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Digital TV transition delay bill fails to pass in House

engadget.com — In an absolutely shocking move, the United States House of Representatives has failed to pass the digital TV transition delay bill that was all but certain to fly through just days ago. The bill needed two-thirds of the votes of the House under "special rules adopted for the vote," and reportedly, the vote was just 258 to 168 in favor of changing t

Who dugg this? Made popular Jan 28, 2009

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  • hawksfan03, on 01/28/2009, -1/+501thank you lord. if you're not prepared now, you're not going to be prepared in 6 months.
  • vacax, on 01/28/2009, -6/+211I've got to hand it to Republicans for actually getting an issue right. All but 13 house democrats were drinking the kool-aid on this one. I have a liberal hard-on for Obama just like everyone else, but he was just wrong on this one folks. Delaying this isn't helping anyone; it will just add to the confusion.
  • kicker58, on 01/28/2009, -2/+178omg i cant wait to see old people come into best buy going to be amazing
  • sockpuppets, on 01/28/2009, -2/+172I'm going to sell coat hangers as digital receivers in the parking lot.
  • anubis2night, on 01/28/2009, -1/+163Exactly. Let's just get this thing over with. Waiting seems like it would just cost more in the long run. Besides, maybe this will get people that didn't bother to get their coupons to just take that $50 and invest in another t.v. thus helping the economy more.
  • imikedaman, on 01/28/2009, -2/+103Thank you, House Republicans! It's frightening how split the vote was along party lines (weren't they supposed to come together by now?), but at least they got this right.

    The DTV program already spent more than enough money on commercials and coupons, the broadcast companies spent more than enough money powering both the digital and analog signals (which I'd imagine is a real problem for places like PBS), and I've spent enough time getting crappy digital reception because the digital signals aren't at 100% yet where I live. It's time to move on.
  • Quicksilver4648, on 01/28/2009, -2/+99On Feb. 17 when the transition finally takes place and those who did not prepare get no signal they can't argue there wasn't enough warning. We need to drop analog and progress our tech. Even though I voted for Obama, I am dead set against him on this. Let Feb. 17th come and let it those who failed to prepare get hit.
  • InfinitySnatch, on 01/28/2009, -4/+95Ha! Suck it, Grandma.
  • jbiber, on 01/28/2009, -2/+69That's perfect. One other thing, take advantage of this time. We, people of tech, can offer services and answer questions. Put your phone number in the paper to answer questions. Go to older folks houses and help them setup their TV. Make 10$ or 15$ off of this. There are people that don't understand this. You do, you can also use the experience on your resumes as a volenteer or entrepreneurial experience. Just a thought.. do something nice for someone.
  • saltinekracka20, on 01/28/2009, -9/+75I can't understand how Obama cuts salaries to "save money" then tries to delay the digital TV transition. The delay would've been such a huge waste of money. Salary cuts are a drop in the bucket compared to this.
  • evilbob333, on 01/28/2009, -1/+62You and your grandmother have a disturbing relationship.
  • username7410, on 01/28/2009, -1/+50***** hell! Enough! Flip the switch, deal with the aftermath.
  • DrummerAndrew, on 01/28/2009, -0/+49I read an article that said nearly 22% of the people that are not prepared, don't care that they are not prepared. I don't know if they're taking it seriously or not. Worse things could happen than Americans being without TV for a few days while they get off their lazy asses and hook up the free converter box. I think Hawai'i did the right thing by doing the switch early.
  • rssmith, on 01/28/2009, -1/+48This needs to happen as scheduled, I am so sick of the conversion ads.

    As of this posting, there are 13 submissions of this same story... digging this one because it appears to be the first...
  • TeeBaagz, on 01/28/2009, -1/+42You said it.

    I couldn't give two ***** about this if it weren't for the fact that I'm elated to know I won't have to see those god awful commercials about the DTV transition. *an old man walking on the beach watching the sunset as he ponders about his future with an antennaless TV*

    Just get this the hell over with.
  • KMye, on 01/28/2009, -1/+34Fantastic! Did not see that one coming after the Senate passed it by unanimous consent.
  • PCGUY112887, on 01/28/2009, -1/+34THANK YOU!

    Now lets hope it doesn't get revised and sent back through the system with minor changes and passed like the bailout did.
  • inactive, on 01/28/2009, -0/+32Good man, I like your thinking there.
  • stvidguy, on 01/28/2009, -2/+33They've already pushed it back once... Do they really need to push it back again? People will figure it out if they don't already know. Chill out Prez.
  • bacon_skoda, on 01/28/2009, -0/+31they should leave the analog stations on and run 24hrs of DTV transition infomercials. If that doesn't drive people running to buy a new converter box, then maybe they are senile.
  • roijen, on 01/28/2009, -0/+31My favorite part is when they play on HD channels.
  • web2pointYo, on 01/28/2009, -1/+31Wait...there's something going to happen to my TV?
  • Carbunkulous, on 01/28/2009, -2/+32Too my knowledge the salary cuts were not truly to save money, but too make Washington feel the recession like everyone else and try harder too fix it.
  • gtluke, on 01/28/2009, -0/+26I think congress should have just asked that when on that last day that the analog signal be changed from normal TV to a constant loop of a commercial that explains why your station is gone, and what you have to do to get the converter. Run this for a month, the end. Shoot the commercial, distribute it to the broadcasters, done.
  • brycehebert, on 05/03/2009, -1/+26If 6.5 million aren't ready that just means that 290 million are ready (minus the few without televisions). We don't need to wait on them any longer, they've had more than enough time.
  • onelikeseabass, on 01/28/2009, -0/+24oh we've done more than our fair share of executing
  • foucaultsvac, on 01/28/2009, -2/+26This is strange. Usually the federal government is really good at moving quickly and efficiently.
  • violationz, on 01/28/2009, -1/+25English Nazi says that's too many too's.
  • protodon, on 01/28/2009, -0/+23I've been telling my parents that their kitchen tv is not going to work since at least a year ago. Each and every time I tell them I get no reply no acknowledgement that they heard me. I know that whenever the switch occurs they're going to dumbfounded as to what happened to the tv.
  • hagiaso, on 01/28/2009, -4/+27That's why we need BOTH democrats and republicans, preferably in even numbers. To limit the amount of stupid crap that they both come up with from going through.
  • Geist89, on 01/28/2009, -1/+24I don't see any reason why to delay it. They've only had commercials warning about it for the past, oh, year?
  • inactive, on 01/28/2009, -1/+23Thank God...

    And to think the House was originally considered a dumber, less-informed Senate.
  • inactive, on 01/28/2009, -5/+27The question is not whether government is too big or too small, but whether government works. - Barack Obama

    And once again, the government proved that it can screw up ANYTHING it gets its hands on.

  • Gerchak, on 01/28/2009, -1/+23Take important note, fellow Diggers -- Democrats want to push it again in the House fairly soon. Please don't hesitate to contact the Reps who voted against this bill. Let them know that the delay will only make things worse!
  • perfectsilence, on 01/28/2009, -2/+24what's the big deal of not being able to watch tv for a few days or a week, it's not like cutting off their electricity or water.
  • bacon_skoda, on 01/28/2009, -0/+21I just helped my grand ma setup the converter box so that she only needs to press the ON button to get the ONE station that she watches. what happen? CHAOS. she presses all kinds of buttons. and starts to get static. crazy
  • STARTSOMETHING, on 01/29/2009, -0/+20If your not prepared, you deserve to miss your wheel of fortune.
  • uclaith, on 01/28/2009, -1/+18i wonder if any of the 6.5 million of the unprepared use digg..... or a computer on that note...
  • IllBeBack, on 01/28/2009, -1/+18Great news. I hope this sticks and the date stays Feb 17 2009.
  • blaxicopurress, on 01/28/2009, -1/+18all of this will matter on feb 16 when there is a mad rush to get these boxes. people will bitch that the government didnt tell them and give them enough time.
  • hexydes, on 01/29/2009, -2/+18"Because of selfish ***** who wanted to ***** with the government or get free stuff, the people who need those coupons are getting denied!"

    Uhm, excuse me, but every American has a right to these coupons, regardless of their socioeconomic position. The money for these coupons came from auctioning off the limited spectrum by the FCC to the highest bidder. Every citizen of the United States of America has a claim on a slice of that spectrum, and as such, entitled to a share of whatever compensation the government came up with (in this case, discounted digital converter boxes).
  • BossKey, on 01/28/2009, -0/+16This is why I told my mom to get the converter now, and not when everyone's panicking. Best Buy had plenty in stock when we went. She was already getting annoyed at the constant reminders on TV, so if people aren't already ready, they can't say nobody warned them.
  • p51d007, on 01/28/2009, -0/+16I hope the TV stations around the country have extra telephone operators on duty Febuary 18th, because you know there will be those IDIOTS complaining that they can't receive their stations anymore...
  • inactive, on 01/28/2009, -0/+14Too many toos makes my head hurt too.
  • SQLserver, on 01/29/2009, -0/+14LOL.
  • fireflash, on 01/29/2009, -0/+14That's exactly what I said when they started kicking around the idea. The one thing that's going to get 6.5 million TV's ready is not delaying the transition, but allowing us broadcasters to turn off our analog signals. That'll get people motivated real fast.

    I'm calling in sick on February 17th.
  • rda1441, on 01/28/2009, -1/+15Agreed. Seems like that isn't the first time he's uttered those words.
  • radu79, on 01/28/2009, -3/+16Are you serious?
    Obama wanted to delay it not because he cared for the poor people, but because the lobbyists dictated him to!
  • mywhitenoise, on 01/29/2009, -0/+11When I get my own house I'm going to still have fiber optic broadband, and wont pay for cable. Why would I do that when I can just download my programs and stream them to my home theater?
  • lutiana, on 01/28/2009, -0/+11But this is not a scew up. In fact I read it and thouhgt "finally a government decision I can agree with"
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