Analog TV RIP, one year from today

One year from today, over-the-air broadcast television stations will cease analog transmissions and they will rely exclusively on their digital transmitters that are, for the most part, already on the air (low-power translators and LPTV stations will continue on in analog for an unspecified time after that).  WRAL-TV in Raleigh began digital broadcasting 11½ years ago, but it was only in the last two years that receivers that kinda sorta work became available and only in the last half year that sales began to take off.  The government is subsidizing converter boxes for those who want to view DTV on their old analog sets (these won't give you HDTV, even with a digital monitor).  Consumers who are converting are finding a very different viewing experience -- the signal is perfect except when it's not there at all.   Moving the antenna is often necessary to get all stations in your area, but moving also means you have to rescan all your channels.  Rabbit ears once sufficed but, what's that you say?, the FCC designed this system to require outdoor antennas up 30 feet in the air?

It's been a long strange trip and, true to the name of the rock group that made that phrase famous, we'll see if we broadcasters can survive this transition or if we'll become the new "grateful dead."  --Dennis