Digital TV - have you made the switch?

[Paul]

I just noticed recently that WUTV, channel 29 for me is no longer broadcasting in analog.  I like digital TV a lot, but feel some regret that the tuners in my older TV's will only be useful on channel 3 when hooked up to a retro computer.

How do you feel about the switch?

[Rorshach]

It should be noted the mandatory switchover for the states was postponed until June 12 so don't expect all American stations to go dark until then.  Canadian TV channels are not required to switch until August 31, 2011 though many have digital and analog on at present.

[Rorshach]

My parents finally gotta new tv on friday to replace a 20 year old tv with broken relay so the main power was difficult to switch on.  They got a 40 inch widescreen 1080p Toshiba.  Of course it does include the new digital ATSC tuner.  Funny thing is there are a handful of channels on the local cable that are "free" digital channels, that is no extra charge for them.

[SmallCleverDinosaur]

It's nice that we embrace new technology

Sweden removed analogue broadcasts completely in 2007. The not so bright thing about Digital TV is that there are different technologies used for transmitting the signals through terrestrial transmissions, cable TV and satellite TV, requring different decoders for each one.

Same problem in the rest of the World?

[Rorshach]

I was in Sayal for some IC's last week and some external digital tuner / converters. They were notable for being $65 which is the lowest price I have yet seen here in Canada. Other places I found them sold them for $90 to $330 which I find more than a bit expensive. I have considered one for my bedroom tv which has neither cable nor satelite reciever I use on my normal tv. But I would need to assemble the outdoor antenna I have. The trouble is finding a spot to mount it and running the cable inside the house without the rest of the family complaining as they think having only one channel is perfectly ok. If you saw how many channels I have coming into my main tv you would realize I am definately the opposite.

[Paul]

Rorshach, have you considered installing your antenna in the attic?  I did that at my house, and the improvement was significant.  Probably not as good as being outside, but certainly better than other alternatives. 

[Rorshach]

Yes DigitalQuirk I have thought of this. Though it still poses some difficulty as its a 2 storey house and it makes a long rather difficult run of cable from the attic down to the basement where the tv I will connect it to is. The other detail that gets in the way is the room where the tv is has fully plastered over ceiling unlike the ceiling tiles like the rest of the basement. To preserve my sanity against the complaints of the rest of the family who are not in favour of this makes it more difficult to install this antenna as it must be made invisible.

[Paul]

I assisted my neighbour with a similar dilemma.  The solution was to drop the cable through the soffit, down along the outside of the house along the eaves trough where it could not be seen, and then into the basement through a small hole drilled through the foundation.  We then used silicone to seal up the gaps afterward.  It worked very well.

[Rorshach]

I may run the cable in through the foundation and perhaps at same time I put in sat reciever upstairs for the new HDtv the rest of the family uses. That may be my way to convince them though in the basement it would come in the room fairly high up the wall.