Hooray for Digital American TV

[pichu]

Well the transition just happened now, no more free TV.

Are you impact by this, or somewhat?

[Luinil]

Nope, I don't use the TV service at all. Radio is the only way to go. That and the interwebz.

[Flow]

Well the transition just happened now, no more free TV.

Are you impact by this, or somewhat?

Wait, what?

Any links to this?

[pichu]

Any links to this?

It's all over the news, and talk to talk here.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/06/12/AR2009061201860.html

[Mako]

It is still free Pichu....

[Kenzomatic]

It is free and so are the converters you just have to get a coupon

[dusty_fox]

I don't watch TV anymore...well almost not anymore.
I haven't seen any difference with the digital switch. I watched the redwings vs penguins game (girlfriend's family is from Michigan) and it looked the same to me, and they didn't get a converter or anything.

Is it just over the air stuff?

[Luinil]

Yep, Just over the air network broadcasts, so NBC, ABC, CBS, FOX, PBS, and maybe a few others...

[Don Ramón]

IS that suppose to improve Signal Quality?
Why is the change?

[Mako]

The change is so that it is all digital. You will only notice a change if you have an HD TV though. Otherwise it will pretty much be the same.

[Falcon095]

But why make it all digital?

[dusty_fox]

But why make it all digital?

Maybe because digital signals take up far less bandwidth than an analog signal?

That's just my guess. Anyone know for sure?

[Mako]

http://www.dtv.gov/whatisdtv.html

"An important benefit of the switch to all-digital broadcasting is that it will free up parts of the valuable broadcast spectrum for public safety communications (such as police, fire departments, and rescue squads). Also, some of the spectrum will be auctioned to companies that will be able to provide consumers with more advanced wireless services (such as wireless broadband)."

"Consumers also benefit because digital broadcasting allows stations to offer improved picture and sound quality, and digital is much more efficient than analog. For example, rather than being limited to providing one analog program, a broadcaster is able to offer a super sharp “high definition” (HD) digital program or multiple “standard definition” (SD) digital programs simultaneously through a process called “multicasting.” Multicasting allows broadcast stations to offer several channels of digital programming at the same time, using the same amount of spectrum required for one analog program. So, for example, while a station broadcasting in analog on channel 7 is only able to offer viewers one program, a station broadcasting in digital on channel 7 can offer viewers one digital program on channel 7-1, a second digital program on channel 7-2, a third digital program on channel 7-3, and so on. This means more programming choices for viewers. Further, DTV can provide interactive video and data services that are not possible with analog technology."

[HT]

sucks for us who have comcast that still have to get the boxes, they are free, but it sucks that we have to pick them up and install them lol

[Falcon095]

http://www.dtv.gov/whatisdtv.html

"An important benefit of the switch to all-digital broadcasting is that it will free up parts of the valuable broadcast spectrum for public safety communications (such as police, fire departments, and rescue squads). Also, some of the spectrum will be auctioned to companies that will be able to provide consumers with more advanced wireless services (such as wireless broadband)."

"Consumers also benefit because digital broadcasting allows stations to offer improved picture and sound quality, and digital is much more efficient than analog. For example, rather than being limited to providing one analog program, a broadcaster is able to offer a super sharp “high definition” (HD) digital program or multiple “standard definition” (SD) digital programs simultaneously through a process called “multicasting.” Multicasting allows broadcast stations to offer several channels of digital programming at the same time, using the same amount of spectrum required for one analog program. So, for example, while a station broadcasting in analog on channel 7 is only able to offer viewers one program, a station broadcasting in digital on channel 7 can offer viewers one digital program on channel 7-1, a second digital program on channel 7-2, a third digital program on channel 7-3, and so on. This means more programming choices for viewers. Further, DTV can provide interactive video and data services that are not possible with analog technology."

Well this explains it very good.. Thanks

[Sponsored content]