HDTV and Home Theater Podcast #257 - US Digital TV Transition

US Digital TV Transition

The United States is set to transition all over the air, or free to air, television broadcasts from analog to digital in just under a year from now.  It acronym speak, we'll all need to use ATSC tuners instead of the NTSC tuners we've been using for the past half century.  There are a bunch of questions swirling about the transition, we'll try to answer the most popular ones.  If you live outside the US, this information may apply to you at some point in the future, when your governing body decides to make a similar transition.

When will the transition happen?
On February 17, 2009 all analog broadcasts will go dark and the only remaining television signals flying through the air will be digital.  Those digital signals may already exist, and if they don't they will certainly be in place well before February 17.  You should have plenty of time to get any new equipment you need and make sure it works before you lose television altogether.

Will this affect me?
That depends.  If you use an antenna to watch television, you may be affected.  It doesn't matter if you have an indoor antenna, rabbit ears or a massive antenna mounted to your roof, anyone with an antenna should pay close attention.  If you watch TV via Cable or Satellite, you won't need to do a thing.  Your provider will take care of everything for you.  If you're one of those whole only get television over the air, you must have either a digital television with an ATSC tuner built in, or an external ATSC tuner that can convert the digital signal into analog for your existing TV.

What do I need to do to be ready?
If you already have a television with a built-in ATSC tuner, you're all set.  If not, you need a converter box.  Luckily, the US Government isn't leaving you out in the cold.  Every household can apply for up to two TV Converter Box Coupons.  These coupons are good for $40 towards the purchase of any approved converter box.  Everyone is eligible to receive a coupon, but supplies are limited. There are 22.25 million coupons available to all US households. Once those coupons have been used, there are an additional 11.25 million coupons available only to households that solely receive their TV broadcasts over-the-air using an antenna. Households with TVs connected to cable, satellite or other pay TV service are not eligible for this second batch of coupons. Consumers can apply for coupons until March 31, 2009, or until the funds are exhausted.

How do I get a coupon?
The easiest way to do it is to go online to https://www.dtv2009.gov/.  There's a simple, four question form you fill in and you're done.  Of course there are phone numbers you can call and addresses or fax numbers you can send a completed request form to, but you have to go online to print out the form, so you may as well just do it right there at the website.

What can I get with my coupon?
There are currently 50 different models listed as approved, coupon eligible converter boxes.  Major retailers such as Wal-Mart, Circuit City, RadioShack and Best Buy carry them in the store, and two models are available for purchase using the coupon online at http://dtv.bsat.net/.  The online available models cost $49.50 and $51.99, leaving you to make up the approximately $10 difference.  To be certified, a box must "not contain features or functions except those necessary to enable a consumer to convert any channel broadcast in the digital television service into a format that the consumer can display on television receivers designed to receive and display signals only in the analog television service, but may also include a remote control device.  This means it will be an ATSC tuner that can output NTSC signals and nothing else.  It will not be a QAM tuner.  They typically output only NTSC and composite video/stereo audio.  They are allowed to have s-video outputs, but not component video, DVI, HDMI, VGA or 1394.

I already have a tuner, will the transition affect me?
Nope.  If you already have a tuner, whether it's an over the air ATSC tuner or a Cable or Satellite tuner, you're all set.  Nothing to do but relax and watch TV.

After the transition, will all channels be HDTV channels?
Sort of.  After the transition all channels will be digital, so they'll all be capable of broadcasting an HDTV signal.  However, there's no guarantee that the shows they broadcast will be HDTV shows.  They'll come across as digital content, so they should look a little better than the current NTSC content, but they might not be HD.  If you consider how many shows, like reality shows and such, are still not in HD, it's a long shot to think all of those shows will be in high definition by February of next year.