Perfecting Television

D-Day used to mean the anniversary of the Normandy invasion. This year D-Day was June 12th, the day digital television was mandated. For over a year we have been warned there would be no TV signal if we had a old analog television and used rabbit ears or an antenna. The government offered discount coupons to households who needed to purchase a converter. If you had cable or satellite or a newer HDTV you didn't need to convert. We have both old and new and got the converter for those extra TVs. He also have the flat HDTV. The switch was to happen in February, but the date pushed to June because "they" said many were not ready. PBS frequently ran informational segments on what to do, how to help elderly neighbors and family convert. More federal dollars were poured into the coupon program. More articles in newspapers about people not being prepared. How do they know people aren't ready?

I am probably in the minority, but I think HDTV is overrated. It pixelates in bad weather. Jon will often remind me I am on the "wrong channel". I punch in the # of the channel and watch the analog broadcast. He can instantly tell the difference. I don't notice. Has anyone but me wondered how this switch to digital broadcast will benefit the consumer? It is a boon to those selling all those flatscreen TVs and converter boxes, but is it an improvement for the average guy? Today I am a believer. They have improved TV. When I turned it on to check the morning news all I saw was blue screen. That is an improvement. There is not much worth watching anyway. I turned on the radio for the news. I know. I know. You have to rescan the channels. I just don't know how to do that. The fisherman is coming home today, and that might be on his "To do list". The other option is to leave it that way and think they really have perfected television.