What is the digital TV transition date?
The digital transition date is the deadline for all United States broadcast television stations to broadcast exclusively in a digital format. This means analog signals will no longer exist. This mandate was set by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). It only affects U.S. over-the-air (OTA) broadcast stations.
Will I need to buy a new television set after February 17, 2009, in order to watch my favorite show?
No. However, there are some qualifications with this answer. If you rely exclusively on an antenna for TV then you will need a converter box to decode the digital signal to analog. If you rely on cable or satellite then the transition probably won't affect you as much.
Does it mean I am watching digital television when I subscribe to digital cable/satellite?
Yes and no. If you have a digital television then you are watching television in digital if the program was created in DTV.
If you own a non-digital TV then you are not watching anything in digital. You are paying for a digital signal and the extra channels, but that signal must be converted to an analog format to be seen on your television.
All stations will broadcast in digital after February 17, 2009.
Yes, all FCC-regulated stations will send a digital-only signal. BUut, most of the stations we watch are not FCC-regulated. They send their signal on cable and satellite, which means they do not have to send it in a digital format.
This is essentially a moot concept because when 2009 comes then chances are that cable companies will profit on the media buzz of the transition and only offer a more expensive digital signal. Satellite, of course, it a digital format by default.
I need cable or satellite to pick up a digital or High Definition signal.
False. If you want to watch a non-broadcast network like TNT in digital or High Definition you'll need a cable or satellite service. If you want to watch a broadcast station (FOX, NBC, CBS, ABC) then you'll need an antenna and TV with a built-in digital (ATSC) tuner. Or, a digital television and an external digital tuner.
All programs will be broadcast in High Definition.
False. Only a few of the programs will come in HDTV. High Definition programming is more expensive to make and broadcast. Most stations won't have the means to transmit 24-hours in HD. Another issue is that non-broadcast stations don't need to comply with the digital transition.
Prices for digital programming will go down after 2009 because digital is more efficient for cable and satellite to transmit.
This issue really only affects cable because satellite companies will probably operate as they do now. Their prices will not likely see a major spike.
Cable companies will have a decision to make - continue operating as they do now or eliminate their basic analog service. I was not a business-major, but it doesn't take a MBA to know that cutting the analog service could dramatically impact their overall subscription base. So, I would imagine they will do whatever they can to convert as many people to a digital package as possible before 2009. I also think they will offer a more expensive analog version for those without digital televisions. Another possibility is they'll drop their analog signal, create a lower tier digital package for the 'basic' cable subscriber and offer a digital-to-analog converter box at a 'low cost'.
