DTV Sucks!!!!!!!!

trainman · Posted: Mar Sat 01, 2008 11:45 pm

Got my converter today. I can't get any signal. I have bunny ears, and theyare toted as digital amplified antenna. WOrked great to get analog signals. Even if the signal didn'tcome is all that strong, it was still watchable. I'm getting no digital signal, and when it comes in, it is not strong, so I get the digital washed out pic, or no signal at all. And I hate letterbox.

Shame on the FCC and all other goverment officials and electronics corporations and the gulible public that thinks we need this change.

I still will not pay to watch tv, soIguess this is one set that is going out the window. I'll stuick to my existing vhs and dvd collection.

Befres someone says get a rooftop antenna, I live in an apt building, so it'snot that easy.
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Tony. An Analog Kid stuck in a Digital World

Mr. Detrola · Posted: Mar Sun 02, 2008 12:00 am

This is exactly what I was afraid would happen in many locations.

If I were you, I would be complaining LOUDLY to the appropriate agency that mandated this change, and demand they provide you with a means of obtaining continued free over the air TV reception which will work in your location with your existing TV.

I would also call the investigative reporter team at your favorite local TV station, especially if you can no longer receive their station. The local channels here have all been running segments on their news broadcasts showing how simple this is going to be. It would be wonderful to have them show that in some locations it simply will not work, and try to find a solution.......
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Dennis

Whether you believe you can do a thing or not, you are right.
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tube42 · Joined: 23 Jan 2007 Posts: 3180 Location: Chicago Il

Man in my opinion the government should have paid for the whole damn thing.

I shouldn't have to pay ANYTHING just because all of a sudden they decided to switch the whole damn thing.

And of course it was all to make good money selling the licenses that will use the space we have now as TV.

Why else? Right know im watching TV on this TV i found in the trash and the picture is perfect! Great smooth colors. The only way i could get better reception out of DTV is if i had a high definition TV or something. DTV makes no difference on an ordinary set. Supposedly now i wont get snow but im sure DTV has its equivalent of snow.

And the way people are being fooled!

Excuse me i gotta go smash something!
Evil or Very Mad

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trainman · Posted: Mar Sun 02, 2008 12:07 am

I would like to think being vocal will stop this from happening, but will it do any good? The changeover seems to be set in stone, people not conencted to the pay tv system seems to be the minority, event though they estimate some 1.5 million households are still getting over the air tv, not counting the secondary sets in pay tv homes that are only connected to an over the air source (the garage tv for example).

So, what can we do? Petitions, burn new digital tvs and converter boxes in all cities in protest? One voice isn't going to make a difference. So what can we all do who oppose this to try and make a differece? And it needs to be done so we don't come off as cheap sob's who won;' t pay for cable. I don't want cable, regular tv is fine, but I need to be able to see it.

I would rather not see the analog signlas turned off, but I don't think we can stop that.
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Tony. An Analog Kid stuck in a Digital World

simplex1040 · Joined: 01 Jan 1970 Posts: 4205 Location: Quilt City USA

[quote="tube42"] DTV makes no difference on an ordinary set.

......quote]

It makes no difference as far as high definition picture quality.
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Mr. Detrola · Posted: Mar Sun 02, 2008 12:11 am

I'm sure we can't stop them from turning off the analog signals, but they are going to find many other cases like yours where the digital over the air signal won't work either.

Obviously the equipment either hasn't been engineered properly or it hasn't been adequately field tested to see that it will indeed do what it is claimed to do in all locations.

In my opinion, if one was able to watch an analog signal before using an indoor antenna, even if the reception wasn't quite perfect, then they should be able to do the same with DTV or the system is seriously flawed.
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Dennis

Whether you believe you can do a thing or not, you are right.
Henry Ford

trainman · Posted: Mar Sun 02, 2008 12:14 am

When I was finally able to get one channel, it was in letterbox, yuck, and the color was all wrong. If this is digital tv, give me back my good 'ole NTSC.

Tell me why, when a conventional 19inch tv costs around 100.00 and a 13inch LCD flatcsreen costs 250.00, tell me why all this new stuff is any better?

Maybe as the months and years roll on, they will get cheapewr, but when a very big screen flatpanel tv cost just as much as one mortgage payment, something is very wrong.

I find this horrible. We had one member who claimed that on analog, we got fuzzy reception at best. On digital.with exisiting antenna, he got most digital channels clear. What is going on here? I thought I would get channels without having to do anything. Rooftop antenna is out of question, so I guess I need to try different antennas that are suupposed to work with DTV?
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Tony. An Analog Kid stuck in a Digital World

BDM · Joined: 01 Jan 1970 Posts: 2176 Location: S/E Michigan

Tony, there's always amplified antenna's or pre-amps.
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Leigh · Joined: 01 Jan 1970 Posts: 13350 Location: Maryland

Don't complain to the FCC. They've been bought off long since.

Complain to your senators and representatives, LOUDLY.
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jkaetzjr · Joined: 16 Jan 2007 Posts: 9664 Location: Hueytown, AL

I'm a complete novice as far as DTV is concerned but---

Got my new HDTV a week ago. After much pain with a TV that is almost as complicated to learn how to use as my computer, I now receive 6 channels off the back of my antenna that were very poor in analog. Didn't help the analog of course but the associated digital channels are perfect. Don't have to switch the antenna anymore. One other channel I got poorly works perfectly on the digital associated channel. All channels here have at least 2 digital channels in addition to the present analog one. Most of the second digital channels are devoted to weather plus some off-the-wall programming. Our PBS station has 4 digital channels in addition to the analog. Couldn't be happier here. Just my experience. No warrenty, express or implied, as to what others may encounter Very Happy

Don · Joined: 30 Dec 2006 Posts: 243 Location: Melrose, NY

Tony,

Our experience is opposite yours. Last year we replaced the
old analog TV with a more modern set (mainly to support the
grand kid's DVDs). We find the over the air digital signals are
far better than the analog! Plus we have many more choices
now.

We do have a roof mounted antenna with a rotator.
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Paul Dietenberger · Joined: 01 Jan 1970 Posts: 6020 Location: Oak Creek, WI USA

trainman · Posted: Mar Sun 02, 2008 1:01 am

I am using an amplified antenna. It even is specifically for DTV. I was using it with the analog channels, and I get more analog channels, than I do digital.

I get ABC 7 ,WGN 9, WFLD fOX 32, WPWR 50. I can no longer get WTTW 11(PBS) WMAQ 5, WBBM 2, Channel 2 was always spoty at best. But no matter how I move the antenna I cannot get 2 5 or 11, alos can't get many of the UHF channels I used to get. But I can get both spanish stations. Go figure.

So I'm getting less channels in digital, than analog. At least the snowy analog was watchable. Weak digital is unwatchable.
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Tony. An Analog Kid stuck in a Digital World

tube42 · Joined: 23 Jan 2007 Posts: 3180 Location: Chicago Il

Ken G · Joined: 01 Jan 1970 Posts: 11301 Location: twin falls idaho

I have owned a couple digital tuner tv sets for a year or so and repaired 3 or 4 . I played around with them somewhat .

Its hard to get all the channels to come in on rabbit ears . I have to move them around just right . At my shop location i have a real hard time getting it to work .

When i tune in the rabbit ear on one channel it comes in real clear . but when the signal is not good the picture just goes away to a blue screen .
With todays tv signals i can at least see the picture with snow and at least use it that way .

They brag alot on tv now how digital is so much better that its becoming law now ... Well if it is so much better then i would think one could get signals better than before .

Its going to take some getting used to but i can deal with watching far less tv than the little i do now .
After the signals are turned off and i cant see tv anymore then you can bet i will call the local stations and tell them .

13`` digital LCD sets are down to 150 bucks here now . Bet they are JUNK .

ds bk · Joined: 02 Jul 2006 Posts: 884 Location: Norwalk, CT

Hey Trainman - how about digging a little deeper into your vocabulary when it comes time to think of the title for a thread?

This is a world-wide forum and you reflect poorly when you do that.

Denis

trainman · Posted: Mar Sun 02, 2008 2:54 am

Well, that word(sucks) is used a lot in everyday speak. At least i hear it alot. So what? Maybe awful is better? but awful doesn't convey my disgust at al things digital tv. Right now cannel 9 is weak, pic breaking up and no sound. on analog it is watchable, a bit snowy, and I gwt sound. Weak analog is better than weak digital. So, DTV stil SUCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!! Oh, i'm sorry. DTV is awful.
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Tony. An Analog Kid stuck in a Digital World

cliff_marsland · Joined: 26 Apr 2006 Posts: 3623 Location: Cinci, OH

I'd be lost without cable. The shows on broadcast TV are pretty much unwatchable. It's been a LONG time since I've watched a show on NBC/CBS/ABC.

I could suggest listening to radio drama if you're not satisfied with your TV service.

Curt Reed · Posted: Mar Sun 02, 2008 3:23 am

Boy, ain't I the lucky one here? Haven't had a TV turned on for over six years now! Don't miss it a bit. We were on cable when mom lived here, but they kept taking off the good shows and I simply can not see wasting time watching those stupid sitcoms and crap they pass off as entertainment.
Curt
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antiQradioman · Joined: 01 Jan 1970 Posts: 1341 Location: Northern Michigan

trainman,
Let's just say "SUCKS" as a word makes a "HOOVER" pale in comarison. Remember our "gubment" wanted short wave radio off limits to the general population during world war two so disabling repaired sets was the norm. What makes you think you can fight the "gubment" today? Hey, we are only tax payers.
Just graburass and be glad you live in The Land of the Free...

I give up!
Denny Crying or Very sad

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