Ok, first, I have to give you props for making the Ma and Pa Kettle reference. Seriously, how many kids did they have?

As for Sony, in this case, I say good idea. Really doesn't make sense for them to make converters.

I for one am fine with my SDTV. Yeah Heroes might look a-friking-mazing in hd but honestly I'm way to active/cheap to care. Although I did go see a comic the other day and he brought up a good argument of "save a tree, watch t.v.".

I actually agree with Sony.

Does that make me a dick? Oh well.

AHAH AHAH Suck it old people. You're dragging down this country anyway.

Also it isn't a HDTV vs SDTV question. If you have cable then you're fine. You'll get a DIGITAL signal. But if you're still using rabbit ears, then you're out of luck once the analog stations go dark.

Does anyone know of any online reviews of different converter boxes?? I need to buy one for my folks.

@Papercutninja: Seriously. Who uses rabbit ears only anymore?

Half the non-techinical people I talk to think they need this for any non-HDTV. Even if they already have cable or sat...

So Sony wants me to upgrade all 4 of my TVs to Sony HDTV models? I don't think that's going to happen. A lot of those TVs would be fine with converter boxes until they die slow, painful, and agonizing electronic failure induced deaths.

So tired of those who keep making it sound like the switch from analog to digital is the same as switching from standard to high definition! AAAAAAAAagh.

That being said, Sony has a point. These digital converter boxes are going to be like the old dumb analog cable boxes - hard or impossible to hook up to your TiVo or DVR in such a way that they can change channels for you, making them useless for recording. Only tech-impaired fogies will want them, and even then only to avoid losing TV altogether.

Sony is focusing, not spraying, at their target market.

Hey SONY!
Kiss my grits before you label us "the lowest rung of the market, and mainly older people".

The ones with the income to spend since we're retired and smart enough to have PUT IT AWAY to have it to spend! Those of us who aren't caught up in consumerism and who THINK "do I NEED or WANT" that item.

SONY be very!!! careful with us "Wheel of Fortune" watchers out here. Even Pat & Vanna may not be able to save you with your current attitude.

Hey, here's an idea; put it out there so I can use my "Wish List" points to buy it.

Y'all just made me a VERY CrankyYankee and lost a potential customer forever.

I am a home theater installer and huge technical guru myself, my system consists of Dynaudio, Krell, Rega, professional Panasonic plasma, etc.. but I HATE television and what's on it, and therefore do not have cable or sat, but use rabbit ears to catch an occasional Conan or Letterman show in HD. Music and movies make up 98% of what I watch. I use an old Samsung HD sat box with DVI out as my HD tuner. Will be nice to see what other options people like Sony comes out with.

@DocGratis: I do. I have an HD set, and had to downgrade from HD cable to the ol' rabbit ears after we bought our house last srping. We will be getting something soon, though. Maybe satellite. There are people out there that use them, a lot more than you think.

yeah...whatever. Apparently the starched collar never worked AV retail a day in his life. I've seen more low income people spend their welfare checks on that jumbo screen than any other income group. Another reason for me to hate Sony.

The advertising that NBC runs over the subtitles in Heroes does look amazing in HD. I'ld still like to read what they say as would most people whe don't speak the 4 or 5 languages they reference. Is HD gonna stop that.
Sorry I'm bitter and off subject.

'Old fogies' and the rest of us who were tired of paying $60/month for two channels' worth of programming. Our local PBS broadcasts four digital channels, each of which beats anything DirecTV has to offer.

@Papercutninja: "AHAH AHAH Suck it old people." "You're draging this country down anyway."
One-one thousand--two--one-thousand--three--one-thousand--four--one-....Ah FUCK THAT!!!!!!!!!!!
Listen, You little crotch-cricket, it is those "Old people" who have gotten the country this far (in spite of the government). Your mama must be very proud of you! You, and your ilk, lend creedance to the need for legalization of 'Retroactive abortion".
Need i remind you, it is the "Old people" who control most of the money, and power, in this Country? The money you connive to gain?
It gives me great pleasure to inform you that---unless said law is enacted---you, may well, become one of those "Old people". DEAL WITH THAT!
Some of us, actually, live lives; thus negating the need to be hard-wired to the boob-tube, surrounded by our PS3s, X-Boxs, and with our Bluetooth headset bonded to our ears.

Sony should get into the converter box deal.
If not for profit, for brand recognition and "free" subsidized advertisement.
From a marketing stand point is a chance in a million not to pass it up.

Why?... I'm sure everyone wants to know why?

1- It's subsidized, so they can loose money.
2- They can keep their workforce going even through a slow sales slump.
3- Old folks living of Soc. Sec. checks cannot afford even a 26" LCD HDTV ($500)
4- Old folks likely can't see HDTV rez for far away.
-- Why switch when you can't see any better anyway? right?
5- Digital Converter boxes will give you better image over regular analog tuners.
6- You can add a big "SONY" logo in front of the unit (subliminal advertizing)
7- In the event people using the converter buy an HDTV, they would most likely buy a brand they recognize with good quality.
8- Converter box manufacturers do not make HDTV's... nobody cares about their brand.
9- I could go on and on....

Geez Sony. This is why companies actually *hire* PR people.

@Papercutninja:

You'd be surprised at the number of residents at the nursing home that I work in that have HDTV's in their rooms. There's even an HDTV in the activities dept with a Wii!

@aec007:

See above... the whole fixed income thing is true for some seniors; but many have actually planned very well for their old age.

What a douche. My parents own a Sony HDTV, but they don't get Cable because they believe in paying over $100 a month to Charter for 3 channels they want to watch. Their TV doesn't have Digital Tuner, only analog, and they watch TV over the air, so they will definitely be needing a converter.

Sony doesn't want to deal with the (10's or possibly 100's of) thousands of DHG-HDD250/500 units that will no longer function after Feb.2009. These units rely on the analog signal supplied TVGOS system to get guide info AND even to set the clock. :(

@lunarstreaker: Woah there old fella. Chill out.

Saying that the "old people" are the ones with the money and power is NOT an argument to their credit. Those with the money and the power have royally screwed things up by refusing to move with the times. Get over yourself, "Golden" generation. Ya screwed up. Move on and take your delusions of competence elsewhere.

Didn't you hear? Sony's high-def televisions are so good that people will be willing to work two jobs for them!

(Hey, that worked for the Playstation 3!)
(Oh wait, it didn't. Never mind, then!)

@SMSDHubbard: Another of the 'Entitled' pops up. I concede, the world is not perfect, and hindsight dictates, many things could have been done in a better way. But this is not your complaint. Your complaint sites "refusing to move with the times" as being the problem. Speak, oh wise and noble one, that i may adress your concerns! The "Golden" generation ensured your right to do so.

Yeah, them old foggies. Like the guys who invented the PC. Invented DTV. Invented satellite. Invented the internet. Yeah, what have they ever done for us? I'd much rather have to buy a new machine every four or five years (twelve to eighteen months for computers). Just think, I could have bought a betamax in 1980, I betamax hi-fi in 1985, a S-VHS in the 1990's, which really was never supported, but heck, buying one showed them old foggies who was who. Besides, I had to get busy, because I needed to start my DAT collection which I needed to replace my CD collection (never mind that CD's really didn't surpass the best of vinyl, but what's sound matter when it's buying the LATEST AND GREATEST TECHONOLOGY is all that matters, even if the new tech really isn't as good as what it replaces). By 1995 I had to be serious about my DVD collection, so that I caould start to replace it with DVD-Hi Fi . . . to be replaced by Blu-Ray Disc starting now. (Wonder when the next wonder gadget will come along?)

And, of course, the gadgets are just the beginning. Now I can buy the Blu-Ray Disc version of the movie "Stripes" to replace the DVD-HD version of "Stripes," which I used to replace my DVD of "Stripes," which I used to replace my S-VHS version of "Stripes," which I used to replace my VHS Hi-Fi version of "Stripes," which I used to replace the betamax Hi-Fi version of "Stripes," which I used to replace the betamax version of the movie "Stripes."

You're right about them old foggies. I wanna be like you guys. I wanna buy a new gadget every time it comes out. I want to replace the four analog TV's and their attending recording devices and buy all new stuff just the way I'm supposed to buy a brand new computer every time I need want to add a new program, memory, upgrade the video or sound card, or just add a printer (heaven forbid that anyone at any companies tech support actually help me make my purchase work with the equipment I already have. (Actually, it kinda argues AGAINST buying upgrades.)

All I need is to devote the money that I might use for worthy causes (defined here as altruism) so that I can keep up with the techie nerd electroniphiles down the street. If Sony doesn't want to go into converters, fine. All they have to do is not make them. BUT, if Sony doesn't EVER want my business, and want an enemy to boot, all they have to do is keep insulting me.

I thought in Japan they were taught to rever the elderly. Guess Sony must not be Japanese. Sony, the company for gaijin.