2008 Woodie Awards
Countdown to digital transition begins
Issue date: 2/21/08 Section: Editorial
Editorial
The countdown to the digital television age has begun, and the transition will take place less than a year from now, at midnight on Feb. 17, 2009.
On that date, television transmissions will be going completely digital, in accordance with the Digital Television Transition and Public Safety Act, making analog television signals a thing of the past.
Many people are still unsure about what this means and how it will affect them. Though most people will not be affected, there is a large portion of the population that will be. According to DTV.gov, "Digital broadcasting promises to provide a clearer picture and more programming options and will free up airwaves for use by emergency responders."
Only those who receive television over airwaves using a rooftop or indoor antenna could be affected, so wave goodbye to those old "bunny ears." Any TV connected to cable, satellite or fiber-optic services will have no change in service, according to ConsumerReports.org.
According to DTV.gov, TVs built before 1998 were all analog, so they will not be able to pick up the new digital transmissions. Big-screen projection televisions built between 1998-2004 have a slight chance of having a digital tuner, with those over 42 inches in diameter having a much greater chance. After 2004, most major retailers began selling mostly digital-ready televisions.
After March 1, 2008, manufactures will only be allowed to make and ship DTV-ready TVs, although many retailers will still be able to sell analog-only televisions in their existing inventory if they are labeled as such, according to Seth Sutel, AP business writer.
Unfortunately, there are many TVs that are misleading in the way they are labeled.
Some TVs labeled as "HD-ready" or an "HD monitor" do not have the inner workings to be able to pick up digital signals, according to DTV.gov.
It should also be noted that DTV and HDTV (high-definition television) are not the same thing. To receive high-definition television, an HDTV box must be hooked into compatible HDTVs.
The countdown to the digital television age has begun, and the transition will take place less than a year from now, at midnight on Feb. 17, 2009.
On that date, television transmissions will be going completely digital, in accordance with the Digital Television Transition and Public Safety Act, making analog television signals a thing of the past.
Many people are still unsure about what this means and how it will affect them. Though most people will not be affected, there is a large portion of the population that will be. According to DTV.gov, "Digital broadcasting promises to provide a clearer picture and more programming options and will free up airwaves for use by emergency responders."
Only those who receive television over airwaves using a rooftop or indoor antenna could be affected, so wave goodbye to those old "bunny ears." Any TV connected to cable, satellite or fiber-optic services will have no change in service, according to ConsumerReports.org.
According to DTV.gov, TVs built before 1998 were all analog, so they will not be able to pick up the new digital transmissions. Big-screen projection televisions built between 1998-2004 have a slight chance of having a digital tuner, with those over 42 inches in diameter having a much greater chance. After 2004, most major retailers began selling mostly digital-ready televisions.
After March 1, 2008, manufactures will only be allowed to make and ship DTV-ready TVs, although many retailers will still be able to sell analog-only televisions in their existing inventory if they are labeled as such, according to Seth Sutel, AP business writer.
Unfortunately, there are many TVs that are misleading in the way they are labeled.
Some TVs labeled as "HD-ready" or an "HD monitor" do not have the inner workings to be able to pick up digital signals, according to DTV.gov.
It should also be noted that DTV and HDTV (high-definition television) are not the same thing. To receive high-definition television, an HDTV box must be hooked into compatible HDTVs.
