On February 17, 2009, Americans will enter the age of digital television — ready or not.
On that date, all full-power broadcast television stations will begin broadcasting only in digital, improving sound and picture quality as well as allowing for stations to offer multiple programming choices, called multicasting.
The government-mandated change will free up needed frequencies for public safety and new wireless communication offerings.
What’s the difference between analog and digital?
Since television was invented, stations have broadcast analog signals, or continuously varying radio waves. The familiar “snow” or ghosting of images is one problem with this way of sending broadcast signals. Another issue is the limited bandwidth for an ever increasing number of television channels.
After the transition, broadcasts will be sent only via digital signals, which use a series of zeroes and ones to transmit data just as a computer does. The result is clearer, more reliable picture and sound as well as the opportunity for more programming options and interactive features.
Because of how a digital signal transmits information, it has more room for additional data. So now television stations that once broadcast on one channel, such as channel 3, can now broadcast on several segments of that channel, for example: 3-1, 3-2, 3-3, 3-4. Each channel could offer specialized programming for a particular audience.
HDTV is the highest level of digital television quality, but it is not the only one. SDTV, or standard definition television format, is the quality at which basic digital broadcasts will be provided. SDTV offers an enhancement over traditional analog broadcasts, but it is not as sharp as HDTV.
What do I need to do to be ready?
If you have an analog input television and currently receive your television service through cable or satellite, you will continue to receive your current stations without needing to purchase additional equipment. However, to receive the full, original quality digital signal, you may need to upgrade your set or get special equipment from your service provider. Simply check with your cable or satellite company for more details.
Note that if your service goes out due to weather or other circumstances, you will no longer be able to receive traditional television channels without a digital tuner or digital-to-analog converter box.
If you have an analog input television and receive your signal via an outside antenna or “rabbit ears,” then you will need to purchase a digital-to-analog converter box to be able to continue watch television. Your set will continue to work as before with gaming consoles, DVD players, VCRs and other similar systems.
The new converter boxes are expected to be available in early 2008 and run between $50 and $70. From January 1, 2008 through March 31, 2009, all U.S. households are eligible for a government coupon program to offset $40 of the cost for up to two boxes per household. A list of eligible boxes is available from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, which manages the program.
Aside from buying a converter box or signing up for a cable or satellite service, you could also choose to buy a new digital-input ready television. After May 2007, all new televisions must be ready for receiving digital signals or be clearly marked that additional equipment will be needed.
These next generation television sets are the best way to experience all that digital television has to offer.
By: Digital Landing
Posts Tagged ‘Analog Signals’
Transition to New TV Technology Has Perils
December 21st, 2009There are a lot of advantages to digital TV. That’s why the US Congress has mandated that all over the air TV signals will be in digital TV format by February 17, 2009. At that time, analog over the air TV signals will be discontinued and only digital TV signals will remain. This will also free up a lot of telecommunications bandwidth for other telecommunications applications like emergency services communication and widespread wireless networks.
There are some major problems with this switch to the digital TV format. For one thing, many people don’t know exactly what digital TV is. Worse yet, even fewer people know that the switch to digital TV for over the air broadcasts is taking place.
There are many misconceptions about digital TV. Perhaps the most major one is that digital TV is the same thing as high definition TV (which is known as HDTV for short). In reality, while HDTV is digital, not all digital TV is high def. Digital TV simply means that the TV signal is transmitted in a digital format like how video is encoded on a DVD. This results in a much clearer picture that’s more resistant to interference. It also takes up less bandwidth, thereby increasing the number of channels that can be transmitted using any given number of frequencies.
Of course, people don’t need to know the technical aspects of digital TV in order to enjoy it. The much bigger problem with this planned transition is that most people don’t know that the transition is going to happen. While there are only about twenty two million Americans who rely on over the air transmission for their TV programming, less than half are aware that the transition is imminent or even what it will mean to them. Basically, anyone who’s been watching over the air TV in analog format and who doesn’t have a digital tuner built into their TV set or a special converter box to change the digital TV signals into analog signals before feeding them into the TV set, won’t be able to watch TV on February 17, 2009.
The prospect of people all over the country being taken by surprise when they wake up that morning and are suddenly unable to watch TV has led to reactions from analysts ranging from “Who cares?” to “The public will be outraged with us. ” to “There will be riots in the streets and people will be looting consumer electronics stores to get digital TV’s!” While the last reaction seems pretty extreme, if things keep going the way they have been leading up to the transition, a lot of people could be very upset and justifiably so. So far, the government has set aside less than two million dollars to subsidize the purchase of converter boxes for analog TV owners and only five million dollars to educate the public about the transition. TV manufacturers- who have known about this for years- have continued selling analog-only TV sets and only recently bothered putting warnings on them stating that they will be obsolete when the transition comes. TV stations that broadcast over the air and are in the situation of being in the best position to educate the public- and have the most to lose by not educating the public- are waiting for the government to do something about the situation. All of this while the deadline approaches and many TV viewers remain blissfully ignorant that anything will change at all.
