DTV Transition | Digital TV Transition
In the United States all full power television broadcasters will be required to cut off their analog tv broadcast signals on February 17, 2009. From that date on, broadcast television from full power broadcasters will be in digital only.
The new digital broadcasting offers some improvements over Analog.
First, it’s possible to transmit several different video streams within the bandwidth that a single old analog tv stream occupied. This gives broadcasters the opportunity to subdivide their channel up into subchannels. I’ve seen as many as 5 sub channels from a single broadcaster.
Additionally, broadcasters can transmit programming information for program guides, much the way digital cable or satellite users have onscreen guides to display what channel they are watching and what is currently showing.
Another potential benefit is multiple audio streams so that programming can be broadcast in English as well as spanish for instance. To a certain extent some of this feature is already available in analog broadcasting with SAP (Secondary Audio Program).
Of course for many the biggest improvement of Digital TV or DTV is the improved picture quality. Areas that saw snow or poor signal will be able to get a crystal clear picture. Our area used to see all sorts of ghosting and snow on even the closest channels with a good antenna. We are in the mountains. With digital we will for the first time be able to get a clear picture from our local broadcaster. Unfortunately our area requires a bit better antenna than most due to the mountainous terrain.
For most people in urban and suburban areas with good “line of sight” to the broadcast towers you will see a great improvement from the switch to digital television.
It’s worth noting that HDTV (High Definition Television) is NOT the same as Digital Television. Digital Television is just a means of getting the picture to the viewers, High Definition Television refers to the quality of the picture. Many Digital Broadcasters are moving to what is called Standard Definition and offering a simultaneous High Definition feed. Digital broadcasting is required to have High Definition.
The Federal Government in the United States has setup a page with information about the DTV Transition | Digital TV Transition.
See below for the latest news on the DTV Transition.
digital tv transition - Google News
Free cable part of Comcast's plan as digital deadline nears - Examiner.com
 Examiner.com |
Free cable part of Comcast's plan as digital deadline nears
Examiner.com - by Darrell Proctor, Business Examiner The deadline for the nation's transition to all-digital broadcast television is just over four months away. … |
Comcast promotion helps consumers convert to digital TV - Bizjournals.com
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Comcast promotion helps consumers convert to digital TV
Bizjournals.com, NC - “The simple fact is that basic cable is the easiest path through the digital transition and now consumers can get it for free,” Harrar said. … |
FCC sets Knoxville meeting on transition to digital TV - Knoxville News Sentinel
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FCC sets Knoxville meeting on transition to digital TV
Knoxville News Sentinel, TN - FCC Commissioner and former Tennesseean Deborah Taylor Tate will visit Knoxville on Oct. 13 to hold a Town Hall meeting on the transition to digital … |
FCC Commssioner Explains Digital TV Switch to Chattanooga Seniors - WTVC
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FCC Commssioner Explains Digital TV Switch to Chattanooga Seniors
WTVC, TN - NewsChannel 9's Erica Green spoke with one of the FCCCommissioners who was in town to explain the transition to senior citizens. The days of watching TV … |
Ed's View: Local HD in Indy - Lucky "13" - HDTV Magazine
 HDTV Magazine |
Ed's View: Local HD in Indy - Lucky "13"
HDTV Magazine, OR - There is another digital transition taking place in the TV broadcast industry not well known by the "receiving" community. It is called the Broadcast … |
WINDSOR: Session On Digital TV - Hartford Courant
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WINDSOR: Session On Digital TV
Hartford Courant, United States - The meeting will be at the LP Wilson Community Center, 599 Matianuck Ave., where Steve Rabb from Fox 61 TV will discuss the transition, which will occur Feb … |
Idaho City residents may lose access to channels when TV converts … - IdahoStatesman.com
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Idaho City residents may lose access to channels when TV converts …
IdahoStatesman.com, ID - You won't be affected by the conversion to digital TV signals if you have a newer model (made in the last few years) digital TV, if you subscribe to … |
Questions linger over DTV switch - Minneapolis Star Tribune
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Questions linger over DTV switch
Minneapolis Star Tribune, MN - "People shouldn't have to upgrade to a digital package." For more information about the transition to digital TV, check out the NAB's informational website … |
LA Asian TV Station Aims to Smooth the DTV Transition - MarketWatch
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LA Asian TV Station Aims to Smooth the DTV Transition
MarketWatch - … Southern California's #1 Asian TV station, LA 18 KSCI-TV, is holding an unprecedented Digital Television Transition Seminar to reach out to the … |
Digital TV transition concerns get technical - The Associated Press
 Broadcasting & Cable |
Digital TV transition concerns get technical
The Associated Press - WASHINGTON (AP) — Even if all goes smoothly, next February's digital television shift is likely to generate hundreds of thousands of complaints from … Senator warns of DTV-transition 'crisis' Early Switch to Digital TV in Wilmington Provides Preview of … Will Obama or McCain Inherit a DTV Nightmare? |
dtv transition - Google News
FCC sets Knoxville meeting on transition to digital TV - Knoxville News Sentinel
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FCC sets Knoxville meeting on transition to digital TV
Knoxville News Sentinel, TN - … that under FCC regulation must switch to digital broadcasts, to raise awareness and educate consumers in the weeks leading up to the DTV transition. … |
Ed's View: Local HD in Indy - Lucky "13" - HDTV Magazine
HDTV Magazine |
Ed's View: Local HD in Indy - Lucky "13"
HDTV Magazine, OR - … BAS transition to WTHR and other broadcasters is that the all-digital structure and increased BAS spectrum space will greatly facilitate full HDTV ENG … |
Questions linger over DTV switch - Minneapolis Star Tribune
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Questions linger over DTV switch
Minneapolis Star Tribune, MN - For more information about the transition to digital TV, check out the NAB's informational website DTV Answers (www.dtvanswers.com). |
FCC Representative Hosts DTV Transition Meetings - LocalNews8.com
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FCC Representative Hosts DTV Transition Meetings
LocalNews8.com, ID - The transition will take place on February 17th. After this date, power TV stations will broadcast only in digital. The DTV transition will affect those who … |
McCaskill Staff to Discuss Transition to DTV with Constituents in … - Memphis Democrat
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McCaskill Staff to Discuss Transition to DTV with Constituents in …
Memphis Democrat, MO - The DTV transition is something that will affect thousands of Missourians, and too few are prepared for it. We need to get the word out about how the … |
LA Asian TV Station Aims to Smooth the DTV Transition - MarketWatch
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LA Asian TV Station Aims to Smooth the DTV Transition
MarketWatch - … on preparing for the DTV transition on its multi-language DTV Transition website ( http://www.la18dtv.com) and Public Service Announcement TV spots. … |
Senator warns of DTV-transition 'crisis' - CNET News
Broadcasting & Cable |
Senator warns of DTV-transition 'crisis'
CNET News, CA - At a hearing September 23rd on the impending DTV transition, Senator Daniel Inouye, chairman of the Commerce Committee, warned that the loss of analog … Will Obama or McCain Inherit a DTV Nightmare? Congress may see the glass half-empty on DTV transition Early Switch to Digital TV in Wilmington Provides Preview of … |
Ahead of the Bell: DTV transition - CNNMoney.com
 Broadcasting & Cable |
Ahead of the Bell: DTV transition
CNNMoney.com - Lawmakers also have approved $15 million for DTV education and outreach at the FCC. The FCC is requesting another $20 million for fiscal 2009. … FCC Claims 99 Percent Success in DTV Shift Retranmission Deals May Get Derailed by DTV Transition, Cable … Are We Ready for DTV? |
New Noises About DTV Transition; Push for 'Grace Period' - Wired News
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New Noises About DTV Transition; Push for 'Grace Period'
Wired News - By Betsy Schiffman September 15, 2008 | 5:18:03 PMCategories: DTV The digital television trial in Wilmington, NC was widely hailed as a success — public … Court Hears Dual Must Carry Case |
Digital TV transition: Are you ready? - Kansas City Star
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Digital TV transition: Are you ready?
Kansas City Star, MO - As you can see here, it even passes along the closed captioning (though I did find it odd that I was being lectured about the DTV transition while watching … |
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