Why The Switch to Digital TV?
To people who have older analog-only television sets, and rely on free over-the-air signals, the switchover from analog to digital may seem like a nuisance. So why is the government mandating that all television broadcasts be transmitted in digital format? Part of the reason is that the FCC wants to make better use of the broadcast spectrum currently being used by analog television signals. Some of this spectrum will be licensed to companies that provide consumers with wireless broadband. And other frequencies will become available to emergency services such as police, fire departments, and rescue squads. And part of it is keeping up with the times. Parts of Europe’s TV broadcasting is digital already, and aside from national pride, digital broadcasting does provide better audio and video quality, in a more efficient manner. With digital multicasting, TV stations can transmit several channels at the same time, in the same broadcast spectrum. In addition, digital TV allows for interacti
