RE: Fybush.com re: core spectrum of TV channels

[Sven Franklyn Weil <sven@gordsven.com>]

On Wed, 31 Oct 2001, Larry Weil wrote:

> At 03:34 PM 10/31/01 -0500, Sven Franklyn Weil wrote:
> 
> >I see this as a whole plot by the government, TV stations,
> 
> Hold it right there!  Since when do TV stations get a share of receiver 
> sales?  Most TV stations are against this, they have to spend big bucks for 
> new equipment that does not add to the bottom line.
> >these new sets.
> 
> That's what manufacturers do.  You don't think they'd sell their sets for free.
> 

OK, I was a bit hasty in my anger to bring in the TV stations. And I don't
begrudge a TV manufacturer for "selling" sets.  What I am pissed off at is
at all the people who are going to have their otherwise-perfectly-good TV
sets rendered useless because they won't be able to pick up the new
digital stations without an add-on (and expensive) converter.

It's an added expense that is pretty much being foisted on the buying
public. We haven't been given a choice.  It wasn't like when CD sales
overtook LP sales.  LPs are still being made (in smaller numbers, however)  
and they happily co-exist with the CD majority. But customers still have a
CHOICE.  The same thing with AM and FM radios.  AM-only radios are still
made and you can still get them if you don't want (or care) about FM.
Ditto FM-only radios.  The existing AM radios weren't rendered obsolete
when FM came on the air. Ditto VHF vs. UHF TV.


You're not going to have sucha choice when digital radio or digital TV
comes.  It's gonna be pretty much...throw out the old and get on with the
new. Not fair for a lot of people who don't make enough money and had to
scrimp and save to buy a TV set or a radio recently.


-- 
Sven Franklyn Weil            "The needs of the many outweigh 
<sven@gordsven.com>                      the needs of the few
<http://www.gordsven.com/sven>                   or the one." 
                                                     -- Surak