What is the digital TV transition?
The digital TV (DTV) transition is the switch from traditional analog TV to digital TV, a modern technology with many benefits. February 17, 2009 is the deadline by which traditional analog TV service will be shut off. The DTV service will be what remains. Most television stations are currently broadcasting their programming in both analog and digital until February 17, 2009. Analog television sets receiving free, over-the-air programming will still work after that date, but owners of these TVs will need to acquire converter boxes to change digital broadcasts back into the old analog format. Converter boxes will be available from consumer electronics retailers at that time.
The digital TV (DTV) transition is the switch from traditional analog TV to digital TV, a modern technology with many benefits. June 12, 2009 is the deadline by which full-power analog TV service will be shut off. The DTV service will be what remains. Most television stations are currently broadcasting their programming in both analog and digital until June 12, 2009. Analog television sets receiving free, over-the-air programming will still work after that date, but owners of these TVs will need to acquire converter boxes to change digital broadcasts back into the old analog format. Converter boxes will be available from consumer electronics retailers at that time. If you’re a cable or satellite subscriber, you aren’t likely to be affected by the DTV transition, but you may want to check with your cable or satellite provider if you have questions about your service.
The switch from analog TV (the traditional TV system using magnetic waves to transmit and display TV pictures and sound) to digital television (the new TV system using information transmitted as “data bits” — like a computer — to display movie-quality pictures and sound), is referred to at the digital TV (DTV) transition.
The switch from analog TV (the traditional TV system using magnetic waves to transmit and display TV pictures and sound) to digital television (the new TV system using information transmitted as “data bits” — like a computer — to display movie-quality pictures and sound), is referred to at the digital TV (DTV) transition. In 1996, the U.S. Congress authorized the distribution of an additional broadcast channel to each TV broadcaster so that they could introduce DTV service while simultaneously continuing their analog TV broadcasts. In addition to improved picture and sound quality, an important benefit of DTV is that it will free up parts of the broadcast spectrum for public safety as well as other valuable uses. This is possible because the modern technology of DTV is more efficient than analog TV technology.
