[no subject]

Comcast service techs, when explaining the drop of yet another analog
channel from the lineup, told me, repeatedly, that the channel in question
had gone digital and it was technically impossible to convert it back to
analog.  If mid-level techs can lie like that with such conviction, blaming
the feds when they pull the plug on analog will be a piece of cake.  Even
though there appears to be a ruling mandating that cable providers continue
to provide analog for three years after the switch:

http://www.tvweek.com/news/2007/09/fcc_ruling_keeps_local_broadca.php

Cable companies are like that silvery Terminator dude:  they can break up
and reform around any legal obstacle thrown at them.  They are just *loving*
the DTV switchover FUD.  When they no longer wish to obey the FCC rule,
Comcast will send its lobbyists to the hill and say: "How can Comcast fairly
compete with Verizon if Comcast has to maintain analog plants and Verizon
can start as all digital?"  Then, the FCC will change the law to suit the
pressure brought to bear on them politically.  That's a well-established
process.

I don't think we'll have to wait three years to see the death of analog on
both OTA and CATV.  What I see, instead, is another big round of
acquistions, mergers and name changes with the emerging new company telling
the FCC "you made a bargain with a dead man and it died with him."  I've
seen cable companies "bust-out" three times since I've been living here to
avoid onerous contract provisions previously agreed to.  Public access, as a
result, has been whittled away to a toothpick.  The big chorus of complaints
expected by public access supporters never materialized.  They'll getting
away with killing analog CATV because they've already wounded it mortally.

> Lower tier analog channels will be with us for a LONG time to come.

I used to think so, but everything I read leads me to believe that's not
going to be the case.  The transition is already occurring and will be
largely complete by that time.  I just called my local Comcast at (301)
499-1980, and they told me that they will be dropping analog cable in 2009
and that I would either need a set top box or a new TV.  I'm pretty sure
they are either misinformed or lying, by they could be hauntingly prophetic.
If you can get a better answer out of them, be my guest.

The transition "pressure" is best understood from a business perspective:
Why would they ever *want* to maintain analog if they could switch people
over by coercion by then?  What would it cost them to give away a free set
top box to convert digital to analog if they had to?  $10 per line?  That's
the "get out of jail free card" for them in the FCC ruling: " . . .cable
operators will be able to choose to either transmit the digital signal in
analog format or assure that all subscribers have the equipment necessary to
view the digital signal . . ."  Low tier analog will be no tier analog
sooner than later.  The bandwidth's worth too much money to let analog eat
it all up. Remember, that's a driving force behind the whole DTV switch
anyway: freeing up RF bandwidth.  The same resource scarcity affects CATV as
well, just to a lesser degree.

So I guess we'll have to wait and see what actually happens in 2009 but I'll
still continue to act as if that will be the cutoff date for my analog CATV
connection.  I'll mark my calendar.  (-:

--
Bobby G.