Hey Woodman..the man who plan to live forever!

[Smokey]

Hey Wood

I had a question for you.

Given that deadline for all the TV stations to switch to HDTV digital signal-and stop broadcasting analog signal-is fast approaching (end of 2006), do you thing the deadline will be extended?

The way it looks right now (analog TVs are still selling like hot cakes and slow pace of "smaller" local stations' HD capacity), my answer would be that FCC would probably extend the deadline

[woodman]

Hey Wood

I had a question for you.

Given that deadline for all the TV stations to switch to HDTV digital signal-and stop broadcasting analog signal-is fast approaching (end of 2006), do you thing the deadline will be extended?

The way it looks right now (analog TVs are still selling like hot cakes and slow pace of "smaller" local stations' HD capacity), my answer would be that FCC would probably extend the deadline

Well, what I (or anyone else) thinks about the matter is completely irrelevant! The FCC, along with the U.S. Congress already decided a year or two ago that the Dec.31st, 2006 deadline to cutoff all analog television transmissions was unrealistic to put it mildly. Instead of establishing a new date for the cutoff, they instead chose to make it conditional upon 85% of the nation's homes being equipped to receive the digital transmissions. Then a cutoff date to end all analog signals will be mandated.

One other point that needs to be clarified for you ... there has NEVER been a mandate for HDTV programming - only a mandate to transition to DTV (all Digital TeleVision broadcasting). HiDef programming has always been and will continue to be an option for each broadcaster. This is a common misconception among those that are desirous of more HiDef programs being broadcast, but is little more than wishful thinking on their part.

You asked for it - you got it - Toyota

Regards,

[Smokey]

Instead of establishing a new date for the cutoff, they instead chose to make it conditional upon 85% of the nation's homes being equipped to receive the digital transmissions. Then a cutoff date to end all analog signals will be mandated.

Thanks Wood

So FCC is depending on consumers to implement its mandated date. I guess that is smart since the 'digital transmission" ball will be in consumer corner. But the question is will FCC still goes along with that notion if consumer's 85% capability will not be reached in foreseeable future? How about if it keep dragging on for next 5-7 years?

Thanks for clearing up HD transmission vs digital transmission

[kelsci]

Hi Woodman; Your comment on DTV and HDTV is extremely interesting because things like this has happened so many times in all kinds of consumer matters. I think the one that I remember reading years ago was: so many doctors recommented aspirin for pain. BAYER ASPIRIN............... and the psychology behind this statement is quite clever since your psyche has become twisted to think that the doctors were all recommending BAYER ASPIRIN. Sometimes I catch a commercial using this type of psychology. I am sure that many assume that DTV means HDTV. Note that on some of the tv sets sold that while they can handle a hdtv signal, their resolution falls into that classification called EDTV; the E for Extended. This also reminds me when I used to live in NYC and during the 1960s I would pass these so called 42nd street shops that sold a piece of vinyl that one stuck over the tv screen that had the color blue on the top l/3rd of the vinyl, brown on the middle l/3rd and green on the bottom l/3rd and were pushed as black and white into color tv converters. Kelsci.

[Smokey]

This also reminds me when I used to live in NYC and during the 1960s I would pass these so called 42nd street shops that sold a piece of vinyl that one stuck over the tv screen that had the color blue on the top l/3rd of the vinyl, brown on the middle l/3rd and green on the bottom l/3rd and were pushed as black and white into color tv converters.

Are you serious? Who would be naive enough to buy that?

[woodman]

Are you serious? Who would be naive enough to buy that?

Oh yeah - Kelsci is quite serious Smokester. I remember laughing myself silly over the sight of one of those things back in the late '50s or early '60s. I have no idea of how many were actually sold, but it all goes to show just how stupid some of the American public actually is - and they still are some 50 years later! Just look at the chimpanzee they elected to sit in our White House to verify that fact! God help us all.

[topspeed]

This is slightly off topic so apologies to Smokey...

I just read in Stereophile that Reuters reported the CEA analysts predicted up to a 30% drop in flat-panel tv's (lcd, plasma, dlp, et al) due to market saturation. You're in the industry so I wanted your take on this. If it's true, I'll hold off my purchase for a while.

Thanks for your insight