JJMc Posted August 12, 2004 Report Posted August 12, 2004 Someone told me (who works in the the television industry) in about 1999 that in 2006, the NTSC brodcast system will be totally switched to HDTV. He said that it "kept getting pushed back and probably will again." Obviously, there would be a huge backlash, but it has to be done sooner or later, right? Anyway, can anyone shed some light on if there in fact IS a set date right now?
Guest El Satanico Posted August 12, 2004 Report Posted August 12, 2004 It's probably getting closer to reality. Prices for HD compatible TV's have come down and they are now affordable for consumers who can afford to buy a nice TV. HDTV won't take over until there's units that are affordable enough to be sold at stores like Walmart, which is probably a few years off still.
kkktookmybabyaway Posted August 13, 2004 Report Posted August 13, 2004 I've been wondering about this date. Wouldn't regular TVs have to get some hippie HD converter or something?...
Guest wildpegasus Posted August 13, 2004 Report Posted August 13, 2004 Eh, so what does all this actually mean?
razazteca Posted August 13, 2004 Report Posted August 13, 2004 It means larger cable bills. Thanks alot FCC.
Jobber of the Week Posted August 13, 2004 Report Posted August 13, 2004 It's probably getting closer to reality. Prices for HD compatible TV's have come down and they are now affordable for consumers who can afford to buy a nice TV. HDTV won't take over until there's units that are affordable enough to be sold at stores like Walmart, which is probably a few years off still. There's some decent Sanyo HDTVs being sold at Wal-Mart right now actually. It's a long ways off. There first needs to be affordable converter boxes so non-HDTV sets can still watch programming.
Guest El Satanico Posted August 13, 2004 Report Posted August 13, 2004 I wouldn't say it's a LONG way off, it'll happen within 5 years. That doesn't mean everyone will be abroad in 5 years, but a majority should be.
cabbageboy Posted August 13, 2004 Report Posted August 13, 2004 I can't see this happening. Is it possible that eventually there will be two separate formats: those who want HDTV can have it, but those who would rather have cheaper TV and cable can have that too?
MrRant Posted August 13, 2004 Report Posted August 13, 2004 It will happen. The people with normal analog sets will have to get a converter of some sort (box or possibly just an inline converter) that will downconvert the signal.
Guest El Satanico Posted August 13, 2004 Report Posted August 13, 2004 There's always people who won't upgrade and there will always be stuff for these tech cavemen to buy, for a reasonable amount of time at least. Sooner or late these people will have to upgrade to something because whatever they use is too out of date. For example VHS cavemen exist and there's still plenty of stuff for the average consumer to buy, for now. In 10 or so years VHS will be so outdated that few companies will produce VHS products and it will be hard for VHS cavemen to continue with VHS.
Kahran Ramsus Posted August 13, 2004 Report Posted August 13, 2004 People are not going to be buying a bunch of new TVs because of HDTV, but it will take off as soon as they release affordable converters. It is quite a long ways away (probably between 2010-12) before the complete market takeover, but it will happen. They need to get penetration in the 80% range (or more, I've heard some sources say 95%) before it becomes feasible, but it will eventually happen.
JJMc Posted August 13, 2004 Author Report Posted August 13, 2004 While we're at it, how long has HiDef technology existed? The guy I talked to made it sound like it wasn't too long after color NTSC came in...but I don't imagine it being more than 10-15 years ago.
GreatWhiteNope Posted August 13, 2004 Report Posted August 13, 2004 Someone told me (who works in the the television industry) in about 1999 that in 2006, the NTSC brodcast system will be totally switched to HDTV. You've got your facts mixed up. The FCC mandated all stations switch from analog to digital signals. Doing that would allow for stations to broadcast high-definition streams. But in no way is high-def required. The current date to comply I believe is sometime in 2007, but it keeps getting pushed back. I think this year was the original target date for digital conversion.
claydude14 Posted August 13, 2004 Report Posted August 13, 2004 There's always people who won't upgrade and there will always be stuff for these tech cavemen to buy, for a reasonable amount of time at least. Sooner or late these people will have to upgrade to something because whatever they use is too out of date. For example VHS cavemen exist and there's still plenty of stuff for the average consumer to buy, for now. In 10 or so years VHS will be so outdated that few companies will produce VHS products and it will be hard for VHS cavemen to continue with VHS. Yea but see the reason VHS declined is because DVD is such a hot commodity, cheaper, collectible etc. Switching all of America to HD I don't think will be as easy, as I don't think most people buy new TVs all too often, as there's no need. A TV lasts a long time with most average families not seeing any reason to buy a new one. I think realistically we'll see dual-broadcasting of NTSC and HD for a while now, as buying new TVs to replace all the ones Americans have that aren't HD would just be too expensive; and there's simply no need for a new TV in most people's homes.
MrRant Posted August 13, 2004 Report Posted August 13, 2004 Once again. There will be no dual broadcasting. There will be a converter to downconvert the HD down to normal analog.
Jobber of the Week Posted August 13, 2004 Report Posted August 13, 2004 It's been growing along fine on it's own, I doubt the switchover crap anymore until it has a majority marketshare of it's own accord, which won't be for a LONG time. I read about a total switchover to HDTV coming "soon" during the 80s.
kkktookmybabyaway Posted August 13, 2004 Report Posted August 13, 2004 It will come the day after I buy my big screen TV...
MarvinisaLunatic Posted August 13, 2004 Report Posted August 13, 2004 The only people that are affected by the switch in 2006 (or whatever year it does happen) are the people who get local channels with an antenna. If you have cable, this doesn't affect you and if you have a Satellite and get locals over the satellite, this doesn't affect you. So most people will still not have much of an incentive to buy a new HD TV or a converter because the switch won't affect them. People who rely on an antenna for local channels will either have to get a new tv/converter to continue to watch local channels. Some people could be without any tv channels if they don't have Satellite or Cable (and there are a few people like that..) Currently it affects me because, while I have Directv, they don't offer my local channels yet and I get CBS/ABC with an antenna.
The Czech Republic Posted August 13, 2004 Report Posted August 13, 2004 I heard this has to do with going to digital signals so that higher (or lower?) UHF signals, 60 and up, can be sold to cell phone companies. And hasn't Britain been doing high definition forever? I know they have more frames per second or something.
MrRant Posted August 13, 2004 Report Posted August 13, 2004 The only people that are affected by the switch in 2006 (or whatever year it does happen) are the people who get local channels with an antenna. If you have cable, this doesn't affect you and if you have a Satellite and get locals over the satellite, this doesn't affect you. So most people will still not have much of an incentive to buy a new HD TV or a converter because the switch won't affect them. People who rely on an antenna for local channels will either have to get a new tv/converter to continue to watch local channels. Some people could be without any tv channels if they don't have Satellite or Cable (and there are a few people like that..) Currently it affects me because, while I have Directv, they don't offer my local channels yet and I get CBS/ABC with an antenna. It affects everyone. You will get the channels via a cable/sat converter but it will DOWNCONVERTED to display on your analog set. To properly view television when it happens you WILL need a HDTV.
Guest El Satanico Posted August 13, 2004 Report Posted August 13, 2004 It will come the day after I buy my big screen TV... Well I hope you're buying a HD big screen. You can get a HD ready big screen for around the price of a regular big screen. You can also get one with the HD reciever built in, but that seems to add around $1000 to the prices.
MrRant Posted August 13, 2004 Report Posted August 13, 2004 No one needs the digital tuner built in unless they are picking up locals via antenna.
Guest wildpegasus Posted August 14, 2004 Report Posted August 14, 2004 There's always people who won't upgrade and there will always be stuff for these tech cavemen to buy, for a reasonable amount of time at least. Sooner or late these people will have to upgrade to something because whatever they use is too out of date. For example VHS cavemen exist and there's still plenty of stuff for the average consumer to buy, for now. In 10 or so years VHS will be so outdated that few companies will produce VHS products and it will be hard for VHS cavemen to continue with VHS. VHS people are caveman now? I got too much stuff on VHS that will never be on DVD so I'll always be watching VHS. I also need VHS for taping TV shows so I can watch them later.
MarvinisaLunatic Posted August 14, 2004 Report Posted August 14, 2004 The only people that are affected by the switch in 2006 (or whatever year it does happen) are the people who get local channels with an antenna. If you have cable, this doesn't affect you and if you have a Satellite and get locals over the satellite, this doesn't affect you. So most people will still not have much of an incentive to buy a new HD TV or a converter because the switch won't affect them. People who rely on an antenna for local channels will either have to get a new tv/converter to continue to watch local channels. Some people could be without any tv channels if they don't have Satellite or Cable (and there are a few people like that..) Currently it affects me because, while I have Directv, they don't offer my local channels yet and I get CBS/ABC with an antenna. It affects everyone. You will get the channels via a cable/sat converter but it will DOWNCONVERTED to display on your analog set. To properly view television when it happens you WILL need a HDTV. Directv's signal (which is digital) is already downconverted in the reciever for analog tvs as it is, so I don't think it would change anything.
Kahran Ramsus Posted August 14, 2004 Report Posted August 14, 2004 The only people that are affected by the switch in 2006 (or whatever year it does happen) are the people who get local channels with an antenna. If you have cable, this doesn't affect you and if you have a Satellite and get locals over the satellite, this doesn't affect you. So most people will still not have much of an incentive to buy a new HD TV or a converter because the switch won't affect them. People who rely on an antenna for local channels will either have to get a new tv/converter to continue to watch local channels. Some people could be without any tv channels if they don't have Satellite or Cable (and there are a few people like that..) Currently it affects me because, while I have Directv, they don't offer my local channels yet and I get CBS/ABC with an antenna. It affects everyone. You will get the channels via a cable/sat converter but it will DOWNCONVERTED to display on your analog set. To properly view television when it happens you WILL need a HDTV. Directv's signal (which is digital) is already downconverted in the reciever for analog tvs as it is, so I don't think it would change anything. Correct. Same goes for any DSS. Cable might be another story, I'm not sure. I know I can watch the HDTV channels on my analog TV.
MrRant Posted August 14, 2004 Report Posted August 14, 2004 DirecTV is analog signal digitally compressed. Just like digital cable.
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