Transition to Digital and High Definition Television

[NakedGary]

This article was published on Saturday, January 19, 2008 3:29 PM CST in Business

By THE MORNING NEWS


Upcoming Digital TV

[shãybare]

when would be the best time to buy-now or wait till the first of the year? I think prices will be steeper the first of the year, but the technology may have improved.

[Tsirutan]

A little more information about this transition: This change only affects reception of TV signals "off the air". In other words, if you pick up your local programming on VHF or UHF channels through a antenna, you will need the converter box before the transition date. The conversion to digital signals is a significant improvement over analog in as much as long as the signal is strong enough to carry the digital information, your digital tuner will put out a picture and sound that is perfectly clear, even if the signal is marginal (verses seeing a "snowy" picture analog). Many stations are transmitting the digital signal already, so a converter box is an asset right now, although the price will continue to drop on these.
This change will not effect satellite TV or cable boxes that have a channel 3 or 4 output, or if you are using composite video cables. Some cable companies may change their format, but I'm sure they will be in touch with you before the change if you need to change your cable box, or will require a cable box to receive digital signals. Hope this helps clarify.

[Pete Knight]

We've been going through a transition for a few years now, set top boxes have been dropping in price for quite some time, what started out at $100 about 5 or 6 years ago is now down to $30 and there is a vast choice of manufacturers to choose from, despite all the publicity and information widely available there are still people who think their old TV will be scrap once the change over is complete.

Pete Knight

[NakedGary]

Next month in February, the U.S. Government will be offering up to two $40 rebate coupons per household to apply toward the purchase of set top boxes which convert digital television signals back to analog signals, [RF channel 3 or 4, and NTSC composite audio and video] for the existing and old sets that do not have [ATSC & QAM digital tuners]

Be aware that these digital to analog converters DOWN GRADE the digital resolution, features, and options that digital television signals provide, and only enable people with old sets to view sub standard or down graded resolution on their old sets of the digital signal at 16:9 / 4:3 aspect ratio format NTSC resolution of a maximum of 330 lines of resolution, via a coaxial RF antenna type connector, composite signal the older sets will accommodate or accept.

As said before a digital over the air signal is superior to analog in that when a strong enough signal is received the signal is digital directly to the TV and no ghosting or fading in and out or snowy pictures will be received. Extra features like picture in picture, multiple languages, surround sound, dolby, thx, closed caption, and the full resolution of +500 lines of DVD movies and players hooked up via composite and digital connections to digital and HDTV's gives superior features, fidelity, resolution, and sharpness and movie like viewing experience to viewing images, video, slides, and programs.

[nakeduni]

I'm in no rush to get the digital TVs. I requested the $40 coupons just in case I need them. Since I'm not a sports fan, there's hardly any decent programming for me to watch, so who knows, I might stop watch television. I'll just run around naked instead.

[MJ_KC]

I already have this taken care of. I have been watching HDTV for several years on my 65 inch rear projection Mitsubishi HDTV.

I also have a Sharp Aquos 32 inch LCD widescreen TV that was made shortly before the ATSC tuner became a standard item. I recently purchased a Samsung external ATSC tuner and now I only watch digital television.

Both TVs can still receive the old NTSC analog signal, but the digital signal is so much cleaner that I do not intend to use the NTSC tuners unless there is a broadcast problem. I only use an outside antenna and receive 22 channels. Some stations broadcast 4 or 5 different shows, including the local PBS station.

[D-TX]

Sometime in the future I may buy a television with a digital tuner in it, but currently all of my digital tuners are in my video server. The models I have can tune Off the Air or Unencrypted Digital Cable HDTV signals. They also have S-Video inputs to allow recording AUX signals.



The VHF Low-Band frequencies (Channels 2 - 6) are the part of the VHF spectrum that falls below the FM Radio band. These frequencies are not being used for new Digital Television channels. They are apparently being reallocated for non-television use.

The VHF High-Band frequencies (Channels 7 - 13) are the part of the VHF spectrum that falls above the FM Radio band. These frequencies are being used for new Digital Television channels.

The UHF frequencies (Channels 14 - 36 and 38 - 51) are also being used for new Digital Television channels. (Channel 37 is not used for broadcasting, but is reserved for Radio Astronomy.)

The UHF frequencies (Channels 52 - 69) are not being used for new Digital Television channels. The lower frequencies (Channels 52 -59) are part of the spectrum that the FCC is working at auctioning off, and the upper frequencies (Channels 60 - 69) are being reallocated for non-television use.

Refer to "Digital terrestrial television" and "North American broadcast television frequencies" for more information.

So you'll need a good UHF antenna (the smaller ones that receive the higher frequencies) to tune most of the Off the Air Digital Television channels. Depending on where you live, you may also need a VHF antenna (the larger ones that receive the lower frequencies).

Take Care & Enjoy Life Bare,
David

[Jason Lee]

Originally Posted by MJ_KC

I already have this taken care of. I have been watching HDTV for several years on my 65 inch rear projection Mitsubishi HDTV.

I also have a Sharp Aquos 32 inch LCD widescreen TV that was made shortly before the ATSC tuner became a standard item. I recently purchased a Samsung external ATSC tuner and now I only watch digital television.

Both TVs can still receive the old NTSC analog signal, but the digital signal is so much cleaner that I do not intend to use the NTSC tuners unless there is a broadcast problem. I only use an outside antenna and receive 22 channels. Some stations broadcast 4 or 5 different shows, including the local PBS station.

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