the mouse that roared

Life goes on.

What? They're messin with my teevee? Why didn't somebody tell me? How am I supposed to watch MacGyver?

About dammed time. Is there anyone out there that wasn't ready for this like three years ago?

Where da picture gone? -Da Hood

How am I supposed to watch MacGyver?

#3 | Posted by cbob at 2009-06-12 10:03 AM | Reply

Now you've gone and pissed me off. Don't make fun of MacGyver. It's obvious you're no fan of his you mother fucker!
No real MacGyver fan would ever ask how to fix a problem, they'd just look around, gather some useful supplies, and fix it.
Fuck you Cbob. Fuck you, you MacGyver poser!

Richard Dean Andserson/Balki 2012

I'm with you, chair! Any true MacGyver fan could make a digital converter box out of a burned-out microwave, a fountain pen and a roll of duct tape!
(Of course, the stores sold them for $60, when they had a supply).

LOL at 101.

Thant new show Burn Notice has a guy sort of like McGyver, only this guy can make or do anything with a cell phone.

That Burn Notice looks interesting. I've seen maybe 2 hours (over about 5 episodes) of it, and it seems like a good enough show. I should probably TiVo it and give it a chance.

I hate to do this, but on a more serious note, anyone that complains or is surprised by this DTV switch-over should most likely be committed as a ward of the state because they are clearly too fucking stupid to be left on their own.

so it isn't the antenna?

BWAH!

#10 'swat I'm talkin 'bout

Poor Bob...what is he going to defend himself with now...or are car antennas safe? Did the NCAA (Nation Car Antenna Association) manage to get them exempt from the switch?

My parentes praise Burn Notice and it does have Bruce "Evil Dead" Campbell, so there is promise.

Actually, BBob is planning on making a fortune buying up these used antennae and weaponizing them for resale.

Great, now we are going to have to worry about CAMD or Car Antennas of Mass Destruction falling into Lunatic hands. Time for the UN to send inspectors to the moon to start examining those smokestacks for hidden CAMD reserves.

"I hate to do this, but on a more serious note, anyone that complains or is surprised by this DTV switch-over should most likely be committed as a ward of the state because they are clearly too fucking stupid to be left on their own."
#10 | Posted by 101Chairborne at 2009-06-12 10:40 AM | Reply

To be honest, while I'm completely ready for the transition, I was truly expecting the government (who can't seem to get ready for anything) to delay it yet again.

So was I Hawk.

wonder when "obamatv" will be up and running?

If Bush didn't try to shove state run tv down our throats neither will Obama. I hope your digital signal is decent in the trailer Nanc.

wonder when "obamatv" will be up and running?

#19 | Posted by nanc

Soon it will ALL be ObamaTV...

Run away.

Run AWAY!

***** NEWS FLASH *****

Jessie Jackson has just petitioned congress to put this on hold again, Jackson said he has been approved by many people in the hood wanting to know " Lordy Lordy what is we gonna do now when da Jefferson's come on"...

This DTV thing has been brewing since I was in college in the early 90s. The picture is a lot better, but is anybody else having problems getting the signal? (and yes I have a convertor box even if I do live in the Ozarks.) I think I get worse reception with the digital when the weather is bad.

"I think I get worse reception with the digital when the weather is bad."
#23 | Posted by deadarmadillo at 2009-06-12 11:20 AM | Reply

This is actually surprising to me. I was under the impression that digital was an "all or nothing" kind of thing. Your either receive a perfect signal or, if the weather is bad or there are other interfering factors, you get no signal at all. The article I read (this was several years ago, so I can't come up with a link right now) stated that this was one of the disadvantages of the digital change.

that could leave as many as one million homes without TV until they upgrade.

just for the record.. and not that I really care.. but that phrase was added by the Drudge folks, not by me.. I got edited! dang

I think I get worse reception with the digital when the weather is bad.

#23 | Posted by deadarmadillo

Put an umbrella over it.

"The picture is a lot better, but is anybody else having problems getting the signal? (and yes I have a convertor box even if I do live in the Ozarks.) I think I get worse reception with the digital when the weather is bad."

#23 | Posted by deadarmadillo

Amplify a Digital TV Signal

Put A Little Electricity Back into Your Digital TV Signal

Surely by this time everyone is aware and either prepared or just unable to afford the tuning box. No doubt there will be a sector of the population that was either "unaware" or "just didn't have enough time".

Really? I had no fucking warning whatsoever that this was happening. The networks and the govt. really ought to do a better job of telling folks about these things ahead of time so that they can get their ducks in a row.

I don't think the goverment waited long enough this should have been suspended at least 3 or 4 more times until at least 2030. Well thank goodness I still have my 8 track tape player to listen to after my teevee goes caput Damn Obama...

Let's see if my wife prefers digital.

*later*
Unfortunately for me, she does.

Let's see if my wife prefers digital.

#31 | Posted by SamBarber at 2009-06-12 01:27 PM | Reply |

I think you meant "digits", the answer is yes, and the number is all 10.

I think he is talking about an anal log.

He is a long standing and well known Analrapist*

*Arrested Development joke

This is actually surprising to me. I was under the impression that digital was an "all or nothing" kind of thing. Your either receive a perfect signal or, if the weather is bad or there are other interfering factors, you get no signal at all. The article I read (this was several years ago, so I can't come up with a link right now) stated that this was one of the disadvantages of the digital change.

#24 | Posted by hawk at 2009-06-12 11:26 AM

If the signal is very weak at your antenna, you may have a perfect picture while the signal is above the Converter Box's threshold. But as soon as the signal drops below that threshold, you will either have no signal at all, or the picture will pixelate.

DTV works best with an outdoor antenna.

The CBS, NBC, and ABC affiliates here in Chicago, all signed off their analog transmitters at lunch time.

We're signing our analog transmitter off tonight at 11:59:59

We live in the shadow of a hill and have always had pretty lousy reception. DTV certainly has a better picture but the thing I hate is that when the signal wavers and the image pixilates the sound also fails. At least with analog you could still get the audio and follow the storyline. Also, helicopters interfere with reception.

And, yes, we're switching to cable next week.

I heard that the phone companies are taking control of the analog waves...

"The government reaped $19.6 billion last year by selling some of the freed-up frequencies, with AT&T Inc. and Verizon Wireless the biggest buyers."

The Gov. auctions off TV for the telecoms!

I want my state-funded IPHONE and I want it now.

We've had a converter for six months now, and it was rough going at first. Some stations weren't anywhere near full power, and their engineers hadn't had time to tweak anything. It's way better now; I don't get the dread "No Signal" message nearly as often as I did at first.

The most annoying thing is the freezing and pixelation that occur sometimes; those can be pretty bad once in a while. Still, even that's better than it was at first.

I can see why some people put things off as long as possible; anyone looking at a friend's TV with a converter a few months ago would have seen so many problems they would have shaken their head and walked away instead of being inspired to follow suit.

"Whoever controls the media, controls the peoples' minds."-- author unknown

Bani,
Jim Morrison

#20 | Posted by rastaninja

you're so caring, but we have satellite here and antenna at our cabin.

Now you've gone and pissed me off. Don't make fun of MacGyver. It's obvious you're no fan of his you mother fucker!
No real MacGyver fan would ever ask how to fix a problem, they'd just look around, gather some useful supplies, and fix it.
Fuck you Cbob. Fuck you, you MacGyver poser!

Richard Dean Andserson/Balki 2012

#6 | Posted by 101Chairborne at 2009-06-12 10:15 AM | Reply | Flag:

Such a strong defense of MacGyver.....

......you'd make Patty & Selma Bouvier so proud!!

A lot of problems can be solved with a proper HD antenna. I made an antenna like the one in the video and it works great. Mine cost me $8-9 in parts....

#44 | Posted by Shredder at 2009-06-12 03:57 PM | Reply | Flag:

HD or not, the TV still needs to be able to receive digital signals.

That's where the converters come into play (at least for older, analog-only sets)

Actually, BBob is planning on making a fortune buying up these used antennae and weaponizing them for resale.

I've already bought 10,000 shares of stock in his company.

CC-You invested all of your $17.27 in his company? Can you spare it? I hear for half again you get a partnership.

you're so caring, but we have satellite here and antenna at our cabin.

#42 | Posted by nanc

Antenna won't work anymore. You better get a digital receiver.

Of couse you are correct, CS. I was addressing the folks who are receiving poor digtal signals.

" I was addressing the folks who are receiving poor digtal(sic) signals."

Posted by Shredder at 2009-06-12 08:12 PM | Reply | Flag: dropped a packet

#48 | Posted by rastaninja

don't worry your purty self - it's all taken care of.

who watches tv anymore? way too much mindless crap. Kind of like this place.

who watches tv anymore? way too much mindless crap. Kind of like this place.

Posted by Stickman at 2009-06-12 10:02 Pm

But at least on DR we're not forced to watch commercials.

"But at least on DR we're not forced to watch commercials."
#53 | Posted by CalifChris at 2009-06-12 10:25 PM | Reply

Well, there is all that crap on the right side of the screen ...

all that crap

There's always Firefox and AdBlock.

I've been testing Google Chrome which doesn't block ads but it does boot and render faster than IE or FF, though I think they're sending cached pages to local servers. It does eat up memory - it's like each tab is a separate app.

Sharp has a 108-inch LCD TV. Enough to cover a wall

Even baseball could be interesting

"I never realized how boring this game is without beer."
--Homer Simpson

Actually, BBob is planning on making a fortune buying up these used antennae and weaponizing them for resale.

#15 | Posted by Corky at 2009-06-12 10:47 AM | Reply

He can sell them to Poseur, to go along with all those 'secure' Paki nukes.

Kanrei and 101.

It is a good show. Having Bruce Campbell as one of the main characters sidekick, along with Sharon Gless as Michaels mother is brilliantr casting.
The guy who plays Michael is good too.

USA is always running reruns and marathons so you should be able to DVR/Tivo enough of it to get caught up pretty quickly.

Just started Season 3 (I think)could be Season 4.

brilliant casting