03:10:27Z")
If if buy a new TV should I make sure it is HDTV ready? The sales clerk said any TV not HDTV ready will not be useable in 2 years. ---
**Author:** ![Thinktank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Thinktank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thinktank)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2002, 6:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hdtv/127605/2 "2002-09-09T06:33:22Z")
well, I’m not the greatest mind on the subject so I may have my facts wrong, but I believe tv stations are required to changeover by 2008 and by 2004 they should all have a hdtv transmission avaible? sigh help me with my facts techies… regardless, I think it’s BS the the TV won’t be useable, how useable I can’t say. My next TV will be HDTV ready, but at this point I really think it’ll be loonger than 2 years. DVD is the best reason to get something like that at the moment. ---
**Author:** ![mack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mack)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2002, 1:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hdtv/127605/3 "2002-09-09T13:03:34Z")
Your sales clerk is full of poo. I had an experience somewhat like yours. I was on a mission to go into Best Buy, get an inexpensive TV and a satellite dish. I could get out of there for under $300. Well, an hour later after getting assaulted with HDTV this and S-video that, and you need this newer dish this and you don’t want to climb onto your roof to install a new dish in 4 years that I walked out empty handed. Anyway, I figured I ought to educate myself somewhat and found this: from: [http://www.atsc.org/faq\_general.html](http://www.atsc.org/faq_general.html) > [@](#): > > Is my current television obsolete? > > No. Analog television sets will continue to receive analog broadcasts at least through 2006 and possibly longer. After that, consumers will be able to hook up a set-top box to their existing TV to receive digital TV broadcast signals, but not in high-definition. Of course, current TV sets will continue to work with cable, satellite, VCRs, DVD players, and other devices for many years. ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2002, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hdtv/127605/4 "2002-09-09T15:33:01Z")
yes, they should have a small box you can use that should be about $10.00 so you can use your old analog tv. Now, for a HDTV, here are some prices (these are for reasonable working things right now) hdtv: $2000 settop box for above to get hdtv: $550 vcr that does hdtv: $1500 vcr cassettes for above: $10 each Its not worth it for me. ---
**Author:** ![xizor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xizor/32/102_2.png) [@xizor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xizor)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2002, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hdtv/127605/5 "2002-09-09T17:47:42Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by handy \* > \*\*yes, they should have a small box you can use that should be about $10.00 so you can use your old analog tv. > \*\* Do you have a cite for this? I’ve never heard of such a device And why would a TV manufacturer want to sell you a $10 device when they could force you to buy a $500++ TV set? As for the OP, the switch from analog to digital is already behind schedule, so it will be later rather than earlier that analog is no longer broadcast. ---
**Author:** ![sailor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a587f6/32.png) [@sailor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sailor)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2002, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hdtv/127605/6 "2002-09-09T19:14:49Z")
\>\> Do you have a cite for this? I’ve never heard of such a device I do not have cites but converting a HDTV signal to plain NTSC is not that difficult. There are VCRs which convert PAL to NTSC and the other way around and it is no big deal. While $10 seems a bit optimistic, the cost of a converter is still much less than the cost of a new TV. \>\> And why would a TV manufacturer want to sell you a $10 device when they could force you to buy a $500++ TV set? Because if there is a demand _someone_ will supply the product. It may not be a TV manufacturer but someone will do it.