What do I need to do to be ready for the end of analog TV broadcasting?
Because Congress mandated that the last day for full-power television stations to broadcast in analog would be February 17, 2009, over-the-air TV broadcasts will be in digital only after that date. If you have one or more televisions that receive free over-the-air television programming (with a roof-top antenna or rabbit ears on the TV), the type of TV you own is very important. A digital television (a TV with an internal digital tuner) will allow you to continue to watch free over-the-air programming after February 17, 2009. However, if you have an analog television, you will need a digital-to-analog converter box to continue to watch broadcast television on that set. This converter box will also enable you to see any additional multicast programming that your local stations are offering. To help consumers with the DTV transition, the Government established the Digital-to-Analog Converter Box Coupon Program. The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), a part
If your TV is connected to cable or another video service provider you don’t need to do anything – your TV will continue to work. If you are a cable customer but have some TV’s in your house that use rabbit ears, connect those TVs to cable. If you only use a rooftop antenna or rabbit ears to get your TV signals, you need to make a choice. You can: • Buy digital-to-analog converters to use with your current TV(s). • Buy a new digital TV • Subscribe to cable, or another video service provider.
Congress mandated that full-power television stations will no longer broadcast in analog — over-the-air television broadcasts will be in digital only . If you have one or more TV sets that receive free over-the-air television programming with a roof-top antenna or “rabbit ears” on the TV, the type of TV you own is very important. A digital television (a TV with an internal digital tuner) will allow you to continue to watch free over-the-air programming after February 17, 2009 on TV20 Detroit, but if you have an analog television, you’ll need a digital-to-analog converter box to continue to watch broadcast television on that set. This converter box will also make it possible for you to see any additional multicast programming that your local stations are offering.
