Digital TV switchover tomorrow – where to go if you’re not ready

You may feel like you’ve been hearing about it forever. But it’s still estimated that thousands of people in the Seattle area alone will be caught off guard when the “digital TV transition” finally happens tomorrow. So, if you’re not sure you’re ready – here’s a reminder that you can get help at a special drop-in center at Youngstown Arts Center in North Delridge, 9 am-9 pm daily (that includes tonight and tomorrow). More details here, including information on what the transition’s all about, if you’re still a bit befuddled.

26 Replies to "Digital TV switchover tomorrow - where to go if you're not ready"

  • sarelly June 11, 2009 (12:55 pm)

    My approach is to just stop watching TV. The joke’s on them if they think I’m going to be led around by compulsory updates in technology. Uh-uh. No, thank you. If I get desperate, I can rent a movie. Or read a book.

    >:D

  • Jo June 11, 2009 (1:38 pm)

    I also was just informed by someone at work, that if you don’t have that free comcast converter box installed by tomorrow, you won’t be able to access channels 30 and above.
    I have the free box, but it’s not installed.
    Also, I was told, way back when, that comcast would notify us when the deadline would be for installing that box.
    I wasn’t notified.
    Was anyone else?
    Does anyone know anything further on this?

  • MargL June 11, 2009 (1:55 pm)

    I don’t believe we were notified about -needing- the Comcast box, either. Hmm…

  • AJP June 11, 2009 (2:42 pm)

    I see nothing on Comcast’s website about needing a converter box. They say if you are an exisiting customer you don’t need to do anything at all.

  • Christopher Boffoli June 11, 2009 (2:47 pm)

    Compulsory updates in technology? That’s a good one. I guess going from a candle to a lightbulb or from a washboard to an automatic washing machine was the same deal? Or going from a horse-drawn buggy to a car?
    .
    Just consider that the analog television format we’re saying goodbye to has been in use since the 1940’s. It is high time it went the way of the kinescope. I wouldn’t say modernizing the format every 65 years or so is unreasonable.
    .
    This movement to digital television also brings with it measures of efficiency in how much of the already limited broadcast spectrum is used. The switch will open up some of that spectrum for new technologies.
    .
    With all of that said, I think it is a great idea to ditch television and pick up a book. Some new ones just came out, making my old books obsolete. Damn those compulsory updates ;-)

  • Buddsmom June 11, 2009 (2:50 pm)

    The box is necessary for Comcast customers who only have “expanded basic”cable. As of a couple of weeks ago, some of the channels had switched to digital all ready leaving a black/blue screen showing a statement that you need digital equip. to receive them. I now get several more channels free of charge with the box.

  • JenV June 11, 2009 (3:00 pm)

    So, I have a digital receiver in the living room, but in the bedroom the TV just hooks into the cable…does this mean I have to go get another box? Like AJP, I thought that as a VERY HIGH PAYING Comcast customer I wouldn’t have to do anything further…it sounds like they’re trying to squeeze another couple bucks out of us a month.

  • MrJT June 11, 2009 (3:17 pm)

    JenV – There is no cost for up to two of the “little” converter boxes. We got them and have fought with them for two weeks (including one trip to North Seattle for a new one) and they still are not working correctly….

  • sarelly June 11, 2009 (3:43 pm)

    Christoper, you know it’s a ploy to get us to buy more stuff. That’s all it is. We don’t need digital TV! You know how they come out with new versions of every computer software package known to mankind like every six months? And every three years, you’ve gotta replace your computer if you want to run the new software? This is the same thing. We used to have live music in our parlors, then they made us switch to radio! Then we had to replace the radios with record players. We listened to our music on 8-track tapes. Then they made us buy cassette tapes. Then they made us get compact discs! We watched movies on video, then they started in with the DVDs! Nintendo 66 wasn’t good enough – now we’ve got X-Box and World of Warcraft online! I, for one, am sick and tired of it and I’m NOT GONNA TAKE IT ANY MORE! Like I need a TV. HAH. I’ll show them. I will never watch television AGAIN. I’ve got books on my shelf that were written a thousand years ago, and they’re still good! And if we hadn’t gone from horse-drawn carts to automobiles, we wouldn’t have a global warming problem now, so put that in your pipe and smoke it.

    :)

  • alki_2008 June 11, 2009 (3:59 pm)

    Wow, I hope sarelly is just being sarcastic. :-)

  • Jo June 11, 2009 (4:11 pm)

    “The box is necessary for Comcast customers who only have “expanded basic”cable.”
    Yes, I just talked with comcast (again today) and was told that as of tomorrow, channels 30 and above could not be accessed without that freebe converter box.
    I sure wasn’t ever notified that the deadline was for tomorrow.
    AND, after me telling the representative that Comcast sure did a p*sspoor job of communicating this need to the customers, she tried to sell me ‘discounted’ phone service.
    Any other time that would be pretty funny, but I’m just too mad right now.

  • Kristina June 11, 2009 (4:34 pm)

    Is this why I don’t have sound on channel 5 right now? I can hear my other channels but 5 doesn’t have sound, just a picture. I have “limited basic” cable through Comcast. (Yes, I am cheap!) Time to get on the phone….

  • MargL June 11, 2009 (4:36 pm)

    So I just officially ‘downgraded’ my Comcast service to ‘limited basic + internet” which turned out to be only fifty-cents more than the ‘internet only’ price. OMG I cannot give up my intarwebs!!
    Anyway, now I don’t need to futz with a box and we can watch most other shows online.

  • Christopher Boffoli June 11, 2009 (6:32 pm)

    sarelly is welcome to go and live off the grid in a Unabomber-style cabin with a pile of books. I’m just going to surrender to the conspiracy and watch my breath-taking, crystal clear blu-ray discs on my digital LCD flat screen like the sucker I am until the next format comes out. ;-)

  • GenHillOne June 11, 2009 (7:07 pm)

    The other Comcast boxes (Digital Transport Adaptors) are for a SECOND Comcast migration (specific to them, not the national one). Yes, they will be needed to get channels over 30 if you have the basic package, but not for tomorrow. Now, if you’re terribly attached to “Oh” that was on 50 and has already moved to digital on its own, you might be able to set them up and get that, but I haven’t missed enough to try so I don’t know. They haven’t announced when this migration will take place yet, but are supposed to warn us. This was a big rant of mine on the forum awhile back because I feel like Comcast is sort of doing a “by the way” move. Plus, the kicker now? There was a story on KIRO a couple nights ago (and damn I can’t find the link) – interviewed someone from Comcast saying that we are supposed to get THREE free boxes, not two (you have to lease additional ones), and oh yeah, Comcast really isn’t really going digital until their own migration. They’ll remain analog until then…huh? Won’t those people who went out and got HD sets because they thought they were going to get a digital signal tomorrow be thrilled? Surprise!! This really has been a thorn under my saddle for a few months. Did anyone else see that news story or find it online?

  • GenHillOne June 11, 2009 (7:10 pm)

    Sorry, Jo, just saw your post. I’m hoping you had an incompetant call center rep (probably have lots of temps right now), because two of us here have been told several times by different sources that the DTA will not be needed for tomorrow. Now, I’m not sure I believe anything Comcast is telling us right now, so the joke may be on us :(

  • sam June 11, 2009 (7:58 pm)

    It’s all those comcast door to door people that every-one shoo-ed off. if only you hadn’t slammed the door in their faces… ;)

    seriously though. we’re old fashioned and got our dtv converters. sometimes it’s bad/ ok and sometimes you get better reception if stick the rabbit ear antennas out of the window. but we pick up new channels and I am so happy that we get the new all sports channel (5-2) that shows curling (!) occasionally

  • Jo June 11, 2009 (8:27 pm)

    Wow, GenHillOne.
    Actually, I called comcast once from work. Call Center person said “did NOT need box for channels over 30 by tomorrow.” But then she didn’t fully understand for the first 10 minutes of the call that I wasn’t talking about the digital changeover tomorrow.
    Second call I made after work from home, call center person said “yes, you WILL need the box for channels over 30 by FRIDAY.”
    So……… I’m home from work tomorrow, will just keep punching in channel 31 and see what I get (or not).
    And…I also don’t believe anything comcast is telling us right now.

  • MargL June 11, 2009 (8:41 pm)

    The Comcast rep I chatted with today also said I would lose channels higher than 30 tomorrow without their special box. They suggested I head on down to my local Comcast service center (HA! WHERE?) with my bill and ID and get the -one- converter box I qualified for. One? What? I also stopped believing anything I heard from Comcast because it’s obvious there’s a disconnect between what the Marketeers (PR folks) and Customer Service are telling Customers.

  • Gina June 11, 2009 (9:34 pm)

    I cut my Comcast package and went down to limited basic. I asked about expanded basic, but was told they didn’t offer that anymore.

    I haven’t missed it. I flip through the local stations, see there is nothing on, and go do something else. Took me a half hour before to flip through 100+ stations and come to the same conclusion ;).

  • westwoodmom June 12, 2009 (8:55 am)

    We have limited basic, no box since Comcast said we would not need, a repairman said that come fall we would since they are running out of space and this would require a change that would cut off past 50. Now on the 12th cable is on, local stations are snowy and more full of static than ever, 99 (cbut) is clear as a bell. I guess I am paying the $13/mo for mainly cbut anyway, but thinking perhaps we should just cancel cable bill and start only watching online. Except that you can’t get canadian shows!

  • B-Squared June 12, 2009 (9:39 am)

    I hear you, sarelly. that is what living in a consumption-based society is all about – constantly obtaining more and better crap. i might be of the mind to succumb to this latest round of “technological enhancements” if there were anything on the TV worth watching. but the mind-numbing and insulting offerings that are out there add little or no value to my life.

  • kando June 12, 2009 (11:55 am)

    I bought the DTV converter box a couple of months ago. It worked well the first night (strong signal), but the next day the signal was weak and therefore I could get no stations. I messed with it for about an hour and gave up. I have much more important things to be doing with my time.
    Sarelly is right on. If you haven’t already, check out:
    http://www.storyofstuff.com/

  • sarelly June 12, 2009 (4:31 pm)

    B-Squared: Thanks for saying that. What if they used television to offer free college lectures to the general public (without a cable subscription)? So much more could have been done with television than has been done. Network television exists to peddle a social darwinist ethic. The programming itself (not just the advertising that bookends it) is written to promote the goals of the advertisers. It is not in their interest to support content that would make anyone question consumerism. But whether you agree with my assessment or not, you can get TV shows on DVD and the Internet, so why do you need a TV? I suspect this “upgrade” is being made not because it’s “better” but just for the sake of getting us to buy more equipment. The planet is in bad enough shape that we really can’t afford “designed obsolescence.” I think if humanity is going to survive, we have to change the way we look at our consumption patterns and the values that drive them. So much for today’s “manifesto.”

  • Kristina June 12, 2009 (6:17 pm)

    I am finding this entire process annoying at best. According to the Comcast website, as their customer I didn’t need to do anything. However, sound went out on several channels, so I contacted their online support (chat). I was informed that I needed to drive to North Seattle to pick up converter boxes. The rep basically ignored the fact that I kept saying “The website says I don’t have to do anything” and he responded with “but it’s free!” and I had to point out that I had already lost channels, that driving to North Seattle was inconvenient, and that doing so was hardly doing nothing as the website advertised. I complained loudly enough that he promised to send me the boxes in the mail for free.

    Still, I’m NOT pleased….

    I hate planned obselescence. I’m at least glad that we can use our old (hand me down) TV, which, needless to say, isn’t a flat screen etc.

  • Sue June 12, 2009 (9:53 pm)

    I’ve had Comcast’s Limited Basic Cable for a few years now. I’ve called several times and was assured that I did not need to do anything. I questioned them about the channels over 30 that I get on limited basic, and they said that those channels would still come through okay without a converter.
    .
    I just got home and turned on the TV, rescanned the channels through my DVD, and see that the channels are okay over 30, with the exception of channel 78 (weather channel) which is slightly blurry, but watchable. All the channels under 30 are fine with the exception of 11 (CW) which is very blurry. On the plus side, we always had blurry CBS, and now it’s working fine.
    .
    We also have a separate HD antenna that we sometimes watch TV through instead of through cable. All the channels that we previously got are there, with a few added ones (like Retro Television). CBS is clearer on there too. CW is still a blurry mess. Guess it’s good that I decided to swear off of Top Model next season. :)

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