New Technology

[Matthew Copple]

On 7/6/08 12:03 AM, "Oren Beck" <orenbeck at gmail.com> wrote:

> On Sat, Jul 5, 2008 at 10:09 PM, Matthew Copple
> <mcopple at kcopensource.org> wrote:
>> On 7/5/08 4:08 PM, "Jonathan Hutchins" <hutchins at tarcanfel.org> wrote:
>> 
>>> There's some question what the various cable TV carriers and satellite
>>> companies are going to do when analog broadcasting shuts down.  Since
>>> anybody
>>> watching satellite already has a digital receiver, with analog output if
>>> they
>>> have an analog TV, not much is likely to change for DishNet or DirecTV.
>>> 
>>> I would imagine that Time Warner won't change - that would mean spending
>>> money
>>> on new equipment, which they don't like to do.  Ditto Comcast.
>>> 
>>> Everest, on the other hand, is making a big, mysterious fuss about "next
>>> year", when they're going to "overhaul the system" or "change everything".
>>> I
>>> think they'd be pretty dumb to ditch every customer who doesn't need to
>>> replace their analog TV yet, but they don't always do what I consider smart.
>>> 
>>> Of course, getting a straight answer out of any of these companies about
>>> their
>>> technology strategy over the next ten years wouldn't even be likely for a
>>> Congressional Commission, let alone local staff.  Us customers are just
>>> going
>>> to take what they give us.
>> 
>> There was a recent article in "Red Tape Chronicles" on MSNBC.com about
>> precisely this. Right now, most cable companies offer the "Basic" cable tier
>> on an analog signal, including TWC and Comcast here in town. Older TVs with
>> the BNC connector on the back accept the analog signal.
>> 
>> Comcast has announced that it is converting to all-digital in several
>> markets, which will ostensibly allow for more channels and services in the
>> bandwidth previously taken by the analog signal. If/when this occurs, folks
>> with basic cable may have to upgrade to set-top boxes or newer TVs which
>> accept a digital signal.
>> 
>> Matt Copple
>> mcopple at kcopensource.org
>> 
>> 
>> _______________________________________________
> Above NOT trimmed for making scroll up re-reads easier.
> 
> 
> Nitpick or question is an open case till you reply Matt-

(Other stuff snipped, since I have no idea how to reply)

My reply is:

Nitpick or question is still an open case. My knowledge of electronics is
extremely limited, so any round connector with a wire coming through it
looks like BNC to me. I used to have a TV with a direct connector for basic
cable, and my mother just threw out two of hers when she upgraded to HD. I
assumed they were BNC.

I try to avoid any situation where I am forced to make judgments on the
suitability of a particular cable for a particular connector. I'm actually a
history major who thinks computers are pretty cool, and who accidentally got
into the software business (where, thankfully, I've never had to consider
such deep philosophical questions as whether something is BNC or F59). I am
much more comfortable discussing the effect of the 30 Years War on
Enlightenment Radicalism than I am on the potential evils of OTA leaks. My
philosophy of electronics is pretty simple -- when I connect power cord to
power source, I prefer that nothing "GO BOOM" and that the house remain
standing once the transaction is completed. If there is no smoke and the TV
works, then I count myself satisfied. If the TV does not work, but the house
remains standing, then I wait until my wife comes home, and she patiently
explains how the whole thing works, all the while wondering how I managed to
make a career in software without ever being able to make a VCR work. If the
TV does not work, and the house is gone, then I call the fire department and
try to migrate to another country before my wife comes home and discovers
that I tried to make something electronic work when she was not present.

That, my friend, is the extent of my knowledge of consumer electronics.

Matthew Copple
mcopple at kcfreemason.org