Senate puts DTV Conversion Delay Bill Back In the Race

The “DTV conversion delay” bill, which was defeated in the House of Representatives on Wednesday, may be on its way to revival.  A similar bill was passed with unanimous support in the Senate on Thursday.  The bill was a bi-partisan proposal by Senators Jay Rockefeller, democrat, and Kay Bailey Hutchison, republican.  It not only delays the date that broadcasters will be required to change from analog to digital signal from Feb 17 to June 12, but it proposes that the stations will be allowed to change over sooner if they choose to do so.   Now that the bill has passed in the Senate, it may be brought up for a vote in the House, for which it would only require a majority vote to be passed.  In the previous vote, under other certain rules, a two-thirds majority vote was required.  The vote was 268-158, meaning that if the voters repeat their decisions, the bill will pass in the House unanimously.

The Nielsen Co. has been referenced heavily in this continuing battle for TV signal conversion.  Although the company has stated that over 6 million households are unprepared for the change, 94% of the country’s citizens are ready to go!  Isn’t there a better solution for helping the remaining estimated 6%, rather than holding up something that has been in the works for 10 years now?

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Digital Pushback!! Is it happening

Currently being debated in the Senate is a bill that would push back the date of the analog to digital broadcast conversion to June 12, approximately 4 months past the current deadline of February 17.  The bill was proposed by Senate Commerce Committee Chairman, John D. Rockefeller (Democrat, West Virginia), and is likely to be strongly supported by President Obama, who has already called for a possible postponement after the $1.34 billion budget was maxed out.  

The main concern is that many consumers are not ready for the changeover.  This conclusion was drawn after a report from Nielsen Co. stated that approximately 6.5 million households were unprepared for the transition.  Many people are not anticipating the changes that are necessary in order to view channels on home theater systems or mobile satellite TV.  At the same time, opinions have been voiced by public citizens that these remaining people have had plenty of forewarning, but have chosen to ignore the upcoming change.

Disadvantages of the possible pushback include confused consumers, dual broadcasting costs for television companies, and the fact that the organizations that had planned to use the newly available spectrum space will be scrambling to change plans.  This possible delay also leaves public broadcasters with the fear of a lack of funding, due to the fact that they will have to continue to pay to operate both the analog and digital signal with an already slashed budget for FY09.  The bill will still allow television stations to crossover before June 12, though it may also cause confusion and frustration for the viewers.

America: Not Ready for the Digital Switch

By Dawn Hatchard

Everyone, in theory, is supposed to be ready for the analog to digital switch for television reception. The big day is slated for Feb. 17, 2009.

The government has been educating Americans with commercials about the converter box, coupons and the deadline since January, 2008. Are you one of the estimated million people who has been procrastinating getting your government coupon for a converter box?

With 10 million coupons yet to be redeemed, there is a lengthy waitlist for the issue of new coupons. Apparently, they have exhausted funding and ran out of the coupons themselves. This may be particularly troublesome for rural low-income families.

If you are simply a procrastinator you have other alternatives. Going without your fix of evening news, daytime court shows or favorite network sitcom may not be necessary.

This could very well be your golden opportunity to update and upgrade your home entertainment experience. Satellite services are more affordable than ever, offering more channels and HD satellite quality for less than you spend a week on your favorite beverages.

Rabbit ears and rooftop antennas may be troublesome to obtain decent reception, not to mention unattractive. Similar reception issues are expected with the new digital system. There may be less fuzz in the picture, but there will be lag and pauses in programming as your converter box searches for a signal.

With satellite services, even the most rural residents get the reception needed to follow programming. The major Satellite television companies also offer free DVR (digital video recording) capabilities built in to their boxes. DVR is the best thing since motion picture itself, trust me on this one. It also happens to be user friendly. You will not be able to imagine how you ever watched TV without it.

Pioneer releases long-awaited Elite KURO Signature Series

By Joanna McDonald

Everyone, from the amateur home-theater enthusiasts to the guys who review the latest and greatest technology for a living, has been blown away by Pioneer Elite KURO Signature Series Monitors. The word kuro means “black” in Japanese, and they aren’t kidding. Hometheatermag.com’s Geoffrey Morrison mistook the monitor for being off the first time he saw it: “One had that subtle and comforting glow that any flat panel has when displaying ‘black.’ The other panel was clearly off. Then an image appeared–on both screens. It was a ruse; the other panel wasn’t off at all. It was on. The black level was that good-CRT good.”

Pioneer has released only two sizes, the 50-inch PRO-101FD and the 60-inch PRO-141FD. They were specifically designed for custom home-theater installations with a cash-rich consumer in mind (not very many of us, these days), and the price tags—$4,500 for the 50-inch and $7,000 for the 60-inch—ensure that they’ll stay true to their Elite name.

The black level in these monitors is .004 ft-L. That’s .002 foot-lamberts lower than the previous record, held by the Sharp LC-52D92U, and that’s an LCD. It’s the deepest, purest black you can buy in a flat-panel right now.

Home-theater gurus will love the multitude of features Pioneer makes available. Five of the seven picture modes can be completely adjusted. There’s a room-lighting sensor that automatically adjusts the picture to look its best for the conditions. Color, noise, brightness, contrast, and detail can all be adjusted. Six high-definition and five standard-definition aspect ratios allow you to fine-tune for just the right picture. The menu setup is a little different; it minimizes the picture to the right side of the screen, but allows you to preview any adjustments you make to the picture. Internet connectivity allows the picture to be adjusted remotely, among other things

The styling of the unit itself is what you’d expect from a high-end flat-panel: glossy, streamlined black frame and non-swivel base, detachable speakers on either side of the display, a simple gold “Elite” embossed on the bottom of the frame like a code—if you know, then you know what it is. As a Pioneer dealer I would recommend you check one of these out!

February 17th – Everything Goes Digital: Preparing for the Change

Are you prepared for this big change?

One simple thing you can do to guarantee that you will be able to continue viewing your favorite television shows once the changeover from analog to digital signal is complete. Order cable or satellite service! Some cable companies are primed and ready for the transition from analog to digital signal. Secondly, you don’t have to worry about putting a dent in your checkbook, because cable and satellite can be as inexpensive as $14.99/month for basic service. Basic service offers 24 channels and you will still be able to catch Dancing With the Stars, The Mentalist and all your favorite shows.

Another solution is to purchase a converter box. These boxes range in price between $50 and $70. The government is currently offering a $40 coupon toward the purchase of a converter box (maximum of two per household). Each coupon is valid for 90 days and is good for only one box. In order to get your coupon(s), visit the website at http://www.dtv2009.gov or you can call (1-888-DTV-2009) to have one shipped to you. The converter boxes can be complicated to set up, so feel free to contact us with any questions at contact us.

A third option is to replace your current television with an HDTV that comes ready with a digital tuner. This will eliminate the need for the extra piece of equipment (the converter box) in your entertainment cabinet. Retailers nationwide will be trying to increase sales in response to this change in technology, so be on the lookout for great deals on electronics from your favorite local shops. Look for deals on brand like Pioneer Elite , Pioneer , Samsung , and LG . Advanced Technology Services has a great line of products as well and is motivated to help you find the exact TV you are looking for. If you don’t have the money for a new television right away, try one of the first two options mentioned above instead.

The advantages of switching to digital are that the quality of sound and images are so much greater than they were with analog. Digital allows for more programming choices because it is much more efficient than analog due to the rate of compression. If you have cable or satellite, digital service provides more channels and includes some high-definition channels. Once the crossover to digital is complete, you will encounter fewer problems with your programming, due to the fact that digital is not affected as easily by double imaging and noise.

To some, hearing the words “February 17th” may bring the same feeling of dread as the words “April 15th”. There is no reason to be worried if you are informed and you know you are in good hands. We want to be here for you to help answer your questions and find the products and services you need during this time of change and in the future, so don’t hesitate to contact us

Analog Signal to Digital Broadcasting

On February 18, 2009, all full-power television broadcasting stations will be required by law to transition from analog signal to digital broadcasting.  The publicity surrounding this changeover has many television owners questioning and needing information from a trustworthy source.  As a family-owned and operated business, Advanced Technology Services feels we owe it to our customers to give you the most accurate information available.  We want to help you make decisions with which you are secure.

First, it is important for you to know that this conversion to digital signal by most stations does exclude some broadcasts.  Those stations who broadcast through low-power (Class A) translators do not fall under this federal mandate, and may continue to operate analog signals until they choose to cross over.  These low-power translators operate in areas where the full-power TV stations are unable to broadcast, sometimes due to the geography and topography of the land.  This is the case for many areas near where we are located in Southern Oregon, such as valleys, mountains, and remote areas.  In these areas, the low-power translators extend the signal from the full-power stations through analog signal.  They may also broadcast shows from smaller TV stations, such as ethnic or religious programming.

For those who live in areas which are service by the low-power translators, an ATSC digital/NTSC analog tuner or a digital converter box with analog pass through will be necessary to continue to receive the analog broadcasts.  Most electronic stores carry these products and can be purchased by using a $40.00 coupon that is now being offered by the government.  Be sure that the box does satisfy the above-mentioned requirements before purchasing.  If the box does not have analog pass through, it will either need an adapted form of wiring hook-up or will need to be disconnected in order to view the analog channels.

More info on this can be found on our website as a motosat dealer we will be bringing you more information for mobile systems in the blogs to come.