The Future of Remote Control

Coooooooooooooooooool!

Stop Adjusting Your Rabbit Ears; It Won't Work After Friday

Image from source, Washington Post

The date is finally almost here when analog television bites the dust. At first, this confused me a bit. I was convinced that I'd need converter boxes for my old TVs, since they only received analog cable. But this stuff isn't rocket science to figure out, and I quickly ascertained that the analog cable would do the trick.

The first supposed date for the transfer to digital signals was postponed, after weeks and weeks of announcements, commercials and sales at electronic stores for converter boxes. Which it turns out was probably a good idea, because some people still seemed as confused as I was when it was first announced. Now, the second date is almost here. Do you think the average American knows what it means, and are prepared for it? Doubt it.

[Excerpt]

Your Antenna's Big Day

You've been bombarded with TV commercials about it for the past two years. Consumer advocates have fretted about it, broadcasters spent billions of dollars to get ready for it, and Congress got so riled up about it that they voted to delay it. . .

Read more at: Washington Post

Vouchers for Mandated Digital TV: Get Yours

Next year, the government is requiring all TV transmissions to go digital. Not a problem if you have digital cable boxes on all of your TVs. But if you're like me, you have one or two TVs running the standard cable or even rabbit ears. Fortunately, the government is offering vouchers to help offset the cost of digital converter boxes. But you better get in now before they're gone! Click through to the link at the end of this excerpt to find the link for the vouchers.

[Excerpt]

Feds share coupons to help TV transition

Millions of $40 government coupons become available Tuesday to help low-tech television owners buy special converter boxes for older TVs that might not work after the switch to digital broadcasting.

Beginning Feb. 18, 2009, anyone who does not own a digital set and still gets their programming via over-the-air antennas will no longer receive a picture. . .

Read more at: Yahoo News

UPDATE: According to the article, cable users will not be affected, but I'm not convinced. Right now, if I want digital cable, I have to rent a digital cable box from Cox Cable. Two of my TVs currently get standard analog cable, and a third gets rabbit ears only. The big screen, of course, gets the full digital treatment. Anyway, I'm hedging my bets, and applying for two vouchers, just in case the analog cable needs a box. If not, I'll give it to somebody who needs it.