Yearly TV Licence? ...Really?

[marion11111]

> Potioncat:
> We foolishly told my daughter we'd get her a TV for college, then 
> discovered how expensive they've gotten. My goodness, they even have 
> color now. We had no idea! I'm ready to 'go back' on our offer and 
> take a second look at the TV she insists doesn't work.
> 
> Back to converter boxes. If you've gotten one, hook it up. My brother 
> tells me that the stations are already broadcasting in both digital 
> and analog. In his area it means your regular station has more 
> programming. He says instead of just channel 7, there's a 7a, 7b, etc.
> 
> We're just hoping our 90-year-old aunt can handle the new remote. 
> She's losing the ability to adjust to changes in technology.
>

marion again:
Maybe they are coming down in price?  When I looked last year, I couldn't find anything 
digital for under $300, but someone on this list just bought one for $130.  Of course, now 
my TV is only a few years old and it irks me to go buy a new one just to go digital.  I think 
I'll trust the cable company to convert for me.

When I went to college - back with the dinosaurs - we all brought various "luxury" items 
to the dorms.  I provided a stereo (with tape deck!!!) and a hot pot (stop it - not that kind 
of pot).  My roommate brought a TV (which made our room very popular), a popcorn 
popper, and also a hot pot.  The TV was her family's old one - black and white with the 
knobs broken off so you had to change the channels and adjust the volume with a needle-
nose pliers.  But, hey, it was TV and we could watch Three's Company and Saturday Night 
Live.  We went in together and rented a little bitty fridge. There was a microwave which no 
one ever used and a big color TV in the dorm common room.  There was a phone in every 
room which was a big improvement over the previous year when the phone was down the 
hall and shared by the whole floor.

I don't know how anyone affords college now.  Not only is tuition out of control, but the 
expectations for student life are so much higher.  Laptops, printers, TVs with cable (or is 
that included in the dorm fee along with wireless?), iPods, docking stations, microwaves.  
Oh and cell phones with billions of minutes.  And, really, I'm sure the professors expect 
that the kids will have these things - certainly they assume a computer and printer and 
probably an iPod for some lessons.  Also, the phone for instant communication.  Its not 
just the kids that expect these things.  Society does.