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Digital Television Transition
Article By: by
Texas State Rep. Larry Phillips
Posted: 7/3/2008 Views: 396 Impressions: 3756
Categories: Home Life, Politics, Tech News
Posted: 7/3/2008 Views: 396 Impressions: 3756
Categories: Home Life, Politics, Tech News
View Opinions | Post Your Opinion
Agencies at both the state and federal levels regularly hold briefings for state legislators and their staffs to pass along important information to the public. This is vital part of the governmental process, and allows for elected officials to have the knowledge they need to assist their constituents. Last week, the Office of the Attorney General held a briefing on the federally-mandated switch from analog to digital television broadcasting. This week I will share with you some of the information about this transition.
Analog broadcasting uses waves to transmit the picture and sound to the set, while digital broadcasting uses a set of numbers to relay this information. As a result, digital broadcasting uses less "space," or bandwidth, than analog. This in turn frees up space for new channels. Some of this new space will be used for public safety communications (such as police, fire departments, and rescue squads), while some will be auctioned to program providers. Consumers also benefit because digital broadcasting allows stations to offer improved picture and sound quality and a greater number of channels.
Older television sets may not be equipped to receive digital broadcasting. A digital television is a TV with an internal digital tuner, and this type of television will allow you to continue to watch free, over-the-air programming after February 17, 2009. TV Analog sets should continue to work as before if connected to a subscription service such as cable or satellite. If you do not know if your TV is equipped with a digital tuner, you may wish to contact the manufacturer of the TV set.
If you do have an analog television and do not subscribe to satellite or cable, you will need a digital-to-analog converter box to continue to watch broadcast television on that set. To help consumers with the DTV transition, the federal government has established the Digital-to-Analog Converter Box Coupon Program. Every U.S. household is eligible to receive up to two coupons, worth $40 each, toward the purchase of certain digital-to-analog converter boxes. In January 2008, the government began accepting applications for coupons. The digital-to-analog converter boxes are expected to sell from $40 to $70 each. For more information on the Digital-to-Analog Converter Box Coupon Program, visit www.dtv2009.gov, or call 1-888-388-2009.
For more information on the digital TV transition, you can visit the website www.dtv.gov. You can also contact my office by writing to P.O. Box 2910, Austin, TX 78768-2910 or by emailing me at larry.phillips@house.state.tx.us. My district office phone number is (903) 891-7297.
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