Goodbye, Analog TV broadcasts

Darren Dirt · June 10, 2009, 04:34:45 PM

... yes I know it's in the past, but I just found this, a very poetic homage to 57 years of world-changing:
http://www.tvweek.com/blogs/2009/06/going-too-gently-into-that-good-night-saying-farewell-to-analog-tv-1.php

And now we are all slaves to the cable boxes, and thus to the cable companies.

:sigh: oh well could be worse, at least Telus ain't one of the cable providers

Lazybones · June 10, 2009, 05:57:44 PM

Telus Does have a tv service

Tom · June 10, 2009, 07:04:16 PM

And its not set to happen in Canada till 2010 or 2011.

Lazybones · June 11, 2009, 12:47:15 AM

Quote from: Tom on June 10, 2009, 07:04:16 PM
And its not set to happen in Canada till 2010 or 2011.

Well with the ads CTV is running about how unfair it is for cable and sat companies to rebroadcast local TV they may just turn off the local TV.

Telus TV
http://www.telus.com/portalWeb/appmanager/cpPortal/consumerPortal?_nfpb=true&_pageLabel=tv_index

Tom · June 11, 2009, 07:26:28 AM

How would that help them at all? Except to piss off people that still use local tv (and the people that would LOVE to get ota HDTV, like ME). The cable companies would still be rebroadcasting it regardless of the stations doing OTA themselves.

Unless they mean to just stop broadcasting all together.. I doubt that'd happen.

Mr. Analog · June 16, 2009, 07:14:46 AM

What I gathered from the ads is that satellite/cable receives local broadcasting without charge and then turns around and charges YOU the satellite/cable consumer for it. When the switch to digital comes down in 2011 and they are forced off the air but can't afford to upgrade their ancient gear with money they DON'T have then what happens to local analogue productions?

I haven't looked into this, nor do I care, but I do think that a lot of rural people are going to get @%&#ed over in a couple of years (I mean, Canada's population density is WAY lower than the US, I can't see the Gov't running cable to everyone, or giving away cheap satellite boxes).

Somebody made a good point on /. the other day, if the Government wasn't making money off of selling the bandwidth there probably wouldn't BE a switchover.

Tom · June 16, 2009, 01:52:07 PM

I'm pretty sure the broadcasters DO make money for repeating the signal. Not a lot though, at least from the broadcaster's perspective. Last I heard, it was just a "we want more money" play.

QuoteI haven't looked into this, nor do I care, but I do think that a lot of rural people are going to get @%&#ed over in a couple of years (I mean, Canada's population density is WAY lower than the US, I can't see the Gov't running cable to everyone, or giving away cheap satellite boxes).

The Gov't has already run fiber to most areas of the country, all that's needed is a local cable or repeater company to setup and fetch the feed.

Mr. Analog · June 16, 2009, 07:54:49 PM

Quote from: Tom on June 16, 2009, 01:52:07 PM
I'm pretty sure the broadcasters DO make money for repeating the signal. Not a lot though, at least from the broadcaster's perspective. Last I heard, it was just a "we want more money" play.

No see that's the problem right there, the people rebroadcasting local stuff over for pay services (cable, satellite, etc) are making money whereas the original content producers aren't.

Again, I only have a fuzzy understanding of this whole mess. So some people in PoDunk Alberta won't get to see Farm Film Report on thar rabbit ears no more and be forced to upgrade to basic cable... not many people care about it in Canada, actually probably only the people affected will care (whom traditionally get ignored by the Federal Government and big business).

Tom · June 16, 2009, 07:58:50 PM

A lot of the things we use oil for do have alternatives, and given time they should be as cheap as the oil based products.
ADMIN EDIT TOPIC WAS SPLIT: Energy and Alternatives

QuoteNo see that's the problem right there, the people rebroadcasting local stuff over for pay services (cable, satellite, etc) are making money whereas the original content producers aren't.

They should yank their signal from the cable and satellite operators then, see what happens. (I forsee a major drop in ad-revenue)

QuoteAgain, I only have a fuzzy understanding of this whole mess. So some people in PoDunk Alberta won't get to see Farm Film Report on thar rabbit ears no more and be forced to upgrade to basic cable... not many people care about it in Canada, actually probably only the people affected will care (whom traditionally get ignored by the Federal Government

Unfortunately that's true

Unless Access makes sure its digital signal works just fine in all the same places it did before.

Darren Dirt · June 16, 2009, 08:48:41 PM

Quote from: Mr. Analog on June 16, 2009, 07:54:49 PM
Again, I only have a fuzzy understanding of this whole mess. So some people in PoDunk Alberta won't get to see Farm Film Report on thar rabbit ears no more and be forced to upgrade to basic cable... not many people care about it in Canada, actually probably only the people affected will care (whom traditionally get ignored by the Federal Government and big business).

I think the entire entertainment industry needs to get blowed up reel goot.

Mr. Analog · July 06, 2009, 10:04:58 PM

Quote from: Darren Dirt on June 16, 2009, 08:48:41 PM
Quote from: Mr. Analog on June 16, 2009, 07:54:49 PM
Again, I only have a fuzzy understanding of this whole mess. So some people in PoDunk Alberta won't get to see Farm Film Report on thar rabbit ears no more and be forced to upgrade to basic cable... not many people care about it in Canada, actually probably only the people affected will care (whom traditionally get ignored by the Federal Government and big business).

I think the entire entertainment industry needs to get blowed up reel goot.

Boooooooooooy Howdy!