"This is a test for the DTV transition. If you are seeing this message and this TV does not have cable television, you need to purchase a converter. Please call for more information"

@everfade: Or how not to poop their pants. Or how not to walk past me in public without farting.

Probably would be. She still has a rotary phone

That's not that bad. A few months ago my mother told me that she wanted to see movie The Queen. Being the good daughter that I am, I rented the movie for her and brought it over. She has my old dvd player I had when I was in high school, but has never used it. I was putting the movie on when she exlaimed, "you mean the movie is on that DISC?!" I kid not.

This is a Hulu issue - they are USA only

Darryl

@BlackMage is doing the Time Warp agaaaaaaain!!!: I know. My grandparents have DirectTV, a DVR and an LCD TV. They also have a computer but not internet.

I had one of those (with the round manual channel selector knob) maybe 30 years ago when cable brought in maybe 21 channels, whoopie!!

I'd seen that clip before, but it's much better with the audience laugh track in the background.

I keep telling people that the biggest flaw in the transition awareness program is that they aren't telling people they can switch over NOW, and not have to wait until the morning of February 18th to figure it out.

I have a series 3 TiVo hooked up to my high def TV in the living room, and a 19" TV hooked up to DirecTV in the bedroom. The 19" doesn't look particularly bad with DirecTV and the digital converter will produce a better picture.

By now, my dog (who is too dumb to do any tricks) is well aware of the pending switchover.

There is only so much you can do. Remember, old people are not stupid. The problem is that stupid people get old too.

What?

@pb5000: I know the sentiment. My in-laws seem to avoid HD, I think, because they'd rather watch "channel 12" than "channel 92-1" (the latter is harder to type into the remote and its location in the lineups means it's harder to find while surfing).

Get them one of the low-end logitech harmony remotes and then set it up for them. Then all they have to do is press once button to watch a movie, or one button to watch tv. One remote, easy as can be.

I believe they rebroadcast old episodes on NBC, or some other station.

On the other end of the spectrum, I almost got into a fist fight with my best friend arguing about the digital switch. He's convinced that after the switch all channels will magically appear as hi-def on his non-HD TV! No matter what, I could not convince him that digital does NOT mean HD.

OK - when he has questions (and a lot are simple) he asks me - but he uses email to do it.

He had no trouble with "we use cable so we don't need a converter"

My husband has tried and tried to no avail to help with it too. they just don't get it. Or else they have THE worst luck in the universe with answering machines.

I feel for grandma here, but at the same time, we can't let the least capable among us stop progress for the other 95%, "Harrison Bergeron"-style. Just make sure the converter boxes are readily available and easy to install (which, by most accounts, they are - plug antenna into converter, plug converter into TV's antenna jack, set TV to channel 3, and go).

I'm more concerned about the possibility of DTV to be completely unwatchable in areas that get a marginal, but watchable, signal today - not surprisingly, a lot of these areas are rural areas that don't have cable service. And there are still many, many people who simply can't get a dish due to lack of line-of-sight.

Look! They've got some of those newfangled digital tv gadgets!

@Ash78: If it was, I might drop cable.

The target should just be idiots who don't pay attention to anything outside their cave no matter what their age.

Yeah, his show is hilarious..though, basically unwatched. It's too bad.

BUT THEN JACK MCCOY WARNED ME ABOUT ROBOTS!!! HAH! BEST!

To be fair, many things beffuddle senior citizens, even basic driving skills.

Monk's on USA. Usually before Psych. I love those shows.... *creeeeeeeak*

They got themselves a 37" LCD TV, digital cable, and a DVD recorder last year. No confusion there.

They still don't have a computer, though. Good thing, I guess; I would be the first one they would call for assistance...

Monk isn't shown on a broadcast network, right? Only on cable (USA?).