Learn About DTV
Frequently Asked Questions
Please note that the June 12, 2009 DTV transition deadline does not apply to low-power television (LPTV) stations. The FCC will determine a deadline for these stations to transition to digital at a future date. Learn more about LPTV.
- Digital Transition
- Your Television
- Cable and Satellite
- Converter Box
- General Questions
- Top FAQs
The Digital Transition
- What Is the Public Benefit of the DTV Transition?
- What Is the Difference Between Analog and DTV Broadcasting?
- What’s on DTV?
- What Are the Laws Regarding DTV?
- When Will Stations Go Digital?
- What Do I Need for DTV Picture Reception?
- Do I Have to Wait Until after June 12, 2009 to Watch DTV?
What Is the Public Benefit of the DTV Transition?
The switch to DTV will offer a host of important public benefits, to include:
- Freeing up parts of the broadcast spectrum for public safety communications (police/fire/rescue).
- Allowing some of the spectrum to be auctioned to companies that will be able to provide consumers with more advanced wireless services (such as wireless broadband).
- Allowing stations to offer improved picture and surround sound (enhanced audio).
- Expanding programming choices for viewers. For example, a broadcaster will be able to offer multiple digital programs simultaneously (multicasting).
- Providing interactive video and data services that are not possible with analog technology.
What Is the Difference Between Analog and DTV Broadcasting?
DTV is an advanced broadcasting technology that replaces analog over-the-air broadcasting. Digital broadcasting allows stations to offer improved picture and sound quality along with a host of other advantages over analog broadcasting.
For example, rather than being limited to providing one analog program, a broadcaster is able to offer a super sharp High Definition (HD) digital program or multiple Standard Definition (SD) digital programs simultaneously. Digital television offers many advantages over analog television for viewing broadcast TV.
A broadcaster also can use its DTV signal to provide video and data services that are not possible with analog technology. Full-power television stations serving every market in the U.S. are delivering DTV programming.
More and more DTV and HDTV programming is being offered every day. For a list of available digital programming in your area, check out our Digital Channel Lookup.
What Are the Laws Regarding DTV?
In 1996, Congress authorized the distribution of an additional broadcast channel to each broadcast TV station so that they could use it for digital broadcasting while simultaneously continuing their analog broadcast channel.
Later, Congress mandated June 12, 2009 (extended from February 17, 2009) as the last day for full-power television stations in the U.S. to broadcast in analog. Before June 12, 2009, broadcast stations in all U.S. markets were transmitting in both analog and digital. After June 12, 2009, full-power television stations will transmit in digital only.
When Will Stations Go Digital?
All remaining full-power television stations still broadcasting in analog will make the transition to all-digital between April 16 and June 12, 2009. As of February 17, 2009, about one-third of the nation's full-power TV stations had already gone all-digital.
Digital television is available now. If you watch over-the-air television today, you should be able to receive all or most of your local stations’ digital signals if you have a DTV receiver. You may view high definition and multicast programming from your local stations. Check your local program listings or contact your local TV stations to find out more about the digital television available now.
To contact your local TV stations, you can check your analog or digital channels by entering your Zip Code using the FCC Support Center’s Channel Lookup feature. Here, you will also be able to see when your stations are scheduled to switch to digital.
What Do I Need for DTV Picture Reception?
You need one of the following:
- A TV set with a digital tuner.
- An analog TV set connected to a digital-to-analog converter box and either a rooftop antenna or “rabbit ears” connected to your set.
If you have a digital TV set, you will not need any additional equipment (with the exception of a broadcast antenna) to receive over-the-air digital broadcast programming. However if you have an analog TV set, to receive and display over-the-air digital or HD programming, a digital or HD set-top box must be connected between the antenna and the monitor.
Make sure that you have all of the DTV equipment you need. DTV equipment can be purchased as an integrated set or as separate components. "Integrated" digital TV sets have both a built-in digital tuner and a digital monitor to display the programming.
If you buy a digital monitor only (without an integrated digital tuner), you will need a stand-alone digital tuner, a cable set-top box, or a satellite set-top box to watch DTV.
Digital Cable Ready (DCR) or "plug-and-play" TV sets are also available. These can be used to receive digital cable TV (and often HD over cable) without a separate set-top box. A CableCARD is needed to watch certain cable programming. These sets do not work directly with satellite -- you still need a set-top box to view satellite programming.
Ask your retailer what connectors you need to make sure your new DTV set works with your other electronic equipment (DVD player, DVR, camcorder, VCR, computer, video games, and other equipment). The electronic equipment you have now should work with your new DTV, but you may need new connectors. Make a list of what you have now and ask your retailer what you need to connect the components.
Analog TV sets will need additional equipment to receive over-the-air television when the DTV Transition is completed. All broadcast TV stations in the country have temporary use of a second, separate channel so that they can transition from analog broadcasting to digital.
Congress has set June 12, 2009 as the final deadline for terminating analog broadcasts. Under the law, on February 17, some full-power broadcast television stations in the United States have already stopped broadcasting on analog airwaves and have begun broadcasting only in digital. The remaining stations will stop broadcasting analog sometime between April 16 and June 12. Analog sets equipped with a converter box will display the digital broadcasts, but not in full digital quality.
To check for the DTV signals that are available at your location, use the DTV Reception Maps available in FCC’s Support Center.
For more information on antennas, see the Antenna Guide.
Do I Have to Wait Until after June 12, 2009 to Watch DTV?
No. Digital television is available now. If you watch over-the-air television today, you should be able to receive all or most of your local stations’ digital signals if you have a DTV receiver.
You may view high definition and multicast programming from your local stations. Check your local program listings or contact your local TV stations to find out more about the digital television available now. You can contact the FCC for more information on digital television by calling 1-888-225-5322 (TTY: 1-888-835-5322).