CHATTANOOGA ENGINEERS CLUB
www.chattanoogaengineersclub.org
www.chattanoogaengineersclub.org
NEXT WEEK : NO MEETING ________________________________________
Monday, January 20
There will be no Engineers Club
Meeting for Monday January
20 in observance of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.
OUR PREVIOUS MEETING _________________________________________
Louis Lee from Channel 12 
(WDEF) news department addressed and
explained the progression of High Definition Television
broadcasts in the Chattanooga area. He said that by 2006 the broadcasting
industry will be broadcasting a digital signal only. So for
those who would like to continue watching television in three
years, we will need to purchase a digital television or possess
one that is digital ready and purchase an external tuner box
(about $200). The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has
developed a digital broadcasting "phase-in
plan." Mr. Lee said
he does not anticipate any delays in the announced
schedule and that
most cable companies will likely wait until near the
2006 deadline to start their conversion. If you live close enough to a digital
transmitter, you can actually begin receiving digital broadcasts
by antenna for channels 3, 9, and 12. Now the question becomes "What do
you do with your old TVs?" Well, Mr. Lee said the
old TV sets can still be used to play VHS tapes or DVDs. He also said to be sure to watch channel 12 for a
possible news story to answer the question "What is the best way to
environmentally dump or recycle old television sets during this change over?"
(WDEF) news department addressed and
explained the progression of High Definition Television
broadcasts in the Chattanooga area. He said that by 2006 the broadcasting
industry will be broadcasting a digital signal only. So for
those who would like to continue watching television in three
years, we will need to purchase a digital television or possess
one that is digital ready and purchase an external tuner box
(about $200). The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has
developed a digital broadcasting "phase-in
plan." Mr. Lee said
he does not anticipate any delays in the announced
schedule and that
most cable companies will likely wait until near the
2006 deadline to start their conversion. If you live close enough to a digital
transmitter, you can actually begin receiving digital broadcasts
by antenna for channels 3, 9, and 12. Now the question becomes "What do
you do with your old TVs?" Well, Mr. Lee said the
old TV sets can still be used to play VHS tapes or DVDs. He also said to be sure to watch channel 12 for a
possible news story to answer the question "What is the best way to
environmentally dump or recycle old television sets during this change over?"For more information please consider
these websites:
http://www.fcc.gov/dtv -
FCC's page about
digital television issues.
http://www.wdef.com - News Channel
12's website
Following the meeting, members were invited to tour the WDEF satellite truck.
FUTURE MONDAY MEETINGS
___________________________________
January 27: Homeland Security: Biological
Threats - Defending against smallpox. Marti
Smith, Hamilton
County Health
Department
February 10:
Nanotechnology - What is it and what are its
potential uses? Jim Roberto, ORNL
February
17: E-Week Luncheon - Speaker Dave
Whitfield
February
24: Control Logic Model for Data Intense
Environments - Tony Wheeler, Wheeler
& Associates
March 3: The Sun - A
very close look at our nearest star - Mitzi Adam,
NASA
March:
MetroNet - Chattanooga raises the speed limit on data
communications.
WHERE WE MEET _______________________________________________
Unless we note otherwise, all of our presentation meetings are held at the Cellar Restaurant in the Tallan Building, Union Square Downtown Chattanooga from 12:00 to 1:00 p.m. Our meeting room and luncheon service are open by 11:30 a.m. Lunch buffet is $10.00 per person (inclusive). No reservation is required. Free parking is available in the Days Inn Motel (on Carter St. and MLK Blvd,) courtesy of the Days Inn management. When you park there, be sure to place a note on your dashboard indicating you are attending the Engineers Club meeting.
QUESTIONS, SUGGESTIONS ?
_____________________________________
If you have any questions or suggestions about program items please call Brad Baucom at 423-648-3582 or e-mail him at bradbaucom@comcast.net. You can find references to other Chattanooga Engineers Club members at our web site: www.chattanoogaengineersclub.org .
If you have any questions or suggestions about program items please call Brad Baucom at 423-648-3582 or e-mail him at bradbaucom@comcast.net. You can find references to other Chattanooga Engineers Club members at our web site: www.chattanoogaengineersclub.org .