# Not getting TV over the air anymore? Fuck you. **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [February 6, 2009, 6:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-getting-tv-over-the-air-anymore-fuck-you/484677 "2009-02-06T06:18:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2009, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-getting-tv-over-the-air-anymore-fuck-you/484677/61 "2009-02-06T19:50:17Z")
> [@acsenray](#): > > Had 300 million people been relying on the original FM band for 70 years when it was eliminated? 300 million? Where do you come up with 300 million. If you have cable, satellite or a digital tuner you will not be affected. The FM issue is a silly red herring of course, but at least get your number vaguely right. I’ve heard stations are on both sides of this issue. Some are eager to shut down analog and some like the June date as it is a slower part of the TV season anyway. Myself I have cable and I would have preferred the bandwidth got freed up sooner but 4 months is a minor delay. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Carrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f0a364/32.png) [@Captain\_Carrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Carrot)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2009, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-getting-tv-over-the-air-anymore-fuck-you/484677/62 "2009-02-06T19:51:35Z")
> [@ivylass](#): > > Like it or not, some people are _never_ going to be ready by the deadline. TV is not a constitutional right. When the government renders my personal property useless, it is obliged to compensate me. > [@ivylass](#): > > I say do the switch on Feb 17 and I’ll bet those people who weren’t ready would get ready pretty damn quick. Yes, they’ll magically fix the program and get converter boxes that aren’t available! > [@ivylass](#): > > And some people want gov’t to take over health care.\* You have the evidence right in front of your eyes that they can’t handle things efficiently and cheaply! Noo, we have evidence that they _didn’t_ do _this_ effectively. Lots of government enterprises are doing just fine. > [@ivylass](#): > > \*Not trying to hijack, just making a point. A pity that you didn’t manage to do the latter and could easily manage the former. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Carrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f0a364/32.png) [@Captain\_Carrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Carrot)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2009, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-getting-tv-over-the-air-anymore-fuck-you/484677/63 "2009-02-06T19:52:43Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > 300 million? Where do you come up with 300 million. If you have cable, satellite or a digital tuner you will not be affected. The FM issue is a silly red herring of course, but at least get your number vaguely right. Using a first approximation of the population of this country seems reasonable to me. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2009, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-getting-tv-over-the-air-anymore-fuck-you/484677/64 "2009-02-06T19:56:20Z")
> [@Captain\_Carrot](#): > > Using a first approximation of the population of this country seems reasonable to me. Not really it shows an ignorance of the switch-over and what it entails. It does not affect most Americans. It affects millions but nowhere close to 100% of Americans. > [@](#): > > [The Nielsen Co. estimates that more than 6.5 million](http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hlGcM0ZxYV5dDtZR_9xfCPZnkFaAD9651Q880)U.S. households that rely on analog TV sets to pick up over-the-air broadcast signals still are not ready. People who subscribe to cable or satellite TV or have a newer TV with a digital tuner will not be affected. ---
**Author:** ![Bridget\_Burke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7cd45c/32.png) [@Bridget\_Burke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bridget_Burke)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2009, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-getting-tv-over-the-air-anymore-fuck-you/484677/65 "2009-02-06T20:05:10Z")
> [@Boozahol\_Squid\_P.I](#): > > I really can’t understand the vitriol people are working themselves up to about this. This is not like the government’s rolling back fucking free cone day at Ben and Jerry’s. What massive improvement in your life is going to happen the day they switch off the old broadcasting waves? Do you really have some gigantic interest in the airwaves being freed up by mid February? > > -note- I have cable. This issue means jack shit to me, other than than my continued incredulity in how worked up people get towards dalliers to the switch-over. Yeah, we haven’t been given enough specific examples of the wonderful benefits we’ll all enjoy as a result of the big switch. I read SF! Do we need the bandwidth for communication between our air cars? I wish they’d try to get me excited. I’ve got cable, too–but only one line. Will probably see about cable for the kitchen TV–it’s a one-time thing & not expensive. But that TV has a built-in VHS & I’ve got some pretty good tapes, although I’m not buying new ones. So, no rush. (I wrote in for a coupon, but am on the waiting list.) However, I \*will \*buy a converter box before hurricane season. Ike knocked out my power for less than 24 hours; I was lucky. But my Comcast cable & internet was out for a week. Our local stations were doing hurricane & recovery news 24/7. ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2009, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-getting-tv-over-the-air-anymore-fuck-you/484677/66 "2009-02-06T20:06:20Z")
> [@Windwalker](#): > > TV has some notable societal value in that for a lot of people, it’s their primary news source. I’m not saying that’s a good thing, but I imagine that if they suddenly didn’t have TV, a decent portion of them would not turn to other media for their news. So you could argue that the government does have a legitimate purpose in trying not to lower the informed-ness level of the populace. Not quite. Suggest rewrite: TV has some notable social-engineering value in that it is the primary delivery system for official propaganda. You could argue that the government, and more importantly the multinational conglomerates who set their agenda, have a legitimate fear of losing this powerful tool. The changeover will not be approved until propaganda delivery can be assured to all but a meaningless fraction of the population. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2009, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-getting-tv-over-the-air-anymore-fuck-you/484677/67 "2009-02-06T20:08:27Z")
> [@Cervaise](#): > > Not quite. Suggest rewrite: > > TV has some notable social-engineering value in that it is the primary delivery system for official propaganda. You could argue that the government, and more importantly the multinational conglomerates who set their agenda, have a legitimate fear of losing this powerful tool. The changeover will not be approved until propaganda delivery can be assured to all but a meaningless fraction of the population. Dude. Fox News is on cable. ---
**Author:** ![Fish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/bc8723/32.png) [@Fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fish)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2009, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-getting-tv-over-the-air-anymore-fuck-you/484677/68 "2009-02-06T20:27:38Z")
I’m one of the ones who relies upon non-digital broadcast airwaves. No cable, no satellite. Absolutely depend on broadcast. I do not have a cable box, and I have not bestirred myself to obtain a coupon. However, the Nielsen people can kiss my ass. I don’t watch a single minute of broadcast TV. Sure, I “rely upon it” for any TV broadcasts I might choose to watch, if I did, but I don’t, so fuck 'em. ---
**Author:** ![Rushgeekgirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rushgeekgirl/32/3715_2.png) [@Rushgeekgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rushgeekgirl)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2009, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-getting-tv-over-the-air-anymore-fuck-you/484677/69 "2009-02-06T20:28:44Z")
> [@duffer](#): > > Before you come up with the excuse that it’s too much money for some, let me remind you it’s a budgeted amount of less than $2 per month. I defy anyone to find one person that can’t swing that. > > Now we’re apparently going to wait until June to make the switch. Who the fuck thinks the lazy assholes that waited this long are going to get off their asses off the couch by then? Well… This lazy asshole \*might \*have one by then. I’ll be getting my tax rebate soon, and that’s one of the things we plan to do with it. I was lucky enough to get a converter coupon but it expired before I was able to get my two. I was on a list at one store but they never called, and the K/Wal stores never had them when we got a chance to check and had the extra to cover what the coupons don’t. I just haven’t the time between my daughter’s three therapy sessions a week and all the other crap that goes with having an autistic kid. If I don’t get them, oh well. I would LIKE to be able to watch television but I have more important things to worry about. I promise I won’t start a thread bitching about not having television if the switch happens before I get my converter! How’s that? I have a feeling the people who don’t have their TVs digital-ready are NOT the lazy assholes on their couches. The lazy couch potatoes were probably the first to grab theirs. Me personally? I don’t even own a couch. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2009, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-getting-tv-over-the-air-anymore-fuck-you/484677/70 "2009-02-06T21:14:08Z")
> [@Fish](#): > > Absolutely depend on broadcast…\…I don’t watch a single minute of broadcast TV. Uh, what? ---
**Author:** ![Fish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/bc8723/32.png) [@Fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fish)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2009, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-getting-tv-over-the-air-anymore-fuck-you/484677/71 "2009-02-06T21:20:14Z")
I’m suggesting that Nielsen’s estimates of “who depends on broadcast” may not jibe with “who watches broadcast.” By counting satellite subscribers, cable subscribers, and households you could come up with a reasonable estimate for the number of households whose only TV access is airwaves. It tells you nothing about who actually watches those airwaves. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2009, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-getting-tv-over-the-air-anymore-fuck-you/484677/72 "2009-02-06T21:22:06Z")
> [@acsenray](#): > > Dude. Fox News is on cable. The local affiliates, generally on UHF stations (remember when that meant something?), pick up a lot of their feeds, though. ---
**Author:** ![Dripping](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d2c977/32.png) [@Dripping](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dripping)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2009, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-getting-tv-over-the-air-anymore-fuck-you/484677/73 "2009-02-06T21:49:01Z")
All this hoopla and handwringing for…the idiot box? TV is NOT a necessity. If they were really so concerned with people having access to news and information, especially in an emergency, they would have spent the money ensuring that every single American household has a portable radio with battery backup. This isn’t about keeping the public informed, it’s about keeping the public firmly planted on their fat asses watching sitcoms and macdonalds commercials. No one “needs” TV.:rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2009, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-getting-tv-over-the-air-anymore-fuck-you/484677/74 "2009-02-06T21:58:37Z")
> [@Dripping](#): > > No one “needs” TV.:rolleyes: With everything so rush-rush these days, everybody needs to just relax sometimes. Relaxation has value. Vegging out in front of the TV doesn’t necessarily have to be a dumbed down experience, you could watch Nova or the news. Even while watching sitcoms you can learn something. And what about things like weather forecasts, presidential debates, natural disaster information? ---
**Author:** ![atomicbadgerrace](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8e7dd6/32.png) [@atomicbadgerrace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/atomicbadgerrace)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2009, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-getting-tv-over-the-air-anymore-fuck-you/484677/75 "2009-02-06T22:19:51Z")
> [@control-z](#): > > With everything so rush-rush these days, everybody needs to just relax sometimes. Relaxation has value. Vegging out in front of the TV doesn’t necessarily have to be a dumbed down experience, you could watch Nova or the news. Even while watching sitcoms you can learn something. Relaxation has value; and in this case, a cost of $40-$60. Sounds reasonable to me. > [@](#): > > And what about things like weather forecasts, presidential debates, natural disaster information? There clearly exists a huge overlap between “those who can not afford a converter box” and “those who have access to the internet,” as evidenced by this (and many past) thread. Similarly, I imagine there’s a huge overlap between “those who can not afford a converter box” and “those who have a radio.” If we’re going to use the argument that “a lot of people get important information via broadcast TV,” I’d be more interested in a seeing a number that represents how many people are not prepared for the transition _and_ do not have access to a radio, internet connection, or newspaper vs. how many people are not prepared for the transition, period. ---
**Author:** ![Dripping](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d2c977/32.png) [@Dripping](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dripping)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2009, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-getting-tv-over-the-air-anymore-fuck-you/484677/76 "2009-02-06T22:37:39Z")
> [@control-z](#): > > With everything so rush-rush these days, everybody needs to just relax sometimes. Relaxation has value. Vegging out in front of the TV doesn’t necessarily have to be a dumbed down experience, you could watch Nova or the news. In other words, TV is a luxury item that provides a relaxing form of entertainment. It is NOT a necessity. > [@control-z](#): > > and Even while watching sitcoms you can learn something. Like what, for instance? How to go totally braindead so you can be manipluated into buying junkfood and crap you don’t need? > [@control-z](#): > > And what about things like weather forecasts, presidential debates, natural disaster information? Those things are broadcast on the radio. And you can receive this information EVEN when the power is out, if your radio has backup power. Once again, if the gubmint is soooo concerned about people getting emergency information, they would be issuing coupons for free radios. Not TV converters. It would be interesting to see how much the advertising industry’s lobbyists had to do with this fiasco. ---
**Author:** ![foolsguinea](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foolsguinea/32/14751_2.png) [@foolsguinea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/foolsguinea)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2009, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-getting-tv-over-the-air-anymore-fuck-you/484677/77 "2009-02-06T23:11:38Z")
> [@Jophiel](#): > > The coupon program is extremely backed up, underfunded and has a waitlist of anywhere from one million to three million people depdning on which articles you read. > > If the government can’t hold up their end of the deal to provide the coupons prior to the switch, then delaying the switch is perfectly reasonable. This isn’t about people who just said “Huh? Digital?” last week; the coupon program has had issues for months now. In other words, we’re talking about people who were aware months ago about the switch and acted _then_ as you’d expect them to. Yeah, the first time I applied, I was told they were out of coupons–but then they apparently counted that as my chance to apply. So I applied again using the address of a neighbor-relative, & it took a few weeks for them to arrive. ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2009, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-getting-tv-over-the-air-anymore-fuck-you/484677/78 "2009-02-07T01:56:14Z")
It seems some people had a lot worse time getting a coupon than I did: I applied for one in early December of last year (as I recall, I could be wrong) and I got mine in the middle of January. Radio Shack in Great Falls had the model I wanted (Zenith DTT901, one of the few with analog pass-through\*) so I had a converter box in my hot little hands on January 20th. There was a bit of a wait but there was no hint of a problem. \*(Analog pass-through means you can hook up a coax cable from the box to the set and an analog signal will pass to the set unmolested. This is a good idea if you intend to hook up the box early and keep watching analog TV until the switchover and/or if you’re in a region where repeater or Canadian stations will be broadcasting analog signals after the switchover. I fall under both categories.) ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2009, 4:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-getting-tv-over-the-air-anymore-fuck-you/484677/79 "2009-02-07T04:58:34Z")
> [@Dripping](#): > > Like what, for instance? How to go totally braindead so you can be manipluated into buying junkfood and crap you don’t need? What’s so difficult about learning, even from sitcoms? Just watch and listen. Gleaned from shows on my Tivo: **Curb Your Enthusiasm:** Single Orthodox Jewish women can’t be alone with a man after sunset. You also are supposed to bury plates that were used for non-kosher food or practices; you can’t mix meat and dairy foods. **Seinfeld:** There’s a plastic surgery procedure called an “eye job” Poppy seeds can supposedly make you fail a drug test. Kenny Rogers has a chain of restaurants. David Berkowitz (“Son of Sam”) was a postal worker. Even **Married With Children:** Ken Hubbs and Ernie Banks were Chicago Cubs baseball players, regarded by some as two of the best nine of all time. ---
**Author:** ![Jaglavak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/85f322/32.png) [@Jaglavak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jaglavak)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2009, 4:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-getting-tv-over-the-air-anymore-fuck-you/484677/80 "2009-02-07T04:58:45Z")
Another vote for an amplified antenna. [This](http://www.channelmasterintl.com/terr/STEALTHtenna.html)unit drags in 26 channels from my suburb. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-getting-tv-over-the-air-anymore-fuck-you/484677.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-getting-tv-over-the-air-anymore-fuck-you/484677.md?page=5)