Television

[sylvie]

What television? As expected we have nothing since the conversion. Upgraded the antenna, too. The box is absolutely worthless. I seriously wonder if anyone in rural areas with hills and trees are receiving with those boxes.
That digital conversion was such a great idea
Well, we won't be buying anything we can't see from advertisers.

Me thinks that the digital conversion box was made to sell!!!!

I have two channels that come and go about half of the time, and I used to get them without any problem before the conversion!

I was in a store today and on the shelf was a conversion box for $19.95. When I got my box, I sent off to get a coupon so I would only have to pay the half price of $20. Now, after it is all said and done, you can go to the store and buy the box outright for the some money. What's the deal with that? Seem fishy to me!

Wow, that stinks!
I'd love to return my conversion box, but I bought it when they first sent out the coupons so it is long past the return date for even Walmart's generous 90 days. What a racket! By the time you find out- it's is definitely yours forever and ever.

 

[tamlynn]

We do not have cable TV so we got the converter box for our television. I could not see buying a new television when we do not really watch TV that much. Having said that, I will confess; one of the shows that I do like to watch is Harper's Island, which is a thriller/mystery type show that comes on every Saturday night (that is tonight).

Every week some one gets killed, and people are trying to figure out who the killer is based on the clues and who will die next. Of course, there is an online forum to discuss every aspect of the show. I am pretty sure that I have figured out who the killer is. (lol) Don't ask me why, but I am addicted to that show.

You should read Ten Little Indians by Agatha Christie (also published as And Then There Were None) -same idea as that show.

We have a converter box. It works fine, I'm just annoyed that now we have another remote to deal with and I lost my pip function (picture in picture.) I specifically remember paying $50 more for that function when we bought our tv about 10 years ago and now its useless.

Most of my favorite shows are on PBS: Nature, Antiques Roadshow, History Detectives, Masterpiece Mystery.

 

[DrakeMaiden]

We knew the conversion box and the largest antenna you could buy would not work for us, so we knew we'd be going cold turkey. As expected, the radio has filled in nicely (a local NPR station).

I think the biggest perk is that our living area DOES NOT have a tv as it's focal point any longer. It was never really the focal point, to be honest, but having the tv absent is really refreshing.

I used to watch the local news mid-day, while I was eating lunch on days when I was at home. Now I have that full hour to do other things. I didn't realize how reliant I was on the tv during that hour . . . I mostly just wanted to hear the weather, but would get drawn in to the fluff.

Winter will probably be interesting, but we have found we can download a lot of our favorite PBS programs, so at least there is that.

 

[big brown horse]

We knew the conversion box and the largest antenna you could buy would not work for us, so we knew we'd be going cold turkey. As expected, the radio has filled in nicely (a local NPR station).

I think the biggest perk is that our living area DOES NOT have a tv as it's focal point any longer. It was never really the focal point, to be honest, but having the tv absent is really refreshing.

I used to watch the local news mid-day, while I was eating lunch on days when I was at home. Now I have that full hour to do other things. I didn't realize how reliant I was on the tv during that hour . . . I mostly just wanted to hear the weather, but would get drawn in to the fluff.

Winter will probably be interesting, but we have found we can download a lot of our favorite PBS programs, so at least there is that.

You guys need to take up Skip-bo!! For those long winter nights...that start at 4:30 p.m.! Its not just for kids anymore!

Thank goodness for NPR and APR!

 

[DrakeMaiden]

Well, BBH, I guess we need someone to teach us how to play!

 

[big brown horse]

Well, BBH, I guess we need someone to teach us how to play!

Let me tell you, it is pretty complicated!

 

[Beekissed]

We knew the conversion box and the largest antenna you could buy would not work for us, so we knew we'd be going cold turkey. As expected, the radio has filled in nicely (a local NPR station).

I think the biggest perk is that our living area DOES NOT have a tv as it's focal point any longer. It was never really the focal point, to be honest, but having the tv absent is really refreshing.

I used to watch the local news mid-day, while I was eating lunch on days when I was at home. Now I have that full hour to do other things. I didn't realize how reliant I was on the tv during that hour . . . I mostly just wanted to hear the weather, but would get drawn in to the fluff.

Winter will probably be interesting, but we have found we can download a lot of our favorite PBS programs, so at least there is that.

Drake, I agree with not having the TV the focal point of your living area. This idea struck me many years ago when I used to walk around our town with my sis, usually after dark. It was amusing and somewhat alarming to glance in the windows and see whole families grouped around a glowing box. Every house. Like some altar that had hypnotic qualities. I determined then that furniture would be grouped for conversation and the TV, if any, would be angled in a corner....unimportant in status but still visual if needed. I am currently working on a curtain or even a set of doors to enclose this cabinet, so the darn thing won't be staring at me while I read or engage in activities in my living room!

 

[DrakeMaiden]

That is a good idea Bee! Our tv was off to one side of the living area, but it still seemed to suck your attention to it, whether it was on or not. I think cabinet doors or even curtains is a great plan!

 

[sylvie]

I've heard that the television replaced the fireplace as a light source to assemble around during the fall, winter and early spring. They probably said the same thing about the fireplace when fuel oil and gas heating were installed; now we aren't sitting in front of the fireplace...!
I suspect people with mild cases of SAD use the TV more for comfort than others.

 

[smithx9]

I got an advertisement call the other day from dish network or some other TV station supplier...they began their spiel with "The government is now requiring digital equipment in every home by the end of July"

Now, I don't know about you, but I find that a little.....awkward? Is this truely what the government wants for us? Digital equipment in every home in America? Any way, whether or not this is true...they lost me when they made that statement...

I don't really want the government to expect me to have digital equipment in my home.

Call me paranoid? I don't know...I think sometimes fiction parallels truth more than we realize...(Total Recall, V for Vendetta, Max Headroom any one remember that one?) Are citizens more controlled than we realize by the Telly (and the information the 'reporters' focus on?

Where are we headed? Am I crazy?