If the Digital Transition Deadline is Delayed, What Would be the Best Date?

[anotherguyTN]

Although I'm for leaving the digital transition deadline at 2-17-09, if it is delayed what would be the best date to set the rescheduled dedline? Some of the factors I think should count would be putting it at the beginning or end of a month rather than some random day during the month, or at least putting it on a weekend rather than the middle of the week. 2-17-09 never made any sense to me since it was on a Tuesday in the middle of the month. Another factor might be to do it in a warmer time of the year so that it would be easier to install outdoor antennas for people who need to do that.

Assuming that it will still be this year the most sensible time to me would be May 31, which falls on a Sunday, or July 31, which would fall on a Friday. The only other months after Feb. where the 1st or end fall on a weekend are March 1, which is on a Sunday, but would be too close to 2-17, and Oct. 31 or Nov. 1, which is in the late Fall and would be too long a delay. Like I've said before, it should AT LEAST be on a weekend rather than the middle of the week. Or if it is in the middle of the week, it should be on the 1st or end of a month.

But then with the way the government does things they'll probably pick another random day with no logical reasoning behind it other than that it was a compromise they settled on.

Any other ideas?

 

[tripinva]

I could go for June 1 at noon, but I'd prefer to see a phased transition. Some markets have already had one or more stations transition; those markets should go on schedule (02/17/09) since those viewers should already be converted. Others should move from south to north, with all of Florida and the Gulf coast going around March 1 or April 1. There shouldn't have ever been a single hard date like this.

- Trip

 

[anotherguyTN]

I forgot to mention Aug. 1, since that would be a Saturday.

 

[kenglish]

I'm in favor of July 5 (2009) at midnight, because it would be an easy date to remember (Day after "the Fourth"), and because it would allow for 2-3 months of good weather for getting things ready, and 2-3 months of good weather for troubleshooting antenna problems, after.

But, I DO NOT want to wait until August 31, 2011....like that guy who posts on "Broadcasting & Cable" magazine's website says we should do. That's two and a half more years of "putting off the inevitable", as well as many hundreds of thousands in electric power.

It's a Sunday night, but I think lots of us would give up one day of the holiday weekend, just to get this over with!

 

[Markxxx]

I think a phased transition is the best. In markets where dish is say 85% or more the move should be Feb 17th. Then we should wait a month (at least) and see what bugs come up in all those markets.

Then they should start at NYC and work there way down.

The biggest problem I have is, being one personally effected by this, is digital signals do NOT replicate the analog signals. It's really sad in an economic downturn to say well now you have to pay for something that was previously free.

I wonder if Obama will actually DO something or is this just more talk from him. It's easy to talk and then do nothing and say "Look I wanted to my hands were tied."

Well we'll see

 

[KML0224]

The original deadline should have been the day the clocks went ahead in March. Do the switch at 2 AM on a Sunday morning.

 

[TexasTom]

At this late date, the best bet is for the date to remain on February 17. Changing it now will cause more trouble than it saves.

That said, February 17 was a stupid choice of a transition date -- it causes all sorts of problems for both broadcasters and viewers who need to install new antennas and who are located in the northern parts of the country. Personally, I think that mid-June would have made more sense; decent weather almost everywhere in the country, most programs in reruns, and not too near the 4th of July.

 

[anotherguyTN]

Actually the more I've thought about it the idea of the phased transition makes sense. But I still think that 2-17-09 should stick since we've come this far.

 

[4dude]

I think 12/31/9999 would be the best (Think the whole thing is stupid and will strand many ppl w/o TV)

 

[Nate Wesley]

Assuming that it will still be this year the most sensible time to me would be May 31, which falls on a Sunday, or July 31, which would fall on a Friday. The only other months after Feb. where the 1st or end fall on a weekend are March 1, which is on a Sunday, but would be too close to 2-17, and Oct. 31 or Nov. 1, which is in the late Fall and would be too long a delay. Like I've said before, it should AT LEAST be on a weekend rather than the middle of the week. Or if it is in the middle of the week, it should be on the 1st or end of a month.

I think your May 31 date works well. May sweeps will be over, and there can be one last push to get folks ready.

 

[eskipper411]

THE END OF TIME!!!!!!

 

[dhett]

I think 12/31/9999 would be the best (Think the whole thing is stupid and will strand many ppl w/o TV)

It'll never happen on that date, 'cause you got that whole Y10K thing to worry about, where all the computer programs were written assuming a 4-digit date, and now the whole shootin' match has to be retrofitted for a 5-digit date. That will surely take priority over a stupid transition to digital TV.

I hope I won't be around still for that upcoming debacle.

 

[willcail]

Face it. It will happen on 2.17.2009. I say goodbye to crappy OTA analog TV. I'm glad it is happening. There was numerous announcements, infomercials, and DTV test. 90% of Americans know about the switch date. If they still choose to do nothing then it is their own damn fault. If you respond saying that it is too confusing then you have no business of having anything electronic.

Heck let them watch Low Power Television after 2.17.2009.