Keep in mind we're not talking about VCast, Sprint TV or whatever other service your carrier offers. This is the real deal. Live streaming TV straight from the networks to mobile devices. That could mean live sports, live sitcoms, live whatever-you-can-think-of TV on your phone.

Hopefully the mobile DVR apps will follow. [Press Release via Crunchgear]

If you or someone you know was unprepared for the switch, HDGuru has put together a list of last minute tips that can help get the TV back up and running.

Poll results: Do You Have a Surround Sound Setup?

•Yes, I have a home theater in a box setup. 29%
•Yes, I have a full system that I pieced together with separate components. 47%
•Sort of. I have a virtual surround system with no rear speakers. 4%
•Yes, I bought a full system, but did not hook up the rear speakers. 3%
•No, I do not have a surround sound system. 16%

[Image via Getty Images]

It's been a long road, paved with delays, misunderstandings, and altercations with the rare Hawaiian dark-rumped petrel. We'd love to hear your experiences: Has anybody actually tried it out? Good experiences? Bad? Let us know in the comments. [DTV]

Hard as it may be to believe for nerds like you and me, there are some people who just can't wrap their heads around this whole DTV mess. Those people...are old. And they need someone nonthreatening and of comparable age to explain the process in plain, large-print words. Preferably with pretty colors. Florence Henderson, better known as Carol Brady, has stepped up to what we're sure is a thankless job. You can download the explanatory PDF here if you're so inclined. [Consumer Reports]

Threat Level says that conspiracy theorists jumped all over the video, which racked up 200,000 views since going up. However, Chronister simply used old cellphone parts and a hot glue gun to push the paranoid and mentally unstable into a state of crisis. However, these tin foil heads aren't resting any easier: they believe pranks like this only create a smoke screen for the government to carry on with their clandestine activity. Who am I to say they're wrong? (Original video below) [Threat Level via BBG]

Surprised? You shouldn't be. Violence like this was inevitable. All it takes is mixing one part old man with one part technology, one part handgun and two parts alcohol. Then shake vigorously with an absence of Wheel of Fortune. [KSDK and Kare 11 via Fark]

You enter in your address, and the site gives a list of the digital signals that you should be able to pull in, helpfully color-coded in green (green means good!), yellow (yellow is like a crappier version of green!), orange (orange isn't on streetlights so who knows!), and red (booooooo red!). Since I probably live out in the furthest fringes of civilization of the entire Giz staff, I entered in my own Southeast Pennsylvania address, and was pretty impressed with the results.

The channels in green, the strongest signals, are the only channels I can remember being able to pick up with those old rabbit ears. I didn't even know there was a possibility to get all that other stuff. So it's looking like DTV might be a good idea after all, provided the chart is accurate. [FCC]

Yup, everything's going to plan. [Reuters]

Many manufactures stopped making the devices in January, expecting the demand to peak around the original Feb. 17th shutoff date. Therefore, the extension kind of leaves them with their pants down—so to speak.

The trade association estimates U.S. retailers have 3 million to 6 million boxes at hand.

"The worst case is that there are only 3 million boxes," Petricone said. "Retailers would then run out of inventory by the end of February."

Throw that on top of a huge waiting list of 3.7 million rebate coupons, and you have yourself a powder keg of problems. The stimulus package that is currently in the works could help diffuse the situation to a degree, but the bottom line is that this is never going to go down without people being left out in the lurch. They should have just pulled the trigger on it this month and got it over with. [Physorg and Getty Images Photo]

Low-power stations are not required by the FCC to make the switch to digital on Feb. 17th, so viewers who want to continue watching all of their programing need a converter that can handle both digital and analog signals. Based on cost factors and confusion, in the end most viewers will probably end up buying a standard digital converter box with their government coupons and saying goodbye to their favorite analog channels—which puts the future of those stations in jeopardy. [Dallas News and Getty Images Photo]

Previously, the analog shutdown was going to happen in February 17, but with Nielsen estimating 6.5 million U.S. homes still with analog TV only, politicians have thought twice about taking the circus from the people, after their inability to give them bread. [ABC News]

The bill (a rewrite of the Obama-supported Sen. Jay Rockefeller plan) doesn't look to provide more funding for DTV vouchers—it's more a slam on the brakes maneuver to buy everyone some time. The most important point about the bill, however, is that it leaves broadcasters the "option" to still make the DTV switch on February 17th.

On one hand, that's the only fair plan that the government could leave broadcasters after forcing them to make major internal technological revisions. On the other, viewers who weren't prepped for February 17th could still lose some (or even all) channels in spite of the formal delay. [WSJ and Getty Images Photo]

Hawaii took the DTV plunge this past Thursday at noon, broadcasting a message with a looped announcement and a help line the legions of confused islanders could call. As expected, pretty much nobody understands what's actually going on, and many have left off buying a converter box until they were forced to do so. Angry phone calls streamed in about missing primetime Thursday shows like Grey's Anatomy (ugh.) and CSI (double ugh.). But why did Hawaii choose to go digital a full month before the original proposed date?

Turns out the endangered Hawaiian dark-rumped petrel, a small nesting bird, was the deciding factor in the change. The analog transmission towers on the slopes of Maui's Haleakala volcano obstruct their nesting grounds, and tearing them down before the birds' mating season is an attempt to buck up the dwindling population.

The story seems like a Carl Hiaasen subplot and unfortunately I don't think we can promise such entertaining stories from the nationwide transition. But with any luck, it'll be a little bit smoother. [Yahoo!]

Transition co-chair John Podesta writes to Congress: "We respectively reiterate that only legislation that includes a delay of limited and specific duration will provide Congress and the new Administration a realistic opportunity to resuscitate and modify the coupon program."

Besides all of the vested corporate interests in delaying the shutdown (or not), changing the date that has finally been pounded into the heads of many people (even my mom knows about this thing, at this point) will just create even more confusion.

The digital TV switchover should proceed next month, but with the "nightlight" program the FCC approved that'll leave a warning message up for about a month and immediate, fresh funding for the coupon program, so we can get on with this thing. [WSJ]

So here's what the Twister mat looks like, as astutely laid out by Ars' Julian Sanchez: Verizon has nearly $10 billion tied up in the floaty airwaves that'll be abandoned when analog broadcasts are turned off, on the promise they could rev up work on their superfast next-generation wireless network, LTE.

AT&T, however, joined the Consumers Union and some Congressman supporting the delay, that would, completely coincidentally, keep Verizon from speeding past them with their LTE deployment. You know, just like AT&T was concerned about the public when they asked the FCC to block the Clearwire WiMax merger over the summer. WiMax company Clearwire needs as much time as they can get to roll out their network and would also benefit from a delay—which is something of a conflict of interest, since a Clearwire exec has been a generous Obama supporter and met with Obama tech advisors.

But the delay might not happen: A proposal in the House would dump another $650 million into the bankrupt converter box coupon program, which was the most substantial issue provoking the delay. The FCC also approved a "night light" measure that would broadcast a notice about the switch from Feb. 18 (the day of the shutoff) until March 19 and how to get a converter box. It won't be broadcast on all stations, but stations can opt in—though it's not cheap, with one station estimating running the broadcast will cost at least $7000 for power alone.

A delay would totally cause consumer confusion. No matter when the transition happens, someone, somewhere, will see their TV go black and wonder why. The nightlight is solid compromise, and something that should've been in place before. Besides, when you try to delay the progress parade, it doesn't really slow it down, it just makes the route more screwed up. [Ars, PC Mag]

“[W]e’ve spent a lot of time and energy getting ready for the February 17 date,” Martin said during a CES Q&A. “I am concerned about the consumer confusion that would be created.”

No kidding he's concerned, but he's probably more confused today than anything. As many of you may have put together by now, this is the same Martin we caught watching the DTV parody video on Friday, mouth agape. Perhaps the experience on Friday influenced his answers on Saturday? We may never know, but it doesn't sound like it did.

What we do know is that, according to Nielsen, the failure of DTV coupon program has resulted in as much as 7% of the nation's households being “completely unready” for the switch. That's 7% of the population daytime TV and the Price is Right simply can't afford to lose.

Most broadcasting companies are critical of Obama's position too, since many have not budgeted in the cost of operating two transmitters past the February 17 deadline.

“No matter when the deadline is, there will always be some who are not going to be prepared,” said Michelle Vetterkind, president of the Wisconsin Broadcasters Association.

Regardless of the infighting, DTV will become the standard on February 17, unless Congress swoops in with a last-minute delay. We'll keep an eye out this month for additional info. Until then, maybe check in on grandma, and see if your geeky skills can be put to good use. [MSNBC]

We're guessing that he hadn't seen the sketch before and won't be viewing it again. Do you think he got the joke?