Skip to Content

Gadling's resident pilot explains what life in the cockpit is like
AOL Tech

Posts with tag analog

Portable TVs Won't Work After February 2009 Analog Shut-Off

Impending Digital TV Upgrade Will Leave Portable Sets Dark
Surely, by now, you know that analog TV is going offline very soon (February 17th, 2009), right? Hopefully, you've received your coupon, hooked up your converter, or just gone ahead and used this as a good excuse to join the HDTV era. But, do you have one of those portable TVs that you bring along to the tailgate or switch on whenever the power goes out during big storms? If so, you're not alone, and many are just now realizing that those sets will soon be useless.

Portable sets rely on analog signals captured through their rabbit ears, and with many having no inputs on the back there's absolutely no way to make them functional again. This is causing concern among many who use portable sets to get updates during times of emergency, and while there are portable digital TV converters available, not all sets can use them.

The solution? Well, for now, it's simply to get a portable radio and rely on that -- and maybe recycle that soon-to-be obsolete antique of the analog era. [From: USA Today]

Wilmington's DTV Switch Goes (Mostly) Smoothly

Wilmington's DTV Switch Goes (Mostly) Smoothly
The nation is finally switching to digital television, or DTV, and Wilmington, NC was the first in the nation earlier this week. We're now finding out how well it went and reports are positive, with just 797 people calling in with questions or concerns. That's less than half of a percent of the total viewers in the city.

Of those, only 23 actually had no idea about the DTV changeover and so were getting a rude awakening. The majority of the other calls were relating to signal strength or other issues, including a few who unfortunately were able to pick up a certain channel on analog signals but, after the changeover, no longer could. We're guessing the nationwide roll-out in February, 2009 won't go quite so orderly, so to make sure you're ready, head on over to our post on coupons for tuners and make sure your 'ol TV can keep on trucking straight into the digital age. [From: USA Today]

Yes, Vinyl is Back! (Again)



Hooray! As we reported last year, vinyl, our favorite music format, is rumored to be making a comeback. A recent CNN article asserts that from 2006 to 2007, manufacturers' shipments of LPs increased by 36%, while shipments of CDs dropped over 17%. In your face, CDs and MP3s!

Hard-core music aficionados laud the analog sound delivered by records as more continuous and superior to digital recordings like those found on CDs. And LPs are so much more handsome and charming! Case in point: Our first LP was Iggy Pop's 'New Values' but our first CD was Ace of Base.

With the advent of MP3s, we've trashed most of our CDs [full disclosure: we held onto 'The Sign'] but the LPs remain. DJs and other eccentrics like ourselves have long been faithful to the LP format, but lately it's starting to make an incursion into the mainstream, as many mega music retailers such as Amazon.com and Best Buy have started offering LPs.

Mega-chains are not expected to cause competition for indie record stores, as their clientele and musical persuasions are dramatically different. Top sellers from the corporate end include Madonna's latest 'Hard Candy,' and everybody's parents' favorite standby, The Beatles' 'Abbey Road,' which you'd be loathe to find at the neighborhood record exchange. [Source: CNN]

Report Says Government Has No Plan for Digital TV Switch-Over

Report Says Government Has No Plan for Digital TV Switch
According a new report (PDF file) from the Government Accountability Office, or GAO, the U.S. government is not prepared for the February 17, 2009 deadline for the switch to digital television signals. The GAO says that, "Despite efforts by the public and private sectors and ongoing coordination, we found that no comprehensive plan for the transition exists."

Till now the government relied very strongly on initiatives from the private sector to spread the word about the switch from analog to digital. When the switch is finalized, citizens' analog television sets will cease to function with over the air (OTA) broadcasts. Owners who don't purchase a digital television will be forced to get a cable or satellite TV system or a digital/analog converter box. The government has put in place a program to lighten the load on the consumer by subsidizing the purchase of a new digital TV or converter box by offering $40 coupons for the purchases.

Kevin Martin, chairman of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, the arm of the Commerce Department overseeing the transition, responded by offering 99 pages of "comprehensive plans, goals and achievements" drawn up by the FCC.

While you might not be able to rely on the government to tell you what to do and when, we can do our part and remind you to have your new TV in place by February 2009 (the earlier the better) so that you don't miss a single episode of the the 11th season of 'America's Next Top Model.'

For more information regarding the switch from analog to digital television check out the following links:

From Reuters

Related links:

It's a CD! It's a Record! It's a CD/Vinyl Hybrid!

Vinyl/CD Hybrid
There's a small group of us who, in this digital world, has developed a fetish for all things analog. This obsession is particularly strong among musicians and music lovers. Vacuum tube amps, vintage synthesizers, and, of course vinyl records.

Optimal Media Productions is appealing to this fascination with good ol' records by adding a little value and novelty to your average CD. The comapny's new combo vinyl CD is a standard CD on one side and three-and-a-half minutes of pure vinyl goodness on the other.

The combination of the convenience of a CD and the coolness of vinyl isn't quite perfect, since there is only enough room for one song on the vinyl side. Even so, that little vinyl strip could provide the perfect place to add a bonus track.

From Wired

Related Links:


    AOL Tech Network



    Latest Reviews from CNET.com

    CNET provides the latest tech news, unbiased reviews, videos, podcasts, software, and downloads, making tech products easy to find, understand and use.

    Top Product Reviews

    AOL News

    Other Weblogs Inc. Network blogs you might be interested in: