OTA TV tuner in smart phones.

[Oscar Madison]

Except for the NAB Lobby (maybe they'll rehire Brian Williams once NBC makes up its mind to dump him - lying is an asset in a lobbyist) there is no reason to keep terrestrial TV alive. None. TV isn't rusty towers against the skyline anymore; TV is in the cloud. TV is on demand. TV is streaming. VHF and UHF bandwidth could be put to far better use (including expanding the FM band).

Entrenched broadcasters, who denounce regulation out of one side of their mouths, want to force obsolete technology on the rest of us to protect their market positions. That's the only reason terrestrial TV is still alive.

 

[tripinva]

Except for the NAB Lobby (maybe they'll rehire Brian Williams once NBC makes up its mind to dump him - lying is an asset in a lobbyist) there is no reason to keep terrestrial TV alive. None. TV isn't rusty towers against the skyline anymore; TV is in the cloud. TV is on demand. TV is streaming. VHF and UHF bandwidth could be put to far better use (including expanding the FM band).

Entrenched broadcasters, who denounce regulation out of one side of their mouths, want to force obsolete technology on the rest of us to protect their market positions. That's the only reason terrestrial TV is still alive.

I'm glad to see you want to steal service away from the millions of people without access to high-speed Internet. "I've got mine, screw you!"

- Trip

 

[Oscar Madison]

I'm glad to see you want to steal service away from the millions of people without access to high-speed Internet. "I've got mine, screw you!"

- Trip

Every month I see an item on my cable bill (before that telephone fiber optics bills) to subsidize high-speed Internet for everyone. If people don't have it, it's because they choose not to get it or can't be bothered. You are making the same argument once made to keep old time radio going for people who can't afford a TV, can't receive TV or are blind and can't see TV.

Millions? Really? Please source your number. And cite exactly why these "millions" don't have access to high speed Internet.

It also appears you did not read the moderators' notice about "ad hominem" remarks.

 

[frankberry]

This is the state of high speed internet subsidy.

http://fortune.com/2015/05/28/fcc-chairman-subsidized-internet/

 

[TheBigA]

VHF and UHF bandwidth could be put to far better use (including expanding the FM band).

The FCC shows absolutely no sign of turning over bandwidth for expanding the FM band or anything else having to do with free broadcasting. They want the bandwidth to sell to the telecom companies. Period.

And speaking of lobbyists, the telecom companies pay a lot better than broadcasters.

 

[Bob Eubanks]

When the 'man on the street' defines TV as the mix defined above I will agree. Until then, TV is RF from towers as is Radio.

The man on the street already considers Netflix et al "TV." Just like they consider ESPN, TNT or History "TV." The delivery method is irrelevant.

 

[BMR]

Even FM tuners on phones are slowly but surely going. The Galaxy hasn't had one since the S3. The Iphone has never had one. The S5 mini doesn't have one either.

 

[BMR]

My phone has an FM tuner (analog only) which is never used. I can't think of a situation where I would want to watch TV on a 5" screen.

Keeping up with news or sport while out and about?

Passing time while waiting for a train or bus?

I'm not saying it's essential, or anything, but I would use the feature if it existed (it doesn't) and worked well (which it wouldn't)

 

[vchimpanzee]

You should be able to find a universal remote at a very cheap price in a variety of places. Most can be programmed to accommodate any VCR brand.

Yeah, I was quite entertained by watching two of my cousins try to figure out how to use one of those.

And I'm sure they're more capable of handling technology than I am.

Regardless, I should really consider hooking this TV back up one of these days. It might still work.

Getting back to the argument about keeping real TV around, I once had to watch OTA TV when my cable went out. I've been quite lucky since 2009. It only happened twice.

Then there's "Roy's Folks". A TV reporter tells us about interesting people. True, lately I've almost always seen it online because for one reason or anotherhe wasn't on the 5:00 news. Only when I happened to turn it on early one day did I find out they had moved him. But Time Warner decided I only need one Fox affiliate though they still give me two CBS stations. Which reminds me: if the NBC station doesn't air "Jeopardy" because of bad weather or some other reason, I have the CBS station as long as Time Warner lets me. But if the cable is out, that means I watch live since I currently can't record off the air. And since the NBC station is so far west, it means I watch the CBS station. No, "Jeopardy" episodes are not online to my knowledge.

 

[landtuna]

Millions? Really? Please source your number. And cite exactly why these "millions" don't have access to high speed Internet.

According to the Census Bureau there are about 123.2 households in the USA at the moment. Approximately 15% of these rely on terrestrial broadcast TV versus cable or satellite. That means something above 24M households still get their TV OTA.

Also, you guys are arguing two different POV. The subsidy the gubmint provides poor families is for broadband internet access, not cable TV.

 

[landtuna]

The man on the street already considers Netflix et al "TV." Just like they consider ESPN, TNT or History "TV." The delivery method is irrelevant.

Netflix no. The others yes. The delivery method is not irrelevant when engineering or paying the bill.

 

[landtuna]

Keeping up with news or sport while out and about?

That's why my car has a radio.

Passing time while waiting for a train or bus?

Good way to get hit by a train or bus.

I'm not saying it's essential, or anything, but I would use the feature if it existed (it doesn't) and worked well (which it wouldn't)

My FM radio in my Droid works very well and there is a TV app I could use but don't. There is nothing on TV so urgent that it can't wait until I get it on radio or view it at home or a business.

 

[landtuna]

Yeah, I was quite entertained by watching two of my cousins try to figure out how to use one of those.

Were those the two that drive an orange Charger with a big '01' on the door?

Actually, universal remotes are a cinch to operate. You just look up the manufacturer of your TV set and its associated code on the sheet that comes with the remote (note: some manufacturers have more than one code and you would need to try them in order until one works).

When you find the code you follow the directions for entering it and you should be good to go. Some remotes have you holding down a certain key until a light blinks and others use different keys but it is all in the very simple instructions.

Next time let your 8-year old niece try it. Should be a snap.

 

[Oscar Madison]

Keeping up with news or sport while out and about?

Passing time while waiting for a train or bus?

I'm not saying it's essential, or anything, but I would use the feature if it existed (it doesn't) and worked well (which it wouldn't)

Keeping up? There are news apps for that. I have the AP and Reuters on my phone and I never worked at a station that had the Reuters wire. Besides, most "keeping up" content is still on AM and no smartphone has an AM chip.
Passing time? I can't find music or talk I can stand hearing on terrestrial radio. I can on Internet Radio.

A few years ago, the phone carriers decided some people were hogging bandwidth streaming TV and movies excessively and they pulled the plug on unlimited mobile data plans. Gradually, carriers are increasing data ceilings and bringing back reasonably priced unlimited data plans. At the same time public WiFi is becoming near ubiquitous. With all that, there's little need for OTA anything on phones.

And TV does not need to be streamed to smartphones. It can be saved and stored.

I've had chips. Never used them.

 

[BMR]

Landtuna, I normally find your posts interesting and informative, but I have to say

Good way to get hit by a train or bus.

is rather silly. Because you always wait for the train in the middle of the tracks, don't you? And you never stand on the sidewalk whilst waiting for a bus?


Like I say, it isn't an essential feature. But if it was available, and they could find a way to make it reliable I would probably choose that particular cellphone as and when the time came to upgrade.

 

[KeithE4]

According to the Census Bureau there are about 123.2 households in the USA at the moment. Approximately 15% of these rely on terrestrial broadcast TV versus cable or satellite. That means something above 24M households still get their TV OTA.

But how many of that 24M are OTA-only, or people that are like I was for 3 years before I signed with DirecTV -- OTA + Internet and/or smartphone? My guess is that close to 3/4 of them are the latter.

That leaves roughly 6 million households who have nothing whatsoever but an antenna. They are too old, too poor, and/or too set in their ways to be relevant to advertisers.

 

[vchimpanzee]

Were those the two that drive an orange Charger with a big '01' on the door?

Actually, universal remotes are a cinch to operate. You just look up the manufacturer of your TV set and its associated code on the sheet that comes with the remote (note: some manufacturers have more than one code and you would need to try them in order until one works).

When you find the code you follow the directions for entering it and you should be good to go. Some remotes have you holding down a certain key until a light blinks and others use different keys but it is all in the very simple instructions.

Next time let your 8-year old niece try it. Should be a snap.

I was a fan of those guys back in the day, though for some reason I haven't seen every episode.

The 8-year-old is the granddaughter of another cousin.

No, despite the difficulties they were having, these cousins are quite intelligent. One is a dietitian and the other runs a state credit union office.

 

[landtuna]

Landtuna, I normally find your posts interesting and informative, but I have to say ... is rather silly. Because you always wait for the train in the middle of the tracks, don't you? And you never stand on the sidewalk whilst waiting for a bus?

I cannot believe the number of people I see locked into their smartphones and walking across streets loaded with traffic, falling off the curbs at bus stops and I strongly suspect it happens in subway and train stations as well. It used to be newspapers. Now it is smartphones. Two weeks ago I had a smartphone doofuss walk right into the side of my car as I waited at a red light.

 

[landtuna]

But how many of that 24M are OTA-only, or people that are like I was for 3 years before I signed with DirecTV -- OTA + Internet and/or smartphone? My guess is that close to 3/4 of them are the latter.

The people who do the research are claiming that between 15-20% of households get their "TV" OTA. Whether they also have internet access is not mentioned in any survey I could find. I am one of those. TV OTA with high-speed broadband via cable. I view TV and internet access as two different services not necessarily connected even though many ISP's bundle them. I found I could watch programs over the internet instead of spending lots of money on subscriptions that broadcast mostly junk.

Now days you can access the internet via smartphone so no need for a cable or phone connection. It is an exercise in eyestrain but I imagine some people put up with it.

That leaves roughly 6 million households who have nothing whatsoever but an antenna. They are too old, too poor, and/or too set in their ways to be relevant to advertisers.

Your math may be correct or completely wrong since there appears to be no research to support it. But consider that I have a healthy estate and a sizable annual income. I spend lots of money yet my age tells idiot marketeers that I am old and useless. You know what salute I give to that. You know what Will Rogers said about statistics, right?

 

[tripinva]

Millions? Really? Please source your number. And cite exactly why these "millions" don't have access to high speed Internet.

Don't conflate "adoption" with "availability." Those are two different things. As to your request for statistics.

http://www.broadbandmap.gov/summarize/nationwide

94.8% of people have access to wired services (use of wireless services for things like streaming video to TVs in the home is considered "abuse" by the cell phone companies and likely to get your service canceled). In a nation of 300 million people, 5.2% do not have access, 5.2% of 300 million is 15.6 million people. Seems like "millions" to me. And that's assuming you don't want to watch multiple programs on multiple sets at a time, for which 3 Mbps probably isn't enough.

The why is irrelevant here, the data provided is about availability, not adoption. If it's not available, it's not available, whether those 15.6 million people want it or not. (My parents want it, and they can't sign up because it's not available!) And, of course, last time I checked into it, that data was very optimistic; the data assumes that if even one home in a zip code has access, the entire zip code has access. That's generally false outside of major metro areas.

- Trip