eureka!
some time ago, i obtained my very first HDTV. silly me, i didn't really equip it with the right firepower, so it's been a very shiny, sleek paperweight as far as TV is concerned. games look orgasmic, but i've still had to hook up the old rabbit ears if i want to watch anything live.. and it comes in as well as on my sister's old hand-me-down rustbucket.
then i went to a droolery party on sunday at kristin's. her tech-savvy boy was on hand, scattering when we really got down to business. before he did, though, we got to talking about the fantastic reception they got on their own HDTV. (the cubs sucked with that much greater clarity!) rudy informed me that before they caved and got comcast digital, they'd had an HD antenna to pick up local channels. of all that i'd read about HDTVs, i didn't know it was possible to do such a thing, and without sacrificing a big chunk of my money and patience dealing with middleman satellite companies. i can't get directv through normal channels due to a partnership my landlords have.. and naturally the consumer connectivity with that middleman sucks donk.
fascinated by the idea that i don't have to settle for beautifully-rendered static, i went to radioshack to get an HD antenna. when i asked the guy if they had any, he said that *any* antenna would work to get HD channels. i resisted the urge to call bullshit, but resolved to try it at home.
with the help of antennaweb.org, i figured out what local HD channels correspond to what numbers. fox's normal chicago channel, for example, is 32; their HD channel is 31. and i swear, i'll be damned if i didn't connect my ancient rabbit ears, flip on 31...and see a crystal clear picture. granted, i forgot that they've moved the simpsons to 10:35, but i digress. it fuckin' worked! not only does that mean i can watch programs and not feel like a gimp.. it means i could have watched the entirety of March Madness while taking full advantage of my equipment. talk about mixed feelings.
1 comment:
I'm with you on the HD tomfoolery (Hah!) currently extant between the salesweasels at BB, CC, comCast, directv and ad nauseam several others. Having comcast, we copped the hd pkg and rarely bother except for sports. Nothing like the bears in the super bowl in HD. Well, at least we were competitive for a while and lost to a good team. Anyway, only the main set is hooked to cable. I'd read about ota HD, but thought I needed 50. of my dear cash for an "HD" antenna; so I bought one. Yeah, I could get ota, but there was always a vague reek of fish, drying slowly in the noonday sun, wafting through the back of my mind.
Bought an usb HD tuner for my laptop, which came with its own antenna. OK reception on several channels, but I misplaced it at work one day. Suddenly all hot to watch some rot or other that shouldn't be watched at work, I grapped a 10. antenna bought at walgreens: DammY - it got more channels than the HD one, and seemed clearer - of course that last bit may be the result of knowing the battered antenna only cost 10. new, but so it goes... You'd kinda think, (well, I would, anyway...) that the .gov, mfg's and media lords would all want to make sure most folks knew all the options for receiving HD signals, since HD is like, mandated or something... Of course, it is important that profit be maximized along the way to full implementation, I suppose, and what better way to do so than by flipping some profit by obscuring information? Treading water in an economy that yields a healthy business climate the laughs are just non-stop.
Love your writing style, as well as your flickr work. HD and Hi dee ho!
Mike
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