http://dahdahdahdancer.livejournal.com/ ([identity profile] dahdahdahdancer.livejournal.com) wrote in [community profile] davis_square2008-12-14 03:25 pm
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Lost FOX TV signal

I'm addicted to the Sarah Connor Chronicles (Monday at 8:00) on FOX 25. Mysteriously, the FOX signal vanished a few days ago (I get snow, just snow), although other stations come through as always. I still use rabbit ears (hey, it's cheaper than cable or satellite and I'm on a budget). Time is running out - the SC Chronicles are on tomorrow night! Has anyone else lost the FOX 25 signal?

[identity profile] zmgmeister.livejournal.com 2008-12-14 05:01 pm (UTC)(link)
I'm sure they can see a fluorescent light bulb, but it might be more flickery to them ( at least the conventional type; the little "energy saver" ones flicker at a much higher frequency ).

The illusion in question is called "persistence of vision", where human eyes don't register things that happen in less than 1/30th of a second. This figure may be different for other species, and dogs might very well see the picture being "painted" on the CRT. Just like that line you see if you try to take a picture of a TV.

However, I don't know how dogs feel about LCD or plasma.

[identity profile] m00n.livejournal.com 2008-12-14 05:08 pm (UTC)(link)
In order for a dog not to see a television, though, the persistence "timing" would have to be *dramatically* different from that of humans. Consider that even at half the normal refresh rate, a television will still appear to produce a picture, it will just be very irritating to look at.

Also, CFL bulbs still flicker at the usual 60 Hz since they are powered by the same mains power as other fluorescent bulbs, but their phosphorescent coating allows them to maintain some glow during the low part of the cycle thereby making the flicker a little less apparent.

[identity profile] zmgmeister.livejournal.com 2008-12-14 05:15 pm (UTC)(link)
Well of course they can see it, but it probably looks like a whole lot of nonsense to them. Kind of like the "Picasso porn" from back in the days of analog scrambling.

I believe the CFL bulbs have electronics that creates a higher frequency ( probably required b/c the small tube ). On the box there is usually a disclaimer like "this product may interfere with radios, etc"