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Does It Pay to Wait Going the Way of the HDTV Now or Later
The best way of gaining knowledge about hdtv is by reading as much about it as
possible. This can be best done through the Internet.
Most consumers are still relatively uneducated when it comes to HDTV. In fact,
according to Rick Chessen, the associate chief and chairman of the FCC, American
consumers need to realize that “analog sets will have limited capabilities in
their future.” But, is it really important to make the switch to HDTV now. Or
should you wait till later?
Program Offerings
The answer to this question lies mostly in personal opinion and individual
situations. Currently, television channels are not HDTV. Those that do offer
HDTV are: ABC, CBS, Cinemax, Encore, ESPN, ESPN 2, Fox, Fox Sports, HBO, HDNet,
The Movie Channel, NBC, PBS, Showtime, and Starz, Universal. With the exception
of the broadcast networks of ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC, and PBS, each of these channels
requires cable or satellite service to receive.
Therefore, a person who doesn't watch any of these channels often might not need
to run out and buy a HDTV at the moment. By the end of 2006, however, the FCC
has dictated that every channel must broadcast in only digital format. Digital
format is not the same as HDTV, but HDTV needs digital format in order to run.
If the FCC gets its way, analog televisions will be nothing more than oversized
paperweights, unless the owner purchases a special digital-to-analog converter.
In this case, the television will be able to show programming, but it still
won’t be of the higher quality received by those who own televisions with
digital receivers.
No Avoiding the Inevitable
Of course, most people who watch television watch at least one of the channels
that currently broadcast in HDTV. So, the question still remains: Should the
HDTV be bought now, or should the consumer wait?
With the FCC's regulations, coupled with the ever-increasing popularity of HDTV,
there is no avoiding the fact that HDTV is in the future of all Americans. But,
for the true television connoisseur, there doesn't appear to be much advantage
to either waiting to buy an HDTV or purchasing one now.
True, the price of HDTV televisions has fallen since they were first introduced.
And, they are likely to continue to fall. But for the person who is passionate
about television, it almost seems foolish to wait to purchase an HDTV because it
is simply putting off the inevitable. There are no current HDTV breakthroughs on
the horizon, so waiting to purchase an HDTV won't increase the chances of having
the latest and greatest technology, which technology has already arrived.
For someone who is, however, an infrequent viewer of television or who doesn't
relish the television viewing experience, it might be a good idea to simply
wait. When the time comes that all broadcasters are forced to switch to digital
broadcasting, it will come time for these consumers to make a decision. They can
either purchase an HDTV television, or they can buy a digital-to-analog
converter.
If the current analog television still produces an acceptable picture and is
still in good working order, purchasing a digital-to-analog is likely the best
choice for people in this category. Most experts believe these will only cost
about $50-100 at the time the switchover takes place, which makes buying one of
the converters quite affordable, particularly when compared to paying hundreds,
maybe thousands, of dollars for a HDTV television.
In fact, there has been talk within the government about assisting low-income
families in purchasing digital-to-analog converters. This discussion has mostly
taken place because it is likely to be low-income families who are most affected
by the FCC's mandate for all broadcasters to switch to digital. The current Bush
administration, however, is not in favor of this suggestion.
No matter a person's level of television passion, a person in the market to
purchase a new television in order to replace a new one should seriously
consider purchasing an HDTV television instead of an analog television. If a
consumer does purchase an analog television, it will soon be obsolete and will
require additional money to enjoy television programming. It is worthwhile to
save the time and worries and spend a little extra cash on the HDTV now, rather
than spend extra money down the road on a television that doesn't provide the
extra perks supplied by HDTV.
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