# Will we have to trah our TV's? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 10, 2000, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-we-have-to-trah-our-tvs/8510 "2000-03-10T21:03:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Brian\_White](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@Brian\_White](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brian_White)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2000, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-we-have-to-trah-our-tvs/8510/1 "2000-03-10T21:03:00Z")
Someone recently told me that by the year 2007,we’ll all have to buy new televisions, because the FCC or some other sinister government entity is going to change to High Definition Broadcasts only,and our current TV’s won’t be able to pick up the signal!Is this true? Will we really have to trash our current TV’s? Why hasn’t such a momentous event been more publicized? Or is this a bunch of hooey? He’p me,Unc’a Cec’a! ---
**Author:** ![Padeye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@Padeye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Padeye)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2000, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-we-have-to-trah-our-tvs/8510/2 "2000-03-10T21:16:00Z")
You may have to switch sooner than that but don’t throw out your analog set just yet. You’ll be able to buy a separate reciever that will convert the digital signal to one usable by your analog, NTSC standard TV. I wouln’t want to buy a new TV now. An analog set won’t have a long enough useful life to be a good buy and digital ready sets are still far too expensive. I saw a digital/HDTV demo last night at the local PBS station in Phoenix when I was there for the pledge drive. Cool stuff and incredible picture but still way too pricey for me to want to be an early adopter. ---
**Author:** ![Sofa\_King](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/58956e/32.png) [@Sofa\_King](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sofa_King)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2000, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-we-have-to-trah-our-tvs/8510/3 "2000-03-10T21:18:00Z")
Yes, I believe it is true. In order to keep using that $1500 41" Mitsubishi you just took a second mortgage on, you’ll have to drop another twenty bucks or so for a digital to analog converter. Of course, it will look like shit, as you’ll only be able to see about one tenth of the resolution that HDTV can display. But it likely won’t look any worse than it does now. ---
**Author:** ![TheNerd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/858c86/32.png) [@TheNerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheNerd)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2000, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-we-have-to-trah-our-tvs/8510/4 "2000-03-10T23:42:00Z")
$20? yeah right. My completely baseless guess as to cost of HDTV-\>NTSC converter: $125. Heck, let’s make it an even $150. ---
**Author:** ![emarkp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/3be4f8/32.png) [@emarkp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/emarkp)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2000, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-we-have-to-trah-our-tvs/8510/5 "2000-03-11T00:00:00Z")
$150? Last I saw something about this in the news, the cheapest converters ran about $300. ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2000, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-we-have-to-trah-our-tvs/8510/6 "2000-03-11T00:33:00Z")
First, I looked for a HDTV locally & no one sells them. Second, if they did, according to the web they would be $7,000 for the cheapest, up to $17,000. ha! Newsflash, I bought a new tv the other day & it’s not HDTV either. ---
**Author:** ![ASPA](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b19c9b/32.png) [@ASPA](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ASPA)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2000, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-we-have-to-trah-our-tvs/8510/7 "2000-03-11T00:52:00Z")
hUH? Why not get a fallen branch and wait for somebody to put their old black and white tv set by the trash shoot, for whomever may want it. Get it. Then, like me, you’ll have both a perfectly good tv and a log. ---
**Author:** ![ASPA](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b19c9b/32.png) [@ASPA](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ASPA)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2000, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-we-have-to-trah-our-tvs/8510/8 "2000-03-11T01:02:00Z")
I’m not sure if appreciate state-of-the-art demands for home-TV and home entertainment systems, but why not just get a fallen branch and grab an old black and white tv set waiting by any trash shoot (for whomever may want it). Then, like me, you’ll have both the tv AND a log. ---
**Author:** ![ASPA](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b19c9b/32.png) [@ASPA](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ASPA)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2000, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-we-have-to-trah-our-tvs/8510/9 "2000-03-11T01:04:00Z")
I’m not sure if this appreciates state-of-the-art demands for home-TV and home entertainment systems, but why not just get a fallen branch and grab an old black and white tv set waiting by any trash shoot (for whomever may want it). Then, like me, you’ll have both the tv AND a log. ---
**Author:** ![ASPA](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b19c9b/32.png) [@ASPA](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ASPA)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2000, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-we-have-to-trah-our-tvs/8510/10 "2000-03-11T01:06:00Z")
I’m not sure if this appreciates state-of-the-art supplies and demands for home-entertainment systems, but why not just get a fallen branch and grab an old black and white tv set waiting by any trash shoot (for whomever may want it). Then, like me, you’ll have both the tv AND a log. ---
**Author:** ![ASPA](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b19c9b/32.png) [@ASPA](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ASPA)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2000, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-we-have-to-trah-our-tvs/8510/11 "2000-03-11T01:07:00Z")
I’m not sure if this appreciates state-of-the-art supplies and demands for home-entertainment systems, but why not just get a fallen branch and grab an old black and white tv set waiting by any trash shoot (for whomever may want it). Then, like me, you’ll have both the tv AND a log. ---
**Author:** ![Cartooniverse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cartooniverse/32/3084_2.png) [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2000, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-we-have-to-trah-our-tvs/8510/12 "2000-03-11T03:13:00Z")
> [@](#): > > Originally posted by Sofa King: > **Of course, it will look like shit, as you’ll only be able to see about one tenth of the resolution that HDTV can display. But it likely won’t look any worse than it does now.** NTSC Standard is 525 lines. HDTV is floating in the 1125-1175 range. Hardly 10% of the image of High Definition TV. Cartooniverse * * * If you want to kiss the sky, you’d better learn how to kneel. ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2000, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-we-have-to-trah-our-tvs/8510/13 "2000-03-11T16:05:00Z")
ASPA, there is a delete post & edit post button icon you can use… Circuit City said VHS is only 240 lines resolution. So, you’ll be watching 240 line resolution on 600 line tv. Course you can get more lines with dvd but then you can’t record to it. But images go pretty fast too, so I don’t think anyone really notices that the resolution is better unless specificially instructed to look at that. ---
**Author:** ![Doug\_Bowe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/df788c/32.png) [@Doug\_Bowe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doug_Bowe)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2000, 6:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-we-have-to-trah-our-tvs/8510/14 "2000-03-12T06:35:00Z")
I am helping a local PBS pledge drive, too. It was mentioned that they need to raise enough money to support a high definition platform by 2003. By 2006 they need to be fully operational in their HDTV mode because the analog frequencies (2 to 13)will be retired and used for other purposes in this country. I suppose you could always sell your old set in a foreign market. ---
**Author:** ![Padeye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@Padeye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Padeye)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2000, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-we-have-to-trah-our-tvs/8510/15 "2000-03-11T19:21:00Z")
> [@](#): > > Originally posted by handy: > **Circuit City said VHS is only 240 lines resolution. So, you’ll be watching 240 line resolution on 600 line tv. Course you can get more lines with dvd but then you can’t record to it.** Don’t confuse scan lines with lines of resolution. As Cartooniverse said NTSC is 525 horizontal scan lines no matter what the source, broadcast, VHS, Super VHS, Hi8, DVD or satellite. Resolution is usually measured in the number of light and dark **vertical** stripes that can be displayed before it turns to mushy gray. A good analog broadcast signal can beat VHS. A quality monitor with an s-video or component video input can easily display 400 lines or more from DVD, Hi8 or S-VHS input. ---
**Author:** ![Michael\_Masterson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/53a042/32.png) [@Michael\_Masterson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Michael_Masterson)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2000, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-we-have-to-trah-our-tvs/8510/16 "2000-03-11T20:25:00Z")
In the year 2003 cable companies have to have High Definition lines availible to their customers. In the year 2007 (yes) it all switches over to HD. By that time the converter will be free. So you will be able to use your old tv. This resolution stuff you guys are spoutin in nonsense. Lets talk about pixels. Your regular tv displays roughly 100,000 pixels, digital tv is 200,000 pixels, and HDTV goes to a whopping 3,000,000 pixels. Companies like HBO are working hard right now to convert their massive movie libraries to HD, but the best they can make some of the movies is say 800,000 pixels. The HDTV will get better, and drop in price over the nest few years. Besides you can’t utilize all those pixels due to the broadcasts (you picture will look about twice as good though). HDTV is cool, and you wont want your old tv when you see it, it’s like seeing something on tv as though you actually there. * * * ~-MCM-~ ---
**Author:** ![ZenBeam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/3ab097/32.png) [@ZenBeam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZenBeam)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2000, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-we-have-to-trah-our-tvs/8510/17 "2000-03-12T04:18:00Z")
I’ve read they’ve canceled the 2006 cut-off for phasing out regular braodcasts. The new criteria is when 80 percent of households have HDTV. You could buy an HDTV-ready TV. I’ve seen ads for them for about $4,000. From what I can tell from the ads, they have the high resolution of HDTV, but still have the 4:3 aspect ratio. To receive HDTV, you would then need to buy an HDTV tuner. I’ve also read that any HDTV you buy now may _also_ become obsolete soon. :rolleyes: Apparently, they are still trying to work out some encryption details with the motion picture studios. * * * _It is too clear, and so it is hard to see._ ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2000, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-we-have-to-trah-our-tvs/8510/18 "2000-03-12T15:55:00Z")
From [howstuffworks.com](http://howstuffworks.com): 'DVD will look better on HDTV sets, but you will not get the highest resolution possible. DVD video does not really support HDTV, since DVD was developed before HDTV. DVD’s MPEG-2 video resolutions and frame rates are very similar to NTSC formats. However, DVD can use the 16:9 aspect ratio of an HDTV set. Eventually the DVD-Video format will be upgraded to an “HD-DVD” format. If you buy one of today’s DVD players, it will not be able to play HDTV discs when they come out. ’ 'The least expensive way to see HDTV shows right now is to buy an HDTV converter for your current analog TV. However, the HDTV shows you see will look no better than DVD on your analog TV – you will get none of the resolution and format benefits of a real HDTV set. ’ ---
**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2000, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-we-have-to-trah-our-tvs/8510/19 "2000-03-12T16:35:00Z")
When TV stations must be HDTV compliant depends on where you live. In the top 10 TV markets they already must be broadcasting in HDTV. However NYC and Chgo got exempt because they have high buildings and must build even higher transmitters. The next top 50 markets must be ready by 2003. Then the list goes on till 2008 when all TV markets must be HDTV. However there is much concern as the HDTV system adopted by the USA seems to be inferior to the Japanese and European system (this is open to debate though). Already in the larger markets your regular TV stations are broadcasting on two frequencies. The TV channel and the DTV channel. Then the plan is in 2008 the TV channel will go bye bye. So you see not only will your TVs swich but most of your channels will change to UHF as well. (there are a few DTV stations that retain VHF channels) ---
**Author:** ![egkelly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/db5fbb/32.png) [@egkelly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/egkelly)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2000, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-we-have-to-trah-our-tvs/8510/20 "2000-03-13T14:27:00Z")
How long will I be able to continue to use my 1947 B&W Crosley (9") TV? I like the look of 1940’s furniture and appliances, and I don’t want to spoil the look of my living room! [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-we-have-to-trah-our-tvs/8510.md?page=2)