RSSDTV study: Most broadcasters are ready, most consumers aren't
By Jacqueline Emigh | Published February 22, 2008, 11:00 AM
According to recent survey results, most consumers are still virtually clueless about the upcoming DTV transition. More importantly, perhaps, it appears a lot of broadcasters won't even be ready for it either.
Although an unspecified percentage of broadcasters think they'll be ready for the nationwide transition to digital TV a year from now, most consumers are still in the dark about what will -- or what won't -- be happening on their TV screens.
That's the general upshot of two recent surveys on the subject of DTV migration.
As every BetaNews reader should know by now, on February 19, 2008, all television broadcasters in the US are supposed to put an end to their analog TV broadcasts and transmitting digital TV signals on newly allocated frequencies.
In a written statement released today, Harris Corporation -- a major producer of TV equipment and other electronics -- said that, according to results of a recent survey, "U.S. broadcasters expect to meet this major milestone as part of their ongoing transition."
Also, although no timetables were provided, Harris' press release spells out the exact percentages of broadcasters planning to provide consumers with more HDTV content (66%), as well as programming over cell phones and other handheld devices (28%), for example.
Curiously, however, the news release fails to specify how many of the broadcasters surveyed believe they'll be able to meet next year's milestone, and press contacts listed on the release were initially unavailable to answer questions on this key point.
Meanwhile, at industry events such as the recent Sports Video Gameplan (SVG) Summit, some experts have called into question the ability of smaller TV broadcasters, in particular, to enable their facilities right now for HDTV and other manifestations of DTV.
It's abundantly clear from results of another study, produced by the Consumer Reports National Research Center, that most consumers aren't really prepared yet to make the switch to DTV anyway, regardless of what the broadcasters do. On January 30, Consumer Reports made the startling observation that "seventy-four percent of respondents who said they were ready for the upcoming transition had serious misceptions of its impact."
Moreover, according to Consumer Reports' survey data (PDF available here) 28% of consumers who will have at least one TV affected by the upcoming transition are not aware of it at all.
A number of different misconceptions are running rampant among those who do know about the broadcasters' conversion from analog to digital, according to Consumer Reports' findings. For instance, only 55% of consumers with at least one analog TV think they will be impacted by the change. Nearly one-quarter of them, or 24%, believe that everyone will have to "throw away their analog sets."
More than half of this group (58%) believe that all TVs wil need a conversion box to function properly -- a misconception almost as prevalent, at 51%, among a smaller segment of consumers who have only digital TVs in their households.
I have cable TV. Though I rarely use it, I've also got about two dozen HD/SD channels and excellent reception. Some old rabbit ears picks up all the major stations anywhere in this valley. But most people are rich / young enough in the cities to get 300+ pay channels via satellite or cable, so don't care.
My mother-in-law, however, lives 2-3 hours north in a little rural town the next state up. She's not rich or picky; her only television is analog antenna, and broadcast channels are all she wants/needs. Heck, her TV was 15+ years old until we bought her a larger one some years back.
Now, I've had half a dozen digital receiver 'converter boxes' sitting in my living room for the past year (no one around here wants them). I'd happily have given one to her, but there hasn't been a single digital signal in her area. I just checked and it looks like there's now a temporary CBS signal 35 miles away- wow, one channel.
I can't imagine I'm the only one who's figured this out: isn't it the rural/fringe areas that actually still USE broadcast TV? Yet they are the ones who can't "hurry and change over" because DTV simply doesn't exist yet. Maybe they aren't ready because they CAN'T yet.
Score: 0
|i dont see what the problem is...just get comcast or verizon triple play, pay the extra 9 bux a month per additional TV and you're set...
how many people dont have digital tv these days? basically when feb next year hits all the "digital" cable services will be the basic plans. sat and FIOS are completely digital anyway so this only affects people without any cable service or people on analague cable.
maybe im missing something but i dont see how this is going to be a big deal at all if youre not a complete idiot
edit to talkprice:
you dont need to buy new TVs lol. any TV will work with an appropriate digital receiving, ie the box you'd need for any digital cable, satellite, or FIOS TV service ANYWAY.
bottom line is this:
if you already have Digital cable (Comcast DTV etc), FIOS TV, or Satellite TV, this wont impact you. the only way it could hurt is if you only have said service on a few TVs in your household, in which case youd have to add all those TVs onto your TV plan or get digital tuners/antennae for them (im told the antennae that've come with TVs since the 80s can receive digital signals) and watch over the air digital channels
Score: 0
|This will shutdown OTA analog broadcasts, not analog cable. The cable signal is going over a closed system (fiber/coax) so the FCC has no reason to restrict what the cable company does with it. Most cable operators are waiting until they really need the bandwidth to remove analog cable because not needing a box is really their only card to play against DirecTV and Dish.
Score: 0
|The amount of ignorance and supidity in the human population is staggering. If people would take five minutes and read about digital television, they would understand what the box will do and why you need it.
Instead, they spend countless hours on Sudoko (wow, you can count to 9) and crossword puzzles, watching the latest Chris Crocker videos on YouTube and sending gag emails.
If moronic people would spend a little time learning about oh I dont know ..... anything .... we wouldn't be such a stupid species.
I have a DVR full of shows about space, science, technology, and you name it. It's because I like to learn and always have.
Most people's mission in life is to pass the time with mundane, useless and repetitive activities until they are so old they can't even wipe thier own asses and piss themselves every day.
Score: 0
|The irony of this post is BURNING!
Score: 0
|"The amount of ignorance and supidity in the human population is staggering."
Hey! I've used those *exact* (minus the typo) words for years. I usually don't have much use for your posts, but I can get behind this post. I've found that most people don't want to think and they don't like people who try to change that. If you want some proof of how ignorant people can be, try http://www.rinkworks.com/stupid
Score: 0
|I agree on the ignorance factor but you have it 100% wrong in that its the digitalphiles that are the ignorant ones... Look we have in the US a lovely little ruling that protects fair use of copyrighted content. Betamax. That is what allows things like VHS, Cassette Tape recorders photo copiers, and ect... (Technically also CD-R, DVD-R, PVRs, and indeed Even Flash drives and Tape backup media)
However once Everything and I mean EVERYTHING is Digital take a guess what happens to the concept of Fair use? BYE BYE, It VANISHES. And THAT is the ultimate goal of the industry.
All media of any type becomes Digital thus under the DMCA no consumer Fair Use rights will ever exist again...
That here in is the problem. Now yes, if you go get a cable box for 1 TV, or pay for EACH TV to have another box (required by law under DMCA) then you will be able to see DTV broadcasts.
Right now I have 6 TVs in my house. 7 if you count my portable which will never work again by the way, as what is the logic of having a hand held unit you need a converter box for. Besides the point...
I have 3 cable boxes.. the other 3 are just hooked to the line... Guess whats on those boxes since My cable company went all digital early? Yup, NOTHING but a color bar test screen. Hook up an outdoor antenna for what is suppose to be free to air network broadcasts via VHF, Same thing... Now I cross rigged stuff so whats on in 1 room is now on in others but thats not the point... Previous to this I at least got the free to air content Unscrambled as intended. Now all you get is a Color bar test screen... Cost for additional digital boxes to accommodate extra TVs? An Additional $44.97 a month... And yes Supposedly I can get a Governmental Digital box someday to hook to it and get that functionality back. But guess what? that right disappears when they change the DRM encryption on that signal... And even now those are around $150 a pop... Yea. No thank you...
The point is the air waves belong to the PUBLIC. We the people pay the taxes to ensure we have public airwaves, and the Government is now manipulating that contact with the people with no takers on the so called potential use of the opened frequencies. Indeed the recent Freq auction was considered a fundamental failure as the spectrum was sold to a single bidder for a faction of its expected worth. Because quite honestly No one is interested in it for anything practical or deemed profitable. Even MS the Monopoly GOD of all things digital is kinda scratching their heads trying to figure out how to make this profitable and coming up with nothing... IE the failed VHF Networking protocol.
Point is, This movement has little to do with Service to the peoples interest, and more to do with the powerful telecommunications governing body (FCC), and the Entertainment Industry Lobby (MPAA), going for a HUGE anti consumer power grab. And its all happening under the guise of a service to you. and the people are so naive they believe it.
Only Americans could be so stupid to think that a movement like this would be to their benefit. The idea of being forced to purchase something that we already own paid for with our Federal tax dollars is OBSCENE! Yet we blind an eye to every aspect of it hoping for the best... And the worst part... There are people out there telling you this is bad for everyone, and you all put your hands over your ears and go la la la la la la I can't hear you, la la la...
Score: 0
|Perhaps you should spend the 60 seconds it takes to understand that, assuming you use over-the-air signals (which is actually only a small percentage of the population), all you would need is a analog-to-digital converter. It most certainly does not require you to throw away your current TVs.
For anyone using cable or satellite, all of this is irrelevant.
Score: 0
|I didn't know that I too was a little ignorant: the
"converter" boxes. I hadn't really thought about it
and was blindly assuming that they are "converter
boxes."
Nope, of course.
External tuners. Like the one I had for stereo TV all
those years ago except now I have to either hold two
remotes or buy a new universal remote that'll recognise
the new set top tuner and--and this is the tough part-
learn the new keypad.
I gaurantee I'll spend six months switching to Spanish
subtitles on the unused line in instead of changing
the volume.
Score: 0
|Why would you throw them away? Buy a convertor box.
and FYI - It's happening. They are NOT going to push back the date this late in the game. It's coming.
Score: 0
|This is why editors read columns before they go to print. Isn't the date for transition Feb 17th, 2009? And the headline is screwed up too.
Score: 0
|Haha yes nice catch.
Score: 0
|This has been a pattern with many of Jacqueline's articles. I've pointed out her high number of mistakes to the editors before, but apparently they aren't all that interested.
Score: 0
|