Posted by March 1, 2007 in Television, Technology
My husband, collector of ancient vinyl and pirate radio fanboy, curiously welcomed today’s news that “official” analog broadcasts will cease in 2009 because he thinks it will lead to wild experimentation with PTV. After decades of non-consensual exposure to public access cable programming, I know *I* won’t be watching it.
12 Responses to “TubeTreat - What will we do with all those analog television sets? Edition”
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Hollow them out to keep all outdated CDs.
It could be worse. My husband loves and collects old radio shows. And he’s younger than me.
Doesn’t our government have better stuff to do?
Did the government ever mandate VHS?
And would that affect the ebay fetchings for the beta max my mother still has in her living room?
Hey, there’s been a lot of great public access programming. Mystery Science Theater 3000 started off on public access, for one.
Honestly, as much of a bizarre grab-bag as public access is, it’s still better on average than the “official” content. I swear, if I see one more shot of that cheerleader from “Heroes” running around with a disconcerted expression, I will kill myself.
Doesn’t our government have better stuff to do?
Than set regulations and requirements for transmission over the public airwaves, which they administer in the public trust? As crucial as spectrum is to nearly every facet of our technological society, no, I’d say they don’t have anything better to do.
Moving to digital frees up an enormous amount of spectrum. And honestly I don’t see any reason why the pirates will have to stick to analog (and I hope they don’t, because they’ll be interfering with regular broadcast TV.) Digital spectrum technologies mean plenty of bandwidth for nearly everyone. It could render the distinction between pirate and licensed broadcasters obsolete.
Seriously, late adopters (or never adopters) need to get over themselves. When people insist on rotary phones, or analog broadcasts, or leaded gasoline, or analog cell service, it drives prices up for the rest of us. Backwards compatibility often comes at a cost.
Blow up your TV
throw away your paper
Go to the country
build you a home
Plant a little garden
eat a lot of peaches
Try and find Jesus on your own
Will Pirate TV be done entirely in Pirate-ese?
“Arrrrr, six bells and now it be time for ye sea-lane traffick report, with the Wench in the Crow’s Nest. How’s it lookin’ up there, lassie?” “Well, cap’n, a queue of barques be formin at the mouth of the Bosporous, so if ye be wantin’ to get to the Black Sea, well then ye be wanting to find an alternate route, or take mass transit.”
Sounds pretty sweet.
Oh, my husband collects old radio shows, tv shows, and all manner of “found sound.” And some of his friends make a living off of found sound.
Here’s One good use
The CB radio of the post-analog TV 21st century?
you can make a living off of found sound?
/well, why not?
Pirate radio, at least around here, is a static-drenched trickle of musical abortions, interspersed with dead air, drunken bellowing, and occasional paranoic anarchist commentary from some guy who lives entirely too much in his own head.
I HATE digital TV. Visible pixils during dark scenes, sound going in & out of sync, feh!
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