Old rooftop antennae pose problem for would-be digital TV viewers

rooftopantenna
Flickr’d

Post 900 about the upcoming transition to all-digital TV next February.

Folks who live in apartment buildings with a shared, rooftop antenna should be concerned. Since the new digital transmissions will be going out over UHF—most rooftop antennae are VHF-only—they’re going to have to convince they’re landlord or building owner or whatever to make sure they have the right antenna. And, since most people in apartment buildings get their TV via cable, there’s not gonna be too many people pestering the super.

In other words, since so few people who live in shared-antenna apartment buildings rely on free, over-the-air TV, their voice is in danger of not being heard. Sad clown :-(

It gets better! People with old, pre-1998 or so TVs then need to buy a converter box to even accept the new signals!

So it’s like this: those people have to pester their building to make sure they have the right antenna, then, if they do!, they have get a converter box! (Contact the government for your free vouchers, people.) If they don’t, then they have to wait until the proper antenna is installed.

That’s quite a cross to bear. Enough to make you cross.