good old tuners going obsolete


Well I didn't getting any feedback on my post about the Marantz ST-7001. I know it is one of many that will be the new wave of the future. Already radio stations are advertising that they are launching HD channels. Which means that if your using that much cherished - - - - - - - - ( fill in the blank with your favorite tuner ) you will not be able to pull in any of the HD channels, you will be limited to only the channels you are receiving now. And it is my understanding that some of the stations are already planning on putting different programing in the slot that is available to analog tuners. Of the high end tuners I have been able to trace so far, only Marantz and Magnum are making HD tuners. What I just can't figure out though, is why people are so willing to shell out big bucks for these analog tuners here and on ebay. They will soon be next to worthless :(
kt_88
Bbro, If your digital box is macro blocking ( or tyling ) then you have a problem that should be serviceable. A good tech should be able to solve your riddle. If not then keep going up the comcast chain until someone important enough hears about it. Then you will get a good tech. If you try hard enough you should be able to find the e-mail address of the president for Penn. I know my president gets enough e-mail from irrates! Let me tell then people start scrambiling!

I am anticipating instead of static from a weak sation or a rainy day ( in digital radio ) we just wont get anything at all.
Kt_88,

Although it might be "common knowledge" at Circuit City and Best Buy, here's what the FCC has to say:

http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-271699A1.pdf

Please direct your attention to the bullet, "Refrains from imposing a mandatory conversion schedule for radio stations to commence digital broadcast operations".

I read that to mean digital only OTA broadcasts aren't quite as imminent as widely believed. If you have evidence to the contrary, I'd love to see it.

David
Digital-only OTA braodcasts would be tough one for the radio stations to swallow since just about 95% of their listeners listen while driving. Dead silence wouldn't cut it for most drivers, and buying and retro-fitting digital receivers to millions of automobiles would probably be a slow process.
Armstrod,

Alan Iverson was sitting in a commentators both once upon a time. The commentators were speculating on what was going on between two teams and who would win. They asked Alan his opinion and he said " The only guys that know is the guys on the floor "

So is it with this digital turn over. The people directly involved know what is going on, the rest of the people can only speculate. I'm sure the folks that do the posting on the FCC web site really don't have a clue what or when. That is reserved for a few select folks that are not saying anything. Of course there is a battle of how soon this will all happen, it was originally planned that all TV networks would be digital by the end of 2006. There are many reasons why that didn't happen. Amongst them would be the networks didn't want to buy all the expensive gear to make it possible. TV manufacturers didn't want to produce so many digital tuners ( they were to busy making money off of their analog ) And of course their were enough folks pressuring their buddies in office not to make it happen. However FCC did mange to have both Congress and Senate pass the 2009 deadline in to law. So unless there is another act of congress- For sure get ready for a change in how your TV receives ( or does not receive ) a picture. Will the radio stations also need to follow suit? Time will tell, but for sure the day is coming for the conversion. And it will happen.

Oh and in case you have not bought a car lately..... Check out what type of radio they have.
I'm not arguing that digital's not coming - it's already here. I'm just trying to get clarification on this supposed 2009 "deadline". So far, you haven't cited a single piece of evidence for it, and all the evidence I've found refutes it. If Congress passed a law, surely you can find some reference and point me to it. I'm sure others reading this thread would be interested too.