SBE CHAPTER 24, Inc., MADISON WISCONSIN USA

THE TRANSITION TO DTV

For years broadcasters have been busy getting ready to transition from Analog to Digital Television. The end of that transition has now been set by the Government for February 17, 2009. On that day all television broadcasters will be required to stop sending all analog signals. From that date all television programs from local broadcasters will be sent in digital. As a local television viewer you may need to do something to continue to receive local television programming after February 17, 2009.

WHAT IS DIGITAL TELEVISION (DTV)?
Digital television (DTV) enables local broadcasters to send a "computer-like" data stream from their towers to a receiver or TV set in your home or office. In that data stream broadcasters can send many things. They are required to send at least one TV program with sound like they do now but they can send much more. For example, the pictures and sound being sent can have a much higher resolution for amazingly better picture and sound quality than currently available. That's called High Definition Television (HDTV). Broadcasters could instead send several "standard definition" TV programs (SDTV) at once. That's called “multicasting.” These "standard definition" digital TV pictures will be similar in clarity and detail to the TV pictures being sent today on the current analog system. Broadcasters could send a combination of an HDTV program and an SDTV program as well. They could also send other information that has nothing to do with the TV picture and sound they are sending. Those other services are often referred to as "data casting". For more information Click Here.

HOW WILL I BE AFFECTED ON FEBRUARY 17TH, 2009?
That depends on how you are now watching local TV channels. Most television viewers fit into one of three different categories: 1)Cable TV subscriber (your TV is connected to a cable), 2) Satellite TV subscriber (your TV is connected to a Dish), or 3) Off-Air TV viewer (your TV is connected to an indoor or outdoor TV antenna). If you are a Cable or Satellite subscriber your Cable or Satellite company will work with local broadcasters to insure those channels will continue to be available to you in standard definition (SDTV). If you need to do anything your Cable or Satellite company will inform you. If, however, you'd like to receive the high definition (HDTV) version of local TV programs you will likely have to subscribe to a higher service from your Cable or Satellite company. Contact them for more information.

If you are an Over-The-Air TV viewer, you will have to take action in order to continue to receive local TV stations after February 17th of 2009. Further, if you have some TV sets in your home connected to Satellite or Cable but you also have one or more TV sets connected to a TV antenna, you will have to take action so those sets connected to a TV antenna will continue to receive local TV channels. If you don't do anything those TV sets connected to a TV antenna will stop receiving local TV channels on February 18th of 2009.

MY TV IS CONNECTED TO A TV ANTENNA, WHAT DO I DO?
You have a few options available to you. Which one is right for you depends on what you want to see from your local TV channels. If you want to watch the amazing higher resolution of HDTV you will need to purchase an HD Ready display and a DTV tuner. You could instead purchase an HDTV with the tuner built in. If you choose to make that purchase, here are some shopping tips to help you do your shopping. Once you connect your TV antenna to your DTV Tuner or your HDTV you will receive all the HDTV programming that local stations offer.

If, however, you are happy with the current resolution of TV programs on your analog TV set there will be Digital to Analog converter boxes available for purchase before February 17th of 2009. These boxes will convert DTV programs to the appropriate format to be viewed on your analog TV. You will need only connect your TV antenna to the box and connect the box to your analog TV to continue to view local TV channels. The programs will only be in SDTV even though they are being sent in HDTV by your local TV station. The cost of these converter boxes will be a lot less than a full featured DTV tuner or HDTV set.

I FEAR I WON'T BE ABLE TO AFFORD TO BUY ANYTHING
The Government will make available coupons to be used toward the purchase of Digital to Analog TV converter boxes. Right now the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) of the U.S. Department of Commerce is responsible for developing rules that will allow households to obtain coupons. For more information on the converter box coupon program Click Here.

IF I BUY A NEW DTV SET DO I THROW MY ANALOG SET AWAY?
Certainly not. Your old analog TV set will continue to work with your existing VCR, DVD, DVR, Camcorder, Video Game, or other devices that output an analog TV signal. What will stop working after February 17th of 2009 are the local TV channels, everything else connected to your analog TV will continue to work.

WILL MY VCR WORK ON A NEW DIGITAL TV?
Yes it will play any pre-recorded programs as well as any other device that now connects to your analog TV set. There are connections on your new HDTV set that will accept analog devices like your VCR or DVD player. You should realize that simply connecting these devices to your HDTV will not mean that their video will now be in HD. The picture you will see will be in the same standard definition resolution that the device was originally designed for. Your HDTV will convert their signals to be seen on the HD screen.

If you now record off-air local TV shows on your VCR you will not be able to continue doing that after February 17th of 2009 without an upgrade. To continue recording local TV programs you will either have to connect a Digital to Analog TV Converter box to your VCR or purchase a different TV recording device that has a DTV tuner built in. The traditional VCR is becoming harder to find. It is being replaced by DVD recorders which record directly to a DVD disk, or DVR units which record and play digital programming using a hard drive. If you purchase one of these devices make sure you ask the retailer if it has a DTV off-air tuner built in. You'll need that to continue to record programs from local TV stations after February 17th of 2009.

I JUST BOUGHT A NEW TV SO I MUST BE WATCHING DIGITAL?
Not necessarily. The FCC now has mandates in place defining the inclusion of a DTV tuner in all TV sets made for sale in America. The mandate applies only to the manufacture of TV sets, not retail sales. Therefore retailers might still be selling analog only sets until they have exhausted their inventory. When you buy a TV set its best to specifically ask the retailer if the set you are interested in has a DTV tuner inside. Please note that this mandate does not apply to monitors or displays that are HD Ready but do not contain a TV tuner. Only devices that have analog TV tuners fall under this Digital TV tuner mandate.

I WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT DIGITAL AND HDTV?
The government has put together an excellent web site that is full of DTV and HDTV information. To get there Click Here.

The National Association of Broadcasters also has an excellent web site loaded with DTV transition information. Its called DTVAnswers and you can Click Here to get there.

The Consumer Electronics Association has a web site loaded with consumer information. They call it MyCEknowhow and you can Click Here to get there.

Are you wondering what type of TV Antenna will best serve you at your location. The Consumer Electronics Association has a web site designed to help you learn about and select the proper antenna to receieve free over-the-air HDTV. Click Here to go there.

Another comprehensive site with loads of good DTV transition information is Digital TV Facts. Click Here to go there.

One converter box manufacturer has an excellent site which explains what the actual box is and how to use it in your home. This site includes a couple of easy to watch informational videos as well. Click Here.

Also feel free to call your local TV station and ask for the Chief Engineer. They love to talk about HDTV!