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 ‘Radio Waves’
Analog and Digital TVs
December 17th, 2009For years, we have been watching CRT television that involved cathode ray tube or CRT sets and analog signals. In these kinds of TVs, the signals constitutes of varying radio waves that are translated by the TV into picture and sound. Analog signals can be transmitted to a television set over the air through satellite or a cable. But CRT TVs based on the system of analog signals have certain limitations such as the conventional CRT television sets can display only around 480 visible lines of pixels and with the advancement in technology broadcasters find it difficult to fill a large television into the analog signal. Also the analog pictures are interlaced due to which on some TVs, the picture or the images flicker. Ne has to compromise with the video quality also as converting video to analog format lowers its quality. Like all other fields, the gadgets and electronics sector has also witnessed a lot of innovation and advancement in technology to make the things better. Digital TV or DTV is the answer to above mentioned limitations. Rear projection, plasma and LCD TVs are based on the system of digital signals. A liquid crystal display popularly known as LCD is a thin, flat panel that is used to display information such as text, images, and moving pictures electronically. Digital televisions are based on the principle of digital signals where the signals are transmitted in the form of binary format or 0s and 1s. The information for video and sound are transmitted as ones and zeros instead of as a wave in the case of DTVs. Due to this format, these televisions have several advantages over the CRT TVs such as the picture quality is much more improved in case of DTVs. The video is also progressive instead of being interlaced and the TV stations and broadcasters can broadcast using multicasting which includes sending several signals using the same bandwidth. Digital TV can also support high-definition or HDTV broadcasts. HDTV or High Definition TeleVisions are the digital TVs with highest of the DTV technological standards. Three major parameters define the broadcast system of HDTV including frame size in pixels which is the number of horizontal pixels x number of vertical pixels, scanning system and the third parameter is the frame rate which is identified as number of video frames per second. Currently there are two types of HDTV available in the market that includes an integrated HDTV and an HDTV ready set.
Why you Should Check Out the Latest in Hdtv Technology
November 6th, 2009When the first high-definition television (HDTV) sets hit the market in 1998, movie buffs, sports fans and tech aficionados got pretty excited, and for good reason. Ads for the sets hinted at a television paradise with superior resolution and digital surround sound. With HDTV, you could also play movies in their original widescreen format without the letterbox “black bars” that some people find annoying.
But for a lot of people, HDTV hasn’t delivered a ready-made source for transcendent experiences in front of the tube. Instead, people have gone shopping for a TV and found themselves surrounded by confusing abbreviations and too many choices. Some have even hooked up their new HDTV sets only to discover that the picture doesn’t look good.
Fortunately, a few basic facts easily dispel all of this confusion. In this article, we’ll explain the acronyms and resolution levels and give you the facts on the United States transition to all-digital television. We’ll also tell you exactly what you need to know if you’re thinking about upgrading to HDTV.
For years, watching TV has involved analog signals and cathode ray tube (CRT) sets. The signal is made of continually varying radio waves that the TV translates into a picture and sound. An analog signal can reach a person’s TV over the air, through a cable or via satellite. Digital signals, like the ones from DVD players, are converted to analog when played on traditional TVs.
This system has worked pretty well for a long time, but it has some limitations:
a) Conventional CRT sets display around 480 visible lines of pixels. Broadcasters have been sending signals that work well with this resolution for years, and they can’t fit enough resolution to fill a huge television into the analog signal.
b) Analog pictures are interlaced — a CRT’s electron gun paints only half the lines for each pass down the screen. On some TVs, interlacing makes the picture flicker.
c) Converting video to analog format lowers its quality.
United States broadcasting is currently changing to digital television (DTV). A digital signal transmits the information for video and sound as ones and zeros instead of as a wave. For over-the-air broadcasting, DTV will generally use the UHF portion of the radio spectrum with a 6 MHz bandwidth, just like analog TV signals do.
The picture, even when displayed on a small TV, is better quality. A digital signal can support a higher resolution, so the picture will still look good when shown on a larger TV screen. The video can be progressive rather than interlaced — the screen shows the entire picture for every frame instead of every other line of pixels. TV stations can broadcast several signals using the same bandwidth. This is called multicasting. If broadcasters choose to, they can include interactive content or additional information with the DTV signal. It can support high-definition (HDTV) broadcasts. DTV also has one really big disadvantage: Analog TVs can’t decode and display digital signals. When analog broadcasting ends, you’ll only be able to watch TV on your trusty old set if you have cable or satellite service transmitting analog signals or if you have a set-top digital converter.
This brings us to the first big misconception about HDTV. Some people believe that the United States is switching to HDTV, that all they’ll need for HDTV is a new TV and that they’ll automatically have HDTV when analog service ends. Unfortunately, none of this is true.
By: David Johnson
