Consumerist

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dtv

FCC Plans Road Trip To Educate America About Digital TV

The FCC has decided to travel around the country and talk to people about the upcoming digital TV switchover.

...the five FCC Commissioners and other Commission staff will fan out to [selected] markets to raise awareness and educate consumers.

Dear FCC, please please please let these commissioners show up with cheezy t-shirts pulled on over their normal button-and-collar shirts. In fact, t-shirts for everyone! This is America, after all.

More »

6:41 PM on Wed Aug 20 2008
By Chris Walters
1,549 views, 32 comments

Universal TechTronics

It's A Miracle! This Free Digital TV Converter Box Will Cost Me $100

We know you're too smart to fall for this ridiculously fraudulent digital TV converter offer, but maybe you know someone who's not wise to the facts of the upcoming switch to digital TV—specifically that converter boxes cost less than $100, and that you can get a government coupon to offset $40 of that cost. Universal TechTronics—the same scam outfit behind those "Amish" Heat Surge miracle fireplaces—is now conning the less knowledegable with their "free" converter box offer: pay nothing but a warranty and shipping, bringing the total cost to anywhere between $68 and $97. The Los Angeles Times says this is "the first large-scale [converter box] scam the Better Business Bureau has seen." More »

11:59 AM on Wed Jul 9 2008
By Chris Walters
6,144 views, 24 comments

Latest by N/A: @TVGenius: I work for Infocision Management Corp. (a telemarketing/inbound customer service company) We are the ones that take more »

customer service

Circuit City Calls The Cops On Customer Who Tried To Redeem $40 DTV Coupon

Circuit City wouldn't let Larry redeem his $40 digital transition converter box coupon unless he signed a credit slip agreeing to pay $40. Larry refused, and asked to cancel the transaction. Circuit City's manager responded by calling the police before following Larry into the parking lot to write down his license plate number. More »

6:15 PM on Sun Jun 22 2008
By Carey
41,793 views, 107 comments

Latest by N/A: outsdr, The charges were already deducted. However, the OP will not be able to use his coupon anywhere more »

update

Cablevision Claims They Are Not Lying Liars, But Mysteries Remain

Cablevision responded to our post chastising their attempt to force customer to upgrade to digital service by pointing to an unrelated FCC mandate. Cablevision admits that there is no connection between their unilateral business decision to cut channels and the FCC-mandated transition to digital television, but their statement leaves several questions unanswered. Read Cablevision's statement and our response, after the jump. More »

7:45 PM on Sun Apr 20 2008
By Carey
10,540 views, 43 comments

Latest by N/A: I literally went throught this just this morning. I got home last night, and found that I was missing about a more »

exclusive

Cablevision Blatantly Lies To Subscribers As The FCC Twiddles Its Thumbs

Update: Cablevision responds.

Cablevision is lying to customers by claiming that the FCC will require all subscribers to upgrade to digital cable boxes in 2009. Digital cable boxes cost $6.50 per month, plus an extra $10.95 for digital service. Cablevision recently sent a letter to all boxless subscribers threatening to cut several channels unless they forked out a bundle of extra cash for digital service. When one of our family member called for an explanation, Cablevision shirked responsibility and placed the blame squarely on some crazy new FCC mandate. We called shenanigans and decided to call back and record our chats with several customer service representatives. Inside, the recordings of Cablevision lies and the FCC's flaccid response.

More »

Feature

5:15 PM on Sat Apr 19 2008
By Carey
14,716 views, 69 comments

Latest by heystupid: both of these cablevision representatives are dumb and have no idea what they are talking about, I am a sales more »

television

3 Reasons To Not Get Your $40 DTV Coupon Yet

The government is giving out $40 coupons for digital TV converters (background: Federal law mandates that all broadcasters switch to digital signals in 2009, meaning that you will need to get a little doohicky box if your set only takes analog signals) but you shouldn't get it quite yet. Crave tells us why:

3. Current devices are bound to get cheaper.
2. Better and less expensive units are coming down the pike.
1. The coupon expires in 3 months.

Don't sign up for your $40 DTV converter box coupon—yet [Crave]
[dtv2009.com]

2:44 PM on Thu Apr 3 2008
By Ben Popken
3,873 views, 41 comments

Latest by N/A: CBN was supposed to convert to a signal by region in which a special rabbit ears antenna would pick up more »

your government

Become A DTV Deputy!

Howdy there partner, are you one of them DTV Deputies? No? The FCC thinks it's high time you take the transition to digital television into your own hands. Because why pay for test trials in select communities when you can use early-90's sound effects and cutting edge graphics to bait consumers into studying for a 13-question quiz? More »

8:48 AM on Sat Feb 9 2008
By Carey
3,594 views, 45 comments

Latest by N/A: can i put this on my resume? more »

digital tv transition

5 Reasons To Fret Over DTV Coupons

The federal government continues to bungle the transition to digital television, this time by making it difficult for consumers to redeem subsidy coupons for DTV converter boxes. More »

12:05 PM on Sun Jan 13 2008
By Carey
7,946 views, 72 comments

your government

FCC Regulators Sing, Make Fun Of Our Woeful Unpreparedness For DTV Transition

Meet The Singing Regulators. Regular FCC employees by day, these mellifluous regulators spend their nights performing humorous sendups inspired by the Commission's work. Their latest song pokes fun at the FCC's utter failure to prepare the nation for the planned February 2009 transition to digital television. More »

10:30 AM on Wed Dec 26 2007
By Carey
1,796 views, 24 comments

Latest by Curiosity: @scampy: Actually "Mac-phisto" has sound logic - what you are confusing is mandating a change and letting the consumers choose more »