For the long term.....

[Jordan]

By 2009, all televisions need to be compatible with digital. This means alot of people are going to have to buy new tvs. Is there any good plays for this???



Also, what are your guys opinion on ethanol stocks?

[chacho]

By 2009, all televisions need to be compatible with digital. This means alot of people are going to have to buy new tvs. Is there any good plays for this???



Also, what are your guys opinion on ethanol stocks?

That is good thinking, but there will be converters available for $50, and if I remember correctly, the gov. will subsidize around $40 of it. So I don't think that will push many people to buy HDTV's, only those who are looking for an excuse; such as myself :)

[kingfisher]

That is good thinking, but there will be converters available for $50, and if I remember correctly, the gov. will subsidize around $40 of it. So I don't think that will push many people to buy HDTV's, only those who are looking for an excuse; such as myself :)



This is True. But on the other hand the Old Style TVs will no longer be for sale. I belive Best Buy has already discontinued that line of TVs. If you go to any place that sells TVs you can already see that there are very few if any of the old style left. I expect most will be gone by 2009.

[kingfisher]

Jordan

I forgot to add this in my previous post. If I am not mistaken Dow Corning makes the glass for the HD TVs. This could be a Long term play but do your DD.

[Bman409]

Also, what are your guys opinion on ethanol stocks?

Ethanol from corn is a nostarter in my opinion, without government subsidy. Be wary of ethanol producers that use corn... Maybe over the long term, if oil keeps rising, they might work but right now, they only trade up when the government is giving them money or talking about giving them money. The recent pop in them was related to the new energy bill, I believe

Ethanol from sugar cane, however, is viable and profitable.. that's why you may want to look at CZZ... the big Brazilian sugar cane ethanol play

[netwrangler]

Ethanol from corn is a nostarter in my opinion, without government subsidy. Be wary of ethanol producers that use corn... Maybe over the long term, if oil keeps rising, they might work but right now, they only trade up when the government is giving them money or talking about giving them money. The recent pop in them was related to the new energy bill, I believe

Ethanol from sugar cane, however, is viable and profitable.. that's why you may want to look at CZZ... the big Brazilian sugar cane ethanol playAdding to that, ethanol subsidies are as much politics as energy policy.

IMO there are better ways to subsidize alternative energy, if that's what you want to do, but no better way to have the subsidy resonate with so many voters. That makes for an industry based on political patronage, rather than technology and economics. Fundy guy that I am, that makes me nervous.

[BuyOnDips]

By 2009, all televisions need to be compatible with digital. This means alot of people are going to have to buy new tvs. Is there any good plays for this???



Also, what are your guys opinion on ethanol stocks?


BBY is your play on TVs. I like the stock, own a small position and will add more next year. Your analog TV will still work if you use cable. But about 60 million people now use analog sets that will have to be replaced or fitted with a digital converter to view digital broadcast signals.

The fertilizer stocks are still probably your best plays on ethanol. Stocks like POT, MOS and AGU. Just be aware that these stocks have had recent monster runs.

http://finance.yahoo.com/q/bc?s=POT&t=1y&l=on&z=m&q=l&c=agu,mos

[cramerica1972]

Adding to that, ethanol subsidies are as much politics as energy policy.

IMO there are better ways to subsidize alternative energy, if that's what you want to do, but no better way to have the subsidy resonate with so many voters. That makes for an industry based on political patronage, rather than technology and economics. Fundy guy that I am, that makes me nervous.and ethanol is a scam,all it is doing is pushing consumer prices up.

[Jordan]

Thanks for all the responses, I have learned a ton

[davidjr78]

I really don't think that many people will be buying new televisions because of this.
First off, everyone I know except for one older gentleman, already has cable. I'm willing to bet that his television is already cable ready to, so he wouldn't even need to buy a new television. I think most people who already don't have cable, still have a cable ready television. In fact, I don't even remember the last time I even saw a televison that wasn't cable ready.

Just my two cents

[BSGCORP]

they said that if your tv wasnt HD ready that the government would give you $40 toward purchasing a converter box for your TV. i believe that is happening right now. I Heard this from a friend. I have not looked into it myself.