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09/28/08, 04:33 PM
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Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: WI
Posts: 1,649
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Will you have TV after February?
Digital TV is coming in February and I've been reading about the changes.
After reading about converters, antennae and even each "local" TV channels' signal strength, I've reached the conclusion that after February we won't be able to get any TV without a satellite dish. We live too far out to get digital TV with an antenna (even a big antenna).
We only watch TV when there is extreme weather, but living in WI that means the TV gets plugged in and turned on a lot in Summer and Winter. I don't feel comfortable with the idea of not tracking bad storms, but then again I don't know how we could afford to pay each month for a satellite TV service.
60 years ago this area's residents banded together to create a rural cooperative to bring electrical service to each house and "catch up" with the urban areas. Another rural cooperative brought basic phone service to each house.
Now I feel like technology is, once again, leaving the rural population behind. Limited Cellular phone service, no high speed internet service and soon no TV service, means you either do without or pay for expensive services that still don't perform as well as urban services.
So I am the only one who is looking at losing all TV service in February?
Deb
in WI
Last edited by deb; 09/28/08 at 04:34 PM.
Reason: spelling
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09/28/08, 04:39 PM
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Moderator
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Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Mountains of Vermont, Zone 3
Posts: 8,878
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No, we won't have TV after February.
But then I don't have TV now either. 
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SugarMtnFarm.com -- Pastured Pigs, Poultry, Sheep, Dogs and Kids
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09/28/08, 04:42 PM
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Join Date: May 2006
Location: north central wv
Posts: 2,321
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I track more storms on the internet than on tv.Also a good weather radio is a must. The new 2 meter ham radio repeater we are putting up here in our county will be linked to the weather service and will issue weather warnings as they come out and can be monitored by home scanners. Sometimes I wish there was no tv here. Sam
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09/28/08, 04:48 PM
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I love South Dakota
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Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: South Dakota
Posts: 5,266
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We already are in the situation that we can't get "local" stations without satellite - we probably could if we wanted to put a honking big antennae on the house.
We found the local stations are far enough away that they aren't real great for nasty weather anyway - and satellite won't get through heavy clouds either. The radio station that actually is local does a much better job, and comes in no matter what.
We also have a weather alert radio. I can sleep better at night, trusting it to wake me up if a storm gets nasty after I've gone to bed.
We dumped the satellite about a year ago, and have done just fine without it. We pay enough attention to the forecast via the internet to be prepared, and know when it's a good idea to be watching and turn the radio on.
Cathy
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09/28/08, 04:59 PM
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Join Date: May 2006
Location: near the current river in mo.
Posts: 1,370
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__________________
'It Is A Wise Father Who Knows His Own Child'
Shakespeare
A WOMAN MUST NOT RELY ON A MAN TO PROTECT HER, SHE MUST LEARN TO PROTECT HERSELF.
SUSAN B. ANTHONY 
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09/28/08, 05:05 PM
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Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: WI
Posts: 4,277
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Quote:
Originally Posted by highlands
No, we won't have TV after February.
But then I don't have TV now either. |
Ditto. I use Netflix for movies and that's it - and I tend to forget to watch those. Deb, I listen to the radio to find out about bad weather..
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Marvelous Madame
Be kind to others. You do not know what burdens they are carrying.
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09/28/08, 05:20 PM
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Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: SW Michigan
Posts: 16,408
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We already have satellite and that is what we use. We don't watch local news anyway. If I want that I look it up in the local paper online. We have the storm radio. A couple years ago, our TV was replaced to a digital/HD one, so we are fine. We don't watch it much anyway.
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09/28/08, 06:50 PM
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An Ozark Engineer
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Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Powhatan, AR
Posts: 9,427
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Haven't had TV here since 2004, and have never missed it. I can get all the news and weather off the internet and radio. I refuse to pay for sattelite or cable!
NeHi
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09/28/08, 06:52 PM
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zone 5 - riverfrontage
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Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Forests of maine
Posts: 5,869
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We receive 2 TV stations. So we do not watch it much.
With the reduction in broadcast power, we will likely be too far away from each of these transmitters.
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09/28/08, 08:07 PM
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Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: Alaska
Posts: 4,528
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Quote:
Originally Posted by highlands
No, we won't have TV after February.
But then I don't have TV now either. |
LOL! Same here! I have enough videos and DVDs to hold me until I dump this TV permanently and never replace it!
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09/28/08, 08:14 PM
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Join Date: May 2002
Posts: 3,567
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We expect to be without.
I tried a converter box in the external signal in jack on our faithful B/W TV but it did not provide a thing. The fancy schmancy digital TV did not work with the converter either. We'll see next year, but we can take it or leave it.
Rick
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09/28/08, 08:31 PM
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Join Date: May 2008
Location: Kentucky
Posts: 91
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We will and are without T.V., but we did splurge for the satellite for internet access. That was a non-negotiable point for DH.
Between the 'net, ham radio, weather radio, and my folks nearby with T.V, if we HAD to see something, we won't notice at all, but it still irritates me just the same.
I was irritated over the you-must-use-digital-cell-phone-service-thing. The analog phones were more reliable.
Guess I'm already crotchety, and I'm not even 40.
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09/28/08, 08:42 PM
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Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Eastern N.C.
Posts: 8,834
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We probably will still have TV, but lol when we are tracking the storms and when it starts sprinkling rain, thats all for the tracking till the weather clears a tad anyway.  (DISH) If the TV pulls through, then the radar goes out  Eddie
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09/28/08, 09:12 PM
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Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 336
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We don't have tv service now. We can pick up the local pbs station now, but won't be able to once the switch is done. Don't care much to be truthful. We gave up tv years ago.
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09/28/08, 09:46 PM
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In Remembrance
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Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: South Central Kansas
Posts: 11,076
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I have already gotten a signal converter and am enjoying 3 additional channels.
About tracking storms---my reasonably local television stations do a good job of storm alerts, warnings, and tracking of storms, I find the ultimate to be wunderground.com
I learned to read the radar signatures from having television weather forecasters show their radar screens and comparing it to the one I get at wunderground.com Since TV stations broadcast to a larger viewing area the weather forecasters don't show zoomed in areas like I can get with the radar, hence I can get a better idea of just how far away a storm is than I would otherwise get.
I feel badly for those that will be without reception and I certainly don't know what the answer to them will be. Best wishes.
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09/30/08, 10:03 AM
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Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: on the beautiful prairie of MN
Posts: 368
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Macybaby
We already are in the situation that we can't get "local" stations without satellite - we probably could if we wanted to put a honking big antennae on the house.
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We do have a honking big antennae on the house  and this is how we get TV reception. My DH even decided to buy a new digital TV, so we're all set. The signal isn't always great, but it works most of the time. Although TBH, the kids and I rarely watch TV, so I wouldn't have minded going completely TV-free in February.
As for storms, we track them online, unless the power goes out (in which case we don't have internet or TV available!)
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09/30/08, 12:38 PM
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Brian w
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Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: ga fl home is macon
Posts: 160
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most stations arer not transmitting in both. why pay for the fancy upgrade? only the big citys are doing that.
if you live in the woods you wil most likely not need one because small transmitters under( have to look it up #) power. these are caled relay stations. Now the cheap boxes will only do digital. so if you like to look at the local church station you will not be able to see it with the 40 dollar box unless they upgrade. right now they don't have to because of the whole church state thing. you can get more exspencive boxes that will do both my dad bought one for 60-40$ paid 20 not bad.
Last edited by redwall; 09/30/08 at 12:51 PM.
Reason: had my coffe
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09/30/08, 01:03 PM
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Join Date: Sep 2008
Posts: 127
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I think I would be better off without TV.
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09/30/08, 02:17 PM
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DW to FordJunkie
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Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Virginia
Posts: 325
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Quote:
Originally Posted by deb
After reading about converters, antennae and even each "local" TV channels' signal strength, I've reached the conclusion that after February we won't be able to get any TV without a satellite dish. We live too far out to get digital TV with an antenna (even a big antenna).
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Ok, I didn't know this would be the case. I haven't really bothered to read much about it except what one of the local channels has on their website. I thought that if you received the channels now on rabbit ears when you added the digital converter box you would get the same ones after February. But that doesn't sound like the case. How do I find out about the signal strength, etc to know if I will have TV?
Thanks,
Angela
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09/30/08, 02:43 PM
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Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: PA
Posts: 912
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Bay Mare,
The problem (or benefit, depending on your point of view) with digital is that you get a perfect picture or no picture. Period.
If you currently get a poor fuzzy picture, then you may not have enough signal strength to get a digital picture. But even that can be confusing. Our local station has one tower with multiple antennas on it. The top one is the digital antenna. The analog antenna is lower. I should actually get a stronger digital signal than I currently receive.
You may need to buy the box to find out. I would make sure that you can return it if it doesn't work out.
Russ
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The government can't give to anybody anything that the government does not first take from somebody else.
--Dr. Adrian Rogers
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