Helpful information on the Digital TV Transition!
February 17th 2009 is the final cut off date for OTA (over the air) Analog TV broadcasts.This means by law US TV broadcasters are required to stop transmission of OTA Analog
TV signals and move to All Digital TV Broadcasts.
Digital TV does NOT mean HDTV (High Definition Television). You do not need to buy
a new HDTV (High Definition Television).
The FCC’s mandatory transition from Analog TV to Digital TV does NOT refer to, nor
mean ‘High Definition TV.’
High Definition Television is ‘digital’; however, HDTV is just one of eighteen digital TV
formats designated in the ATSC (Advanced Television Systems Committee) standard.
If you have an Analog TV and receive over the air broadcasts of analog TV signals – as
of Feb. 17th, 2009 – You will NO longer be able to view Local Analog TV broadcasts.
You do not need an HDTV set. You will need an external ‘D/A-converter’ (Digital to
Analog TV signal converter) installed. The estimated price for these converters is about
$40.00 to $65.00. The bill signed into law will provide up to two (2) $40.00 vouchers per
household for consumers to buy the D/A converter boxes.
Carr offers Digital Cable Television. When all of our programmers switch to digital
signals we will rebroadcast these same signals to our Digital Cable TV subscribers.
More information you may find useful:
TV Classifications
NTSC Analog TV (National Television Systems Committee), Traditional TV; now being phased out.
ATSC Digital TV (Advanced Television Systems Committee), DTV; This is SDTV –
Standard Definition TV – the new, (digital) TV Standard; replaces NTSC Analog TV
Integrated HDTV – or simply, HDTV; DTV with an internal high definition TV receiver.
This is able to receive and display all ATSC TV signals – including HDTV signals.
Digital HDTV – Capable or ready – Digital TV that is able to display HDTV BUT
ONLY with the addition of an EXTERNAL HDTV receiver. * Carr set-top boxes
EDTV – Enhanced Digital TV - a classification describing Digital TV’s that re basically
‘high-end’ SDTV’s. The picture quality does NOT equal HDTV.
Information found at www.hdtvinfo.port.com/Digital-TV.html
More information about the DTV transition is available from www.DTV.gov , and from www.dtv2009.gov or 1-888-DTV-2009 for information about subsidized coupons for digital-to-analog converter boxes.