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Man Says Digital TV Switch Saved His Life
As we have reported, the switch to digital television has not been smooth for everybody. We're fairly sure we heard a collective sob on June 12th when many boxes went black around the country. In Memphis, Tennessee, Robert Monsarrat didn't lose the ability to watch television; he just had to change his routine a little bit. And it may have saved his life.
A storm rolled through Memphis last week and brought a huge tree crashing down on the 86-year-old's house, according to a report by MyFox Memphis. The tree crushed his bedroom, where Monsaratt, a self-described "avid" TV watcher, typically kicks back each afternoon and watches his favorite shows. But Monsaratt had not yet purchased a digital converter box for the bedroom yet, so the World War II veteran was fortuitously relaxing in the kitchen (which had a converter box) when the storm destroyed part of his house. Monsaratt did suffer some small cuts and bruises, but he told MyFox Memphis that he would have been "pushing up daisies" if it wasn't for the digital switch. To our reckoning, this man must be the only person in the country who is pleased as punch about the conversion.
We wonder if Monsaratt will follow through with his former plan to buy a converter box for his bedroom. We think a man, particularly one like Monsaratt, who once freed war prisoners from a Nazi camp, should be able to watch as much TV as he wants. [From: MyFox Memphis]
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Comments
21
Subscribe to commentsJ. Brian ThompsonJun 17th 2009 8:59PM
Crap.
pookienonie225Jun 17th 2009 11:43PM
I hate the digital converter boxes!!!!!!
AndyJun 17th 2009 11:44PM
What saved this guy's life is the fact that he STOPPED watching TV !!!
rashasbetterJun 19th 2009 12:11AM
He didn't stop watching tv. If you read the article, it says he went to watch it in the kitchen where he had a converter box.
pookienonie225Jun 20th 2009 12:04AM
I HATE the DIGITAL CONVERTER BOXES!!!!!!
cmoorepsiguyJun 17th 2009 11:47PM
I used to watch tv with rabbit ears and had no problems. Now, I have a Radio Shack converter, 3 different amplified antennas, and can't get a single station to come in. This is a lot of crap. A money grab by the govt to sell the frequencies, and force everyone to get cable, satellite, or new gear. So who exactly was representing me in congress?
DonJun 19th 2009 5:33AM
This is the major problem with today's politics. NO ONE in congress is representing any if us. FIRE THEM ALL. Dems or Republicans. They ignore us all.
chris comisarJun 18th 2009 12:11AM
your an honorable man, thank you for serving your country, and don't worry, God wants you to watch a little more TV
C.RJun 18th 2009 12:50AM
TV is whack now, no good programs at all, and they have the nerve to go to HD!
SouthernManJun 18th 2009 1:24AM
Bless the gentleman and a mighty salute for service as a WWII hero...I wonder if he believes the country is headed in the right direction? As far as the switch to digital...the government wants to be able to completely control the airwaves and with analog they could not do it...digital is easier to control.
diegosbest619Jun 18th 2009 1:26AM
If you dont like america and we are so "pathetic" then why the hell are you reading headlines on AMERICAN ONLINE. you idiot
GunnerJun 18th 2009 2:19AM
I like the Digital Converter Box-I have access to MORE local channels now than I ever did before AND they come in clearer-no I don't work for the company, and yes I was leery of the switch over, but now that I've done it, I was very nice to have that many more channels to choose from.
LJJun 18th 2009 4:42AM
The county in AZ that I live in has not made the change. Someone told me they don't want to spend the required amount of money, probably for about 5 more years. If the change over was a federal law, how are they getting away with this? Still getting the normal channels with my antenna on the roof - old TVs.
Hooked up a converter box to one, just in case, but haven't found more than one additional channel on it.
Never could figure out if I needed to have anything changed on the roof-top antenna. Any experts out there are welcome to reply.
Dave HoganJun 18th 2009 4:21AM
Any antenna you had should work, unless you're far away (more than 25-40 miles) from where the broadcasts originate. If there are mountains, tall buildings or trees in the way, it's less.
You can get amplified antennas, if needed, but if they're not needed you can actually kill your reception by using one.
Also, consider trying more than one angle. There are many web sites that have maps of where transmitters are so you can better aim your antenna.
I found the best antennas I could use are both over 6 years old, and one came with my TV. The other was about $10 in 1998 when I was in college. I've canceled cabled due to the quality being so good.
Yes, the federal government pocketed $16 billion or so from it, but it's really not all bad. The FCC has said they'll offer new (digital band) licenses once they know the full impact of this phase of the switch. In 5 years, it should be quite a bit better. And we get significantly better emergency and communications services.
LJJun 21st 2009 4:13AM
To: Mikey,
You might be a happier person if you lightened up a bit. People all over the world call coincidences "miracles" all the time, and many of them are. He certainly sounds like an OK guy to the rest of us who are glad he's still alive.
As for the converter boxes being tracking devices for the gov't., am curious to know what makes you think so. Our TVs and the boxes aren't necessarily going anywhere, at least not any time soon, and most of us who might move in the near future, could just as easily buy a new TV and not need the box, so where is your so called superior logic? Get off your high horse buddy, and confess your own nationality that you refer to Americans as ignorant and easily amused. Are you one of us, speaking of yourself or coming from somewhere else?
Tinkerbutt20051974Jun 18th 2009 3:46AM
GOSH I HATE THESE STUPID BOXES THANK U F UP GOVT. YOU ALWAYS HAVE TO RESCAN and Mess with the Antenna all the dang time.
jJun 18th 2009 3:55AM
I'm with you. It's a pain in the ass constantly scanning and adjusting the antenna. I wonder if they will put up new antennas like they finally had to do with cell phones. Anyone else lose reception when a plane goes overhead or it's cloudly outside? Please reply.
Todd LeBaronJun 18th 2009 5:51AM
One less way to get emergency information when the power is out. Just about no battery operated TV will pull in a digital signal. Could it be that this was an idea designed to boots radio's role in getting emergency info out? If so, then let's go the rest of the way and make sure that local radio has the personnel there to get that info out when it's needed. Far too many small town stations are humming along with satellite-delivered programming from some other part of the country way too many hours of the day (this is also my theory about why a lot of people aren;t renewing their XM & Sirius subscriptions...why pay for satellite radio when so many small market stations are running satellite programming now?)
HELGLOVINJun 18th 2009 3:12PM
I've been watching tv and recording on my vcr/dvd while watching another channel NO PROBLEMS then came the news no more tv only static if we do not switch over to
digital (thanks mr. bush) As a senior citizen with limited funds the tv is my entertainment a bit sad but true sobought a new tvwhich I will still be paying off for another year NOT EASY anyway was told didn't need new vcr/dvd it would work as long as tv is digital. An out and out lie so I purchase a converterbox cause I couldn't afford a new vcr Well that doesn't work called the FCC and they apologized but had no clue on how to resolve this if my tv had been analog then they could have helped me they gave me a number tocallfor in free in home help SURPRISE they don't do anything concerning vcr in fact "we don't know how to do that. End result get same channels I got before only difference cannot tape anymore. ANYBODY OUT THERE KNOW WHAT I CAN DO?
HELGLOVINJun 18th 2009 3:32PM
have to add my buildinf have oan outdoor antena so had absolutely had no problems