The Digital Television Transition - What is it?
The DTV transition refers to the switch from analog to
digital broadcast television. Digital technology will provide improved picture quality
and sound quality like that experienced at the movies. Congress set the
deadline of February 17, 2009 for the DTV transition. This means that on that
date all U.S. full-power television stations will stop broadcasting in analog format as
they do now, and will transmit only in digital instead. (Most full-power
television stations are currently broadcasting in both analog and digital.)
What Consumers Considering the Purchase of a TV Set
Should Know
When buying television sets and other TV equipment such
as DVD players, consumers should know whether or not the equipment includes a
digital tuner. (TV equipment that includes a digital tuner is sometimes
referred to as a "digital receiver.") Consumers who want to continue to receive their local
full-power broadcast television stations after February 17, 2009 must either purchase a
TV set equipped with a digital tuner or purchase a digital-to-analog converter
box that will convert those over-the-air digital signals into analog so that
they can be displayed on an analog device. Analog-only TVs should continue to
work as before with cable and satellite TV services.
Digital-to-Analog Converter Box Coupon Program
Between January 1, 2008, and March 31, 2009, all U.S.
households will be eligible to request up to two coupons, worth $40 each, to
be used toward the purchase of digital-to-analog converter boxes. As described
above, these converter boxes are designed to make over-the-air digital
television signals viewable on analog-only TVs, and thus are not intended for
analog-only TVs hooked up to cable or satellite service. The National
Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) is running the coupon
program. (Please note that these coupons will expire 90 days after mailing). For more information, visit the NTIA Web Site at
www.dtv2009.gov.
Some Sets Being Sold May Have Analog Tuners Only -
Look for the Label
Although, by law, the import or interstate
shipment of any TV device containing an analog tuner is now prohibited, unless
it also contains a digital tuner, some stores may still have in their
inventory TV equipment with only analog tuners. A television set or other TV
equipment with only an analog tuner will not receive over-the-air local
full-power broadcast TV station programming after February 17, 2009, unless it is connected to a
digital-to-analog converter box.
The Commission has required that retailers fully inform
consumers by prominently displaying the following text if they are selling TV
equipment with only an analog tuner:
This television receiver has only an analog
broadcast tuner and will require a converter box after February 17, 2009,
to receive over-the-air-broadcasts with an antenna because of the Nation's
transition to digital broadcasting. Analog-only TVs should continue to
work as before with cable and satellite TV services, gaming consoles,
VCRs, DVD players, and similar products. For more information, call the
Federal Communications Commission at 1-888-225-5322 (TTY: 1-888-835-5322)
or visit the Commission's digital television website at: www.dtv.gov.
Consumers are urged to look for this label when shopping
for a new TV set or other TV equipment and to take into consideration the
limitations of analog-only TVs when making purchasing decisions. For more
information about the DTV transition, go to www.dtv.gov
or contact the FCC's Consumer Center by e-mailing dtvinfo@fcc.gov;
calling 1-888-CALL-FCC (1-888-225-5322) voice or 1-888-TELL-FCC
(1-888-835-5322) TTY; faxing 1-866-418-0232; or writing to:
Federal Communications Commission
Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau
Consumer Inquiries and Complaints Division
445 12th Street, SW
Washington, DC 20554.
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Federal Communications Commission · Consumer
& Governmental Affairs Bureau · 445 12th St. S.W. ·
Washington, DC 20554 |
1-888-CALL-FCC (1-888-225-5322) ·
TTY: 1-888-TELL-FCC (1-888-835-5322) · Fax: 1-866-418-0232 · www.fcc.gov/cgb/
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