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 June 12, 2009 for the DTV transition. This means that no later
than that date all U.S. full-power television stations must stop broadcasting
in analog format, and transmit only in digital instead. Your local
broadcasters may make the transition before then, and some already have. So be
ready and prepare now.
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 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 July 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 website 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 your station transitions to full
digital, 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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