Community Newsletter: Q&A forum: What does the 2009 digital-TV switch actually mean?

How about the Best Buy salesman telling my elderly mother that her TV will be obsolete in one year and she had to replace it now, because there would be a shortage of TV sets next year.
I wouldn't have mentioned the store name except a seperate location (same store) told her that they wouldn't sell her a computer without the expensive surge protector. Luckily she walked away.

SCUM!

I think it is important, if we are going to look at this question, to first of all divide up those who get their TV from a provider (cable, satellite etc), and those who get the free "over-the-air" type TV with an antenna.

Those of you in the first group need not worry. Your set-top box will continue to do the work for you of getting the signal to your TV the same way it always has.

Now, what about those of us (including me) who use the free TV? Well, first of all, although it looks pretty firmly set for now, the date that we were supposed to move to an all digital signal has been moved back by the Federal Government several times.

When it does eventually change over, how will you deal with that? Well, actually surprisingly simply.

If you already have a TV that can receive a digital signal, then you are all set (all flat panel TVs you can buy today receive digital signals, so no worries there Queenie). Please don't confuse High Definition (HD) with digital. HD is an indication of a more detailed picture, but digital signal can broadcast just normal, lower definition pictures too, so you won't have to switch to any special HDTV.

If you have an older, non digital TV (we have 2 in our house), then you will need a signal converter. This is simply a box that sits on top of the TV. You plug your antenna into one socket and your TV into the other and switch it on. There are no monthly fees or other costs associated with it. This box essentially just listens to the incoming digital signal and sends out the same information in an analogue format for your TV.

The next natural question is where do you get these boxes and how much do they cost? The short answer is that we don't know yet. I would expect to see some government subsidy programs out there though. In fact here in Houston our local TV station was giving them away for free by mail. You just sent in a postcard with your details and they mailed one out to you. It wouldnt surprise me at all if some similar "sponsorship" happened nearer the time on a more widespread basis.

I wouldn't worry too much about the transition right now though. Trust me, by the time it actually arrives I think you will be sick of hearing about it through news reports and "consumer watchdog" type shows. If you are buying a TV between now and then and want to make sure it won't need a set top box, just check in store, or the documentation to make sure it can receive a digital signal.

massimj wrote:
Anyone on cable will not need a set top box unless they want to pay for PPV, HBO, Show Time or any other premium service. The cable will still feed Analog Tv, or NON-QAM to the people who have the cable going directly into a TV, just the way it works today. There is no mandate for cable providers to stop sending TV in any certain way.

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While there is no mandate for cable providers to stop sending analog broadcasts, I'm concerned that there is also no mandate for them to continue sending the analog broadcasts. In this area, Comcast seems intent on getting everyone to upgrade to digital, and the scheduled changeover in 2009 might be just the opportunity they are looking for to eliminate service to analog customers.

We have had the Extended Basic package for some time. I don't even know if Comcast offers that package anymore---it isn't listed on their website as an option. For our family, the Extended Basic is perfect for us. We don't want the so-called premium stations, Comcast-on-Demand, HBO, etc. However, we do like having more than just broadcast TV from which to choose. We recently had a small monthly fee increase at the same time that Comcast eliminated several channels from our lineup. I have some concern that, given the big push to get subscribers to upgrade to digital, Comcast might gradually eliminate the Extended Basic cable service prior to 2009.

In addition, we have adult twin daughters who are developmentally delayed, with mulitple handicaps. They both live at home with us, and they both enjoy being able to watch TV in their own room. Frankly, my husband and I appreciate being able to retreat to our own bedroom occasionally and watch TV---especially valuable for me, as a 24-hour-a-day caretaker for my daughters. With digital, we would have to either replace 4 televisions or deal with the separate box; I'm not sure how well my daughters would adapt to using another remote and dealing with the box. Secondly, we would, I presume, have to pay an additional fee for each additional TV. Although this post probably makes it seem like we watch TV constantly, we really don't. But we do like our current lineup of TV stations available with the Extended Basic. So, although we like the added choices cable offers, I think we already pay about as much as we are willing/able to pay for those choices. If we have to pay an additional charge for each TV, then we will probably have to make the choice to do without.

I realize our circumstances are unique and do not reflect the needs of most cable TV subscribers. Nevertheless, it is a concern. After reading this thread, I finally emailed Comcast asking whether they would continue to support their analog customers beyond 2009. It will be interesting to see what they say.

Although I can't offer too much help not living in the US, in Australia the switch has become pretty much standard, i think we still have another 5 years or so untill it becomes manditory but to clear some things up for you based on our switch...

- Your antenna won't so much matter, as long as it is not a set of rabbit ears it should be ok.

- The 'converter boxes' are called 'Set top boxes' or so it seems to be the standard name, and yes, you will need one for each tv you own unless anything new comes out. Basically you plug your existing antenna into the box, then plug it into the tv's RCA inputs. You then control the channel settings and change channels through the set top box. (bah, another remote!)

- your VCR can remain plugged into your tv as is, you could do something like this:
Antenna > [Coaxial Cable] > Set top box > [ RCA cables ] > VCR > [ coacial OR rca cables] > TV

You can get HD set top boxes i guess, using HDMI output, but bear in mind that a SD set top box gives a picture just about as good as a DVD player anyway.

There is one downfall to this digital thing however... Because of how the signals are transmitted you get different types of interference and 'distortion' or noise. You will have noticed you get some Analoge channels with a bit of fuzz etc, well this won't happen with digital tv, what will happen is that you get a perfectly crisp picture BUT every few minutes, you might skip a frame or so of what is playing, and depending on how good your reception is, ultimatly will affect wether or not you notice it. Frankly my reception is horrid and with a set top box, i barley notice the skipping of frames, happens once every 15 minutes or so, and is less than a second worth of film...

Cost - the big factor.
If you ask me this just a way for the government to make money. They say HD is better for you and you need Digital tv, it's "great" but is free-to-air tv really worth that much concern? anyway - In australia a set top box costs anywhere from $60 - $300 AU ranging from a SD tuner to a HD Buffered Library. i guess that translates to $40 US or so, keep in mind that prices do drop, being the first kid on the block to have a set top box might build your ego for a few months, but when it becomes more commercialised, you could have purchased one 10 times as good for the same price.

Hello my friend, just wanted to add, That I pay for my basic cable and do not use a box, I do get the better part of 125 channels, We prefered to not use a box for several reasons, you know space, joining with other units, recording, recording while watching something else, which you can not do with the digital box we have.

February 17, 2009 marks the end of analog signal transmission.

The loss of analog signal will affect those who are watching older analog TVs (no digital tuner) using an antenna. These TV's will certainly go blank on the 17th. To convert the older TV's to accept the digital signal, you would use a digital conversion box. The government is providing some help to that end in the form of a $40.00 coupon (two per household) to offset the cost of the box which is expected to be $60.00 to $70.00. The coupons should be available starting in January 2008. This conversion box will not affect your cable or satellite channels, it will allow you to use an antenna to receive local expanded digital broadcasts.

It will NOT affect those who are watching their older TV's hooked to a cable box or satellite receiver.

If you have an HDTV with a ATSC digital tuner (NOT a monitor or HD Ready TV) the change will not effect you.

When purchasing a new TV, it should be clearly labeled with the tuner type. It should have an ATSC digital tuner and the TV would be labeled SDTV (Standard Definition Digital), EDTV (Enhanced Definition Digital), or HDTV (High Definition Digital).

Queenie, when considering a bedroom TV flat screen be careful concerning viewing distance and viewing angle. If you are changing from an tube TV to a flat screen, you would need to be able to angle the flat screen to avoid compromising the picture. Just like a laptop screen, when the angle of view is too high or too low, the picture darkens considerably and could make the new TV unwatchable. An example of this would be a tube TV on a tall dresser. The tube TV looks fine from the bed while a flat screen would need to be angled down at you.

Hope this helps.
Highdef Jeff
http://www.wowvision.tv

The FCC law has been on the books for a while ... local digital channels MUST be included in the lowest cable tier available (i.e., Basic cable) for no additional charge. They have to be in clear QAM.

If Comcast is scrambling them, they are in violation and should be reported to the FCC. You don't have to wait for regulatory changes!

You can also purchase sevice from one out of two sattellite carriers Direct TV or Dish Network and pay for their services, or buy over the air anthenna (if you have built in HD receiver) and pay NOTHING. If you do not have built in HD receiver (so-called HD-ready) buy "over the air receiver" http://www.myfreehdtv.org/body.html and save money.

you will be able to buy a digital converter box so you will still be able to use your older non digital tv on the news it was said that the
box should be about $60.00 and the government will send 2 discount coupons for $40.00 each so your out of pocket $40.00 for 2 boxes if you have 2 non digital tv's comcast does charge a box fee for there digital set top boxes the nice thing is if you have a problem they will swap it out for another so you never have to worry about a warranty plus you get on demand with free movies and you can order pay per view movies and sporting events with the comcast box they are already offering day of release for the pay per view movies this means that the day movies are release to buy on dvd you will be able to order it on pay per view.

This will not be an explanation of the relative merits of flat panel, projection, plasma, or any other type of TV. The type of TV is of no consequence with regard to HDTV. The issue is how you get your signal, and if your TV can receive and process it.

If you are a cable or satellite subscriber, the transition to HDTV probably will not affect you. Your provider should give you the signal you require to keep you as a customer. This transition only affects "over the air" antenna users.

I think that the government and the TV manufactures have done a terrible job of educating the public on this transition. The government has been largely absent from the process, and the manufactures have used it as an opportunity to sell everyone a new (read expensive) television. It reminds me of the Y2K situation a few years ago. Make no mistake about Y2K, it was a real problem that needed to be addressed. Did some manufactures take advantage of the situation and profit, absolutely.

Some background. In the 1990s the FCC made the decision to revise the current TV system to take advantage of the newer technology available. The current analog system was designed in the 1940s, and has survived the addition of color, stereo, and SAP. By upgrading the current over the air system to digital, two goals will be met. The television signal will be improved, and the television frequencies will be consolidated. The current channel allocation of channels 2 through 6o something actually covers three blocks of frequencies. That is to say that the frequencies are not continuous. Channels 2 through 6 are in what is considered the HF or high frequency range. The commercial FM radio band is located just above channel 6. Channels 7 through 12 are broadcast in the VHF range (very high frequency) and channels 13 on up in the UHF (ultra high frequency) range. The new HD channels are located in the VHF range.

When the transition is complete, the current HF and VHF blocks of frequencies will become available for other uses. Those frequencies have already been auctioned off and reallocated to a variety of users from cell phone companies to local government agencies. Those users are eagerly awaiting the television broadcasters to vacate those frequencies.

When the law was first written, there was a provision that the existing system would not be turned off until 80% of all TVs in the US were capable of receiving these new HD signals. America did not embrace this change with a passion. There have been several phases that presumably would have facilitated this transition, but it was not until recently that every new TVs manufactured has been required to have HD receivers in them. Finally, after many delays, a drop dead date was set. Those viewers who use free, over the air broadcasts to watch television, and do not have an HD capable TV, will be in the dark, so to speak.

A friend of mine recently purchased a new plasma TV only to find it did not have the tuner that made it capable of receiving local broadcasts. He had to purchase a separate terrestrial converter (gotta love that name). This will be the way many viewers of older TVs will undoubtedly take. Terrestrial converters or set top boxes will receive an HD signal, and convert it to one that your present television or VCR tuner can use. It will not be a high definition picture, it will be the same quality that is the current analog standard. When I shop and ask sales people at Wal-Mart or other retailers about this transition, they are amazingly ignorant of the situation. Set top converters are not yet a mainstream item. The big box electronics stores are more up to speed on this, but are more apt to want to sell you a new TV than any kind of converter. There will be a government program starting next year for a rebate or coupon to purchase a converter, but I havent heard all the details yet, however I do believe the plan has been finalized.

A few final thoughts. High definition TV will be a cleaner signal, however it is either there, or not. Either you will get a clean, excellent signal or nothing. No ghosts, no fuzzy, grainy pictures. The antenna is smaller, the same as you use for UHF channels now. Broadcasters have been given a certain bandwidth. They can use it to broadcast a single very high definition signal or split it up and broadcast several sub-channels. Many have opted to do that, and broadcast a sub-channel for continuous weather, for instance.

I dont see this as a smooth transition. Most people use cable, or satellite services. For them, this will be a non-event. For those, especially near big cities who have always used the free, over the air option to view their television, this will be a surprise. Stay tuned, it will be interesting.

Here are the selected submissions grouped in one post. Read through them and place your votes in the newsletter poll.

Answer:

2009 and the DTV transition

There has been almost as much misinformation about the Digital Television (DTV) transition as there has been valid material. I can understand why so many consumers are confused. Fortunately there are reliable sources for accurate information and for both Queenie and Jim the news is good. First, the HD flat screen Queenie bought last year probably has an ATSC (Advanced Television Standards Committee) digital tuner and very likely is already capable of receiving over-the-air (OTA) HDTV broadcasts today with an antenna and possibly on cable as well. Most TV stations in the United States have been transmitting digital and HDTV signals since May, 2002. A few have been delivering DTV signals for longer than that. Second, any new television you buy in the United States since last July must be sold with an ATSC tuner; heck, you can find an inexpensive 13-inch picture tube-type TV - with ATSC and Digital Cable Ready tuners - in any big box or discount store today for around a hundred bucks. Any product in the store that still has only an analog tuner must be labeled as such by federal law. You may still find DVD recorders and VCR's (if anyone is still selling any!) with analog tuner warnings. A new 26-inch LCD widescreen HDTV might cost less than $700.00, depending on where you shop. Whatever you decide to buy, the set you get today will work now and after 2009 as well. And as you know, the sky's the limit as to how big (and pricey) the new sets can be.

Any new television set purchased today must receive and decode all available ATSC formats as well as receive today's analog Standard Definition (SD) broadcasts. Many inexpensive new TV's are also Digital Cable Ready (DCR,) which means if you are a cable TV subscriber, and your cable company provides the local HDTV channels "in the clear," that is, unencrypted, you may receive those HD channels on your DCR TV set.

We bought a $99.00 13-inch TV two weeks ago from one of the big box stores just to try one out. We were surprised that it could receive analog and digital OTA broadcasts with a standard TV antenna and when plugged into the house cable system it pulled in all the analog SD channels AND all the local HDTV digital channels. Obviously a 13-inch screen is not going to deliver HDTV. But it does deliver Digital TV, making such a purchase a valid choice for the consumer who wants a small set for a bedroom or even the kitchen. The point of this discussion is that there are plenty of HD and SD choices available for a smaller DTV receiver for a bedroom or elswhere.

As to Jim's question, if you are a cable TV or even satellite TV subscriber today, you will probably not notice the difference as February 17, 2009 comes and goes. Remember, the DTV transition involves your local TV stations, not cable or satellite providers. Almost every U.S. TV station provides an analog SD signal to the cable or satellite operator today and we most likely will keep that signal in place in one form or another as long as we perceive that there is a need. Broadcasters believe most cable and satellite providers also will continue to deliver that legacy analog signal to subscribers for the foreseeable future. It will be up to your individual provider to warn you when they plan to discontinue analog transmissions. If you are already noticing that some channels are no longer available on your analog service, it probably means your cable provider has moved them to a "digital tier," which is a more efficient use of the radio spectrum for the cable company. For you to receive these digital cable channels it means purchasing a DCR TV set or renting the cable operator's Digital Cable box until you are ready to buy a new TV set.

OTA viewers with analog-only TV sets receiving broadcasts through a TV antenna, whether indoor or outdoor, need a DTV converter box to receive digital ATSC broadcasts. Without a converter, legacy analog TV sets using ordinary antennas will receive nothing but "snow" the morning of February 18, 2009. But there is help for this group of viewers. The U.S. government has developed a voucher program that will help every qualifying consumer pay for a DTV converter to keep their analog TV sets working. The Consumer Electronics Association has published a National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) fact sheet with more information at http://www.ce.org/NTIA_Consumer_Factsheet.pdf. You will be able to apply for two of these coupons or vouchers per household, worth $40.00 each toward the purchase of a converter box beginning early in 2008. The NTIA has been tracking the development of new converter boxes and the equipment should be in stores to coincide with the availability of the vouchers. Since DTV converter boxes are expected to cost somewhere between $60 - $100.00, the coupon will help pay for the box.

There are several web sites dedicated to providing as much information to the public as possible; here are a few:

http://www.dtvanswers.com/ This is the primary consumer-oriented DTV site with facts about the DTV transition with plenty of questions and answers about what is to come.

http://dtvfacts.com/converter-box-coupons/ focuses on the DTV converter box coupons.

http://www.dtv.gov/consumercorner.html is the government's Q and A site with far more information than I should try to duplicate here.

Finally, viewers everywhere in the United States by now should have seen the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) TV Public Service Announcements about DTV, directing the viewer to DTVanswers.com and other resources. The closer we get to 2009, the more of a push you will see to inform the consumer about the DTV transition. Major programs by the NTIA and NAB are on the verge of being launched and soon there will be plenty of accurate information, readily available to everyone.

http://forums.cnet.com/5208-10149_102-0.html?forumID=7&threadID=271148&messageID=2627024#2627024

Submitted by: DTVEngineer


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Answer:

Digital conversion - easy answers...

Queenie Y.:
"I've been hearing that all TV signals will be converting to digital in 2009. What does that mean for my TV?"

It means that if you currently receive your television signal over the air with an antenna, and have a television that is not capable of getting those channels, you will need some kind of box that sits between your antenna and television that will convert the digital signal to an analog signal so you can continue to use your current, analog television. If you don't have a converter box, then you'll be watching snow after the analog shutoff date. Link here for more info:
http://www.dtv.gov/

There is also a program planned to provide vouchers towards the purchase of digital converter boxes:

Digital-to-Analog Converter Box Coupon Program
http://www.ntia.doc.gov/dtvcoupon/index.html

"Can you give me tips on what to look for so that I don't purchase a TV that will not be able to receive a signal in 2009?"

A digital tv is NOT a high definition tv. An HDTV gives you a widescreen with a more lines of resolution than a digital television. Go here for a definition of definitions:

http://www.hdtvmagazine.com/resources/index.php

http://www.ce.org/FCC_DTV_Fact_Sheet.pdf

As of March 1, 2007, all television receivers shipped in interstate commerce or imported into the United States must contain a digital tuner. In addition, effective May 25, 2007, the Commission required sellers of television receiving equipment that does not include a digital tuner to disclose at the point-of-sale that such devices include only an analog tuner, and therefore will require a digital-to-analog converter box to receive over-the-air broadcast television after the transition date.

Digital signals are much stronger than analog signals, but they are directional - meaning that if you use an antenna, you have to point to get signal - but when it comes in, the reception is crystal clear, with no ghosting, multipath noise, or to put it simply, no fuzzy picture. You either get it or you don't. Check out antennaweb.org for where to point. Old school antennas and rotors are back. Personally, I get all my tv over the air with an antenna for the tv tuner, and an antenna connected to my sony hd dvr. The picture quality is excellent.

Jim W.
"My question is: With the FCC's mandate that everything be broadcast in digital some time in 2009), what options are there OTHER than having to obtain a "box" from the local cable company? In my case that would be Comcast, and the less I have to pay them, the better.'

Your options:
Digital converter box for over the air reception
New digital television with an antenna connected
Television with a qam tuner for cable
http://www.qamtuner.com/
Television with a cable card slot
Dish Network or DirecTV

"Also, is there a downside to using a box that's not from the cable company... I do not subscribe to any premium channels so I have no "set top" equipment presently. I'm already seeing channels disappear."

Downside is an unsightly box, the upside is not having to pay the cable co for a "rental fee" for the box. You can purchase a Tivo box with multiple tuners, that works with a pair of cable cards, but, you have to pay a monthly fee to Tivo. I just left Dish Network after 8 years - I did not see the value in paying 45 dollars a month just to watch The Daily Show on Comedy Central. The consumer electronics industry, and the Government need to ramp up an information campaign soon to make the public aware of the upcoming conversion to digital. Hope this helps!

http://forums.cnet.com/5208-10149_102-0.html?forumID=7&threadID=271148&messageID=2626216#2626216

Submitted by myoda

One thing the changeover to digital means to me is that the small portable TV I use during power outages will now no longer work. Is anyone aware of a not-too-expensive battery operated TV with a digital tuner that could be used under such circumstances?

I appreciate being able to tune in during storms for weather-related information, etc. Plus, it is sometimes reassuring to my daughters who become unnerved when the power goes out---especially at night without any lights other than candles, lanterns, and flashlights.

try shopping at a truck stop. I know, for non-truckers it may sound a bit weird, but you'll be pleasantly surprised at what is available for those times when 110v electricity is not available.

I suspect it is, in many ways, a fiasco. I don't feel knowledgeable enough to address all areas of concern. However, I strongly agree with your comment about many of the analog TVs ending up in landfills or sitting unused somewhere. I have enough STUFF, and I won't keep my analog TVs taking up valuable space just for single-use purposes. Of course, if Comcast stops supporting the Basic Expanded analog cable programming that I now buy, we may have to adjust to having TVs that are nothing more than video/DVD players. But the thought of having to upgrade some or all of our video equipment just to have the status quo is frustrating. I know that many say the quality of picture will be worth it, but even if it is superior, it really makes no difference to me, as none of us in our family are truly "serious" video afficianados (no surround sound or giant screen TVs here). Furthermore, I'm reading a number of reports that state that it could very well be worse---with less reliable transmission than with analog. I'd rather have to cope with the occaional fuzzy picture and be able to get my news stations reliably than to have perfect, detailed picture but unreliable transmission.

I'm all for those who want the technology to have it available; I just hope those of us happy with how things are won't be forced to change or lose the programing we now have.

Absolutely there's a profit motive. The deadline was set as part of the "Deficit Reduction Action of 2005". It narrowly passed the Senate with Dick Cheney casting the deciding vote, and there's some controversy whether the bill is law since the Senate and House approved slightly different measures.

The bill also cuts Medicare, Medicade, and student loan programs.

The entire UHF spectrum will be auctioned off to private for-profit corporations. So, a one-time benefit to the treasury. The winning corporations will then sell you new communications services (streaming TV to your car!) to make a profit.

And I like how the sh*t doesn't hit the fan until one month after Bush and Cheney are out of office.

Here's the citation:

Section 3002 of the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005, Pub. L. No. 109-171, 120 Stat. 4 (Feb. 8, 2006), amending the Communications Act of 1934, section 309(j)(14), codified at 47 U.S.C. 309(j)(14).

--Wazmo
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