The Government May Make Digital TV Switch Free For Poor And Elderly
Come December 31st, 2013, people like you and me can expect quite a few tech support calls from family and friends. Because that’s when the last analog TV transmission will be switched off, moving us into a glorious age of digital-only TV entertainment.
But what about all the people out there who don’t know a tech-savvy young person to make their TV work? How will they cope with plugging in a digital set-top box to their old analog CRT TV? Apparently, only 42 per cent of households have a digital-ready TV in the house.
Fortunately, the Government understands that there are people who won’t be able to upgrade to digital because they are either a) Unable to understand the potentially confusing cabling between a STB and a TV; or b) Too poor to be able to afford the purchase of a digital set-top box.Considering how the US has planned their digital TV switchover (they’re flicking a switch in February for the whole country), the government’s plan to hold the hands of the elderly and poor is a good approach to the changeover, as is the process of switching region by region. And really, free STB units should be available to anyone who wants them if you’re forcing people to switch from a service that there’s technically nothing wrong with.
But despite the positives in looking after Joe Public with this switchover, there was one quote from Senator Conroy in the SMH article that concerns me:
“The concern I have is that I’ve tested this myself to find out how easy it is to install a set-top box if you are not very technically literate. I’ve got to tell you it’s not that easy.”
Maybe I’m just so pissed off with Conroy over his whole internet filter scheme that I’m looking for excuses to rip into him, but surely as our government representative for the technology sector the guy should be able to plug in a set-top box to a TV…
[SMH]
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Comments
I’m having a hard time not drawing the conclusion that just MAYBE Senator Conroy is not good at his job.
I agree that it is a good idea to provide free STB’s for the elderly and those who cannot afford them…
As for Senator Conroy… He states connecting three cables (RF, RCA and Power) is difficult… and he is our government representative for technology? Well at least the reason he wants an internet filter makes sense now… he is a complete and utter moron.
Dec 31st 2013… Perhaps if they had switched across ths year like originally planned or in 2011 (which is the year the switchover was delayed to first), then perhaps there would be a big need for free STBs to the poor an elderly. My guess is that those families who don’t buy a digital LCD tv this year with Rudd’s economy-booster will certainly get one sometime in the next FIVE years. And there will be lots of worthless 2nd hand stb’s floating around by then… Seriously Dec 2013 – Won’t the world end in 2012 anyway?
People play fair. Just because Conroy is a demon for wanting to filter our internets doesn’t mean the statement he made is at all untrue. He said “if you are not very technically literate.” Give credit where it’s due, and don’t discredit yourself by flaming someone with no argument or grounds to stand on (other than that he’s a demon for wanting to ban internets.)
I know my Grandma doesn’t use her TV for months because she simply muted the volume on the VCR or can’t change back from AV. The power of TV lies in that it’s so ubiquitous and can reach the people almost instantly. It would loose a lot of that benefit if we left behind all of our older generations in a national emergency purely because they don’t want or need to hook up an RCA cable.
the more I hear about conroy the more pissed off i get.
I can understand this plan but ffs do we really need to wait till 2013?
Agreed
i m a long time channel four watcher and rabbit ear user now i dont receive channel 4 any advice out there