Are we that stupid?

[fybush]

I'm with TexasTom here: I'm a long way from Washington, but having been very active in the DTV transition and having talked to a lot of viewers at the time, I don't see it as a matter of stupidity or divine guidance. DTV reception can be confusing, OTA reception is unfamiliar to a lot of viewers in all areas, whether urban, rural or suburban, and viewers can use all the help they can get.

(This is especially true because the viewers being addressed by the FCC's Q&A sheet are, by definition, the viewers who'd been using cable or satellite rather than OTA reception.)

 

[flashback]

i miss the days when you could just plug everything in and thats all you needed to do.

i feel so old.

 

[Robnoxious]

i miss the days when you could just plug everything in and thats all you needed to do.

i feel so old.

Plugs? What's with all your highfalutin city talk there?

 

[TexasTom]

i miss the days when you could just plug everything in and thats all you needed to do.

Really, when was it ever like that...? In the past, there were antennas to adjust, which wasn't always simple.

The difference was that since everyone received TV the same way, we all knew what to do. Now, some viewers haven't mucked with an antenna in 20 years -- it is hardly a surprise that the result has been some confusion.

 

[landtuna]

I think the biggest confusion is the need to scan and rescan the converters. People are not used to doing that so when a new service comes online or the antenna gets twisted by the wind they don't know why they can't receive.

 

[TexasTom]

I think the biggest confusion is the need to scan and rescan the converters. People are not used to doing that so when a new service comes online or the antenna gets twisted by the wind they don't know why they can't receive.

Yes, that is confusing.

If we want simplicity, maybe we should go back to old-style mechanical rotary tuners. No more problem with channel scanning that way.

 

[JeeperOne]

As someone IN his mid-20's, I beg to differ.

In 1986, I didn't have cable in the little house I lived in in southwest Ohio. We used an antenna there. Of course, that area of Hamilton County, OH was rural and cable hadn't yet been introduced to that area.

You're more the exception rather than the rule though.

Is there any way we can CLONE you? ;D *LOL!*

Cheers

 

[kenrayc]

I think the biggest confusion is the need to scan and rescan the converters. People are not used to doing that so when a new service comes online or the antenna gets twisted by the wind they don't know why they can't receive.

Yes, that is confusing.

If we want simplicity, maybe we should go back to old-style mechanical rotary tuners. No more problem with channel scanning that way.

Especially those old radio style UHF tuners from the early 70s and before, being that Fresno and Bakersfield were all UHF markets and KFSN 30 and KBAK 29 were both CBS back then, it was hard to tell which channel you were on.