HD Broadcast Pricing

[Shadow_Ferret]

OK. Right now if we want HD broadcasts on our system, we have to pay an additional fee. We don't, since we don't have any HDTVs in the house.

Next year when all they have are HD signals, who wants to bet they don't drop that optional price and force everyone to pay the higher amount?

That's my future rant. Why wait, right?

 

[HiDefGuru]

Whats actually happening is the Over The Air (OTA) spectrum used currently for broadcast in NTSC is being shut down and sold to various companies. The new standard for OTA broadcast will be ATSC, or a DIGITAL transmission. So if you have a set of rabbit ears, or any other antenna, as your primary means for TV reception, then you need to make sure you get a DIGITAL tuner to pick up the signal if your Television is not already equipped with an ATSC tuner.

Not everything will be HD next year.... but everything OTA will be Digital.

Common misconception, but it is nice to dream of a world where EVERYTHING is in HD.

Here's to dreaming **raises glass**


I hope I didn't come off like Larry David, or Luke Skywalker.

 

[Exit]

You can get a government cupon for $50 off a new digital ATSC tuner to make your old set work with the new digital broadcasts. You can also use your old set with cable or satellite providers. In either case you will not get HDTV if your set is not designed for it. HDTV is a pretty nice advancement in picture quality, especially on large screen TVs. It is worth considering for sometime in the future whenever you decide the time is right. It is like the conversion from black and white to color TVs. Not everyone ran out and bought a color TV right away, but it is pretty hard to find a black and white TV nowadays.

 

[jinjuku]

OK. Right now if we want HD broadcasts on our system, we have to pay an additional fee. We don't, since we don't have any HDTVs in the house.

Next year when all they have are HD signals, who wants to bet they don't drop that optional price and force everyone to pay the higher amount?

That's my future rant. Why wait, right?

Don't confuse HD programming with ATSC (digital) broadcasting. They are entirely two different beasts. Re-runs of Donahue are going to look the same.

 

[Shadow_Ferret]

So, everything OTA will be HD, but there will still be cable broadcasts in regular TV?

What about the OTA HD broadcasts through cable?

I understand that I don't need an HDTV because our cable box converts the signal, but now I'm wondering...

If not every cable broadcast is moving to HD then the cable companies can still make HD an extra cost option and since all OTA stations will be HD, those of us too cheap to pay for the HD option will be out of luck and not get any local stations.

I see their game.

 

[jinjuku]

So, everything OTA will be HD, but there will still be cable broadcasts in regular TV?

No, everything OTA will be a digital (ATSC) vs analog (NTSC) transmission you know, carrier signal. Whether it be HD or SD content.

What about the OTA HD broadcasts through cable?

I understand that I don't need an HDTV because our cable box converts the signal, but now I'm wondering...

There is no such thing as OTA HD broadcast through cable. OTA is over the air, cable is cable. You may be confusing the content with the method of delivery.

If not every cable broadcast is moving to HD then the cable companies can still make HD an extra cost option and since all OTA stations will be HD, those of us too cheap to pay for the HD option will be out of luck and not get any local stations.

The FCC mandate for ATSC has nothing to do with cable or satellite. It's for traditional broadcasts.

I guess some people are thinking reruns of M*A*S*H are somehow going to be in Hi-def with this change...

 

[Shadow_Ferret]

Then I'm really confused. I thought the digital signal the OTA stations were going to WAS HD and that's why we all have to buy HDTVs or a converter box. Are they two different things?

And when I say OTA channels on cable, I'm talking about my LOCAL channels that broadcast OTA and are also available through my cable system.

Thus, what I was trying to get at was, the new OTA digital signals will be simultaneously transmitted on my cable.

And no, I don't think M*A*S*H will suddenly be in HD, but the transmission will still be digital (or as us common folks think it, HD.)

 

[jinjuku]

Then I'm really confused. I thought the digital signal the OTA stations were going to WAS HD and that's why we all have to buy HDTVs or a converter box. Are they two different things?

The OTA digital signal is simply that; a digital signal. You are confusing HD (which is a viewing format) vs a transmission method.

And when I say OTA channels on cable, I'm talking about my LOCAL channels that broadcast OTA and are also available through my cable system.

Thus, what I was trying to get at was, the new OTA digital signals will be simultaneously transmitted on my cable.

And no, I don't think M*A*S*H will suddenly be in HD, but the transmission will still be digital (or as us common folks think it, HD.)

You cable company will continue to distribute your local channels in the same method they have for the past two decades. Nothing changing there.

 

[markw]

All spiders are bugs, but not all bugs are spiders.

When you pick up one of those ATSC converter boxers, you'll be surprised at how many digital SD stations there are lurking out there. You may not like 'em all, but they're there.

Look at it like FM. Not all FM broadcasts are stereo, There are still some mono stations out there.

All HD programming is sent out as a digital signal. It won't go over analog.

But not all digital TV signals are HD. There are many, many SD broadcasts out there. They will just be sent as a digital signal, not an analog one.

 

[Shadow_Ferret]

Well, I'm glad I asked the question then. I was confusing the two.

So the new signals are digital and have nothing to do with HD.

HD is a screen resolution only, not a broadcast medium.

The new digital signals are sort of like the HD-Radio I keep hearing about. "There are stations hidden between the stations you get now!" And I'm thinking, "Yeah, right."

So, if I got a converter for my OTA TV and watched OTA broadcasts, I'd get a whole bunch new channels because of the digital broadcasting? Like stuff between my traditional channel 4, 6, 10, 12?

 

[jinjuku]

Well, I'm glad I asked the question then. I was confusing the two.

So the new signals are digital and have nothing to do with HD.

Correct

HD is a screen resolution only, not a broadcast medium.

Correct

So, if I got a converter for my OTA TV and watched OTA broadcasts, I'd get a whole bunch new channels because of the digital broadcasting? Like stuff between my traditional channel 4, 6, 10, 12?

Incorrect

What the new digital transmissions standard did was move stations to a smaller frequency block. Then they auctioned off the new 'unused' space that todays current broadcasts are going to vacate.

 

[10010011]

Don't confuse HD programming with ATSC (digital) broadcasting. They are entirely two different beasts. Re-runs of Donahue are going to look the same.

You mean that SD picture stretched to fit my new wide screen HDTV is not HD

I mean sure Hawkeye is football headed like Stewie but everyone looks like that in HD.

 

[jinjuku]

You mean that SD picture stretched to fit my new wide screen HDTV is not HD

I mean sure Hawkeye is football headed like Stewie but everyone looks like that in HD.

Hey @ least one person in this thread understands They need Stewie emoticons, lol.

 

[bandphan]

 

[HiDefGuru]

Here's how like to explain it to my customers


The NTSC broadcast is like an old busted beat up Highway that only crappy cars (SD resolution content) can travel on.

The ATSC Is a newly paved and space saving performance highway with the lanes that your sport cars (HD broadcast) NEED to be able to travel, but your sh***y cars (SD res. content) can also use.

but thats only if you still drive a car (have an antenna). The rest of us got De Loreans that can Fly! and by that I meant we have Cable with a HD box or Satellite.

 

[Shadow_Ferret]

My mother still has antenna. She got rid of her cable. Too many channels and not worth the price for how much she watched. I'm going to have to go and get her the converter box when they become available. Not sure why we have to pay for them. The government should since it was their idea to do this.

But OTA stations DO broadcast in HD. ABC is advertising the playoffs will be in HD. So I assume that if you have an HDTV with an antenna (is that even possible?) you could watch the game in HD.

 

[markw]

You'll want to go here for your answers

http://www.dtvanswers.com/

My mother still has antenna. She got rid of her cable. Too many channels and not worth the price for how much she watched. I'm going to have to go and get her the converter box when they become available. Not sure why we have to pay for them. The government should since it was their idea to do this.

Not quite free, but you can get two $40 coupons per household but they must be used within 90 days.

RatShsack already hasd 'em and I thinkj they are about $70 or so, $30 with coupons. They should be in the Big Box stores by now also.

...but remember, you must use them with 90 days or they turn into pumpkins.

She'll also find that there are a lot more digital stations lurking in the ether than she imagined. I get about 6 VHF and two UHF analog stationsclearly but with a digital and HD tuner I'lm pulling in about 35 clean ones. Seven are HD.

But OTA stations DO broadcast in HD. ABC is advertising the playoffs will be in HD. So I assume that if you have an HDTV with an antenna (is that even possible?) you could watch the game in HD.

Yes, they do nbroadcast sports in HD. ...and you can*. As long as that HDTV TV has a built-in tuner. They look great!

* that's assuming the broadcast rights aren't sold to a cable company.

 

[jinjuku]

A good web site

Check out AntennaWeb

Input your town/city/zip and it will give you some access options for getting OTA broadcasts.

 

[mudrummer99]

More than likely you will, shadow. These "extra channels" may also still be called channel 2,4, etc., but they will have a decimal or dash (.1 or -1) depending on the box you get. In my area we actually pick up 4 different channel 30's and 3 different channel 11's, some of them have the same content just from different broadcast areas and others are completely different channels. It's really kind of a cool thing. Some of my customers that have purchased the new tuner boxes are able to pick up channels from cities 2 hours away, so you may have a similar experience, but this will all depend on where you live and what they broadcast there. Hope this helps a bit.

Mike

 

[10010011]

My mother still has antenna.

So does mine, but she lives out in the country, no cable, too cheap to get satellite.

In fact if I lived close enough to the city to get HD with an antenna I would be doing the same thing. The major networks in Seattle are broadcasting in HD, not just digital SD.

I got the Gob'ment coupons, and Zenith digital tuners at Best Buy only cost $10 each with my Gob'ment discout. I sent one to my mom and put the other one on my kid's TV since I don't give him a cable drop. He can receive one or two digital channels on a set of rabbit ears.