DTV Transition Update

What’s all this talk about digital television, high definition television, transition dates and new TV sets?

Those are questions many of us are asking ourselves these days. Now that Congress has set a February 17, 2009, date for the completion of the “DTV transition,” what do we need to do?

Viewers who currently get their signals “over the air,” using a rooftop antenna or rabbit ears, will have to make some adjustments. Either they will have to obtain a converter box to change the digital signal to analog, or they will have to buy a digital television set.

If you are a cable or satellite customer, you may need a set-top box to receive DTV signals and convert them into the format of your current analog television, even after the DTV transition is complete. A DTV set-top box also may receive multicast channels and high definition programming and display them in analog picture quality. Check with your cable or satellite provider to determine if and when you will need a set-top box.

Beginning in 2008, U.S. households may be able to obtain up to two coupons worth $40 each toward the purchase of converter boxes. The program will be run by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, which will issue rules regarding the coupons in the future.

You might be wondering why the country is “going digital.” There are two important reasons. The sound and picture quality of digital television is much better. It is equivalent to CD quality sound and video. The second reason is that digital technology is a much more efficient use of the electromagnetic spectrum than analog technology. Spectrum freed up by the transition will be transferred to public safety uses and will provide spectrum for advanced wireless applications.

Those who do opt to go digital will have a transformed television viewing experience. Images and sound are captured using digital technology, delivering a movie-quality experience, multicasting and interactive capabilities. That means better quality, more choices, and more control over your television. There are many quality levels of digital television programming. The most common are:  High Definition TV (HDTV), Enhanced Definition TV (EDTV), and Standard Definition TV (SDTV).

So, American consumers will have some decisions to make between now and February 17, 2009. Should I make the investment in a digital television set or continue receiving a lower quality analog picture and sound (either through my cable or satellite provider or through a converter box)? What questions should I ask when I am shopping around for a new television set? What programming is currently available in digital format in my area?

To answer these and many other questions and to help us navigate the digital transition, the government has an excellent, user-friendly Web site at www.dtv.gov.

February 17, 2009, will be here before we know it and, with a little planning, we can all enjoy the many benefits that digital television will bring.

The NTIA Coupon Program

Between January 1, 2008, and March 31, 2009, all U.S. households will be able to request up to two coupons, worth $40 each, to be used toward the future purchase of eligible digital-to-analog converter boxes. Eligible converter boxes are for the conversion of over-the-air digital television signals, and therefore are not intended for analog TVs connected to a paid provider such as cable or satellite TV service.

The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) is administering the coupon program. For more information, visit the NTIA website. The Commission’s DTV website, www.dtv.gov, also provides information for consumers on the upcoming digital-to-analog converter box coupon program. More detailed information regarding NTIA’s coupon program, what digital-to-analog converter boxes will be eligible, where and when they may be purchased, and the related costs involved will continue to be provided by the Commission and NTIA.