6 Months Until the Digital Television Transition...

“DTV Transition 101: A Video Guide”

On February 17, 2009, the television industry will enter a new era as all full-power broadcast stations shut off their analog signals and complete the transition to all-digital broadcasting. To help TV viewers understand how this momentous change will affect them, Broadcasting & Cable and how-to video site MonkeySee.com have created an online video guide for the DTV transition. Click here to view the videos.

B&C assembled a roster of experts from U.S. Commerce Department; National Association of Broadcasters; National Cable & Telecommunications Association; Consumer Electronics Association; and LG Electronics to explain the various aspects of digital TV and the analog shutoff.

Presented as a series of six short video clips, "DTV Transition 101" provides:

• An overview of digital broadcasting and the coming transition
• An explanation of how the transition will affect cable, satellite or other multichannel-service subscribers
• An overview of digital TV sets and digital antennas
• A step-by-step demonstration of how to set up a digital-to-analog converter box
• An explanation of the federal government's program to help consumers pay for converter boxes and how to apply for assistance
  

Latest DTV News

All eyes on Hispanics with DTV six months away

Brownsville Herald, August 17, 2008

Lawmakers and business leaders say Hispanic communities could be disproportionately affected by the switch to digital television slated for Feb. 17. Broadcasters are being proactive by targeting those communities to make sure their televisions don't go dark next year. A poll released the National Association of Broadcasters in June found 88 percent of Spanish-speaking households were aware of the pending switch, up from 74 percent at the start of the year.

Give digital TV converter a test before February switch

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, August 17, 2008

We’re six months away from the digital TV transition but just three weeks away from the first full-scale test of the changeover to modern technology in Wilmington, N.C. That TV market will be the nation’s laboratory, starting at noon Sept. 8, when analog television signals are turned off. While the Wilmington test will have wider applications, it’s smart for folks who need to get a converter box to do their own testing before Feb. 17, 2009, when the rest of the country makes the move.

More Americans Are Aware of the DTV Transition But Slow to Take Action

MarketWatch, August 11, 2008

Consumer awareness of the digital television transition is at an all time high, but many over-the-air households are slow to take the steps necessary to continue to view television when analog signals cease, according to the latest digital transition awareness survey from the Association of Public Television Stations (APTS).

RLTV Poll: Many Seniors Unaware of DTV Transition

Broadcasting & Cable, August 7, 2008

Almost one in four seniors is not aware of the digital-TV transition, and that number increases to one in three for those with less formal education. That is according to a poll conducted by Washington, D.C.-based Retirement Living TV. Seniors disproportionately watch over-the-air TV and have been identified by the Federal Communications Commission, the National Association of Broadcasters and others as one of the target populations that will be most affected by the switch to full-power DTV in February 2009. RLTV said its research suggested that the transition will affect almost 70 million households, or 23% of the total.

How do Consumers Switch to DTV?

Preparing for the DTV transition requires one of three steps by February 17, 2009:

• Purchase a DTV converter box: Beginning January 1, 2008, consumers will be able to purchase a
  DTV converter box that enables continued broadcast television reception on an analog TV set. At
  about the same time, the federal government will offer consumers $40 coupons to go towards the
  purchase of these boxes. Click here to apply for a coupon. Note: Coupons are limited to two per household and will expire within 90 days of the date they are mailed.  To date, about 8.5 million households have requested 16 million coupons. Nearly 3 million coupons have been redeemed so far. There are 1,819 participating retailers in the coupon program, such as Best Buy Co., RadioShack Corp., Target Corp. and Wal-Mart Stores Inc.

• Purchase a Digital TV set: Purchase a new television set with a built-in digital tuner. All TVs with a digital tuner are able to receive digital signals broadcast by television stations.

• Subscribe to a video service provider: Subscribe to a cable or satellite provider to continue using analog TV sets.

Remember those televisions in your home, office, etc. that are not frequently used. If they are not digital, they will also require a converter box or cable or satellite service to work after February 17, 2008.

Resources

Have more questions about television's digital transition? A number of organizations and government agencies have created helpful websites to answer consumers' questions:

Federal Communications Commission
National Telecommunications & Information Administration Coupon Program
Digital Television Transition Coalition

National Cable & Telecommunications Association
National Association of Broadcasters
Consumer Electronics Association
Consumer Electronics Association and the National Association of Broadcaster