Retailers Fined Over Labels for Analog TVs

[baldguy]

Source: Washington Post

Federal regulators yesterday fined Wal-Mart Stores, Best Buy and other retailers a combined $3.9 million for not properly using labels indicating that analog-only televisions will need to be retrofitted after the switch to digital-TV broadcasts next year.

The Federal Communications Commission also handed down $2.7 million in fines to companies violating other digital-TV rules that involve shipping analog equipment and blocking such technologies as the V-chip.

An FCC rule, adopted last May, requires retailers to display or affix to analog-only TV equipment a "consumer alert" label that says it will not receive signals after the nationwide transition to digital broadcasts without a special converter box.


Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/04/10/AR2008041003815.html

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Who would've guessed?

[napi21]

1. GOOD! Lying sneaky b'tds! Of course it's the poor consumer

who gets burned AGAIN and without any compensation for them!

[TwixVoy]

8. Somewhat true, but part of it is due to ignorance

Just about anyone who has read a paper/news article in the last year should know about the conversion. If they can't even be bothered to do that much I really don't have any sympathy for them. It's the same people who don't have a clue what's going on right now and mindlessly vote republican. They get what they ask for by choosing to remain ignorant.

I work with someone who votes republican, never reads a news article, and tells everyone if things aren't working out for them it's their own fault. Now she is in neck deep debt and has just lost her house. Think I care? Nope, she got what she voted for. Getting burned is the only way some people learn.

[dixiegrrrrl]

2. Wait just a dad gum minnet here !!!

Something fishy going on.
The FCC actually doing something FOR a consumer now????
Actually costing a corporation money?


Naw......there's gotta be a back story here somewhere.
This is Bush country, we all know that.
Ain't no Federal agency going to stick up for a citizen in Bush country.

[baldguy]

3. Yeah, but WalMart can pull $4mill out of it's belly button lint.

[LiberalFighter]

4. All someone has to do is compare the cost of buying an analog vs digital tv

and continue to sell analog tvs.

What would be the cost of a 32" analog tv with a converter box and digital tv? Possibly cheaper.

Truth be told if one has an analog tv they can still use it if they have satellite or cable.

[divineorder]

5. For a few more years your old tv will work with cable

Cable, from what I read, is scheduled to go all digital by 2012, the same is probably true for satellite as well. So expect another round of "get rid of your perfectly working old analog tv" in 2011. By then, the only analog tvs you will find will be used tvs, and I wouldn't be surprised to find that if you want to have one "fixed" nobody will still have the parts. Then you will be "encouraged" to upgrade to a new tv whether or not the old tv works.

These companies are trying to unload their analog inventory before they become unsellable by omitting mentioning the conversion. Of course this trick will last until all of a sudden, the last "sale price" analogs go out the door. Have they already dropped the price so they can clear out the inventory of the more expensive models already?

[tpsbmam]

6. I'm a little confused here.....

I have digital cable and not brand new TV's and it works fine. Actually, not sure what my TVs are -- one is one of those big Sony deals (I inherited it) about 8 years old and the other is about 6 years old. I assume they're analog but don't really know. I thought as long as the cable was digital I was good to go. I haven't been paying a huge amount of attention to this though.

[divineorder]

7. Clearing Up Some Confusion for You

About Cable and analog tv Basic cable service is transmitted in analog form. If you don't have a set-top box, you probably have analog cable. You should ask your cable company for specifics about the transition. The Federal Communications Commission is requiring basic cable operators to carry many broadcasters' analog signals for three years after the transition.

All tv's manufactured after March 1, 2007 have to be digital. But if your tv was manufactured before 1998, it is probably analog. Analog cable does not have a set top box (like basic cable)

Remember February 17, 2009 is the last day for analog tv signals.

More Info:Myths of Digital TV

I have a tv that I've had since 2002-I'm sure it isn't digital. But I do have cable. So if I lose my cable service after next February, to get anything from the over the air channels, I will have to buy a converter box-or consider myself a lifetime customer of cable.

[xioaping]

10. Go Analog and save

No need to buy an expensive TV just cause its digital. Just get a converter box. Same as you have with satelitte TV now. Not sure what the commotion is about.

[xioaping]

9. Dad gum nuttin

The FCC is not doing anything for consumers. They are collecting a fine for themselves. The price of TV's will go up as a result. "Costing a corporation money" = adding to its costs. Unless you think they are kind ole soles that will just eat the added costs, they are going to pass it on.

You get the new and better consumer labels...and YOU get to pay for them. Cheerleading the government in this case is not the answer.