Cybertelecom Federal Internet Law & Policy An Educational Project

DTV

Not directly a Cybertelecom issue, this page is presented as a courtesy to provide information and track news and developments.

Derived From: DIGITAL TELEVISION TRANSITION - February 17, 2009*
WILL YOU BE READY?

What Is Happening?

Your TV signal is switching to "digital." For more than fifty years, TV broadcasters have sent their shows to your TV using "analog" signals. After February 17, 2009, most of the old analog signals will be gone and most of the stations you watch will use only the new digital signals.

Why Is The Government Switching to Digital?

• For improved public safety for everyone. The transition to digital will help police, fire, and other public safety departments to communicate more easily with each other during emergencies.
• For you, digital TV offers better picture and sound quality, as well as more channels and programming choices.

What Does This Mean To You?

• If all of your TVs are hooked up to cable or satellite, you will continue to get your TV after the switch. Just check with your cable or satellite company to be sure.
• If you have a digital TV, you are ready for the switch. (If your TV is more than 10 years old it probably is not digital. If it is less than 10 years old, ask the manufacturer if your TV is "analog-only.")
• If you have an analog-only TV with a roof top antenna or "rabbit ears," you will not be able to watch most TV stations after February 17, 2009 unless you get a "converter box."

Converter Box?

• The converter box will attach to your TV and let you go on getting free TV.
• With the converter box you can get a better picture and more channels. The antenna you have should work with the box.
• You can buy a converter box at a retail store. The boxes will cost $40 to $70.
• You can get two $40 coupons per household from the US Government to help you pay for up to two boxes. (One coupon per box only. Please note that these coupons will expire 90 days after mailing.)

Videos

NB: Government material is public domain; this means you can freely take advantage of government material. Also, YouTube videos can be embedded in your site. Grab the code and place these videos on your website, blog, or social networking page.

Chapter 1: What is DTV?	Chapter 2: What You Need to Know
Chapter 3: Watching DTV with a Converter Box	Chapter 4: Summary

News

• The FCC Heads For the Pit, CommLawBlog 10/21/2008
• Number 38 Crashes, Leaving FCC at 0-1 on the NASCAR Circuit, CommLawBlog 10/21/2008
• Wilmington, North Carolina: First All Digital - First city to make move, ahead of the February 17 deadline., dslreports 9/10/2008
• Prisons Upset That Prisoners Don't Get Discounts On Digital TV Converters, Techdirt 9/10/2008
• A nervous FCC announces game plan for new DTV day, Ars Technica 3/18/2009
• DTV Countdown Down For the Count, CommLawBlog 3/5/2009
• Man Shoots TV Over DTV Transition - Though transition went pretty well for everyone else..., dslreports 2/24/2009
• Stalled Switch to Digital TV A Classic Tale of Breakdown, Wash Post 2/18/2009
• 40 percent of stations are now DTV only, Lost Remote 2/18/2009
• TV Stations Say Thanks, But No Thanks To Analog Switch Delay, Techdirt 2/12/2009
• DTV Transition Extension - June 12 is Now THE Date, CommLawBlog 2/12/2009
• FCC's Adelstein: DTV Transition "Not Ready For Prime Time", Consumer Affairs 2/10/2009
• FCC Beats NTIA on DTV Website Revamp, Spectrum Talk 2/10/2009
• Despite Delay for DTV, FCC Concerns Remain, Wash Post 2/10/2009
• DTV Extension: It Ain't Over 'Til The Paperwork's . . ., CommLawBlog 2/10/2009
• NTIA Welcomes Congressional DTV Action, NTIA 2/5/2009
• Switch to Digital TV Wins a Delay to June 12, NYT 2/5/2009
• Congress approves delay of digital-TV transition, CNET 2/5/2009
• DTV delay passes, 264-158, Ars Technica 2/5/2009
• Congress Delays Digital TV Transition: Everyone Loses!, Techdirt 2/5/2009
• House Likely to Keep Analog TV Signals Alive for Four More Months, Ecommerce Times 2/3/2009
• White House Sees Win Ahead on DTV Delay, Internet News 2/3/2009
• US DTV Cutover: re-purposing spectrum is harder than you think, CISCO 1/29/2009
• More Details On Proposed DTV Delay: This Just Gets Better And Better, Techdirt 1/29/2009
• DTV Extension? Senate Says June 12 - AGAIN!, CommLawBlog 1/29/2009
• Senate Delays DTV Transition - From February 17 to June 12, dslreports 1/27/2009
• Digital TV Transition Could Leave One in Six Homes in the Dark, Clickz 1/27/2009
• Senate Passes Bill to Shift DTV Transition Date to June 12, Senate Commerce 1/27/2009
• Senate agrees to push DTV date to June, Lost Remote 1/27/2009
• Senate Delays Digital TV Transition; Will The Situation Be Any Different In June?, Techdirt 1/27/2009
• Nielsen: >6 million households still not ready for DTV day, Law & Disorder 1/27/2009
• More DTV confusion, CableTechTalk 10/10/2008