TV switchover leaves some viewers out

[The Straight Story]

TV switchover leaves some viewers out

DETROIT, Nov. 27 (UPI) -- Some Spanish-speaking Detroit residents say they can't watch their favorite television channel following the national switch to digital television transmission.

The changeover left many unable to receive their old broadcast channels. A heavily Spanish-speaking area of Detroit could no longer receive WUDT, the main Spanish language station, The Detroit News reported Friday.

Converter boxes meant to bring in the new digital signals are too expensive for many in the Detroit neighborhood, they say, and often can't pull in channels they used to get easily.

"A lot of the people who live here, the only language they speak is Spanish and they're really frustrated," Gabriela Boyd, a 72-year-old resident, said. "A lot of them can't afford the cable. ... (the station) is very important because that's the way they get their news and entertainment, really. For them, the English channels mean nothing."

The change from analog to digital signals last summer required many stations to move from VHF to UHF frequencies, which often meant a change in signal strength, the News said.

http://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2009/11/27/TV-switchover-leaves-some-viewers-out/UPI-67231259367421/

[DailyGrind51]

1. Information about how to get $40 purchase coupons was broadcast in Spanish...

over Spanish language stations for a year prior to the initial conversion date.

[annabanana]

3. and

everyone has the extra $40 lying around.

[GoCubsGo]

5. You can easily get a converter box for $40

With a $40 coupon the government was handing out, they are free. I paid $0 for mine.

[DailyGrind51]

9. The $40 was FREE to all who requested the coupon.

Converters were available for $40 - $50 though Walmart, Best Buy, Target, and many other retail outlets. The most one would have to pay is $10.

[hlthe2b]

15. I tried the cheap ones... they did not pick up where I live...

I ended up researching the various brands and, for me, had to buy the $80 model ($40 out of my pocket) to get one that would work in my area. For me to really have decent reception, I'd have to put up a roof antenna, which I am not willing to do. You really should be thankful that YOU didn't have any problems, rather than discounting that others may not have been so fortunate. Digital signal strength varies by locale, by geography and by presence of competing factors, including other signals, high rise buildings, etc.

[GoCubsGo]

21. I DID have problems. I made an antenna

Without it I wouldn't have gotten reception on half the stations I did. I did not have to put it on my roof. There are instructions on the Internet to make them out of scrap wood and coat hangers, among other things.

[3waygeek]

4. It may not be an issue of converter availablilty..

as pointed out in the article, the switch from VHF to UHF results in decreased signal range. The neighborhood may be in an area that doesn't get a good UHF signal from the transmitter. You'd think the station or the FCC would have checked on that before the switch.

[GoCubsGo]

7. And, unfortunately...

Even if you can get the signal, the strength can vary hour by hour. Some signals are plenty strong. I can get stations in from Columbia, which is 60 miles away, on some days. Getting my local Fox Network in without having to play for hours with the antenna can be a struggle on occasion. But then, I had similar issues with analog TV...

[hlthe2b]

14. Exactly... Singal strength sucks for many stations...

and with digital, unlike analog, it is "all or nothing." You can't receive a lower quality picture that, though ghosted, is still watchable, as you could with analog.

[GoCubsGo]

22. Google "homemade antenna"

You can make one for next to nothing. There are several different versions out there. I made the "coat hanger antenna." They have indoor and outdoor versions. It's ugly but it works better than the $30 antenna I bought. I had everything that was required on hand. Some people might have to go out and spend 3 or 4 bucks on a "balun" (UHF/VHF transformer). I had one on hand, because I pilfered it off of the antenna of an old TV set before I recycled it. You can buy them at Radio Shack or your favorite big box home improvement store, such as Home Despot.

Here are instructions for a "fractal" antenna. It's smaller and less obtrusive than the coat hanger antenna. It can be hidden behind a picture frame. I will try making one when I can get a hold of some scrap copper wire. I am curious as to how this one works.

[hlthe2b]

26. thanks... I will try that when I get some spare time...

No more than I watch tv, it annoys the hell out of me that I should be forced to buy cable...

[hlthe2b]

13. The better boxes (that would be likely t o actually receive the station)

that they wanted to see, were far more than $40. I purchased three, returning two, until I found one that would actually work very well... I still had to get a new antenna and find day to day,I may or may not be able to reliably get all the stations I could get via broadcast before--and that is in central Denver.

If I wanted to watch a lot of tv, I would subscribe to cable or satellite dish and just buy new tv equipment, now that prices have come down significantly. But, I don't and I do think that the switch to digital was far less beneficial than we were promised. And, yes, I do have sympathy for some of the low income people who, despite the coupon and educational program, are now left unable to access "free" broadcasts.

[eShirl]

24. "and often can't pull in channels they used to get easily."

i.e. the signals do not always make it to the new boxes in some areas.

[annabanana]

2. Did anyone else here not see this coming? The whole concept

of "pay TV" moved inexorably to the point of two-tier information access.

(Antithetical to a working democratic republic)

[DailyGrind51]

11. Since I hooked up my converter, I enjoy more stations than before.

For example, instead of the previous two PBS channels (WTTW-11 & WYCC-20), I receive: WTTW-11.1, 11.2, 11.3, 11.4; and WYCC-20.1, 20.2, 20.3, with different programing on each. The "NBC Channels" coming into the Chicago area offer the customary programing over 5.1, but also offer an all-weather 5.2, and sports 5.3. We now have more Spanish language choices.

[Captain Hilts]

6. I can't pull in a digital signal, and the cheap cable I now pay for is really blurry. nt

[Captain Hilts]

8. "For them, the English channels mean nothing." In Detroit, it's handy to know English.

Just saying.

I wish there was more programming with Spanish subtitles or BBC-style limited-vocabulary English for folks learning the language.

[mockmonkey]

10. Before

You might have to watch a crappy signal but at least you got something now it's a good signal or nothing and usually it's nothing. Making the converter boxes useless.

There always is radio but soon they will digitize that too. I found one converter box on-line that was $45, $5 after coupon but most of them cost $65+

I have cable now but it is expensive. I used to use 4 sets of Rabbit ears in different rooms to pick up the different channels. I don't miss that.

[cornermouse]

12. You didn't expect them to put second rate reception

up for sale now did you? That's why they sold people on the HDTV idea, moved us all over to it and voila', the first rate product was suddenly available for them to auction off.

[no_hypocrisy]

16. Not just the converter box but also the "antenna"/rabbit ears is necessary.

Without the coupon and both pieces of equipment, the cost comes to nearly $100.

[cornermouse]

18. I believe the outdoor antenna cost about $185.

not including the mast and the antenna wires necessary to link the antenna to the converter which links to the tv.

[Shagbark Hickory]

17. Welcome home "Community radio". It's coming home folks. Hang up the banners and balloons now.

[drm604]

19. We got my mother one of those converter boxes, it was free with the coupon.

We got it because she didn't have cable in her kitchen. The box was buggy, sometimes you had to unplug it and plug it back in because it would stop responding to the remote. The stations came in most of the time, but not always, and the sound had a constant low buzz. She finally gave up and paid Comcast to extend the cable to the kitchen.


I can imagine that there are a lot problems for people who can't pay for cable.

[msongs]

20. ask the spanish language station for a free converter box nt

[KharmaTrain]

23. A Very Little Station That Has Gone Bankrupt...

Not like there are in most other cities...it's a low-power station that is operated by a company that is in bankruptcy. The station could continue to transmit in analog...as is the case in many other cities. Sounds more like a poorly funded and run station that's the problem. The company that operates the station appears to have had signal problems and poorly maintained facilities and have been bankrupt since early this year.

In most areas, the digital converesion has gone well...even adding more choices for Hispanic viewers. There are several Spanish sub-channels on my teevee...LATV which features a lot of music videos and Ve-Me that is a spanish PBS. There are also several foreign language stations that are piggy-backed onto full-power signals. I'm surprised Univision or Telemundo hasn't contracted to broadcast this way instead of sticking with a low power station with major financial troubles.

The real Hispanic outrage is about the new ratings...or People Meter systems that have seen big drops in the numbers for Hispanic radio stations and how that system doesn't reach out to hispanics and/or the "methodology" is weighted against them. There are congressional hearings going on about this matter.

[treestar]

25. They just got more intelligent

March in the streets over something that matters.

Everyone needs to watch less TV.