Comments on: Digital Cable and Public Access TV?

By: Denice Rhodes

Denice Rhodes — Sat, 06 Sep 2008 23:17:37 +0000

Many people are still confused about the transition to digital television so thanks for trying to get the word out.
Our non-profit, the Urban Progressive Foundation has been actively working with seniors and other groups to provide straight, clear and understandable information to help them through the transition.
Later this week, I will be traveling to Wilmington, North Carolina, where the first full blown transition test-run will commence. If you can’t make the trip, allow me to be your eyes and ears. Visit my blog http://digitaldynamo.blogspot.com/ and website http://www.transition2DTV.com for more information.

By: Colin Rhinesmith

Colin Rhinesmith — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 20:22:57 +0000

The National Telecommunications and Information Administration has a website with lots of information including how to request a $40 coupon here: https://www.dtv2009.gov/

By: Jeff Ceo

Jeff Ceo — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 15:31:04 +0000

I manage an assisted care living facility (240 beds) for retired religious women. We have a single cable feed from Comcast which is amplified and distributed throughout the house. We cannot determine if we need 240 digital converter boxes for our analog TVs or if we should apply for 240 coupons for converter boxes. I’m sure we aren’t the only facility with this dilemma, but the confusion is problematic and Comcast provides no information that will help.

By: Maurice

Maurice — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 21:34:22 +0000

I found an excellent site; it had all the info about the Digital Transition and requesting the $40 coupon. I ordered my 2 coupons from it. http://www.digitalconverterbox.org

By: Colin Rhinesmith

Colin Rhinesmith — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 02:54:20 +0000

Thanks, Michael.

That does clarify things. As Jon also pointed out, it seems I was inaccurately comparing the DTV transition of analog (over-the-air) television with the situations in MI and FL.

I agree the hearing on the 29th will be an important one to pay attention to. Hopefully it will help make things even clearer.

By: michael

michael — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 00:14:29 +0000

The DTV transition is creating alot of confusion – much to the pleasure of cable operators and equipment manufacturers. The digital transition for ‘cable providers’ as mandated by the FCC isn’t until February 17, 2012, perhaps longer pending a 2011 review. Though a cable company can go all digital sooner if they make arrangements to provide viewers with set-top boxes. (see: http://www.dtv.gov/consumercorner.html#faq4)

The issue in Michigan and Florida have more to do with loopholes in the State Video Franchise Bills that were passed in those states. Since AT&T is purely a digital service, they worked to have language removed for analog channel carriage and PEG channel placements. As it happens, the cable companies have taken advantage of the changes first – Comcast in MI and BrightHouse in FL. Other states have seen abuses by AT&T which tries to delegate PEG channels to submenu selections and transports the signals at half resolution.

PEG channels were originally required to be carried on analog cable service because that is the most ‘basic’ service available. Basic service is also the most affordable and PEG was intended to be accessible to all viewers, no matter what PEG package they could afford. The only remaining price control for cable (after the passage of the ‘96 Telecom Act) is for ‘basic cable’ rates – which are reviewed and approved by the local municipality to ensure that rates are affordable for local low-income families and seniors. With a State Video Franchise and the entrance of a competitor – these last remaining price controls are removed – and we’ve seen ‘basic’ cable rates rise in many areas as a result.

So, in the end – people are now paying more for less (what’s new) and finding their local channels will become increasingly difficult. Hopefully the Commerce Committee Hearing on Jan 29th will light a fire and Congress will begin to pursue remedies soon.

By: Colin Rhinesmith

Colin Rhinesmith — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 15:31:34 +0000

Thanks for your comment and clarification, Jon.

I am also curious to see if the decision in Michigan sets any precedence for other states yet to deal with their cable operators in similar situations.

By: Jon Kreucher

Jon Kreucher — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 15:07:00 +0000

Colin,

Thanks for your kind reference to my blog, BloggingBroadband.

Cable operators are attempting to create confusion around the digital transition date coming in February 2009. Importantly, that deadline merely requires the broadcasters to deliver their over-air signals in a digital format. Consequently, if an analog TV is just being used to get over-the-air broadcast signals, it may well go dark. BUT if that analog TV is hooked up to a cable system, the TV will continue to operate.

One high-ranking employee within Comcast has confirmed, for example, that the company will continue to deliver an analog lienup to customers, even after the digital transition date. The employee made the comment publicly,and it was reported nationally. According to that employee, having basic channels available without a set-top box adds value to a cable subscription. Cross channel ads produced by the NCTA also make the same point, i.e., that older TVs will not simply be unusable after the digital transition date.

Over the course of time, more and more customers will migrate to the digital tier because cable operators are moving more of the “good stuff” to digital and pricing analog basic at relatively high levels to encourage a switch. But for the foreseeable future (and well past February 2009, I suspect) analog basic will be alive and well — and that is the place where the PEG community should fight to maintain its channels.

Jon Kreucher