01/16/10

NEWS FLASH!  Congress has extended the deadline for the switch to DTV!  The new date for the switch to DTV is Friday, 12 June 2009!  This will give you more time to get ready for the big switch, which I believe is desperately needed.

However, some stations across the country - including a few stations here in the Tampa/St. Petersburg area - will still make the switch to DTV on the original 17 February 2009 date.

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Friday, 12 June 2009.  A day which will go down in television history, both in the Tampa/St. Petersburg area and across the state of Florida as well as the United States.  That day is the day when television makes the switch to digital broadcasting and the traditional method of television broadcasting we have been accustomed to for over 50 years, analog broadcasting, will cease to exist.

For the most part of 2008, you have been hearing or seeing public service announcements about the upcoming switchover to digital television and how you can prepare.  Confused?  You are not alone.

Here at EdwardRingwald.com I will present to you how the switchover to DTV will take place and if you will be one of the many people out there affected, all in one concise web page.

Why the switch to DTV?

That is a good question!

First, it will free up the airwaves now being used by analog television for public safety purposes such as police, fire and emergency medical services.  This will improve response time by your public safety agencies when you need them in an emergency.  After all, seconds count when you call 911.

Second, DTV allows broadcasters like the TV stations in the Tampa Bay area to offer improved sound and picture quality which cannot be achieved by the present method of television broadcasting, which is analog.  Additionally, a TV broadcaster can offer one high definition or several standard definition channels which is known as multicasting.

For example in the Tampa/St. Petersburg area WUSF-TV, one of our PBS affiliates, transmits four different channels of programming:  One channel is the main programming feed while there are three other channels - PBS Kids, Create TV, and the Florida Knowledge Network - all being transmitted as part of WUSF's digital TV signal.  Another example is WTSP-TV, known as 10 Connects, which is the CBS affiliate here in St. Petersburg; it offers a main programming feed as well as another channel - a 24-hour weather service called 10 Weather Now - all being transmitted as part of WTSP's digital signal as well.

DTV allows broadcasters to offer more programming for viewers than traditional analog broadcasting.  It means more choices for you, the television viewer.

Will I be affected come Friday, 12 June 2009?

It all depends on how you receive your television programs.

This table will show you how you receive your television programs and what action to take.

If I need a converter box for my TV connected to an antenna, how will the federal government help me financially in getting a converter box?

Uncle Sam is glad to help you out here.  The federal government has a program set up where you can receive up to two (2) coupons worth $40 each towards the purchase of a converter box.  It's practically easy to apply for your coupons, simply follow this link to go to the Digital-to-Analog Converter Box Coupon program, which is administered by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, a part of the United States Department of Commerce.  Simply follow the instructions provided at that website to receive your coupons; that's all there is to it!  (Other than waiting for your coupons to arrive in the mail, of course!)

I have cable or satellite TV.  Do I need a converter box as mentioned above?

No.  Your cable or satellite provider will handle the conversion for you; as mentioned earlier check with your provider as a safeguard.

However, you may want to consider purchasing a digital-to-analog converter box as a backup if your TV is of the old analog tuner type.  Why?  If in the event you lose cable or satellite service for an extended period such as a hurricane and you have a backup TV which is an analog TV, you can hook it up to a pair of rabbit ears at least until your cable or satellite service is restored.

I purchased one of these digital-to-analog converter boxes.  How do I hook it up to my TV?

It's very easy to do.  What follows is a general description of how to hook up your digital-to-analog converter box; the manufacturer's instructions should be followed.

1.  Turn your TV off first before working with anything in the rear of the TV.

2.  Disconnect the antenna from your TV.

3.  Connect the antenna to your antenna in port on the converter box.

4.  Connect the converter box from your output port (can have many names depending on the box you purchased, see your owners manual) to the antenna in port of your TV.

If your converter box has audio and video out ports and your TV has audio and video in ports, use this method of connection instead.  You can easily tell from the color of the ports:  Yellow for video and red/white for audio.

5.  Turn your TV on and tune to either Channel 3 or 4 (if you connected via the antenna port) or your TV's video/audio channel if you connected the video/audio cables.  Then turn on your converter box.

6.  Your converter box will go through a one time set up to tune in the channels you receive in your area.  Once that is done you are in business!

NOTE:  Some Digital-to-Analog Converter Boxes have an "analog pass-through" feature; this allows you to receive TV channels that are still broadcasting in analog.  See your converter box owner's manual for more information.  Also, using your video and audio cables to connect the output of the converter box to your TV (if your converter box and TV are so equipped) results in a better picture as the audio and video signals are direct line signals and avoid a frequency conversion step in the process.

Sources and Links to More Information on the Upcoming DTV Conversion

Much of the material on this page is adapted from the FCC's DTV web site, as well as my personal knowledge of the subject.

The US Federal Government's DTV coupon web site

The FCC DTV web site

Antenna Web - A great TV reception reference

DTV Answers (National Association of Broadcasters site)