I know the shutoff point isn't until Feb. of 2009 but next years sets will be out there from 2008-2009 just like this years sets will run from 2007-2008.

I'm just wondering what the advantage might be to still having a set with an Analog Tuner in it would be especially for the future if Cable Companies & etc might still be using it for something?

Maybe it will be the other way around in the future & you'll be forced to rent an Analog Cable box from them for some service that their now offering :eek:

If there is an advantage to having the tuner & there not going to be included in next years sets this just might be the time to buy a new plasma now rather than to wait for next year's models & price reductions. Any thoughts on this. Thanks

I dont think cable companies have to change do they? Its only broadcast TV thats going digital? If that were the case your analog tuner would still work if you had cable and thus would be a benefit.

I heard some cable systems plan on going all-digital but that's the exception. The NTSC broadcast system isn't shutting down for another 15 months anyway.

I know cable companies can do what they want as of this date.

Will next years sets 2008-2009 models have Analog Tuners in them or will the 2009-2010 models be the first models not to have Analog Tuners in them? Thanks.

I know cable companies can do what they want as of this date.

Will next years sets 2008-2009 models have Analog Tuners in them or will the 2009-2010 models be the first models not to have Analog Tuners in them? Thanks.

What makes you think they'll stop?

That's why I'm asking if anyone knows & maybe in the future an Analog Tuner or Cable Analog Tuner will end up as an option on a set or they could just stay as they are now?

Just looking for probably "inside" information or someone with some insight as to what companies might be thinking of doing in the future but if there will be no Over-The-Air Analog Broadcasts I would think that they Would/Might be thinking of getting rid of them especially on Entry Level Models.

Din't the Gov. mandate anything about what had to be done with Analog Tuners? or did they just leave it up in the air (Pardon The Pun). ;)

I know the shutoff point isn't until Feb. of 2009 but next years sets will be out there from 2008-2009 just like this years sets will run from 2007-2008.

I'm just wondering what the advantage might be to still having a set with an Analog Tuner in it would be especially for the future if Cable Companies & etc might still be using it for something?

Maybe it will be the other way around in the future & you'll be forced to rent an Analog Cable box from them for some service that their now offering :eek:

If there is an advantage to having the tuner & there not going to be included in next years sets this just might be the time to buy a new plasma now rather than to wait for next year's models & price reductions. Any thoughts on this. Thanks

Until 2012, your Cable Company has to do one of the following:

1.) Offer a analog package with at least the "must-carry" stations or,
2.) Offer a free Digital STB to pick up digital cable.

After 2012 they no longer have to offer analog service (but can continue to if they wish)

This decision to go all-digital is probably being made market by market with the large MSOs so there is no way to tell what any cable provider will be doing in any market other than what they announce. I would say you would probably still see NTSC tuners in new TVs at least until 2012.

Not every NTSC tuner can tune analog cable - most can, but not all. The "mid-band" cable channels between the VHF and UHF bands are what I am referring too, and the older term used with analog tuners was "cable ready".

For ATSC digital tuners, the cable terminology is "QAM".