# The End of (Analog) TV **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 8, 2009, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-end-of-analog-tv/499113 "2009-06-08T17:28:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2009, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-end-of-analog-tv/499113/41 "2009-06-14T05:16:18Z")
As I’m significantly younger than you, in the right mindset seeing stations disappear might seem like a real apocalypse, as in WWIII. There are few times when I would want a customer service job. Yesterday afternoon was one, especially if I didn’t care to hold the job for, at most, one hour. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2009, 5:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-end-of-analog-tv/499113/42 "2009-06-14T05:53:32Z")
> [@Wile\_E](#): > > I’ve been noticing that I have to turn up the volume more than usual for the shows, the commercials are still too loud. That may be addressed through legislation. According to yesterday’s [Wall Street Journal](http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124475706604107803.html), “A bill sponsored by U.S. Rep. Anna Eshoo (D., Calif.) would require the U.S. Federal Communications Commission to ‘preclude commercials from being broadcast at louder volumes than the program material they accompany.’” ---
**Author:** ![SanibelMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e4f/32.png) [@SanibelMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanibelMan)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2009, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-end-of-analog-tv/499113/43 "2009-06-14T14:37:45Z")
> [@squeegee](#): > > I don’t know what the solution is, but this is what would happen if you took only the front two/main channels of a surround (5.1 channel) broadcast. You’re missing the center channel, which is where all the dialog happens. Its most likely a problem either in the setup of the converter box, or how you cabled the converter’s output to your television. I was able to fix it by switching the converter box from stereo to mono. It’s a crap, hand-me-down TV, so I’m not too unhappy about the loss of stereo sound. ---
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2009, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-end-of-analog-tv/499113/44 "2009-06-14T15:32:46Z")
The age of the deceased was not obtainable at presstime; various birthdates have been given including 1925, '26, '28, '31, '33, '36, '39, '41, and '48. ---
**Author:** ![Pushkin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ee59a6/32.png) [@Pushkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pushkin)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2009, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-end-of-analog-tv/499113/45 "2009-06-14T16:43:26Z")
I still have to wait until 2012 for our analog/digital switchover, the most and least important parts of the UK (London and NI respectively) wait till last 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2009, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-end-of-analog-tv/499113/46 "2009-06-15T16:34:35Z")
Ok, I recanned all my channels, and I get everything fine except the digital channel for our local ABC affiliate. Or rather, about 10% of the time I get a strong (80-90) signal, and the other 90% of the time, the signal strength is zero. What the heck is causing the signal to be so intermittent? ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2009, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-end-of-analog-tv/499113/47 "2009-06-15T21:02:56Z")
In Chicago, [Weigel Broadcasting](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weigel_Broadcasting) has gone completely nuts over digital OTA TV. First, they added [This TV,](http://www.chicagotribune.com/la-fi-ct-thistv15-2009jun15,0,2584441.story?&obref=obnetwork) a joint venture with MGM, bringing its total station list to 23.1, 23.2 (simulcast of 23.1), 26.1, 26.2 (simulcast of 23.1), 26.3 (simulcast of 48.1), 26.4, 26.6, and 48.1. Friday they added six more stations to 23.x and 26.5, all advertising what is apparently a partner for This TV called That. I get some of the new ones poorly, so I suspect they are either still operating at low power or are directed away from me. (Is it true digital is more directional than analog?) In the mean time, the analog 23 and 48 are low-power, so they are still broadcasting. In addition to the regular programming, WMAQ and WGN are simulcasting some of their news shows on 23 for people who haven’t made the switch. ---
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2009, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-end-of-analog-tv/499113/48 "2009-06-15T21:50:41Z")
My daughter’s having fits. They lost ABC over the weekend plus another couple of channels, new ones that they started getting when they first hooked up the converter box. Her boyfriend bought a better antenna but that didn’t help. Boyfriend is very tech-savvy, so it’s surprising he can’t figure it out. She misses _Laredo_, had quite the crush on Neville Brand. ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2009, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-end-of-analog-tv/499113/49 "2009-06-15T22:09:46Z")
My reception is so crappy I want to kill somebody. DocCathode no function well television without. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2009, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-end-of-analog-tv/499113/50 "2009-06-16T01:10:13Z")
> [@AuntiePam](#): > > She misses _Laredo_, had quite the crush on Neville Brand. While I miss _Laredo_ (haven’t seen it for 40 years), I don’t think the infinite monkeys typing “Hamlet” ever strung those last seven words together. Neville Brand? Some people will be happy when MGM/Weigel attack their airwaves. _Rawhide, Have Gun Will Travel_, and the early B&W _Gunsmoke_ are there for free. And usually without syndication cuts. ---
**Author:** ![SeaDragonTattoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@SeaDragonTattoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SeaDragonTattoo)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2009, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-end-of-analog-tv/499113/51 "2009-06-16T01:49:47Z")
I guess I’m feeling lucky. I re-scanned on Saturday, and reception is exactly the same. I’m about 4 miles north of Sears Tower, by the lake. Because of all the “THAT” channels, broadcasting the static screen about “THAT” coming soon, my scanned OTA channels jumped to 40. I’ll be deleting about 18 of them! ---
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2009, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-end-of-analog-tv/499113/52 "2009-06-16T02:00:04Z")
> [@dropzone](#): > > While I miss _Laredo_ (haven’t seen it for 40 years), I don’t think the infinite monkeys typing “Hamlet” ever strung those last seven words together. Neville Brand? I’m not kidding. The last time she crushed like this it was Shaun Cassidy and she was in 7th grade. Now she’s waiting for a station to rerun The Untouchables so she can see him as Al Capone. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-end-of-analog-tv/499113.md?page=2)