Learn About DTV
Glossary
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Adapters (“baluns” or “matching transformers”) |
Additional equipment/devices needed to attach an existing Twin Lead antenna wire to a digital-to-analog converter box. Click here for more information. |
| Analog TV | Analog television encodes television picture and sound information and transmits it as an analog signal (one in which the message conveyed by the broadcast signal is a function of deliberate variations in the amplitude and/or frequency of the signal). All systems preceding DTV (e.g. NTSC) are analog television systems. Analog technology has been in use for the past 50 years to transmit conventional TV signals to consumers. |
| Analog Channel | A communications path that carries voice or video in analog form — as a varying range of electrical frequencies (See Analog Signal). |
| Analog Pass-Through | Digital converter box capability, which allows analog broadcast signals to pass through the converter box to be tuned by your analog TV. |
| Analog Signal | A type of signal that encodes voice, video, or data transmitted over wire or over-the-air that is commonly represented as an oscillating wave. An analog signal may vary in frequency in response to changes in physical phenomena, such as sound, light, heat, position, or pressure. |
| Analog Spectrum | A traditional range of frequencies used for radio and television transmission. This is a less-efficient and lower-quality system that uses Radio Frequency (RF) waves to transmit and display pictures and sound. |
| Analog Transition Date | In the US, this refers to June 12, 2009, which was the DTV Transition deadline mandated by Congress for the turnoff of analog broadcasting by full-power TV stations. Other countries have also set deadlines for the transition from analog to digital broadcasting. |
| Antenna | Device designed to receive the radio waves broadcast by television stations. |
| Aspect Ratio | Screen's width as compared to its height. For example, for 4:3, the traditional TV aspect ratio, a 32-inch TV would be 25½ inches wide and 19 inches tall. A 16:9 widescreen 32-inch TV is closer to a movie screen than a traditional TV, and would be 28 inches wide and 16 inches tall. |
| ATSC | Advanced Television Systems Committee. This is the name of the DTV system used by broadcasters in the U.S. |
| ATSC Tuner | Often called an ATSC receiver or HDTV tuner, allows reception of DTV signals broadcast over-the-air by TV stations. May be integrated into a television set, VCR, DVR, or set-top box. |