Community Newsletter: Q&A: Please clarify the digital TV (DTV) transition in 2009
- 5/16/08 3:56 PM
Connected to Cable? Good to Go in '09!
by ekozie - 5/2/08 9:50 PM In reply to: Please clarify the digital TV (DTV) transition in 2009 by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
The TV Salesman strikes again!
All televisions connected to cable, satellite, or fiber optics, like yours, will continue to function normally after the switch to DTV in 2009.
The only TVs affected by the switch are only those that receive free over the air (antenna) broadcasts and only have either internal analog antennas, "rabbit ears," or rooftop antennas.
Any TV imported to or manufactured in the United Sates after March 1, 2007 is already DTV capable, and does not need a converter box. Many newer (since 1998, but especially after 2004) TVs are already DTV capable as well, though it is wise to check the specifications. Look to see if the TV has an analog antenna, a digital antenna, or both (or in some rare cases, no antenna, which should be advertised as a monitor). The antenna may also be referred to as a tuner or a receiver.
Those with TVs containing only an analog antenna and those using external analog antennas will need a converter box. Those using internal analog antennas will need external "rabbit ears" or rooftop antennas as well as a converter box.
Good Luck!
February 2009 analog to digital TV broadcasting conversion
by Homer6 - 5/2/08 9:54 PM In reply to: Please clarify the digital TV (DTV) transition in 2009 by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
According to what I've read, specifically on www.DTVAnswers.com, if you are connected to cable or have satellite service you do not need a converter box for any of your analog TV sets.
On the other hand, if you receive TV broadcasts through an indoor or roof top antenna, from main broadcast stations, you will need to have a converter box for your analog TV. If you receive your signals from low power translators you will need a "Pass-thru" converter to watch both analog and digital broadcasts on an analog TV.
For a lot more information concerning the upcoming analog to digital conversion go to www.DTVAnswers.com and spend a few minutes reading the information that is provided at this site. Perhaps after reading the material you won't feel as confused.
The "Change"
by dtomlin - 5/2/08 9:55 PM In reply to: Please clarify the digital TV (DTV) transition in 2009 by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
The cable company will do the conversion for their analog customers. If you get your signal over the airwaves (rabbit ears, antenna, or the like) and your TV is analog only then you will need a converter box. The US governement will send you up to two $40 discount cards redeemable on certain converter models (see: http://www.dtv.gov/). I found some cheap converter boxes locally for $50.
Two of the biggest problems with these is that they only convert one channel at a time and you need one for each TV or recorder in use. You would no longer be able to set your VCR to record multiple programs on different channels while you are away or record one channel while watching another using a single converter box for example. Set the "box" to the channel you want to watch and set your TV to the box's output channel.
It appears that, though the signal may carry a better quality picture, the distance over which it does that may not be as great. Even for digital devices the "threshold" of what is an acceptable signal may make a weak but formerly okay signal virtually unusable.
Of course if you already have digital devices or use only cable there will be no added problems for the near future.
Answer for Chuck -- Please clarify the digital TV (DTV) tra
by Lazarus0 - 5/2/08 9:57 PM In reply to: Please clarify the digital TV (DTV) transition in 2009 by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Here's where you can find the most definitive answer to this question:
http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/consumerfacts/digitaltv.html
========================
Here are some excerpts:
========================
What Do I Need To Do To Be Ready For The DTV Transition?
What you need to do depends on the source of your television programming, whether you receive programming over-the-air or from a paid provider such as a cable or satellite TV company.
How Do I Receive Digital Broadcasts If I Don’t Subscribe To Cable Or Satellite?
If you receive only free over-the-air television programming, the type of TV you own, either a digital TV or an analog TV, is very important. Consumers who receive only free over-the-air television may view digital programming through a TV set with a built-in digital tuner (integrated DTV) or a digital-ready monitor with a separate digital tuner set-top box. (Both of these digital television types are referred to as a DTV). The only additional equipment required to view over-the-air digital programming with a DTV is a regular antenna, either on your roof or a smaller version on your TV such as “rabbit ears.”
If you have an analog television, you will have to purchase a digital-to-analog set-top converter box to attach to your TV set to be able to view over-the-air digital programming (see “What About My Analog TV?” below).
How Do I Receive Digital Broadcasts If I Subscribe To Cable Or Satellite?
If you receive cable or satellite television service, contact your cable or satellite provider about any additional components, such as a digital set-top box, that you may need to watch digital broadcast programming.
=========================
So basically, you need to check with your cable provider to see if they are, in fact, still going to send the analog signals over the cable. If they are not, check if they offer a set top digital converter box for your analog sets. From there you will know whether it will be necessary to either purchase your own boxes, or get new televisions.
Lazarus0
lazarus0@earthlink.net
Only TVs using antennas will need the box
by Channing - 5/2/08 10:07 PM In reply to: Please clarify the digital TV (DTV) transition in 2009 by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Back in the old days (I'm old), all TV was via the "airwaves." Some communities far from broadcast towers set up CATV (Community Access TV) networks where receiving antennas on high masts or towers picked up a signal that was amplified and then distributed to individual homes via a coaxial cable -- the beginning of cable TV.
When the broadcast stations switch to digitial television (DTV), only the people still receiving TV signals "the old fashioned way," via the "airwaves," will need the converter box. The cable and sattelite companies will take care of everything for their subscribers. Some TV sets purchased over the last few years are already set up to process digital input (refer to the user's manual).
The old analog system uses amplitude modulation (AM) to encode-decode the video signal and frequency modulation (FM) to encode-decode the audio signal. The electrical variations sent by TV camera picture tube and microphone, responding to changes in light or sound waves, respectively, are transmitted and the TV set sorts it out to present a video picture and the sound that goes with it. How the TV set does this will be explained when you enroll in several university courses in electrical engineering.
The new digital system receives the same TV camera picture tube and microphone information, but it is converted to digital information, presumably in binary code, by a computer. The code can be printed on a paper, but even with a great deal of study it would be impossible to imagine the video and audio represented by reading all of the little ones and zeros. Another computer, however, such as the computer in the digital TV set, can sort it out and can recreate very near to the original video and audio received by the TV camera and the microphone. There are a number of reasons why the digital system is better, including better quality of picture and sound, in most cases. A second reason is that compression technology allows several programs to be broadcast simultaneously using the same bandwidth required for one analog program. That gets to better, faster and cheaper.
If you still love your old set purchased back in 1990, and for which you just purchased a replacement picture tube, the government rebate to help you purchase a converter box will fix you right up if you get your TV signal over the "airwaves."
Channing
Ventura CA
DTV Question
by kennethcollins - 5/2/08 10:22 PM In reply to: Please clarify the digital TV (DTV) transition in 2009 by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Chuck:
As long as your television is hooked to your cable system you will not have any problems. Comcast and other major companies have been using this as part of their promotion. So you should be just fine. For any stand alone tv's you can get a discount from the federal government just get online at http://www.dtv.gov/consumercorner.html.
Hope this answers your question
Ken C.
hey
by nilankandamby - 5/2/08 10:26 PM In reply to: Please clarify the digital TV (DTV) transition in 2009 by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
yo u must check your cpu's cooling fan,the rebooting causes of heat in da processor
Possible solution for a rebooting PC
by sanjoyec - 5/2/08 10:41 PM In reply to: Please clarify the digital TV (DTV) transition in 2009 by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Please check the "reset" and "power" switch of the PC.
Try to disable the "Reset" switch by taking out the reset connector from the mainboard.
Try the same for the "Power switch" after switching on the PC.
If the PC runs well after these isolation/elimination process then take actions accordingly to eliminate or rectify the problem.
You are good to go
by bigh60 - 5/2/08 10:44 PM In reply to: Please clarify the digital TV (DTV) transition in 2009 by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
You are correct - the store guy is dumb or trying to rip you off .
Yep if you are receiving TV via antenna you will need a box on each analog TV or you could run them off one box - be a lot of cable to run .
This doesn't affect you ... but
by bsteenson - 5/3/08 12:26 AM In reply to: Please clarify the digital TV (DTV) transition in 2009 by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
If you get your television signal from a cable company or a satellite company, the change from analog to digital broadcast will not affect you at all. Not only will you NOT need an over-the-air digital converter box, such a box would NOT work with your cable system.
That said, some cable systems are using the broadcast switch as an opportunity to change their systems to all-digital. If that's the case and you currently get your cable signal straight from the wall to your TV without going through a cable converter box, you would need a converter box then. But that box would come from your cable company and that company would give you all the information you need about any such change.
In any case you would not need one of the boxes that the government rebate coupons work with.
analog tv
by tedtks - 5/3/08 12:44 AM In reply to: Please clarify the digital TV (DTV) transition in 2009 by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
you are correct - it is only the over-the-air reception with
an antenna or rabit ears that will need the converter box that
is being pushed with a fed rebate check.
cable and satalite - will still be the same - and probably be
so for a long time. I am surprised that cable hasnt mentioned
this in their ads yet to get converted viewers.
so... pretty much, ignore the hype.
You're right
by cptrob - 5/3/08 2:00 AM In reply to: Please clarify the digital TV (DTV) transition in 2009 by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
The same thing happened here in The Netherlands some years ago. Cable continued delivering both digital and analog signals. Only airwave receptions changed completely to digital. What happened was that the cable companies gave out these boxes to use for free, they wanted to sell their extras like playing their games, ordering movies and use their other interactive services. Same thing with air to air companies, the digital tuner came for free with a year subscribtion.
Now this system (air to air) is NOT good yet. Every old motorbike, moped or even lighting an electronic lighter makes your tv freeze for a second if you're lucky. It might freeze totally wich is a disaster if you are recording a program while away.
A digital tuner costs about €70 upto a couple of hundred if you want the extras like an inbuild hard drive and so.
I hope this experience helps you in any way.
Stay with your cable is my advice.
Regards,
Rob.
The great TV switchover
by vinedw - 5/3/08 2:11 AM In reply to: Please clarify the digital TV (DTV) transition in 2009 by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
What Country is Chuck in? In England, when you get cable TV it arrives on a set-top box that outputs its signals to a scart lead, so the cable company have already converted to Digital boxes.Only the Aerial set-ups need digital boxes, and usually more powerful Aerials. If the USA receives cable direct to the TV without the use of a cable box, then you will need to ask your cable company if and when they will switch off your analogue signal. If you,ve got say 2 or 3 years, then replacing your TVs over that time will give you Digital ready TVs.
Digital tv in 2009
by jrdnjstn - 5/3/08 2:13 AM In reply to: Please clarify the digital TV (DTV) transition in 2009 by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I'm under the understanding that people who use "rabbit ears" to get tv reception will have to buy a converter box. If you receive cable or satellite you should be fine.
digital tv
by prairie son - 5/3/08 2:58 AM In reply to: Please clarify the digital TV (DTV) transition in 2009 by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
You will need a box ONLY if you are receiving signals from an outside antenna or (God forbid) rabbit ears. If you are connected to cable or satelite no box is necessary. Don't let a silver-tongued salesman tell you otherwise.
Prairie Son
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