On Jan 6, 11:53*pm, "Eisboch" wrote:
"Mike" wrote in message

...







"John H" wrote in message
.. .
Holy crap.

Anyone bought one yet? Suggestions?

Do you need one? If you have digital cable or Sat, you're all set. If you
are still using rabbit ears on an analog TV, then you do need one. I only
have one analog TV left, and it's hooked up to Sat, so no probs here.

If you do need one, they're only about 40 bucks, but if you act quickly,
you can get a $40 coupon from the Feds to cover it. I read recently, that
the coupon program is rapidly running out of cash.

--Mike

What about people that have basic cable service without benefit of a cable
co. supplied box?
In other words, their cable connects directly from the wall to the back of
their analog TV?

Eisboch- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

As long as the tv is digital ready you are ok.. it's only older tv's
that will be effected. If the tv works now with cable from the wall,
it is digital and you will not have a problem if I understand
correctly..

wrote in message
...

On Jan 6, 11:53 pm, "Eisboch" wrote:
"Mike" wrote in message


As long as the tv is digital ready you are ok.. it's only older tv's
that will be effected. If the tv works now with cable from the wall,
it is digital and you will not have a problem if I understand
correctly..

--------------------------------------

I don't think that is true. The older analog TVs work now connected
directly to the cable (no box) because the cable company also provides an
analog signal in addition to digital.

The reason I asked is because the people living in the assisted living place
that my mother is in are all concerned that their older analog TVs won't
work. Most of them are on fixed incomes and have basic cable service that
does not require a cable box. I've tried to decipher the Comcast
advertisements on the subject and they are not very clear. They say, "if
you are a cable subscriber" you don't need to do anything, and the ads show
a TV connected to one of their boxes.

I guess the real question is, "How much longer will the cable companies
continue to provide the analog signal on their cable lines?" I suspect
that eventually (if not starting this February) that they will phase out the
analog signal and do everything in digital. It only makes sense because
analog consumes much of the bandwidth capacity of cable and they want it for
other things (like digital voice for telephone). If my assumption is
correct, then anyone with an analog only TV will eventually require either a
cable box from the cable company, a digital to analog converter box or a
digital TV.

Meanwhile, this is funny. I made a copy and sent it to my mother.

http://www.eisboch.com/digitalconversion.wmv

Eisboch

On Wed, 7 Jan 2009 05:31:06 -0500, "Eisboch"
wrote:




I guess the real question is, "How much longer will the cable companies
continue to provide the analog signal on their cable lines?" I suspect
that eventually (if not starting this February) that they will phase out the
analog signal and do everything in digital. It only makes sense because
analog consumes much of the bandwidth capacity of cable and they want it for
other things (like digital voice for telephone). If my assumption is
correct, then anyone with an analog only TV will eventually require either a
cable box from the cable company, a digital to analog converter box or a
digital TV.

On the bandwidth point, they're not having a problem - here, anyway -
currently sending digital, analog, HD, broadband, and digital phone on
the same cable. I think the digital mandate was to free up the air
waves.
Then, I suspect, as gfretwell does - that requiring boxes on every
analog TV will push customers to satellite. It would push me there.
I don't need much excuse to leave Comcast behind.
Only the fact I'd have to pay for the extra sat boxes has kept me
from going to sat.
Thirdly, Comcast has been harping in ads for months now that their
customers don't have to get a converter box. Be pretty dumb to go
back on that any time soon.
I figure they have a 5-10 year time frame for dropping analog.
Probably have statisticians working on analog TV obsolescence and
psychologists analysing public response.
They have plenty of money to pay them.
I've been in meetings with these types. If they're any good they'll
keep as many customers as they can.
But its always possible they'll go for cost-cutting bonus money and
screw the pooch.

Meanwhile, this is funny. I made a copy and sent it to my mother.

http://www.eisboch.com/digitalconversion.wmv

Funny. We'll all get there soon enough. If we're lucky.

--Vic

"Vic Smith" wrote in message
news
On Wed, 7 Jan 2009 05:31:06 -0500, "Eisboch"
wrote:




I guess the real question is, "How much longer will the cable companies
continue to provide the analog signal on their cable lines?" I suspect
that eventually (if not starting this February) that they will phase out
the
analog signal and do everything in digital. It only makes sense because
analog consumes much of the bandwidth capacity of cable and they want it
for
other things (like digital voice for telephone). If my assumption is
correct, then anyone with an analog only TV will eventually require either
a
cable box from the cable company, a digital to analog converter box or a
digital TV.

On the bandwidth point, they're not having a problem - here, anyway -
currently sending digital, analog, HD, broadband, and digital phone on
the same cable. I think the digital mandate was to free up the air
waves.
Then, I suspect, as gfretwell does - that requiring boxes on every
analog TV will push customers to satellite. It would push me there.
I don't need much excuse to leave Comcast behind.
Only the fact I'd have to pay for the extra sat boxes has kept me
from going to sat.
Thirdly, Comcast has been harping in ads for months now that their
customers don't have to get a converter box. Be pretty dumb to go
back on that any time soon.
I figure they have a 5-10 year time frame for dropping analog.
Probably have statisticians working on analog TV obsolescence and
psychologists analysing public response.
They have plenty of money to pay them.
I've been in meetings with these types. If they're any good they'll
keep as many customers as they can.
But its always possible they'll go for cost-cutting bonus money and
screw the pooch.

Meanwhile, this is funny. I made a copy and sent it to my mother.

http://www.eisboch.com/digitalconversion.wmv

Funny. We'll all get there soon enough. If we're lucky.

--Vic

You have to weigh the total cost of cable vs satellite. The satellite box
charge may not be a deal breaker. With DishNetwork each receiver will
satisfy two TVs. And the new ones even have a turner for OFT reception.

"Vic Smith" wrote in message
news
On Wed, 7 Jan 2009 05:31:06 -0500, "Eisboch"
wrote:




I guess the real question is, "How much longer will the cable companies
continue to provide the analog signal on their cable lines?" I suspect
that eventually (if not starting this February) that they will phase out
the
analog signal and do everything in digital. It only makes sense because
analog consumes much of the bandwidth capacity of cable and they want it
for
other things (like digital voice for telephone). If my assumption is
correct, then anyone with an analog only TV will eventually require either
a
cable box from the cable company, a digital to analog converter box or a
digital TV.

On the bandwidth point, they're not having a problem - here, anyway -
currently sending digital, analog, HD, broadband, and digital phone on
the same cable. I think the digital mandate was to free up the air
waves.
Then, I suspect, as gfretwell does - that requiring boxes on every
analog TV will push customers to satellite. It would push me there.
I don't need much excuse to leave Comcast behind.
Only the fact I'd have to pay for the extra sat boxes has kept me
from going to sat.
Thirdly, Comcast has been harping in ads for months now that their
customers don't have to get a converter box. Be pretty dumb to go
back on that any time soon.
I figure they have a 5-10 year time frame for dropping analog.
Probably have statisticians working on analog TV obsolescence and
psychologists analysing public response.
They have plenty of money to pay them.
I've been in meetings with these types. If they're any good they'll
keep as many customers as they can.
But its always possible they'll go for cost-cutting bonus money and
screw the pooch.

Meanwhile, this is funny. I made a copy and sent it to my mother.

http://www.eisboch.com/digitalconversion.wmv

Funny. We'll all get there soon enough. If we're lucky.

--Vic



My Dish network box only supports 2 TV's. So I need a 2nd $5 box for the
3rd TV.

"Eisboch" wrote in message
...

wrote in message
...

On Jan 6, 11:53 pm, "Eisboch" wrote:
"Mike" wrote in message


As long as the tv is digital ready you are ok.. it's only older tv's
that will be effected. If the tv works now with cable from the wall,
it is digital and you will not have a problem if I understand
correctly..

--------------------------------------

I don't think that is true. The older analog TVs work now connected
directly to the cable (no box) because the cable company also provides an
analog signal in addition to digital.

The reason I asked is because the people living in the assisted living
place that my mother is in are all concerned that their older analog TVs
won't work. Most of them are on fixed incomes and have basic cable
service that does not require a cable box. I've tried to decipher the
Comcast advertisements on the subject and they are not very clear. They
say, "if you are a cable subscriber" you don't need to do anything, and
the ads show a TV connected to one of their boxes.

I guess the real question is, "How much longer will the cable companies
continue to provide the analog signal on their cable lines?" I suspect
that eventually (if not starting this February) that they will phase out
the analog signal and do everything in digital. It only makes sense
because analog consumes much of the bandwidth capacity of cable and they
want it for other things (like digital voice for telephone). If my
assumption is correct, then anyone with an analog only TV will eventually
require either a cable box from the cable company, a digital to analog
converter box or a digital TV.

Meanwhile, this is funny. I made a copy and sent it to my mother.

http://www.eisboch.com/digitalconversion.wmv

Eisboch

If you do not need the converter box coupon's you can order 2, the max per
address and deliver them to senior centers or assisted living centers. They
can also only get 2 coupons.

On Wed, 7 Jan 2009 05:31:06 -0500, "Eisboch" wrote:


wrote in message
...

On Jan 6, 11:53 pm, "Eisboch" wrote:
"Mike" wrote in message


As long as the tv is digital ready you are ok.. it's only older tv's
that will be effected. If the tv works now with cable from the wall,
it is digital and you will not have a problem if I understand
correctly..

--------------------------------------

I don't think that is true. The older analog TVs work now connected
directly to the cable (no box) because the cable company also provides an
analog signal in addition to digital.

The reason I asked is because the people living in the assisted living place
that my mother is in are all concerned that their older analog TVs won't
work. Most of them are on fixed incomes and have basic cable service that
does not require a cable box. I've tried to decipher the Comcast
advertisements on the subject and they are not very clear. They say, "if
you are a cable subscriber" you don't need to do anything, and the ads show
a TV connected to one of their boxes.

I guess the real question is, "How much longer will the cable companies
continue to provide the analog signal on their cable lines?" I suspect
that eventually (if not starting this February) that they will phase out the
analog signal and do everything in digital. It only makes sense because
analog consumes much of the bandwidth capacity of cable and they want it for
other things (like digital voice for telephone). If my assumption is
correct, then anyone with an analog only TV will eventually require either a
cable box from the cable company, a digital to analog converter box or a
digital TV.

Meanwhile, this is funny. I made a copy and sent it to my mother.

http://www.eisboch.com/digitalconversion.wmv

Eisboch

Rich, tell your wife to get those folks to apply for the $40 coupons! Hell,
the boxes are almost giveaways once you have the coupon. Here's an idea of
what they cost.

http://tinyurl.com/5f3wnl

I ordered from them last night. Ended up ordering two of them, the Zinwell
and the Tevax. With the coupons, the totol cost was about $34, for both.
About $13 of that was shipping.

On Wed, 7 Jan 2009 05:31:06 -0500, "Eisboch" wrote:


wrote in message
...

On Jan 6, 11:53 pm, "Eisboch" wrote:
"Mike" wrote in message


As long as the tv is digital ready you are ok.. it's only older tv's
that will be effected. If the tv works now with cable from the wall,
it is digital and you will not have a problem if I understand
correctly..

--------------------------------------

I don't think that is true. The older analog TVs work now connected
directly to the cable (no box) because the cable company also provides an
analog signal in addition to digital.

The reason I asked is because the people living in the assisted living place
that my mother is in are all concerned that their older analog TVs won't
work. Most of them are on fixed incomes and have basic cable service that
does not require a cable box. I've tried to decipher the Comcast
advertisements on the subject and they are not very clear. They say, "if
you are a cable subscriber" you don't need to do anything, and the ads show
a TV connected to one of their boxes.

I guess the real question is, "How much longer will the cable companies
continue to provide the analog signal on their cable lines?" I suspect
that eventually (if not starting this February) that they will phase out the
analog signal and do everything in digital. It only makes sense because
analog consumes much of the bandwidth capacity of cable and they want it for
other things (like digital voice for telephone). If my assumption is
correct, then anyone with an analog only TV will eventually require either a
cable box from the cable company, a digital to analog converter box or a
digital TV.

Meanwhile, this is funny. I made a copy and sent it to my mother.

http://www.eisboch.com/digitalconversion.wmv

Eisboch

Very good. I'm about to forward it to a potfull of folks. Hope your site
can take the heat.