Tech Daily Dose: Martin Weighs In On DTV Delay http://techdailydose.nationaljournal.com/2009/01/martin-weighs-in-on-dtv-delay.php?rss=1 en Copyright 2010 Sun, 11 Jan 2009 01:00:36 GMT http://www.sixapart.com/movabletype/ http://www.rssboard.org/rss-specification Martin Weighs In On DTV Delay kjm.jpgDelaying the nation's Feb. 17 switchover from analog to digital television would lead to considerable consumer confusion and additional costs for the U.S. government and the private sector, FCC Chairman Kevin Martin warned during an interview at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas on Saturday. Earlier this week President-elect Barack Obama proposed pushing back the deadline and it was announced that the federal program to help subsidize the cost of converter boxes for analog TV sets had run out of money. "Ultimately this is up to Congress to decide," Martin told Tech Daily Dose. "But something needs to be done to make sure coupons [for converter boxes] are issued again." he said.

Senate Commerce Committee Chairman John (Jay) Rockefeller issued a statement Thursday saying Obama's team "deserves time to bring to order what has been an appallingly mismanaged process by the Bush administration" and he would support delaying the date "unit we can do it right." Ranking member Kay Bailey Hutchison, however, said it was too early to call for a delay and members should focus on the coupon shortage. Rep. Edward Markey, D-Mass., a senior member of the House Telecommunications and the Internet Subcommittee, said moving the date would involve significant logistical challenges but Congress should immediately consider the feasibility of Obama's proposal.

]]> http://techdailydose.nationaljournal.com/2009/01/martin-weighs-in-on-dtv-delay.php?rss=1 http://techdailydose.nationaljournal.com/2009/01/martin-weighs-in-on-dtv-delay.php?rss=1 Sun, 11 Jan 2009 01:00:36 GMT Roof Contractor Oklahoma City responded on November 3, 09 08:02 PM <div class="ad" style="float:right;margin: 0px, 0, 10, 10;"> <h6>Advertisement</h6> <a href="http://ad.doubleclick.net/jump/nationaljournalgroup/njonline;feature=techdailydose;series=techdailydose;medium=rss;sz=300x250,336x280;ord=144135035?" target="_blank"><img src="http://ad.doubleclick.net/ad/nationaljournalgroup/njonline;feature=techdailydose;series=techdailydose;medium=rss;sz=300x250,336x280;ord=144135035?" border="0" alt=""></a> </div> http://techdailydose.nationaljournal.com/2009/01/martin-weighs-in-on-dtv-delay.php?rss=1#1387829 http://techdailydose.nationaljournal.com/2009/01/martin-weighs-in-on-dtv-delay.php?rss=1#1387829 Wed, 04 Nov 2009 01:02:03 GMT illemBicy responded on October 28, 09 11:34 AM <div class="ad" style="float:right;margin: 0px, 0, 10, 10;"> <h6>Advertisement</h6> <a href="http://ad.doubleclick.net/jump/nationaljournalgroup/njonline;feature=techdailydose;series=techdailydose;medium=rss;sz=300x250,336x280;ord=144135035?" target="_blank"><img src="http://ad.doubleclick.net/ad/nationaljournalgroup/njonline;feature=techdailydose;series=techdailydose;medium=rss;sz=300x250,336x280;ord=144135035?" border="0" alt=""></a> </div> Google Biz Kit and haven't heard many things dealing with it....]]> http://techdailydose.nationaljournal.com/2009/01/martin-weighs-in-on-dtv-delay.php?rss=1#1383395 http://techdailydose.nationaljournal.com/2009/01/martin-weighs-in-on-dtv-delay.php?rss=1#1383395 Wed, 28 Oct 2009 15:34:16 GMT Jan S responded on January 17, 09 01:25 PM <div class="ad" style="float:right;margin: 0px, 0, 10, 10;"> <h6>Advertisement</h6> <a href="http://ad.doubleclick.net/jump/nationaljournalgroup/njonline;feature=techdailydose;series=techdailydose;medium=rss;sz=300x250,336x280;ord=144135035?" target="_blank"><img src="http://ad.doubleclick.net/ad/nationaljournalgroup/njonline;feature=techdailydose;series=techdailydose;medium=rss;sz=300x250,336x280;ord=144135035?" border="0" alt=""></a> </div> And come Spring and the new deadline, it'll be, "There's a shortage of roof antennas! My installer can't come out for a week! Where's my government coupon for a free antenna? I'm not ready!"

There will always be people who aren't ready, people who want the government to pay for everything, and people who think we shouldn't make any kind of change until every possible objection has been overcome. We've already delayed the transition a number of times for a number of years because of people like that. 

Just make the switch. People will adjust. They'll whine, because that's what people do, but they'll adjust. Just do it and get it over with.

...]]> http://techdailydose.nationaljournal.com/2009/01/martin-weighs-in-on-dtv-delay.php?rss=1#1255723 http://techdailydose.nationaljournal.com/2009/01/martin-weighs-in-on-dtv-delay.php?rss=1#1255723 Sat, 17 Jan 2009 18:25:02 GMT ncprius2 responded on January 11, 09 03:20 PM <div class="ad" style="float:right;margin: 0px, 0, 10, 10;"> <h6>Advertisement</h6> <a href="http://ad.doubleclick.net/jump/nationaljournalgroup/njonline;feature=techdailydose;series=techdailydose;medium=rss;sz=300x250,336x280;ord=144135035?" target="_blank"><img src="http://ad.doubleclick.net/ad/nationaljournalgroup/njonline;feature=techdailydose;series=techdailydose;medium=rss;sz=300x250,336x280;ord=144135035?" border="0" alt=""></a> </div> So a delay is wise because as the study mentions, anyone past 35 miles will probably need a decent outdoor antenna, possibly with a rotor to have any chance at all. So it would make sense to delay until Summer when re-runs start and weather is nice for roof climbing. If the switch happens Feb 17,  lots of folks with converter boxes will still not get viewable signals: not getting tv-news and weather is a valid public safety issue.

...]]> http://techdailydose.nationaljournal.com/2009/01/martin-weighs-in-on-dtv-delay.php?rss=1#1217096 http://techdailydose.nationaljournal.com/2009/01/martin-weighs-in-on-dtv-delay.php?rss=1#1217096 Sun, 11 Jan 2009 20:20:33 GMT responded on January 11, 09 03:20 PM <div class="ad" style="float:right;margin: 0px, 0, 10, 10;"> <h6>Advertisement</h6> <a href="http://ad.doubleclick.net/jump/nationaljournalgroup/njonline;feature=techdailydose;series=techdailydose;medium=rss;sz=300x250,336x280;ord=144135035?" target="_blank"><img src="http://ad.doubleclick.net/ad/nationaljournalgroup/njonline;feature=techdailydose;series=techdailydose;medium=rss;sz=300x250,336x280;ord=144135035?" border="0" alt=""></a> </div> So a delay is wise because as the study mentions, anyone past 35 miles will probably need a decent outdoor antenna, possibly with a rotor to have any chance at all. So it would make sense to delay until Summer when re-runs start and weather is nice for roof climbing. If the switch happens Feb 17,  lots of folks with converter boxes will still not get viewable signals: not getting tv-news and weather is a valid public safety issue.

...]]> http://techdailydose.nationaljournal.com/2009/01/martin-weighs-in-on-dtv-delay.php?rss=1#1217095 http://techdailydose.nationaljournal.com/2009/01/martin-weighs-in-on-dtv-delay.php?rss=1#1217095 Sun, 11 Jan 2009 20:20:00 GMT ncprius2 responded on January 11, 09 03:18 PM <div class="ad" style="float:right;margin: 0px, 0, 10, 10;"> <h6>Advertisement</h6> <a href="http://ad.doubleclick.net/jump/nationaljournalgroup/njonline;feature=techdailydose;series=techdailydose;medium=rss;sz=300x250,336x280;ord=144135035?" target="_blank"><img src="http://ad.doubleclick.net/ad/nationaljournalgroup/njonline;feature=techdailydose;series=techdailydose;medium=rss;sz=300x250,336x280;ord=144135035?" border="0" alt=""></a> </div> We NEED a delay until spring or summer for a reason I've not seen:
An outdoor antenna might be a pain to setup in in late winter (in Feb), but many more folks will be willing to help poor and elderly get one in Spring or Summer.  A considerable number of folks will get NO reliable signals without one: a lot more than the 7% guesstimate in vogue for OTA (over the air) users.

To get an idea of the number, see quotes below are from famously ignored Centris study http://broadcastengineering.com/hdtv/DTV-wont-live-up-to-promises20080212/

"75 percent or more of OTA TV households rely on set-top antennas."
"The study showed little continuous coverage beyond 35mi. " That is, indoor antennas that give viewable analog signal cannot give a steady DTV signal for anyone over 35 miles out, which is lots of folks, like me at 42 miles.


The hdtv forums are full of folks like me that are more than 35 miles out and having a heck of time getting signals that won't fall off the digitial cliff. I've tried silver-sensor, a big uhf-vhf in the attic, amplifiers, etc. I am an electronics tech and I've used all the advice on aiming etc. Still no go: wind blows and multipath makes signal pixelate: the frustration level gets very high very quickly.

So a delay is wise because as the study mentions, anyone past 35 miles will probably need a decent outdoor antenna, possibly with a rotor to have any chance at all. So it would make sense to delay until Summer when re-runs start and weather is nice for roof climbing. If the switch happens Feb 17,  lots of folks with converter boxes will still not get viewable signals: not getting tv-news and weather is a valid public safety issue. A working system is being broken for lots of folks, and a non-working replacement is not right.

...]]> http://techdailydose.nationaljournal.com/2009/01/martin-weighs-in-on-dtv-delay.php?rss=1#1217093 http://techdailydose.nationaljournal.com/2009/01/martin-weighs-in-on-dtv-delay.php?rss=1#1217093 Sun, 11 Jan 2009 20:18:23 GMT