[opendtv] Re: TV and snobs

Manfredi, Albert E wrote:

Frank Eory wrote:


Among the neighbors who frown at the unsightly antenna, some may
think "well, he must've spent all his money on the HDTV set and
now he can't even afford cable or satellite." Snobbish? Perhaps.
But probably not unheard of.
I have spent more money on the *eleven* OTA set top and PC card receivers in the last 10 years 
than on the 38 inch RCA HDTV set.


Probably not unheard of, but I'd consider TV and snobiness to be quite
different.

Agree that neighbors don't want to see too many obvious and unsightly
antennas. But it's news to me that any among this group consider DBS
dishes to be more desirable than yagis. As far as I've been able to
determine, the only correlation between "snob" and "TV ownership" is
that TV ownership is frowned upon, among snobs.
The funny part to me is the people who have their DBS antennas mounted on the peak of the roof rather than down near the ground to shield the LNBs from the terrestrial interference that can get to 
them at high roof level.

You can see any number of DBS dishes on display in lower middle class or
subsidized housing neighborhoods. I find odd the apparent
"understanding" that a TV distribution net bestows some sort of class
rank.
In 1952, our neighbors had their first TV installed /at night/ and the antenna 'hidden' in the attic so no one in the neighborhood would know they had a TV and ask to come over and watch programs. 
Matter of fact, I'd say that the higher than average OTA usership among
PBS viewers makes this point. A "proper" PBS-watching elitist only
watches occasionally, using rabbit ears, and then tucks the TV away in a
closet after the show.
Their set was in the corner of the living room [I could see it from my bedroom window] and they would put a folding screen around it when anyone knocked on the front door. Go figure... 
Bert

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