Hi Terry.

It will be up to Comcast as to when they pull the plug on analog 
cable.  They are not mandated to do so--only over the air television is 
mandated to shut their analog transmitters off.  I would expect that in 
reality, cable providers will start phasing analog equipment out, but they 
aren't on a specific time table like the over the air broadcast stations are.

73, de Lou K2LKK



At 10:18 AM 3/11/2008 -0700, you wrote:
>Dear List,
>
>I know these things are off topic, but we've been discussing them and I have
>some comments and questions.
>
>Firstly, I live in a senior apartment complex which provides free Standard
>cable to each apartment.  Right now, the cable is analog.  From what you
>say, analog will disappear in 2009.  That means, whether we like it or not,
>we will be switched to digital.  Comcast will probably have to provide each
>resident with a converter box.  Now, most of the people here love TV but
>their minds find new technology difficult to learn.  There are no young
>eyeballs around here to teach us anything.  I was hoping all you had to do
>was plug the box to the TV and the cable outlet and use my analog TV with
>the remote control to access the channels.  Presently, to watch cnn, I press
>29 on my remote control.  Is my understanding correct that even with the box
>it will not be possible to access channels using my remote control?
>
>Most people here watch the news, sports channels, channels like Hallmark,
>KOFY TV 20, TVland which show all the good old programs we enjoyed way back
>when plus a&E, the History channel, PBS and Animal Planet.  One solution
>would be to buy dvd's of the old programs and watch them using a dvd player
>or a computer, both of which would turn off most people here but I'm open,
>if the adaptive folks produced an accessible dvd player or if I could read
>the menus using WindowEyes Windows Media Player and my PC.
>
>But news and sports are another thing: people must be able to receive those
>from their TV's.  So how can seniors and the blind work with these converter
>boxes?
>
>Another thing I can't understand:  If a person uses a cd player, they can
>skip from one track to the next by pressing the forward button on the
>remote.  Why can't a person do the same thing with a dvd player?  I know
>they're menu-driven, but isn't there a way to move forward or back on a dvd
>without having to read the menus?
>
>If that's not possible, then can a person play dvd's using their PC's?
>
>What about dvd decrypters--would it be feasible to rip dvd's to the hard
>drive and use the screen reader to navigate the movies or programs?
>
>Perhaps some of you can answer my questions and comments.  Thanks in
>advance.
>
>Terri Amateur Radio call sign KF6CA.
>
>
>
>
>--
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>1:27 PM

Louis Kim Kline
A.R.S. K2LKK
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