Important ATSC Tuner Compliance Dates
Wednesday July 6, 2005
As if the digital television mumbo jumbo wasn't confusing enough, but July 1, 2005, marked an anniversary of sorts for television manufacturers across the world. In a 2002 mandate by the FCC, all televisions with screen sizes over 36" must include a built-in ATSC DTV tuner if entering the USA. While this doesn't do anything for sets made before July 1, it does offer hope for those who wonder why digital TVs don't already come with the necessary tuner.
Here's a list of other important dates and the consumer electronics devices they affect:
- July 1, 2006 - 100% of 25-35" TVs must include ATSC DTV tuner (right now only 50% required)
- July 1, 2007 - 100% of 13-24" TVs must include ATSC DTV tuner
- July 1, 2007 - 100% of all interface devices must have ATSC DTV tuner (VCR, DVD player/recorder, DVR)