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Digital Television - What does it mean for you?

You hear a lot in the media today about the age of digital television - but what does that mean? Here are some common misconceptions and facts to help you understand what the impact the coming changes in television mean to you.

Misconception 1: Digital Television is High Definition Television.
Digital is a process and not a format. It is the conversion of a video and audio signal into binary code. Although a High Definition Television signal is delivered by a digital means, not everything delivered via a digital signal is High Definition. For example, if you have a digital cable package or a satellite dish, you are receiving a digital signal. You may not realize it, but unless you have a flat panel television, you are watching a digitally delivered signal on an analog television set.

Misconception 2: Broadcasters will stop transmitting analog signals in 2009, and I will need to replace all of the TV sets in my house.
Although broadcasters will stop transmitting analog television signals in February of 2009, it does not mean you need to replace your TV sets. This date in February only affects people who receive local television programming via an antenna. If you get your television programming via cable or satellite dish this does not affect you. People with satellite dishes already get a digital signal. People with cable don’t need to convert to a digital package in 2009 since the cable companies have committed to sending an analog signal along with the digital signal on the same cable to their customers through the year 2012. Those people choosing to receive local television programming via an antenna will be able to purchase a DTV (Digital Television) converter box that will decode the digital signal into analog. There is no need to replace your analog TVs and the federal government has promised to give $40 vouchers for the purchase of DTV converter boxes. The estimated price of these boxes is $70, but could drop as time goes on. In time the price of digital televisions will drop to the point where most people will be able to afford to replace their old analog TVs the same way people in the 1960’s replaced their black and white TVs with color.

Federal Government Info:

Web Site: www.dtv2009.gov

Phone Number:
1-888-388-2009

DEFINITIONS

Analog Television
A signal made of continually varying radio waves that a television translates into 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. The USA analog format is NTSC.

NTSC
The analog video format used in this country, with a resolution of 720 X 486 in a aspect ratio of 4:3 that fills an analog TV screen. It has been in use since 1946.

DTV (Digital Television)
A television signal transmitting video and sound information as ones and zeros instead of waves.

HDTV (High Definition Television)
A digital video format with a resolution as high as 1920 x 1080 and a 16:9 aspect ratio like a movie screen.

Misconception 3: If I convert my cable package to digital, I need to get a cable box for every TV in the house.
If a person converts to a digital package they need a cable box in order to see all the digital channels, video on demand, and the interactive menu. If you need to have those features on every TV in the house, then it is true, you need a box for every TV. However, if you don’t need all the digital features on every TV in the house, the same cable you had hooked up to your TVs before you changed to a digital package will still view the expanded basic analog signal. As I said in the above paragraph, the cable companies will continue to send an analog signal on the same cable until 2012.

Stay tuned.
We will continue to discuss the changes that occur as the United States continues to change from analog to digital television. For questions or concerns call the Television Services Division at 847-870-5685.