PWG Writers Archive: Congress

Tuesday, February 18, 2014

Converting Analog Television to Digital TV Still Not Working For Millions of Americans

I'm one of the millions of Americans who are without television as the converter boxes don't work on my old TV set. I havewasted hours and days of my life since February2009 trying to make the digital converter box work and nothing works. You can read the full article at "Converting Analog Televisions to Digital TV Not as Easy as Promised"

After going through the same frustrations, many Americans have been forced to buy new digital TVs. I bought mine at Walmart for $168. A friend did the same and she had to return her TV, because even with the new TV, she still can't pull in a regular, reliable signal -- $200 wasted on a new TV that won't pull in a digital signal. I still have my digital television, but it doesn't work 50% of the time, and when it does work, I get one channel. I used to get FOUR channels on my old TV before the government stepped in.

Magnavox DTV Digital to Analog Converter Box # TB1110MW9 and Other Converter Boxes Do Not Work on My Television

I don't watch a lot of television, but I do depend on my TV during tornadoes or other crisis, so I have tried and tried to make this work. If I hold the converter box just right, occasionally I can pull in a pixilated black and white picture with no sound but a hiss. The picture lasts a few seconds before it disintegrates and then it is gone. Usually I cannot pull it in again for several hours or several days. The FCC and their partners in crime -- Congress -- have really shafted those of us in the lower income brackets and put us in harm's way because we can't get the weather maps or other alerts provided by local television stations.

The early commercials on both TV and web promised an easy conversion using the box, so we all just let this happen. After all, if the government tells us it's going to be easy, well, enough said, right??? Many of you won't care, because you have satellite or cable or budgets that will allow you to purchase new TVs and outdoor antennas -- luxuries the unemployed cannot afford. But this should served as a wakeup call as to how the U.S. government can make a decision, promise citizens it will be easy, and then leave a great deal of its people in much worse state than they were before.

Five years later and I still can't watch TV. I could BUY an expensive roof antenna and hope it pulls in a better signal, or BUY a cable or satellite provider, but I didn't have to do this before. Thanks, US Government and FCC for driving the monthly costs up for millions of Americans...again...

More on this topic at:

Thank you for reading and sharing the link to this article. This article is NOT available for copying to websites, blogs, discussion boards, Facebook, or anywhere else.

Previously published on Bukisa on Julne 20, 2009

KD214

Analog to Digital Television Conversion Problems Continue; Fcc Passes The Buck

Image from National Archives and Records Administration.

As reported in Converting Analog Television to Digital TV Not Working for Millions of Americans, we let Congress and the FCC take away our free TV. What else will we let the government take away?

I have been without television since June 12, 2009, when I lost my analog signal. I have tried everything from purchasing two converter boxes, to a new antenna, to an adapter, to finally breaking down and buying a new digital television, and nothing works. Almost 5 years later, I am still without reception in the hills outside of town where I live. I receive at best a broken, pixilated signal.

As a matter of fact, MILLIONS of low income, unemployed, retired, or other Americans on fixed incomes don't have TV now. Even more are making the hard decision to put television service above home repairs and medical expenses, because we count on our televisions for weather alerts. Here in Tennessee those weather maps are vital during our lengthy spring and fall tornado seasons, as well as for other weather alerts and crisis information.

I have made four requests via the FCC phone hotline for complaint forms they tell me they send out. After four requests since May, this week I received a glossy, full-color brochure from the FCC telling me all the advantages of going digital - still no complaint forms. I have also requested a supervisor call me back on three occasion since June 12, and no one has return my calls. The FCC specialist I spoke with today offered no explanation, but she told me that Congress mandated the change; the FCC is just the department chosen to implement Congress' wishes. So the buck doesn't stop at the FCC office.

The FCC specialist also said the FCC couldn't address the issue of just one person. I had already told her that several people in my area are having problems, and that I was getting comments on some of my articles and blogs indicating others across the country were experiencing the same difficulties. She replied that may be so, but it was just me on the phone. I asked, "So, I am the ONLY phone call you have taken recently on this issue?" to which she replied that no, they got plenty of calls at which point she stopped trying to make this MY issue.

The FCC is sending no complaint forms and offering no helpful feedback as to what they intend to do to fix this problem. Instead, they are now trying to hide behind Congress and imply it is an individual's problem, not theirs.

For more on this issue read:

Thank you for reading and sharing the link to this article. This article is NOT available for copying to websites, blogs, discussion boards, Facebook, or anywhere else.

Previously published on Bukisa on Jul 22nd, 2009

KD214