[Hidden-tech] Verizon vs. Comcast

[ussailis at shaysnet.com]

In Northampton 'basic' cable is about $7.50/ mo. It is slated to GO DOWN a
bit!!! Incidently, ti was about $5.50/ mo in 2002.

I believe that the FCC is requiring the cable companies to supply NTSC
signals after the 2009 shut down. If someone has basic cable, and is
planning to keep it, check on this.

1'll wager that HDTVs and converter boxes will take a major plunge in price
around mid summer 2009.

I understand that WGBY is has been up & running several forms of digital,
including HD, TV for some time now. There was a ruling that by now all TV
stations had to have gone to a digital format. I don't know if that is
still true. The FCC makes and changes rules on a continuous basis. It is
very difficult to keep up.

For what it is worth, the first roll-out of HDTV in Japan was not a sucess.
This is caused Congress and the FCC to force the issue on us. And the plan
is to sell the 700 MHz band frequencies. An estimated $20B haul (that's B
not M....those older folks might drop the 'and').   

Jim Ussailis
jim at nationalwireless.com

Yes, I called the ed of AARP mag. About a year ago. They didn't know about
this, and didn't care. I have a side of the family that typically lives
into the mid 90s, so I understand that folks older than the mid 80s need
TV, don;t give a darn about HD, and can't afford even a few $$ for a
converter box. They might not even understand the whole thing. To many of
them TV will be gone.



Original Message:
-----------------
From: Garth gshaneyfelt at yahoo.com
Date: Fri, 25 Jan 2008 11:56:22 -0500
To: heller at deepsoft.com, david at farkas.com,
hidden-discuss at lists.hidden-tech.net
Subject: RE: [Hidden-tech] Verizon vs. Comcast


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'Local' TV channels -- I don't think there is anything like 'local', unless
you consider Springfield local.  You'll *probably* need a rooftop antenna to
get broadcast TV.  Note: in like a couple of years, NTSC broadcast TV will
be gone.  I don't know if there will be 'broadcast HDTV' or not.

>>>>
The curious thing about the truly LOCAL TV (i.e. Public Access) is that you
can ONLY get it through your cable company!  [because that's it main funding
source]  Maybe they could put their stuff on YouTube or IndyMedia.org as
well??

You can at least get wicked-basic cable for about $10/month from Comcast.

That "couple of years" is just about one now...Feb 17, 2009
http://www.dtv.gov/

-Garth

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