Is there any one reason? No. Was there any one reason that we got TV in the first place? No.
Basically it comes down to progress. Everything is going to digital eventually whether you like it or not and digital is better than analogue so why not?
Because the government manages the country and it was the government who put in place the plans to phase in digital and phase out analogue. Since the government's plans aren't going according to schedule it seems only logical that they should investigate the reasons why those plans are going the way that they want them to so that they can determine what action to take.
Why would you need an A/D converter to record a digital broadcast?
So what extra features do the "good" STBs have that the "cheapies" I have posted links for do not have?
do
Oops, looks like you didn't answer my question the first time...
Really. Please post the links to these supposed "good" receivers and what evidence you have that they actually have better quality decoder chips and front ends. I'm sure we'd all love to see what features they have that make them worth 2-3 times the price. I for one would be VERY surprised if one of your supposed "good" STB's has 2-3 times the picture quality to justify the extra price...
adequate.
I paid $135 for my STB many months ago (and they are cheaper again now), it's a top brand name, made in Europe, and has all the features I could ever need. There is simply no need to spend many hundreds of dollars to get a good quality SD STB that will give you a first class result. If you are paying that sort of money you are getting ripped off.
Dave :)
cases.
just one
STBs to
Even if I
$490.
ago
Who cares how much something USED to cost? Your case is exceptional and not relevent to the fact that for less than $100 you can upgrade almost any TV set (and associated VCR) to digital. For many people this offers a very worthwhile upgrade. About the only people it would not benefit are those who have a 4:3 TV, get absolutely PERFECT picture on EVERY channel, don't want an ever BETTER picture, and don't care about getting on-line program guides or access to WS in letterbox format etc
Most people have one good main TV (and associated VCR) that would almost certainly benefit from an upgrade to digital.
BTW, it is possible to share one STB among a TV and VCR. If you need to watch one show while recording another you simply use the analog receiver of either unit to watch/record the other channel.
Dave :)
"Who_tat_me" "Michael A. Terrell" = straight from the Florida Everglades
** Don't bother with it - just some Septic Tank trying to be a clever dick............. Phil
there were a number of reasons for the channel 0 stations in Melbourne and Brisbane to go to 10, poor reception on the 0 frequency was one of them.
I didn't even look at those. Most people don't buy STBs off ebay. Show me some links for STBs in shops.
Did you buy it in a shop where *most* people buy them? You can always get something cheaper if you look hard enough but if you're going to compare prices you have to have a common frame of reference. Just because you might have been lucky enough to get something doesn't mean that the price you paid is the average price.
I
Show me
LMAO! You made the claim that "good" STBs which cost more were better and have more features than the "cheap" STBs, you get to prove it. The ones on eBay are the SAME ones you can buy in the shops for grossly inflated prices.
features I
get
compare
might
you paid
I wasn't lucky, anyone can get them at "Buy it Now" prices on eBay. Sure, your average Joe doesn't buy on eBay but that has nothing to do with your claim that "good" expensive STBs are better or have more features than the "cheapies".
Dave :)
How much it used to cost is entirely relevant. Your claim was that it only costs $100 for an STB. The example that I used demonstrates that it costs a lot more and the $100 that you quoted is only the case as of fairly recently.
No it isn't. A lot of people have multiple TVs and multiple VCRs.
I's entirely relevant and your claim isn't actually true. With a TV and associated VCR NOW you can record one program and watch another. If you buy one STB you can not do that. You have to buy at least two STBs to maintain the existing functionality. At least two because with an existing VCR you can program the VCR to tune to any channel and record when you are not at home. $100 STBs don't generally have an autotune function so if you really want to retain the analogue functionality you need at least one STB for each channel that you want recorded while you're away.
RUBBISH. Benefit is subsjective. Most people get an adequate picture. People like me get a good picture that is more than just adequate. Most people don't give a damn about EPGs and widescreen so the only real benefit of digital is a possibly improved picture and most people don't see $100 or more value in that.
But would they be satisfied with the vastly inferior picture on the non STB device? If didgital is so great, how could they bear to go back to analogue?
Are they easy to get and widely available all the time?
I don't need to prove it any more than I need to prove that the sun will rise tomorrow. Anybody whe has seen the specs and features of one of the cheapies and then looked the specs and features of one of the more expensive models knows the more expensive models are better.
Too bad. Most people buy them from shops so that's the pricing you need to be comparing.
The plan for the 0 to 10 relocation has been around since FM radio first started in Australia in the 70s.
my local woolies has em for $80 pretty much all the time (mcarthur central, Brisbane CBD)
You're lucky. Every woolies I've tried sold out and they don't know if they're getting any more in.
Why more people aren't switching to digital is they don't see there's enough there to bother making the change. Whenever I hear someone on the the radio extolling the virtues of getting a digital set top box, the first thing they will say is "no ghosting". I don't have ghosting. Will all these people with ghosting please stand up. What will make me and a lot others switch to digital is getting a lot more choice in what to watch. So using the digital spectrum for more channels. It won't "no ghosting", a sharper picture or wide screen.
plasma can never look good., poor resolution poor colour depth and poor shade rendering.
lcd maybe
enough
radio
they
with
digital
Set top box's give you better pictures and a menu system that has a programme guide built in with programme information to boot.
They also tune in radio stations, they're excellent value at just over $100
Nice if you wantto buy a new unit every other year. Their longevity is an issue.
Nice if only two people are going to watch it.
I took advantag of the cheaper CRT prices and I'll wait for the new technologies to get more `realistic'
enough
radio
thing they
people with
to
digital
or
If you have a widescreen TV (as many do for watching DVDs) then there is a massive benefit in going to digital. It's not just ghosting, it's the fact that a great many people do not get a perfect picture on every channel. Digital will fix that in most cases. Even if you have a perfect picture on all or some channels, the digital picture is so much clearer, so there is a benefit there alone, just ask anyone with eyesight problems who have trouble seeing a normal analog screen.
Dave :)
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