Goodbye to DS on Broadcast TV in 2009?

[Darren Gross]

That goes without saying, Buzz.

But analog antennna reception is beyond atrocious, and a joke, frankly.

The point is, if you actually love television, and seriously watch it, then I highly doubt you're watching it with rabbit ears.

If you don't care about television, at least enough to pay for even basic cable, to get any kind of tolerable picture, or are using your TV solely as a monitor to watch your VHS tapes and DVDs, then I doubt it'd cause you that much distress if the over the air reception just snapped off 3 years from now.

[rainingwolf]

That goes without saying, Buzz.

But analog antennna reception is beyond atrocious, and a joke, frankly.

The point is, if you actually love television, and seriously watch it, then I highly doubt you're watching it with rabbit ears.

If you don't care about television, at least enough to pay for even basic cable, to get any kind of tolerable picture, or are using your TV solely as a monitor to watch your VHS tapes and DVDs, then I doubt it'd cause you that much distress if the over the air reception just snapped off 3 years from now.

---Umm, unless like me, you live in an apartment where the landlord REFUSES to allow either cable or DISHtv--I'm stuck with rabbit ears, hate it, but we are not the only ones in this situation. There are more landlords than just ours who feel this way--it sucks, but it is reality.

[Brandon Collins]

I have heard of the conditions that rainingwolf speaks of. That is happening around my area as well, and a few of my friends have experienced it upon moving out. And, for the first few years after we moved (a number of years ago, mind you) we had satellite but our service did not offer our local channels, so we had to use the rabbit ears to catch out favorite programs on network television.

And thanks also to Buzz for posting that article. After I thought about it I didn't think that everyone would have to convert to HD, and it made more sense to me to cut the rabbit ear transmissions. There's no way they could try to convert everyone to HD against their will--the gov't would be marched on in a heartbeat!

Still unsure about just how much the FCC rules over cable television. I understand that they have some regulations, I knew that before, but I don't think they stretch too far, though if I'm not mistaken there are a number of pesky lobbist groups out there trying to change all that.

[Mysterious Benefactor]

I don't think they stretch too far, though if I'm not mistaken there are a number of pesky lobbist groups out there trying to change all that.

They have been. But I suspect they *might* not get very far now that the balance of power has changed in Congress. However, several of the new members are "conservative" Democrats, so who knows? 

[Darren Gross]

---Umm, unless like me, you live in an apartment where the landlord REFUSES to allow either cable or DISHtv--I'm stuck with rabbit ears, hate it, but we are not the only ones in this situation. There are more landlords than just ours who feel this way--it sucks, but it is reality.

Now that's bad. I've heard of landlords that won't allow satellite dishes, but not cable before. In my state, you have to allow cable by law. I imagine that other cities and states will also force that requirement by 2009 then. You might want to look into that though, as he may be in defiance of the local laws.

If not there's www.uhaul.com

[Nancy]

What is the rationale for not allowing cable in an apartment complex?

Nancy

---Umm, unless like me, you live in an apartment where the landlord REFUSES to allow either cable or DISHtv

[Brian]

I live in an apartment complex (have been here for two years--and previously I lived in another apartment where we had the same cable/DTV systems), and we have cable TV (the cable is underground, and is of the fiber-optic kind), and some residents also have DTV satellite TV.  I see the dishes all around me.  Anyway, I have BrightHouse networks' digital cable TV, with HDTV and high-speed Road Runner internet service (@7MB/second), and the HD DVR from Scientific Atlantic.  It's a very good system.  As for older TV shows, the cable channels delivering the content should be able to convert them to the appropriate format for digital delivery (correct me if I am wrong, but I think the 2009 standards are not just about HD delivery, but are more about going digital!.  If that's not the whole story, then I think the HD delivery, if that's what is required, must be backwards compatible to analog --i.e., non-digital-- receivers).  FYI -  the DS DVDs are digital, so they should play just fine in the future.

On another note, we still have telephone landlines, that are analog, even though we have digital cell phones.  What a strange world:  first there was the telephone (and telegraph), both connected by wire;  then radio, over the airwaves;  then we got television, also over the airwaves;  then cable TV over wires;  and there is Satellite radio and TV, over -- well--  satellite transmissions (without wires).  Now we're back to cable transmssions for digital and HD TV (not to mention cable TV going back into the 60s).  Soon, we'll have HD and digital TV over the airwaves or satellites....what goes around comes around, I guess.  And who'a'ever'thunk we'd be watching a movie or TV shows on a plastic disc?

And wasn't DS originally taped via cameras in the studio that trasnmitted the sound and images over telephone wires to a remote location, like a truck or studio?

All very interesting, isn't it?

And one last question for Darren Gross....re HODS--if and when we see it on DVD will we get the full-screen picture we see on TCM and VHS cropped at 1.85:1 scale, or will there be additional picture information on both sides of the screen, as if the TCM and VHS versions were panned and scanned (with little or no actual P&S action)?

So many  comments, so little time.  LOL

Thanks,

Brian

[MsCriseyde]

If you don't care about television, at least enough to pay for even basic cable, to get any kind of tolerable picture, or are using your TV solely as a monitor to watch your VHS tapes and DVDs, then I doubt it'd cause you that much distress if the over the air reception just snapped off 3 years from now.

For the first three years that I lived in my current location, I didn't have cable because I couldn't afford it. I could get PBS and so-so NBC reception. I was blissfully unaware of Britney Spears and amazingly productive. Ah, the halcyon days.

Seriously, though, whether someone has cable, dish, or antenna reception isn't a matter of "caring." In many instances, it's a matter of money. My grandmother cares intensely about Dr. Phil and Oprah Winfrey, but she won't spring for cable. 

[Gerard]

Who on earth still watches TV using their antenna? Apart from my mother-in-law that is...

Um, anyone who doesn't have Cable or Satellite!   

Two of my friends, a married couple are both tenured professors at a university.  He's chairman of the department and even served as assistant dean.  They have neither, and use the rabbit ears, twisting, turning, holding, stretching, standing on one foot to try and watch a TV show through snow and scrambled lines.  I'm still trying to drag them into the eighties.

Gerard

[BuzzH]

The point is, if you actually love television, and seriously watch it, then I highly doubt you're watching it with rabbit ears.

Um, I never said I was, think you misunderstood my post.  You asked "who actually uses rabbit ears" and I answered that ppl w/out cable and/or dish do.  Never said I didn't have cable.  And, like others here have said, whether or not you have cable or dish, or not, has nothing to do w/how much you like TV.  

[BuzzH]

---Umm, unless like me, you live in an apartment where the landlord REFUSES to allow either cable or DISHtv--I'm stuck with rabbit ears

As Darren says, it's probably illegal for your landlord to refuse to let you have cable.  And frankly that's just BIZARRE that he/she won't let you get it.  What possible difference could it make to them and how would they even know if you had it?  A dish I can sorta understand because it has to be attached somehow to the building etc...but there's no logical reason for your landlord to say you can't have cable.  I'd take his suggestion and look into that.  They can't do that I'm sure nor can they evict you for getting it (or refuse to renew your lease either).   Anyway, I think most states allow for cable, especially in light of the fact that this changeover will happen in a little over 2 years and you may need to have one or the other to actually get a TV signal.

[Mary]

The point is, if you actually love television, and seriously watch it, then I highly doubt you're watching it with rabbit ears.

Well, I actually love television and seriously watch it and still have an antenna.

[Darren Gross]

Well, as long as you've all got some device to watch DS videos or DVDs on, its all good.

And if by either choice or economic reasons you're relegated to using rabbit ears to watch your favorite programs on the glass teat, then by all means, do so, and if you enjoy it, all the better.

[Darren Gross]

On another note, we still have telephone landlines, that are analog, even though we have digital cell phones.  What a strange world:  first there was the telephone (and telegraph), both connected by wire;  then radio, over the airwaves;  then we got television, also over the airwaves;  then cable TV over wires;  and there is Satellite radio and TV, over -- well--  satellite transmissions (without wires).  Now we're back to cable transmssions for digital and HD TV (not to mention cable TV going back into the 60s).  Soon, we'll have HD and digital TV over the airwaves or satellites....what goes around comes around, I guess.  And who'a'ever'thunk we'd be watching a movie or TV shows on a plastic disc?

And wasn't DS originally taped via cameras in the studio that trasnmitted the sound and images over telephone wires to a remote location, like a truck or studio?

All very interesting, isn't it?

And one last question for Darren Gross....re HODS--if and when we see it on DVD will we get the full-screen picture we see on TCM and VHS cropped at 1.85:1 scale, or will there be additional picture information on both sides of the screen, as if the TCM and VHS versions were panned and scanned (with little or no actual P&S action)?

So many  comments, so little time.  LOL

Hi Bri!

It is kind of besmusing to think that an antenna dish service could survive post-cable...Along the same lines, its interesting how we went from film soundtracks being recorded on a separate disc that had to be synced with the film projector, to sound on film, then back to sound on a separate disc for current DTS and other theatrical venues. Granted, a backup optical track is still left on the film as a failsafe, but it is funny how circular these things are...

re: HODS- If the transfer is done correctly (and there's no reason to think it wouldn't) then you'll see more imagery on the sides. Some TV broadcasts in the 70's and 80's of both films were made from 16mm and were shown open matte, which revealed boom mikes, floor marks etc. which were never intended to be seen. The VHS release isn't open matte, but is cropped on the sides. Granted, the compositions are not very tightly composed for the wider frame, so it never really looks too compromised. It's not pan n'scan, though, its a fairly dead center scan of the 1.85 frame, though there may be a shift here and there for balance, there are no artificial pans.

NODS on video is about half-way between an open matte transfer and a pan'n scan one, so that the sides aren't as severely cropped (though 1 shot crucially needs as much of the periphery as possible), but its opened up too much, showing a floor mic a couple of times and a boom mic in at least 1 scene. That one would be more noticeably improved by correct framing.

[MagnusTrask]

Who on earth still watches TV using their antenna? Apart from my mother-in-law that is...

Me.   Since my already minimal Disability buying power is plummetting, the idea of my ever getting cable is laughable.    My signal booster is out, and I can't afford a relacement, so I can't even get most stations since I'm halfway between two markets.