Articles About Satellite And Dish Networks

Switching Signals: U.S. TV Is Going Digital... With, Or Without You

If you already have satellite TV or cable, then you don't have anything to worry about. But if you're still watching TV over the old fashioned television with rabbit ear or outside antennas, you'll need to ?go digital.?

Who is most affected by this legislation? Mostly, rural residents and people living outside of larger cities. Rural communities are scrambling for solutions to their television needs and are finding it with satellite television. Cable TV isn't available in a lot of out-lying areas due to the high cost of cable. So, the only economical solution is satellite TV.

Early in 2009 all over-the-air TV stations must switch the way they transmit their programming, bringing a number of changes not only to broadcasters and viewers, but to emergency responders and digital innovators as well.

Since the advent of television in the mid 20th century, stations have sent their programming via analog signals. As a result of legislation passed by Congress in 2005, broadcasters will have to convert their transmission to digital signals by February 17, 2009.

With the switch to digital, the space freed up by the unused analog signals will be returned to the federal government and auctioned off to new providers and services, according to Brian Dietz, a spokesman for the National Cable and Telecommunications Association.

New equipment

For viewers, the change will mean different things depending on the type of TV set they have and how they get their signal.

Sets that only pick up an analog signal over the air will need a set-top box to convert the new digital signal to analog. The legislation that mandates the digital conversion includes subsidies toward helping consumers buy the converter boxes. However, a coupon worth $40 doesn't provide much of a subsidy to consumers when converter box prices range from $100 to $500 apiece, or more.

Even with a converter box, analog TV sets won't display the better picture than a digital television. But, at least ? for the time being ? consumers can still watch television on their old sets.

Consumers who own High Definition digital televisions will receive the full spectrum signal with all the benefits of better clarity and sound. By March of 2009, all televisions and other equipment that receives broadcast TV signals must have digital tuners, according to the Federal Communications Commission.

Many TV sets in stores - and some already in homes - are equipped to receive a digital signal. Some even receive high-definition television (HDTV) -- a type of digital TV service that offers super-sharp pictures and sound in a widescreen format.

Viewers with cable TV also may need extra DTV equipment to view the new digital format, and those with a satellite dish may need special equipment to view HDTV programs, according to the FCC, which advises subscribers to contact their providers for more details.

Why has it taken so long?

Competition between the broadcast and cable industries has delayed the transition to digital. But a bigger factor in this equation is the fact that cable companies have been slow to adapt their technology to digital signals. Those cable companies that have done so ? even on a limited basis ? are charging extra for the digital signals.

Digital TV has opened the door to crisper signals, surround sound and high-definition pictures.

Digital signals will enable local stations to "multicast," or broadcast multiple programs on one signal. A local station could have a 24-hour news or weather channel and a channel dedicated to high school football all broadcast over one signal. Clearly, there will be advantages to the consumer, as more services will be needed for the 21st century.

Multicasting is already available in many markets and will become more pervasive over the next few years. More than 1,500 of the some 1,750 stations across the country have already completed the digital transition. Of those 1,500, roughly 800 are delivering additional programming through multicasting.

Transition from analog to digital has been expensive for broadcasters.

There has been a massive investment in hardware and software for local broadcasters with no assurance they'll get a return. Recouping those costs will not be passed on to television viewers, but advertisers will definitely feel the pinch in their marketing and advertising budgets.

It is estimated that the costs are going to run about $2 million per station for an upgrade to digital television and about $10 million per station for high-definition. These costs will take several years to amortize through advertisers, and will not cost the consumer; at least, not directly.

New services and providers

The shift in how the spectrum will be allocated also will bring significant changes to other industries.

A large portion of analog spectrum space will be vacated with the changeover and will go to first responders, such as police, fire departments and ambulances, allowing for better communications in the event of emergencies. The analog spectrum space used for public safety has become congested, hurting the ability of various emergency services to communicate with each other.

With the increased spectrum space dedicated to public safety, communications will be greatly improved, and innovative methods to respond to emergencies?like sending building blueprints to firefighters responding to a blaze?may be possible.

Other spectrum space will be auctioned off to new providers or services and could lead to more innovations in the wireless and broadband industries. Some examples include better video downloads for cell phones, broadband televisions with more on-demand options, more services for handheld devices, and wireless/broadband for Internet.

"The entities that are going to benefit the most may not even exist yet. ... [They] are going to get access to that spectrum in two or three years and come up with some wholly new service," Benjamin said.

"For all I know, the next time you and I have a conversation in four years, we'll be doing it through some new-fangled device where we are able to sort of simultaneously type, look at each other, and interact in all sorts of ways."

Ernest O'Dell manages the largest affiliate training organization in the world at http://www.powersatellite.net, is a freelance contributor to The Blanco County News, the Power Satellite TV blog and forum, and to numerous syndicated publications. He can be contacted at http://www.QuestarSatellite.com or http://www.QuestarCommunications.com, or by phoning toll free: (888) 874-7607. Copyright (c) 2008 by Ernest O'Dell and Questar Communications

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