Raising Digital Kids » silverssummit http://www.robinraskin.com/blog No one said it would be easy but it sure keeps you thinking. Fri, 19 Mar 2010 19:57:41 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=abc en hourly 1 Raskin Joins AIPatHome Advisory Team http://www.robinraskin.com/blog/2009/11/30/aipathome/ http://www.robinraskin.com/blog/2009/11/30/aipathome/#comments Tue, 01 Dec 2009 01:59:39 +0000 admin http://www.robinraskin.com/blog/?p=667 .newl {display:none}
AIP stands for Aging in Place, and as boomers age, or find themselves with aging parents, you’re going to hear more about how to use technology to allow folks to live in their own homes longer. Whether it’s a televisit for the doctors or a motion ssensor that detects a fall, there are many roads to [...]]]> AIP stands for Aging in Place, and as boomers age, or find themselves with aging parents, you’re going to hear more about how to use technology to allow folks to live in their own homes longer. Whether it’s a televisit for the doctors or a motion ssensor that detects a fall, there are many roads to aging in place. For more info see AIPatHome.com.

]]> http://www.robinraskin.com/blog/2009/11/30/aipathome/feed/ It’s DTV Anarchy Out There http://www.robinraskin.com/blog/2009/02/19/it%e2%80%99s-dtv-anarchy-out-there/ http://www.robinraskin.com/blog/2009/02/19/it%e2%80%99s-dtv-anarchy-out-there/#comments Fri, 20 Feb 2009 03:30:26 +0000 http://www.robinraskin.com/blog/2009/02/19/it%e2%80%99s-dtv-anarchy-out-there/ Last month I predicted that the government, in the true spirit of “why do today what you can put off until tomorrow” would vote to postpone the national transition to a digital TV signal, “DTV transition,” until June. They agreed to delay because millions of consumers weren’t ready (physically or mentally) to make the switch. And because the government (no kidding) had seriously underestimated when they budgeted dollars in the form of coupons to help consumers who applied to purchase digital converters to offset the cost of the transition.

While the consumers were slowly waking up to the fact that their TVs would go dark, the TV stations were chomping at the bit to pull the switch. The stations have been investing in new digital towers, in educating their viewers, and in advertising and preparing for the switch for years. That’s the reason that over 400 stations have ignored the delay and have already transitioned to a digital-only signal. The bill that was passed, which specified the delay, offered stations that wanted to go digital a chance to do it earlier if they had FCC permission. As of this week, about 25% of the nation’s broadcast stations were granted permission and have launched their digital programming. Consumers who are waiting until the June cutoff date are going to have to catch up on the favorite programs they’ve missed. With some stations switching and some waiting, we’ve got digital TV anarchy.

One report says that four million customers are still waiting for their $40 government-funded coupons to help pay for their digital transition. A Nielson study found that five million Americans are not ready for the transition to digital. The highest number of unprepared live in the Albuquerque/Santa Fe area. Hawaii, on the other end of the spectrum, went ahead and managed a statewide switch well in advance of any national cutoff date. Maybe trying to change the entire country’s TV infrastructure on one day was silly idea from the onset? Perhaps a more regional rollout would have been more sensible? As it stands, we’ve got digital TV anarchy. Anarchy usually winds up costing us all in one way or another. We may need to start looking at a DTV bailout before we’re through.

Confused about which of your favorite stations jumped the deadline?

On the government-sponsored DTV Transition website the following notice appears:

Some of the TV stations in the US will transition from analog to digital broadcasting on Feb 17th. The remaining stations will transition from analog to digital broadcasting between Mar 14th and Jun 12th.

AARP (877-698-806) and the FCC (1-800-CALL-FCC) have both set up hotlines to get you through.

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