Best Buy Stops Selling Analog TV's!!!!!!

[Chris D]

Found this really interesting. The first big box store I've heard of, to stop selling analog TV's, with the upcoming switch to digital broadcast.

Just one more step closer to that day!

http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/Investing/Extra/BestBuyPullsPlugOnAnalogTVs.aspx

[John Holmes]

Well, it seems a new era is about to begin. And I was alive to see it! :T

[Chris D]

Yup... just got to stay alive another 15 months.

[aud19]

ABOUT F'ING TIME!!

:lol:

[Lex]

Without sounding like a non believer here, just how are poor people going to get a TV signal if they can't afford a 75.00-100.00 cable network? you know those that only had a piddly roof antenna, or rabbit ears? I Think there's going to be a lot of fallout from this changeover for ma and pa kettle types.

[Chris D]

Absolutely, there's going to be a big impact that most people don't know is coming. A lot of people still don't know what digital TV is, much less HDTV. (much less stuff like BD or HD-DVD)

Each household in the entire country will be offered two coupons, I think they're $40 each, to buy D/A converter boxes if they want. I think just about everybody will have at least one analog TV left in their house, so depending on how you hook it up, just about everybody could use at least one. (including many of us even here in the HT clubs)

Still, there's going to be a lot of people in February, 2009 that are caught blindsided.

[Pez]

One country in Eurpoe has already done it and I havent heard of any mass hysteria. This is only a good thing and wished it happened a lot sooner. Yes there will be plenty of people caught off gaurd and there does need to be a lot more info put out there by the cable companies/govt letting people know. But if some are just ignoring it out of, well, ignorance than they cant blame anyone but themselves. No matter how hard you try today is a technological society and you just cant pass it off. And there are plenty of senior citizens out there who can use a computer (and yes many that cant). Its also up to us in the know to help spread the word.

Only one of the four TV's in my house is digital so I will be taking advantage of those coupons. I applaud BB for this move, to be honest I dont even know why any retailer still sells analog TV's. Plus if they do they are suppose to have a warning about the switch to digital.

[Chris D]

Pez, I didn't know that... which country already went all-digital?

[Pez]

Pez, I didn't know that... which country already went all-digital?

I want to say the Netherlands but I am not sure about that. It was on cnn.com a couple months ago and for the life of me I dont remember which. If I can remember or find out I will post it.

[Alloroc]

I'm not sure either. To my knowledge, Sweden will be the first to go in 2008 and Denmark in 2009. All EU member states are commited to stop analogue transmisson by 2012. One of the things that might slow that down will be new member states joining the party - usually with less developed infrastructure. And if Turkey is admitted to the EU it could go longer again.

[aud19]

I applaud BB for this move, to be honest I dont even know why any retailer still sells analog TV's. Plus if they do they are suppose to have a warning about the switch to digital.

I agree, it's a big help to consumers to be educated and not even have a choice to make what is IMO a bad decision when buying a new display. Hopefully it's a trend that's quickly adapted by the rest of the industry :T

[audioqueso]

Yeah, I figured it would hit the US soon. I just moved back to Japan, and I wanted to buy just some little tv for the time being. Cheapest thing for 21" or bigger was $800ish because there are no more tube tv's. Everything was LCD or plasma (no DLPs here).

[Pez]

Yeah, I figured it would hit the US soon. I just moved back to Japan, and I wanted to buy just some little tv for the time being. Cheapest thing for 21" or bigger was $800ish because there are no more tube tv's. Everything was LCD or plasma (no DLPs here).

That is probably the biggest negative with digital TV's. Gone are the days of getting a small set for next to nothing, for now at least. I want to get a new TV for the bedroom but with the prices of 13" - 19" it costs a lot compared to tube TV's. At least a converter box will hold me over.

[Lex]

Cable companies, utility companies, gas companies, they all leave me with a bad taste. I hate monopolistic businesses, and to give one even a stronger hold on the public, is one thing I am strongly AGAINST. I'm sorry, but we need more freedome from monopolies, not more reasons to be wrapped up by one. For me, it's just a personal hate for anything monopolistic.

At least there is satellite, and that offers some relief from one aspect in a way, but even they know where they got you, what your alternative is...

[aud19]

what your alternative is...

OTA

[jazzyjez]

Pez, I didn't know that... which country already went all-digital?

Well it's not "all-digital", but at least one region in the UK has already started its analog switch-off: Parts of the Border region (Cumbria) started its switch-off on 17-Oct-2007. The uptake of digital TV has been generally faster than expected, so the whole country should achieve the switchover by 2012 - and it's likely this could be accelerated. IIRC, the switch-off of the old 405-line VHF networks occurred well ahead of schedule, and way back then people said it would never happen because of all the old TVs, etc.

[spyvie]

Personally, I think this whole issue is being blown way out of proportion.

It's still over a year away and if anyone is blindsided it will likely be because they don't watch tv anyway. You can bet that in the holiday season leading up to the switch that the marketing blitz will be in full force.

As far as I'm concerned, it is totally irresponsible of our government to allocate just under a billion for those cupons as if there aren't any better uses for that money.

You show me someone who can't afford a digital tv or at least a converter box and I will show you someone with bigger problems than not being able to watch television.

[Jack Gilvey]

Personally, I think this whole issue is being blown way out of proportion.

It's still over a year away and if anyone is blindsided it will likely be because they don't watch tv anyway. You can bet that in the holiday season leading up to the switch that the marketing blitz will be in full force.

As far as I'm concerned, it is totally irresponsible of our government to allocate just under a billion for those cupons as if there aren't any better uses for that money.

You show me someone who can't afford a digital tv or at least a converter box and I will show you someone with bigger problems than not being able to watch television.

Indeed. Children are hungry, get over the damn TV switch already. Read a book.

[Lex]

seems a bit harsh Jack. Yes, there are better priorities for govt money than coupons. But this is a very real problem, and it will impact people.

TV is also a chosen method of public information distribution with the public broadcast system. A lot of country people, you just can't take into the digital revolution. It's just not going to happen.

I'm reminded of a story I heard on the news this week, a lady that signed up for Vonage, I would assume after they sent her a promotion. She was on a fixed income, and was looking for a way to save money. Maybe to save 5 bucks a month. She didn't realize this was internet phone only, signed up, and the company signed her up, even after she told them she didn't own a computer. Suddenly, she has 200.00 in charges, and has something she can't use. Vonage it seems isn't to good at fixing issues either, and so it begins... What's this lady going to do in the digital revolution? I'm just saying-