Wednesday, January 23, 2008
February 2009 And The Television Transition
A television guide for Neebish Island residents.
Although some folks on Neebish Island have satellite television service I know there are plenty of us who rely on picking up a few television channels over the air with an antenna (I actually enjoy the simplicity of a few channels). But did you know that as of February, 17, 2009, your old television will no longer be able to pick up over-the-air broadcasts of local channels like 9 and 10? The CBC will still work on your old television however. Well, at least until August, 31, 2011 when the CBC will go digital too.
The Details
As of February 17, 2009 if you want to continue receiving your free over-the-air broadcast television you will have two options: 1.) You will need a television with an integrated digital tuner or 2.) you'll need to get a set-top-box to convert the digital signal into analog so your old television can display the content.
Why?
Beginning this Thursday, the United States government is will open the bidding to private companies the 700 MHz radio spectrum currently used for over-the-air broadcast television. The government will gain $10 billion or more from this auction. The winning companies will then resell this spectrum to the consumer as wireless services (voice, data, and video) and I’m sure this too will be taxed by the government.
What To Do?
If you have a newer television you might be okay. If your TV has knobs and dials on it you'll need to make a change. If you have satellite television or cable (when off Neebish Island) then there’s nothing you need to do – the satellite and cable companies already collect the television signals and deliver them to your television and will continue to do so.
Digital converters will be available for purchase from electronics retailers and these will be the cheapest option. These will work by plugging in your antenna on one end and your television set to the other.
But how do you determine if you need a digital converter for your old TV? From www.dtv2009.gov:
If you choose to purchase a converter you can apply for a $40 coupons to offset the cost. Go to www.dtv2009.gov to apply for a coupon.
You are sure to see much in the news about this digital television transition. However, here’s something to think about – from my reading of the regulations this digital converter box will only work with digital transmissions. This means that if you watch a lot of Canadian television then you’ll need a converter that includes an analog pass through or go to your local electronics store and buy a coaxial A-B switch. This is because Canadian broadcasters won't make the transition from analog to digital until 2011. By having either a manual or built-in analog signal bypass you'll be able to continue watching Canadian broadcases past 2009.
But if you've been thinking about buying a new television set, doing so before February, 2009 will ensure you’ll be able to continue viewing over-the-air broadcast television without interruption as all televisions sold since May, 2007 have had an integrated digital tuner (unless there was a big sticker on the box saying it did not have this tuner).
And in terms of new television sets Consumer Reports continuously rates Panasonic models (both LCD and plasma) very highly in terms of reliability and picture quality (I own a 32” LCD Panny and love it!).
But I don’t go to Neebish Island to watch television, so do I need a regular television set there? I have considered a digital projector instead of a television. My thinking is with a digital projector is:
1. it is easy to move around and hide when not in use; so movies and television could be watched just about anywhere
2. any wall can be a screen, giving almost unlimited television sizes
3. because it is portable it can be used outside for "movie viewing" nights
The disadvantages are;
- the light bulb burns out on a regular basis
- it needs a receiver to be plugged into it
- for good sound it needs a stereo system connected to it
- the picture quality is not going to be as a Panasonic (but it should be good enough)
Crutchfield has a choosing a projector guide. And Epson has been making these projectors for a long time. Browse their models for a good idea of what is available.
So, to review, the situation is this. At midnight on February 17, 2009 America’s over-the-air broadcasters will turn off their analog signal. To continue TV viewing after this date you’ll need:
1. to subscribe to satellite, cable, or similar television service (e.g., FiOS, AT&T U-verse) or
2. purchase and use a digital converter box or
3. purchase and use a television set with a digital tuner.
Obviously this digital television transition will be a bit of a hassle. On the flip side the promise of the 700 MHz radio spectrum is the possibility of high-speed wireless Internet connections for even the rural areas of America. We will see…
Here are links with more information:
DTVtransition.org
DTVAnswers.com
Bandwidth wars
Inside the High-Stakes 700-MHz-Spectrum Auction
The 700MHz Question: Will the Wireless Spectrum Auction Lead to Innovation or More of the Same?
Television's big switch-over
Airwaves, Web Power at Auction
DIGITAL TELEVISION TRANSITION: Preliminary Information on Initial Consumer Education Efforts (GAO report)
Major retailers to sell TV converter boxes
Rabbit-Ear Users Don’t Know The End (of Analog TV) Is Near
Google ready to invade telco turf, bid on 700MHz spectrum
Although some folks on Neebish Island have satellite television service I know there are plenty of us who rely on picking up a few television channels over the air with an antenna (I actually enjoy the simplicity of a few channels). But did you know that as of February, 17, 2009, your old television will no longer be able to pick up over-the-air broadcasts of local channels like 9 and 10? The CBC will still work on your old television however. Well, at least until August, 31, 2011 when the CBC will go digital too.
The Details
As of February 17, 2009 if you want to continue receiving your free over-the-air broadcast television you will have two options: 1.) You will need a television with an integrated digital tuner or 2.) you'll need to get a set-top-box to convert the digital signal into analog so your old television can display the content.
Why?
Beginning this Thursday, the United States government is will open the bidding to private companies the 700 MHz radio spectrum currently used for over-the-air broadcast television. The government will gain $10 billion or more from this auction. The winning companies will then resell this spectrum to the consumer as wireless services (voice, data, and video) and I’m sure this too will be taxed by the government.
What To Do?
If you have a newer television you might be okay. If your TV has knobs and dials on it you'll need to make a change. If you have satellite television or cable (when off Neebish Island) then there’s nothing you need to do – the satellite and cable companies already collect the television signals and deliver them to your television and will continue to do so.
Digital converters will be available for purchase from electronics retailers and these will be the cheapest option. These will work by plugging in your antenna on one end and your television set to the other.
But how do you determine if you need a digital converter for your old TV? From www.dtv2009.gov:
“The best way to determine whether your TV set has a digital tuner built in is to consult your owner’s manual. If that’s not possible, you may be able to look up information about your TV set on the manufacturer’s website. Or, you can take an up-close look at your TV set. In any case, you’re trying to find out if your set has an input connection labeled “digital input” or “ATSC” (for Advanced Television Systems Committee, which is the DTV format).”
If you choose to purchase a converter you can apply for a $40 coupons to offset the cost. Go to www.dtv2009.gov to apply for a coupon.
You are sure to see much in the news about this digital television transition. However, here’s something to think about – from my reading of the regulations this digital converter box will only work with digital transmissions. This means that if you watch a lot of Canadian television then you’ll need a converter that includes an analog pass through or go to your local electronics store and buy a coaxial A-B switch. This is because Canadian broadcasters won't make the transition from analog to digital until 2011. By having either a manual or built-in analog signal bypass you'll be able to continue watching Canadian broadcases past 2009.
But if you've been thinking about buying a new television set, doing so before February, 2009 will ensure you’ll be able to continue viewing over-the-air broadcast television without interruption as all televisions sold since May, 2007 have had an integrated digital tuner (unless there was a big sticker on the box saying it did not have this tuner).
And in terms of new television sets Consumer Reports continuously rates Panasonic models (both LCD and plasma) very highly in terms of reliability and picture quality (I own a 32” LCD Panny and love it!).
But I don’t go to Neebish Island to watch television, so do I need a regular television set there? I have considered a digital projector instead of a television. My thinking is with a digital projector is:
1. it is easy to move around and hide when not in use; so movies and television could be watched just about anywhere
2. any wall can be a screen, giving almost unlimited television sizes
3. because it is portable it can be used outside for "movie viewing" nights
The disadvantages are;
- the light bulb burns out on a regular basis
- it needs a receiver to be plugged into it
- for good sound it needs a stereo system connected to it
- the picture quality is not going to be as a Panasonic (but it should be good enough)
Crutchfield has a choosing a projector guide. And Epson has been making these projectors for a long time. Browse their models for a good idea of what is available.
So, to review, the situation is this. At midnight on February 17, 2009 America’s over-the-air broadcasters will turn off their analog signal. To continue TV viewing after this date you’ll need:
1. to subscribe to satellite, cable, or similar television service (e.g., FiOS, AT&T U-verse) or
2. purchase and use a digital converter box or
3. purchase and use a television set with a digital tuner.
Obviously this digital television transition will be a bit of a hassle. On the flip side the promise of the 700 MHz radio spectrum is the possibility of high-speed wireless Internet connections for even the rural areas of America. We will see…
Here are links with more information:
DTVtransition.org
DTVAnswers.com
Bandwidth wars
Inside the High-Stakes 700-MHz-Spectrum Auction
The 700MHz Question: Will the Wireless Spectrum Auction Lead to Innovation or More of the Same?
Television's big switch-over
Airwaves, Web Power at Auction
DIGITAL TELEVISION TRANSITION: Preliminary Information on Initial Consumer Education Efforts (GAO report)
Major retailers to sell TV converter boxes
Rabbit-Ear Users Don’t Know The End (of Analog TV) Is Near
Google ready to invade telco turf, bid on 700MHz spectrum
