Key Issues

Digital Television Transition — Get Ready for June 12, 2009


Read May 12, 2009 DTV E-mail Newsletter

Beginning on June 12, 2009, over-the-air television stations will broadcast in a digital-only format. This means that millions of analog TV sets will no longer display broadcast TV signals unless they are connected to cable, another video service, or to a special digital-to-analog converter.

The good news for cable customers is that the digital transition should be easy.  Thanks to a compromise adopted by the FCC in September 2007, cable companies will carry the main digital signal of “must carry” commercial broadcast TV stations and will duplicate that signal into analog format so that all channels can be viewed on any older analog TV sets connected to cable.

Cable’s carriage of the signals in both digital and analog formats will ensure that all customers will see

commercial broadcast TV signals after the transition.  This approach will make the digital transition effortless for all cable customers and provide valuable assistance to commercial TV stations trying to reach all of the homes in their region.

While cable systems will work to ensure that their customers are ready for the transition,

education of all Americans remains critical.

Research shows that most Americans aren’t aware of the digital TV transition, so cable’s Get Ready for Digital TV campaign is alerting viewers to this dramatic change and providing simple and practical information so viewers can be prepared.

How do Consumers Switch to DTV?


Preparing for the DTV transition requires one of three steps by June 12, 2009:

  • Purchase a DTV converter box: Since January 1, 2008, consumers have been able to purchase a DTV converter box that enables continued broadcast television reception on an analog TV set. The federal government offers 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.  There are 2272 participating retailers with 35,768 locations in the coupon program, including 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 June 12, 2009.

 

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



Learn more.