Do You Need/Have A Digital TV Converter?

This isn't really about Videon on the internet - but it is about digital TV and the fact that here in Canada the government is dropping the ball in telling people, especially out in rural Canada, that their old "analog" TVs won't work come next August 31, 2011 unless they get a digital channel converter box.

If you get your TV signals from a cable company or satellite company you're fine. Their equipment is already digital and you don't have an antenna on your roof or rabbit-ears on your set top.

To those of you who have an antenna (and I see them all over, even here in Vancouver) you're in for a big surprise come September 1 next year. You won't be able to see TV at all because not only are the Canadian channels all switching, those in the US have already switched.

In the US, the government subsidized the purchase of the converter boxes - why shouldn't they, they stand to make billions from selling off the freed-up frequency spectrum to wireless phone and service carriers?

The Canadian government on the other hand has neither stepped up with a subsidy, nor even told you much about this change - they've been mute except for some pretty well stifled stuff from the CRTC chairman, Konrad von Finckenstein.

If you have an antenna on your roof you should be looking into getting a converter - and you should be giving your MP heck for the complete lack of preparation they've foisted on the unsuspecting public.

On the other hand, maybe this is about Video on the Internet - if you have to purchase a converter box anyway, why not go whole-hog and get one of the ones that gives you access to stuff from around the world? Just Google "internet TV set top box" and you'll see what I mean. Netflix is coming to Canada and their box is only $99 (US, but...)

Take a look at this site to see some of the various other boxes available too

Should be interesting - the local stations are going to scream - but then they should be selling you converters!

richard