2008 PRESS RELEASES
Click here to e-mail this page to a friend.
December 2, 2008
BE PREPARED FOR THE CONVERSION TO DIGITAL TV ON FEBRUARY 17, 2009
Contact: Marion Horsley, 804.225.3820
In 2009, February will bring more than Valentine’s Day, George Washington’s Birthday and dreary weather. The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS) reminds consumers that on Tuesday, February 17, 2009, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has mandated that all full-power broadcast television stations in the United States stop broadcasting on analog airwaves and begin broadcasting only in digital, also known as DTV.
VDACS Commissioner Todd P. Haymore noted, “This conversion from analog to digital TV, directed by the FCC, represents a milestone for the television broadcast industry in the U.S. It also presents a challenge for consumers who must make sure their equipment is ready to utilize the advances and advantages of the new technology.”
What’s the difference between analog and digital broadcast? Analog is the way television has broadcast for the past 50 years, but analog signals vary continuously, creating fluctuations in color and brightness. In comparison, digital broadcasting will allow stations to offer improved picture and sound quality and additional channels.
Why the change from analog to digital TV? According to the FCC, in addition to improving the picture and sound and the ability to offer more programming choices, converting to digital will mean that the newly vacated space on the broadcast spectrum can be used for important public and safety services such as police and fire departments and for advanced wireless services.
To get ready for the change to DTV on February 17, consumers need to determine what kind of TV set they have now and how they receive their TV signal.
If you subscribe to a cable or satellite TV service, your TV will probably continue to work as before whether it is analog or digital. However, cable and satellite subscribers should ask their companies if they will need any new equipment when the change is made to DTV.
If you receive free TV programming using rabbit-ears or a roof-top antenna, the kind of TV you have will make a difference. If it is a digital TV, you can continue to watch TV after February 17, 2009 without making any changes. But if you have an analog TV, you will need a digital-to-analog converter box to continue to watch TV on that set.
How can you tell if your TV is digital? Look for statements in the product information that came with the TV or for labels or markings on the TV to indicate that it contains a digital tuner. These labels or markings may contain the words “Integrated Digital Tuner,” “Digital Tuner Built-In,” “Digital Receiver,” or “Digital Tuner,” “DTV,” “ATSC,” or “HDTV” (High Definition television).
For an analog TV set, the set-top converter box will receive digital signals and convert them into analog format for display on analog TVs. Between January 1, 2008, and March 31, 2009, all U.S. households will be eligible to request up to two coupons, worth $40 each, to be used toward the purchase of up to two, digital-to-analog converter boxes.
The coupons may be used only for eligible converter boxes sold at participating consumer electronics retailers, and the coupons must be used at the time of purchase. (Please note that these coupons will expire 90 days after mailing). For more information on the Digital-to-Analog Converter Box Coupon Program, click here, or call 1.888.388.2009 (voice) or 1.877.530.2634 (TTY). Find a list of eligible boxes click here.
Consumers who are shopping for new TVs need to pay particular attention to what kind of TV they are purchasing. The Federal Communications Commission’s digital tuner rule specifies that as of March 1, 2007, all new TVs must include digital tuners. This rule prohibits the manufacture, import, or interstate shipment of any device containing an analog tuner, unless it also contains a digital tuner.
However, despite this prohibition on manufacture and shipment, retailers may continue to sell analog-only devices from existing inventory. As a result, at the point of sale, many consumers may not be aware that this equipment will not be able to receive over-the-air-television signals after February 17, 2009.
To address this issue, the FCC has adopted a rule requiring sellers to display a Consumer Alert disclosing that they are selling TV equipment with only an analog broadcast tuner. The text of the alert also makes it clear that this television receiver will require a converter box after February 17, 2009, to receive over-the-air broadcasts with an antenna because of the Nation's transition to digital broadcasting.
For more information about the conversion to digital TV, call the Federal Communications Commission at 1.888.225.5322 (TTY: 1.888.835.5322) or visit the Commission's digital television Web site.