Morning Update

If you are living in the Maryland area you are already aware that the first snowfall of 2009 in our area has arrived. Problem is that unlike most schools in the Maryland area, university's such as the University of Maryland does not easily closedown. So I get the "pleasure" of going to the first week of classes in this weather. The same thing happened in 2007, even though another winter storm successfully closed down the school for two days.

Also in analog deathwatch front, the US Senate has voted to delay the digital changeover to June 12, 2009. The House has to vote for their own bill, and then reconcile it with the Senate. The President Obama has supported a delay in the digital changeover for sometime because the coupon program has ran out of funds. The problem is that the legislation will not actually solve the actual problems. One there are areas where no matter what they do, even if they have to get an outdoor antenna, they can't get any digital reception at all. Forcing them to pay more in monthly fees to satellite and cable television companies. While the FCC advised them licensees that they can install relays to transmit the signal to dark reception spots, they do not have to.

Another big problem with the digital changeover is that it has there is really no actual change in the content. Aside with crappy weather radar, sport archives (NBC's Universal Sport), and bowdlerized movies broadcast in 4x3, they are not really taken advantage of digital television revolution, except for broadcasting High Definition programs. What worse, is that there is no talk of re-regulating the airwaves to ensure that they use the new frequencies for the public interest, becuase they will not. Come on Obama, do I have to demand change in order to see it!?

Although I did see a special on the digital changeover on MPT, and as a concerned citizen I called their toll-free number and asked this question: What if I have a converter box, and I can't get any signal even if I use an outdoor box. Short answer: You should consider subscribing to cable or satellite service. Other questions include that cable companies may not service the area or the satellite may get a clear view of the southern sky. The represenative said that you may petition that cable regulation authority to service the area, and as for satellite, they can hook the dish in such a way so that you can recive satellite serivce. They even say the signal goes through trees.

(If you can prove the last few sentatives wrong, please contact me ASAP.)

Anyway that was your morning update for Tuesday Januray 27, 2007.