Why doesn’t my new digital TV receive digital broadcasts?
This is archived content from Digital TV Facts. For up-to-date information on the digital TV transition, see the federal government’s site, www.DTV2009.gov. Sometimes a digital TV will not include a tuner (or decoder or receiver) for receiving over-the-air digital broadcasts. This type of television is known as a digital TV monitor. (Sometimes an HDTV monitor will be labeled “HD-ready.” Retailers sometimes call this type of TV a “component solution.”) Consumers who subscribe to cable or satellite TV, or who will use the TV only for watching videos or playing games, may choose a monitor. But if you want to use the monitor to watch over-the-air TV, you will need to purchase additional equipment, such as a set-top receiver. A digital TV that includes a built-in digital tuner is known as an integrated DTV. (HDTV models with built-in digital tuners may be labeled “HDTV Integrated.”) The digital tuner may also be called an ATSC tuner (or ATSC digital tuner), after the Advanced Television Sys
It could be that your new digital television does not include a tuner. A tuner lets you access over-the-air digital programs, and not all digital TVs are equipped with them. Occasionally retailers will label these monitors HD-ready, and in order to use them to watch free over-the-air programming you will need a converter box. To find a TV that includes a built-in tuner, look for a television that is labeled HDTV Integrated. The tuner can also be referred to as an ATSC tuner.
