What Is Digital TV?

Digital Television (DTV) is a new broadcasting technology that will transform your television viewing experience. DTV enables broadcasters to offer television with movie-quality picture and sound. It can also offer multiple programming choices, called multi-casting, and interactive capabilities.

Converting to DTV also will free up parts of the scarce and valuable broadcast spectrum. Those portions of the spectrum can then be used for other important services, such as public and safety services (police and fire departments, emergency rescue), and advanced wireless services.

Who Will Be Affected

Consumers who receive over-the-air television signals through antennas on television sets that are equipped with analog tuners will be affected by the transition.

Cable, Satellite Viewers Have Least Impact

Analog cable, satellite and telco viewers will not lose their broadcast signals and will be least impacted.

Cable, satellite and telco companies have been ordered by the FCC to carry all broadcast main and digital stations after the transition.

These companies must carry broadcasters’ high-definition signals in HD. Viewers may need to purchase a digital or high definition package from their cable/satellite provider.

What Can Consumers Do To Prepare

Consumers who receive free, over-the-air broadcasting on analog sets will have three options for continuing their television service:
1. Purchase a digital-to-analog converter box that will convert the digital signal into analog for an existing television set. (Government providing $40 coupons starting Jan. 2008).
2. Purchase a new television set with a built-in digital tuner.
3. Subscribe to cable, satellite or a telephone company television service provider.

The Transition to Digital TV

TV stations serving all markets in the U.S. are airing digital television programming today, although most will continue to provide analog programming through February 17, 2009 at 11:59 p.m. At that point, full-power TV stations will cease broadcasting on their current analog channels, and the spectrum they use for analog broadcasting will be reclaimed and put to other uses.

As of March 1, 2007, all new TVs must include digital tuners.

Analog TVs will need additional equipment to receive over-the-air television when the DTV transition ends

Consumers who rely on antennas (including outside antennas and "rabbit ears") to receive broadcast signals on TV sets having only analog tuners will need to obtain separate digital-to-analog set-top converter boxes to watch over-the-air TV. These boxes receive digital signals and convert them into analog format for display on analog TVs. Analog sets connected to such converter boxes will display digital broadcasts, but not necessarily in the full, original digital quality.