# Yeah, diggggggggg..... it.... al television... is gggggreat. **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [June 7, 2009, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yeah-diggggggggg-it-al-television-is-gggggreat/498976 "2009-06-07T02:15:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Tripler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripler/32/21807_2.png) [@Tripler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tripler)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2009, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yeah-diggggggggg-it-al-television-is-gggggreat/498976/1 "2009-06-07T02:15:01Z")
My wife and I have two households, due to me being in school down in Florida. For a few months now, we’ve each cut back on our expenses, to include watching only over-the-air television. Hey, we _like_ PBS. So, we’re watttttttttching the Detroit/Pittsburgh gggg g g g g game tonight over the local cc ch ch ch ch channel, and for the l l l lllllllife of meeeeeee e e e I cannot figure out wh wh whooooo decided this would be a g g g goooooood idea. I swear this is a con con con con con . . . . . . pira. . . cy to make _everyone_ sw sw switch over to cable or satellite. :: no signal :: What a crock of shit. I mean, we’ll be watching the game, and fifteen seconds after the second goal, we saw the second goal–the damn converter/signal/fuckin’ FCC broadcast locked up. If you’re still watching over the air, I’m su su sure you kn kn know what I mean. :: no signal:: ``` :: no signal :: [RIGHT]:: no signal ::[/RIGHT] ``` Goddamned government. Fuckin’ everything up just for more commercial interests. There wasn’t a damn thing wrong with the old system. And yes, I know the bandwidth of the digital signal is much smaller than the old analog one, but look at the cost of upgrading all of the stations and televisions–is it really worth it? Tripler ::tin foil hat:: \<-- not for conspiracy theory, it’s for reception. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2009, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yeah-diggggggggg-it-al-television-is-gggggreat/498976/2 "2009-06-07T02:33:37Z")
What kind of an antenna are you using? ---
**Author:** ![Tripler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripler/32/21807_2.png) [@Tripler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tripler)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2009, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yeah-diggggggggg-it-al-television-is-gggggreat/498976/3 "2009-06-07T02:49:31Z")
Rabbit ears, because you know darn well nobody wires houses for an on-the-roof antenna anymore. We’ve got those new converter boxes between the antenna and TV. I have to ask, aren’t there some serious bucks made on those boxes? Unnecessary modification, with money going to companies for unnecessary hardware. Someone’s palms are getting greased, and I’d like to know who. . . Tripler . . . and be able to watch TV clearly, without the sk sk sk skipping again. :mad: ---
**Author:** ![Vlad\_Igor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/7feea3/32.png) [@Vlad\_Igor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Vlad_Igor)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2009, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yeah-diggggggggg-it-al-television-is-gggggreat/498976/4 "2009-06-07T03:22:15Z")
> [@Tripler](#): > > So, we’re watttttttttching the Detroit/Pittsburgh gggg g g g g game tonight over the local cc ch ch ch ch channel, and for the l l l lllllllife of meeeeeee e e e I cannot figure out wh wh whooooo decided this would be a g g g goooooood idea. I swear this is a con con con con con . . . . . . pira. . . cy to make _everyone_ sw sw switch over to cable or satellite. Max? Max Headroom? Is that you? ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2009, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yeah-diggggggggg-it-al-television-is-gggggreat/498976/5 "2009-06-07T03:32:16Z")
> [@Tripler](#): > > Rabbit ears Rabbit ears were designed for analogue signals. You can still use an indoor antenna, but it’s better if you use one that’s directional, and has been built to cater for digital signals. ---
**Author:** ![Pseudocode](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/59ef9b/32.png) [@Pseudocode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pseudocode)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2009, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yeah-diggggggggg-it-al-television-is-gggggreat/498976/6 "2009-06-07T03:39:37Z")
[Make your own hdtv antenna.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EWQhlmJTMzw) ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2009, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yeah-diggggggggg-it-al-television-is-gggggreat/498976/7 "2009-06-07T03:44:41Z")
There are several inexpensive [set-top antennas designed for DTV](http://www.google.com/products?q=%22dtv+antenna%22+indoor&price1=&price2=50.00&lnk=prsugg). ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Drake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Dr.Drake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Drake)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2009, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yeah-diggggggggg-it-al-television-is-gggggreat/498976/8 "2009-06-07T04:14:54Z")
Yeah, but they’re still crap. Our particular TV will not go to a channel if there is no signal. So I type in “5.1” and it refuses. I move the antenna, try again. Nope, no channel, won’t go there. Move the antenna again – maybe here? Hooray: crystal clarity. We’re learning which of the four antenna positions brings in which channels. 13 still only comes in on analog, though, so I guess we lose it next week unless they boost the signal. ---
**Author:** ![Cleophus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a88e57/32.png) [@Cleophus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cleophus)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2009, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yeah-diggggggggg-it-al-television-is-gggggreat/498976/9 "2009-06-07T04:39:11Z")
> [@GuanoLad](#): > > Rabbit ears were designed for analogue signals. You can still use an indoor antenna, but it’s better if you use one that’s directional, and has been built to cater for digital signals. There’s no such thing as a “digital” antenna outside of marketing, but there is a kernel of truth in what you said. Many DTV broadcasts are on UHF, so a loop or bowtie antenna is called for. Check out the [FCC’s page](http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/consumerfacts/dtvantennas.html) on getting better DTV reception. ---
**Author:** ![Hal\_Briston](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9a28c/32.png) [@Hal\_Briston](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hal_Briston)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2009, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yeah-diggggggggg-it-al-television-is-gggggreat/498976/10 "2009-06-07T17:22:48Z")
Judging by the thread title, I thought Thurl Ravenscroft was making some kind of comment on Digg. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2009, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yeah-diggggggggg-it-al-television-is-gggggreat/498976/11 "2009-06-07T23:16:27Z")
Alot of areas now are switching to digital only as well, I believe. (At least, they are around here). ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2009, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yeah-diggggggggg-it-al-television-is-gggggreat/498976/12 "2009-06-08T01:05:58Z")
My Hi-dollar freakin’ dish-network was doin the same. Ah, thats right. Its raining 1500 miles from here. :rolleyes: I _love_ PBS, by the way. ---
**Author:** ![BetsQ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/fbc32d/32.png) [@BetsQ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BetsQ)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2009, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yeah-diggggggggg-it-al-television-is-gggggreat/498976/13 "2009-06-08T02:43:35Z")
Yeah. Not a fan of the digital tv AT ALL. It sucks. Sure, there might be equipment that I can fiddle with to get a good signal, but you know what? If I were the sort of person who wanted to fiddle with equipment, I would probably have sprung for cable by now. I can’t even be bothered to remember how to use all of the remotes. I just get up and push the buttons on the tv. I want my analog! ---
**Author:** ![ivn1188](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e480ec/32.png) [@ivn1188](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivn1188)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2009, 5:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yeah-diggggggggg-it-al-television-is-gggggreat/498976/14 "2009-06-08T05:57:31Z")
I couldn’t agree more. I remember the good old days when we would send each other letters, and didn’t have to mess around with true-type fonts and video codecs. All this new technology just makes things worse, because of lobby groups and johnny-come-latelies who want things handed to them on a silver platter. We used to do all kinds of stuff like just dumping oil and antifreeze down the gutter, when we weren’t concerned with this “conservation” bullshit. And I remember when we had our god-given freedom to drive around without a seatbelt and drink a six-pack. Then we’d go out and feel up some broads, and they liked it! You’ve all got the internet, apparently. Hook your TV to your laptop and watch Hulu. ---
**Author:** ![Miss\_Woodhouse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/838e76/32.png) [@Miss\_Woodhouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miss_Woodhouse)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2009, 6:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yeah-diggggggggg-it-al-television-is-gggggreat/498976/15 "2009-06-08T06:30:40Z")
I’m with you. We get over the air tv. well, we will until the digital switch. The broadcast signal is perfectly fine for watching analog. There’s a bit of noise, but it hasn’t bothered us in the ten years we’ve been doing this. We attached a digital converter box. No stations. No tv at all. So basically, we have to put an antenna on our roof and get it to work to get the same tv we’ve always had. This means stringing coax cable down the side of our home, across the ceiling of the family room, down the wall of another room to even get it to the family room, etc. or go without TV. We’re seriously considering going without altogether. It just doesn’t seem worth the trouble. ---
**Author:** ![dogbutler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dogbutler/32/428_2.png) [@dogbutler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dogbutler)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2009, 11:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yeah-diggggggggg-it-al-television-is-gggggreat/498976/16 "2009-06-08T11:58:16Z")
I I I cccaan’t get : no signal : ddigital PBS. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2009, 12:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yeah-diggggggggg-it-al-television-is-gggggreat/498976/17 "2009-06-08T12:38:53Z")
> [@ivn1188](#): > > I couldn’t agree more. I remember the good old days when we would send each other letters, and didn’t have to mess around with true-type fonts and video codecs. Yeah, I know, too bad they outlawed letters. ---
**Author:** ![MsWhatsit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb8c5e/32.png) [@MsWhatsit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsWhatsit)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2009, 12:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yeah-diggggggggg-it-al-television-is-gggggreat/498976/18 "2009-06-08T12:58:31Z")
> [@Miss\_Woodhouse](#): > > I’m with you. We get over the air tv. well, we will until the digital switch. The broadcast signal is perfectly fine for watching analog. There’s a bit of noise, but it hasn’t bothered us in the ten years we’ve been doing this. > > We attached a digital converter box. No stations. No tv at all. This is exactly what happened in our situation as well. ---
**Author:** ![Hodge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Hodge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hodge)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2009, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yeah-diggggggggg-it-al-television-is-gggggreat/498976/19 "2009-06-08T14:03:15Z")
> [@Miss\_Woodhouse](#): > > So basically, we have to put an antenna on our roof and get it to work to get the same tv we’ve always had. This means stringing coax cable down the side of our home, across the ceiling of the family room, down the wall of another room to even get it to the family room, etc. or go without TV. We’re seriously considering going without altogether. It just doesn’t seem worth the trouble. Why do people keep insisting they have to have rooftop antennas? Sure, that would be ideal, but it’s not necessary. Just get a proper UHF set-top antenna (~$40) or, better yet, build the one linked in the youtube video above (free, or very cheap if you have to buy a balun). I built one and get very good reception. ---
**Author:** ![MsWhatsit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb8c5e/32.png) [@MsWhatsit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsWhatsit)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2009, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yeah-diggggggggg-it-al-television-is-gggggreat/498976/20 "2009-06-08T14:21:37Z")
> [@Hodge](#): > > Why do people keep insisting they have to have rooftop antennas? Sure, that would be ideal, but it’s not necessary. Just get a proper UHF set-top antenna (~$40) or, better yet, build the one linked in the youtube video above (free, or very cheap if you have to buy a balun). I built one and get very good reception. We have a proper UHF set-top antenna. We get no digital reception with it. We haven’t tried the DIY setup from the YouTube video yet, although frankly if we’re going to put any effort into something at all, I think we’d just as rather go ahead and install the attic antenna. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yeah-diggggggggg-it-al-television-is-gggggreat/498976.md?page=2)