Post by Gremlin on Feb 17, 2008 15:45:20 GMT -4
What’s going on with my TV? What’s analog mean? Will I have to buy a new TV? How much will I have to pay? What’s HD? and on an on . ... If you’re behind on all that, you’ll have a year to catch up. Here are some answers that should make it a little less murky.
Question: What is the Digital TV (DTV) transition?
ANSWER: Broadcast stations in all U.S. markets are currently broadcasting in both analog and digital. After February 17, 2009 (one year from today), full-power television stations will broadcast in digital only.
Q: Why are we switching to DTV?
A: It will free up parts of the valuable broadcast spectrum for public safety communications (such as police, fire departments, and rescue squads). Also, some of the spectrum will be auctioned to companies for advanced wireless services (such as wireless broadband). Consumers should benefit from improved picture and sound quality.
Digital is also much more efficient than analog. Rather than being limited to providing one analog program, a broadcaster is able to offer a super sharp “high definition” (HD) digital program or multiple “standard definition” (SD) digital programs simultaneously through a process called “multicasting.” Multicasting allows broadcast stations to offer several channels of digital programming at the same time, using the same amount of spectrum required for one analog program. So a “channel 7” can offer channels “7-1,” “7-2” and so on. DTV also can provide interactive video and data services that are not possible with analog technology.
Q: What do I need to do to be ready for the end of analog TV broadcasting?
A: Cable and satellite TV subscribers with analog TVs hooked up to their cable or satellite service should not be affected. If you have one or more televisions that receive free over-the-air television programming (with a roof-top antenna or “rabbit ears” on the TV), you will likely require a converter box.
Manufacturers estimate that digital-to-analog converter boxes will sell for $40 to $70 each, a one-time cost the government will help defer by providing two $40 coupons per household.
For more information on the coupon program, visit www.ntia.doc.gov/dtvcoupon or call 1-888-388-2009 (voice) or 1-877-530-2634 (TTY).
Q: So if I have an older analog television, I don’t have to throw it away after next Feb. 17?
A: Exactly. The converter box will allow you to continue using your existing analog TV to watch over-the-air digital broadcasts. Analog sets should continue to work as before if connected to a subscription service such as cable or satellite TV, and should continue to work with gaming consoles, VCRs, DVD players, and similar products that you use now.
Q: If I want a new TV, will I have to buy a High Definition TV (HDTV) to watch digital broadcast television after the transition?
A: No. It is not a transition from analog broadcasting to High Definition broadcasting. Digital broadcasting allows for High Definition broadcasts, but High Definition is not required.
Q: How can I be sure that I am buying a digital TV (DTV)?
A: By law, beginning March 1, 2007, all television reception devices (including TVs, VCRs, DVRs, etc.) imported into the U.S. or shipped in interstate commerce must contain a digital tuner. Retailers may continue to sell analog-only devices from existing inventory, but must prominently display on or near the analog-only device a Consumer Alert label to that effect.
Q: How do I know if I already have a digital TV (DTV)?
A: Many DTVs and digital television equipment will have labels or markings on them, or statements in the informational materials that came with them, to indicate that they contain digital tuners. These labels or markings may contain the words “Integrated Digital Tuner,” “Digital Tuner Built-In,” “Digital Receiver,” or “Digital Tuner,” “DTV,” “ATSC,” or “HDTV” (High Definition television). If your television equipment contains any of these labels or markings, you should be able to view digital over-the-air programming without the need for a digital-to-analog converter box.
If your television set is labeled as a “Digital Monitor” or “HDTV Monitor,” or as “Digital Ready” or “HDTV Ready,” this does not mean it actually contains a digital tuner. Thus, you still will likely need a separate set-top box which contains a digital tuner in order to view over-the-air digital programming.
Over-the-air digital set-top boxes for Digital or HD “Monitors” can be purchased at retail stores. Cable and satellite TV providers also sell or lease digital set-top boxes for their specific services. (Note: the digital set-top box described here is not the same as the digital-to-analog converter box, described above, used to convert free over-the-air digital broadcasts for viewing on an analog TV set.)
If your television set is labeled as “analog” or “NTSC,” and is NOT labeled as containing a digital tuner, it contains an analog tuner only.
Q: Do cable TV networks, like CNN, MSNBC, Lifetime, etc., have to switch to digital as well?
A: No. The current requirement to switch from analog to digital only applies to full-power broadcast TV stations, which use the public airwaves to provide free over-the-air programming. However, as cable providers convert to digital transmissions over their systems, you may need to subscribe to their digital tier to continue to receive this non-broadcast programming.
Q: Will cable customers with analog TVs have to buy or rent a set-top box from their cable company? If so, how much will it cost?
A: First, it’s important to know that the February 17, 2009, deadline for the digital television transition only applies to full-power broadcast stations. Cable companies are not required by the government to make the transition to digital for their systems, and can continue to deliver channels to their customers in analog. Cable companies are actually required by FCC rules to continue offering local broadcast stations to their customers in analog as long as they offer any analog service. This requirement will continue for at least three years after February 17, 2009. The Commission will decide in 2011 whether the requirement should be continued beyond February 17, 2012. This means that customers who receive analog cable service (without a cable set-top box) will be able to continue to do so.
However, for business reasons (among other things, digital is much more efficient than analog), cable companies may be interested in moving from analog to digital delivery.
It is also important to note that a cable set-top box is different from a digital-to-analog converter box. A digital-to-analog converter box is necessary only for analog televisions that receive their programming over-the-air using a rooftop antenna or “rabbit ears” connected to the set. A digital-to-analog converter box is not necessary for a TV connected to a paid television service such as a cable or satellite TV provider. Information on any set-top boxes needed for a paid service such as cable or satellite should be obtained from the service provider.
SOURCE: Federal Communication Commission’s DTV Web site: www.dtv.gov/index.html
Question: What is the Digital TV (DTV) transition?
ANSWER: Broadcast stations in all U.S. markets are currently broadcasting in both analog and digital. After February 17, 2009 (one year from today), full-power television stations will broadcast in digital only.
Q: Why are we switching to DTV?
A: It will free up parts of the valuable broadcast spectrum for public safety communications (such as police, fire departments, and rescue squads). Also, some of the spectrum will be auctioned to companies for advanced wireless services (such as wireless broadband). Consumers should benefit from improved picture and sound quality.
Digital is also much more efficient than analog. Rather than being limited to providing one analog program, a broadcaster is able to offer a super sharp “high definition” (HD) digital program or multiple “standard definition” (SD) digital programs simultaneously through a process called “multicasting.” Multicasting allows broadcast stations to offer several channels of digital programming at the same time, using the same amount of spectrum required for one analog program. So a “channel 7” can offer channels “7-1,” “7-2” and so on. DTV also can provide interactive video and data services that are not possible with analog technology.
Q: What do I need to do to be ready for the end of analog TV broadcasting?
A: Cable and satellite TV subscribers with analog TVs hooked up to their cable or satellite service should not be affected. If you have one or more televisions that receive free over-the-air television programming (with a roof-top antenna or “rabbit ears” on the TV), you will likely require a converter box.
Manufacturers estimate that digital-to-analog converter boxes will sell for $40 to $70 each, a one-time cost the government will help defer by providing two $40 coupons per household.
For more information on the coupon program, visit www.ntia.doc.gov/dtvcoupon or call 1-888-388-2009 (voice) or 1-877-530-2634 (TTY).
Q: So if I have an older analog television, I don’t have to throw it away after next Feb. 17?
A: Exactly. The converter box will allow you to continue using your existing analog TV to watch over-the-air digital broadcasts. Analog sets should continue to work as before if connected to a subscription service such as cable or satellite TV, and should continue to work with gaming consoles, VCRs, DVD players, and similar products that you use now.
Q: If I want a new TV, will I have to buy a High Definition TV (HDTV) to watch digital broadcast television after the transition?
A: No. It is not a transition from analog broadcasting to High Definition broadcasting. Digital broadcasting allows for High Definition broadcasts, but High Definition is not required.
Q: How can I be sure that I am buying a digital TV (DTV)?
A: By law, beginning March 1, 2007, all television reception devices (including TVs, VCRs, DVRs, etc.) imported into the U.S. or shipped in interstate commerce must contain a digital tuner. Retailers may continue to sell analog-only devices from existing inventory, but must prominently display on or near the analog-only device a Consumer Alert label to that effect.
Q: How do I know if I already have a digital TV (DTV)?
A: Many DTVs and digital television equipment will have labels or markings on them, or statements in the informational materials that came with them, to indicate that they contain digital tuners. These labels or markings may contain the words “Integrated Digital Tuner,” “Digital Tuner Built-In,” “Digital Receiver,” or “Digital Tuner,” “DTV,” “ATSC,” or “HDTV” (High Definition television). If your television equipment contains any of these labels or markings, you should be able to view digital over-the-air programming without the need for a digital-to-analog converter box.
If your television set is labeled as a “Digital Monitor” or “HDTV Monitor,” or as “Digital Ready” or “HDTV Ready,” this does not mean it actually contains a digital tuner. Thus, you still will likely need a separate set-top box which contains a digital tuner in order to view over-the-air digital programming.
Over-the-air digital set-top boxes for Digital or HD “Monitors” can be purchased at retail stores. Cable and satellite TV providers also sell or lease digital set-top boxes for their specific services. (Note: the digital set-top box described here is not the same as the digital-to-analog converter box, described above, used to convert free over-the-air digital broadcasts for viewing on an analog TV set.)
If your television set is labeled as “analog” or “NTSC,” and is NOT labeled as containing a digital tuner, it contains an analog tuner only.
Q: Do cable TV networks, like CNN, MSNBC, Lifetime, etc., have to switch to digital as well?
A: No. The current requirement to switch from analog to digital only applies to full-power broadcast TV stations, which use the public airwaves to provide free over-the-air programming. However, as cable providers convert to digital transmissions over their systems, you may need to subscribe to their digital tier to continue to receive this non-broadcast programming.
Q: Will cable customers with analog TVs have to buy or rent a set-top box from their cable company? If so, how much will it cost?
A: First, it’s important to know that the February 17, 2009, deadline for the digital television transition only applies to full-power broadcast stations. Cable companies are not required by the government to make the transition to digital for their systems, and can continue to deliver channels to their customers in analog. Cable companies are actually required by FCC rules to continue offering local broadcast stations to their customers in analog as long as they offer any analog service. This requirement will continue for at least three years after February 17, 2009. The Commission will decide in 2011 whether the requirement should be continued beyond February 17, 2012. This means that customers who receive analog cable service (without a cable set-top box) will be able to continue to do so.
However, for business reasons (among other things, digital is much more efficient than analog), cable companies may be interested in moving from analog to digital delivery.
It is also important to note that a cable set-top box is different from a digital-to-analog converter box. A digital-to-analog converter box is necessary only for analog televisions that receive their programming over-the-air using a rooftop antenna or “rabbit ears” connected to the set. A digital-to-analog converter box is not necessary for a TV connected to a paid television service such as a cable or satellite TV provider. Information on any set-top boxes needed for a paid service such as cable or satellite should be obtained from the service provider.
SOURCE: Federal Communication Commission’s DTV Web site: www.dtv.gov/index.html