It's been raining for three days, which is what it did the last time it rained here. Yes, when it rains, it pours. Makes us think we're in Seattle, except without the cutting-edge music or pretty scenery. We do, of course, have a Starbucks on every corner. There has even been severe flooding along some of our rivers, creeks and lakes. On a lesser scale, there's a bit of water in my garage but it's nothing the wet/dry vac can't handle.
Was reading an article on high-definition television the other day and was shocked that this information had not yet been shouted from rooftops and such. Apparently, on Feb. 17, 2009, our braintrust in Washington is requiring all broadcast television operations to cease transmissions in analog and go all-digital.
This may be great for people who've bought really nice TVs lately, or who already subscribe to a digital service. However, we've got a nearly 10-year-old Trinitron in the living room and the only service we take part in is Rabbit Ears Deluxe™. OK, they're not really deluxe. When we decide which channel we'll be watching, we have to prop the ears up a certain way with knick-knacks on top of the media cabinet.
The switchover means our TV will become a rather large, ugly paperweight unless we either replace it with one that is digital-ready, or unless we buy a converter ... sure to cost more than we want to pay. Face it, we've got rabbit ears, we don't want to pay anything. With my luck, the TV will still be working in 2009 and we'll have to make a choice ...
1. Buy a new TV.
2. Buy a digital-to-analog converter.
3. Stop watching television entirely, maybe read some books or play a lot of Yahtzee®. Heck, we could go Amish and shun all modern conveniences for that matter, including zippers and toaster ovens. Can I keep the blog, though?
4. Go over to my parents' house anytime something good is on. It's only an hour's drive and I'm sure they wouldn't mind us popping in every time there's a "Mork and Mindy" marathon.
5. Buy a telescope and catch shows our neighbors are watching on their TVs that conveniently face large picture windows.
6. Watch only videos. That is, until the government decides it's time to screw us again by regulating the use of DVDs. Even the industry is having issues with that by developing two types of ultra-DVDs. You'd think they would have learned from the whole VHS/Beta thing, but nooooo.
7. Re-inact scenes from our favorite TV shows using the Cutlet's toys as props.
8. Use the extra time we have to find a cure for dumbness.
9. Get looooooooooots of sleep. Or maybe get a life. It's a toss up, really.
10. Train for triathlons.
I'm hoping the TV will last until then, and I'm hoping getting a converter will allow us to keep the ears. I'd miss them, I think, if they were gone.
Don't tell me you can pick up TV "through the air?"
Pleasantville.
We are trying to prepare for this conversion in our home by purchasing flat panel plasma HDTVs. One room at a time. ;) We rather like having an excuse to buy new televisions.
That is hysterical! Rabbit ears. I hear ya - no pun intended. I have no time for TV. What i watch is all recorded anyway. Digital...like we can all afford it.
We bought a new, perfectly fine, though not HUGE nor plasma screened, TV last year and didn't want to spring for HD at the time. Actually my tolerance for spending ANY money on a TV is pretty low so I'm hoping we'll be okay since we use digital cable. Good luck with the rabbit ears! I knew this was coming but 2009 just felt so far away.
We are a TV family for sure. Five, count 'em, five televisions hooked onto cable. One for each bedroom, and one in the den.
You can find me in 2009 on the corner of Forest Park Blvd. and Vickey holding a carboard sign that reads: "Will type for TeeVees".
Damn that addiction to HBO dramas.
uh,that's Vickery Blvd. not Vickey...
Dude, you've got three years. I'm sure the Trinitron will bite the dust in that time. Then you can come on over to the dark side.
That Feb 17, 2009 date is just the newest in a long list of dates. Don't throw away that old TV just yet
T,
I heard that along with the mandate that the broadcasters go digital there was also a provision for a "tax break" that would basically be an additional tax refund to cover the cost of a D/A converter. I read about that last year and haven't heard anything more since.