DTV Blogtag:weblogs.fox40.com,2008:/about/station/dtv-transition/3052008-07-28T17:53:59ZTransitioning To Digital TelevisionMovable Type 3.36Why DTV Is Not Necessarily HDTVtag:weblogs.fox40.com,2008:/about/station/dtv-transition//305.1124902008-07-28T19:55:57Z2008-07-28T17:53:59ZA common misconception among those who are purchasing DTV converter boxes using a coupon is that they'll begin receiving high-definition television signals (usually known as HDTV). Sorry to disappoint, but this isn't exactly the case, so before you indulge in...Matthew K.
A common misconception among those who are purchasing DTV converter boxes using a coupon is that they'll begin receiving high-definition television signals (usually known as HDTV). Sorry to disappoint, but this isn't exactly the case, so before you indulge in a brand-new high definition set, you might want to read on.
There are two common forms of a digital signal: SDTV and HDTV. Both forms are capable of bringing in a clearer picture than your analog signal, both bring in clearer audio and both are capable of tuning in to those digital subchannels that bring you more content.
The main difference between SDTV and HDTV lies in the clarity of the picture and the amount of audio channels you can receive. Without getting too technical, SDTV is what you get your grandma who wants to keep up on her soap operas--basic digital signal, audio in stereo. Those are the boxes you'll be able to purchase with your $40 government coupons.
But say you want the full package--the ability to watch a football game, surrounded by the sounds of the crowd and the players, and the excitement of spotting dew on the bold, green grass--HDTV is the way to go. There are HDTV tuners you can purchase for your HDTV-ready sets; however, most widescreen sets already come with HDTV tuners built-in. For those of you who, like me, purchased an HDTV-ready set with only an analog tuner, you'll need to invest in a HDTV tuner--they are more expensive and undermanufactured at the moment. Samsung's HDTV Digital Terrestrial Receiver is an example of an HDTV tuner. However, with a pricetag of $179.99 and the inability to use the government coupon vouchers, it may be best to simply invest in a new set, subscribe to cable or satellite, or deal with a cheaper SDTV converter box instead.]]>
DTV: Best Buy Offering Converter Box Refundstag:weblogs.fox40.com,2008:/about/station/dtv-transition//305.1143342008-07-16T16:53:58Z2008-07-16T17:18:08ZIf you purchased a digital converter box at a local Best Buy electronics store, you may have a refund check coming your way. Customers who purchased digital converter boxes using a government rebate coupon were accidentally overcharged state tax in...Matthew K.
If you purchased a digital converter box at a local Best Buy electronics store, you may have a refund check coming your way.
Customers who purchased digital converter boxes using a government rebate coupon were accidentally overcharged state tax in California, Connecticut, Missouri, Pennsylvania, Texas and Wisconsin. In a statement released by Best Buy to customers, the electronics giant says sales tax was accidentally deducted from the coupon instead of the tax being applied after the coupon was used. This means customers were overcharged for sales tax.
"We have calculated the difference and are refuding this to (customers)," Susan Grafton, Chief Accounting Officer of Best Buy, said in a statement to customers. "We are treating this matter very seriously, and we are taking steps to reduce the risk of this occuring in the future."
According to Public Relations Officer Brian Lucas, Best Buy has calculated the overcharge and will be mailing customers a check for the difference if customers used either their credit card or the store's Reward Zone program. Customers who use either have their names and home addresses on file at time of purchase; those who used cash will need to visit a Best Buy location with their proof of purchase. In California, customers can expect to receive around $2.95 per coupon used.
Best Buy is asking anyone with questions to contact their Customer Care line at 1-866-764-6979 between 8AM and 5PM Central Time, Monday through Friday.]]>
DTV: Cable Affected? Yes And No...tag:weblogs.fox40.com,2008:/about/station/dtv-transition//305.1132062008-07-10T17:06:42Z2008-07-10T20:02:55Z"I have Comcast, no cable box, into VCRs, then to TVs. You say that my television should continue to work as usual...is that correct? Or will Comcast require a cable box for each TV?" -Eric (via email). Excellent question, Eric....Matthew K."I have Comcast, no cable box, into VCRs, then to TVs. You say that my television should continue to work as usual...is that correct? Or will Comcast require a cable box for each TV?" -Eric (via email).
Excellent question, Eric. The simple answer to your question: No, your television set will not be affected by the DTV switchover. But since we're on the topic, yes, you will probably need a cable box pretty soon to continue receiving some of your favorite channels.
Here's what it boils down to: You currently have two options when it comes to cable. You can choose analog cable, which will give you anywhere from 60 to 80 channels (depending on where you live) using your television's built-in tuner, or you can choose digital cable which will give you hundreds of channels with the addition of a digital cable box.
Truth be told, customers who choose digital cable are helping companies like Comcast, Time Warner and Adelphia deliver content to households since digital cable drastically cuts down on the bandwidth (or "space") each channel needs in order to be carried through a cable line. Basically, digital cable is a service that allows for more channel selection. Cable companies are starting to see this as a huge necessity due to the rapidly-growing cable market, where new channels are popping up every day and international channels are starting to come into demand.
What's this mean for you? Well, if you invest in Comcast cable, you will likely receive a notice sometime within the next three years that if you want to continue receiving certain cable stations, you'll need to invest in a digital cable box.
"CNN, AMC, ESPN...that's the group of networks that will be migrating to the all-digital platform in the future," says Andrew Johnson, Regional Vice Presidento of Communications for Comcast in Northern California. In a couple of years, if you want to continue watching stations like WGN America, you'll need to call your cable company and upgrade to a digital cable package.
Cable's decision to switch from analog to digital services is entirely service- and business-oriented and is NOT required by the FCC. In fact, if you simply want to continue to receive local stations, such as KTLA in Los Angeles or KCPQ in Seattle, you will still be able to use your wall-to-TV analog connection without the need of a digital cable box or a digital cable package. Johnson explains, "(Comcast has) made a commitment to both the FCC and our local broadcasters...that we will continue to carry the limited-basic signals exactly the way we do now for three years."
Our best piece of advice? Contact your local cable company and ask them if they plan on switching your service from analog to digital. Some cable companies will charge you for additional receivers in additional rooms, which could be a nuisance for those who enjoy the freedom of having all television sets in a household hooked up direct to the wall without additional charges.
As for those viewers with satellite service, you most definitely will NOT be affected by the digital transition, as satellite viewers have received a digital signal for years. Regardless of whether you have cable or satellite, purchasing a DTV converter box will not allow you to receive digital channels via cable or satellite.]]>
DTV: Terms You Should Knowtag:weblogs.fox40.com,2008:/about/station/dtv-transition//305.1124962008-07-08T14:55:45Z2008-07-08T15:18:48ZAs with anything digital these days, there's a dictionary full of terminology out there that is likely to confuse basic consumers who simply want to convert their television signals from analog to digital. Most of the terms out there, like...Matthew K.
As with anything digital these days, there's a dictionary full of terminology out there that is likely to confuse basic consumers who simply want to convert their television signals from analog to digital. Most of the terms out there, like codec, datacasting and upconverting are used in the techincal aspect of DTV. We won't worry about those right now, because as a basic television viewer, they really don't mean much.
Instead, here are some words you should know. In fact, when browsing for a DTV box, an HDTV set or a new subscription service like cable or satellite, I would recommend you print this page out and carry it with you as a quick reference. You're likely to see the following list of words printed in ads for converter boxes or television sets, or in public service announcements on television warning of the DTV transition in 2009.
ATSC: This is an acronym that stands for Advanced Television Systems Committee. That probably means nothing to you since it's a technical term for the television tuner, but if you see the letters ATSC printed on a television set or converter box, it means that set or box comes with a DTV tuner.
NTSC: This is an acronmy for National Television Systems Committee. This acronym is commonly associated with a tuner that is not digital. If you purchase a televison set with an NTSC tuner instead of an ATSC or DTV tuner, you will not be able to receive digital television without a converter box, cable or satellite. All television sets manufactured before 2001, and some manufactured afterward, have an NTSC tuner.
Aspect Ratio: The size of the video picture. There are two different aspect ratios--4:3, which is a square, "box" shaped picture; and 16:9, which is a wide, rectangular picture. Some television programs broadcast via DTV are in 4:3 while others are in 16:9. Converter boxes can accomodate for either aspect ratios, so determining the aspect ratio of your television set isn't important when purchasing the converter box so much as it is in installing the box (if you have a "box" type television set, choose 4:3; if you have a widescreen set, use 16:9).
Digital Subchannel: These are the "hidden" channels you can only receive with a DTV tuner. Think of these as "mini" channels. They are often labeled as 40-1 (or 40.1), 40-2 (or 40.2), 40-3 (or 40.3) and so on. In the future, stations will launch more content on their digital subchannels, which could include multicultural, childrens, music, entertainment or weather programming. All DTV tuners or converter boxes are capable of receiving digital subchannels.
DTV: Acronym for digital television. DTV allows for more channels of programming, clearer video, clearer audio and a better signal. The three different formats for DTV are SDTV, EDTV and HDTV. We'll be covering each here in our glossary as well as in future blog entries.
SDTV: An acronym for Standard Definition Television. If you're purchasing a converter box with a government voucher, SDTV is the format you'll be receiving. SDTV pulls in a completely digital, clearer picture as compared to its analog counterpart. However, if you want a crisp, sharp picture, you'll want to invest in either an HDTV.
EDTV: An acronym for Enhanced Definition Television. EDTV brings in a crisp, sharper picture than SDTV, but not quite as crisp or sharp as HDTV. EDTV exists mainly for flat-screen "box" television sets that would not be able to distinguish between the type of signal broadcast in either EDTV or HDTV.
HDTV: The total package. An acronym for High Definition Television, HDTV is commonly, and erroneously, used in conjunction with digital television. HDTV is not digital television; instead, HDTV is a type of digital television. It offers the sharpest, clearest video currently available for television broadcast. In order to receive HDTV, you must invest in a television set that has a tuner labeled "HDTV," or invest in cable or satellite. While there are a few HDTV converter boxes, they are often expensive and undermanufactured and therefore aren't a good, reliable option for receiving HDTV.
Terrestrial Broadcasting: This term is sometimes used when describing tuners that require an antenna to receive a signal. It's commonly referred to as "over-the-air" television, as opposed to cable or satellite.
For more terms you should know, check out the government's DTV glossary at DTV.gov. ]]>
DTV: Use An Antenna?tag:weblogs.fox40.com,2008:/about/station/dtv-transition//305.1116542008-07-07T07:51:00Z2008-07-07T22:13:20ZTwenty percent of Americans still receive television signals using an antenna. One in five television viewers will need to make use of a digital converter box before television stations switch off their analog transmitters and broadcast entirely in digital by...Matthew K.
Twenty percent of Americans still receive television signals using an antenna. One in five television viewers will need to make use of a digital converter box before television stations switch off their analog transmitters and broadcast entirely in digital by February 2009. The change from analog to digital will provide better picture quality, better sound and more channels to choose from in the future.
You've heard all of the above before, either on television, by radio, in print, online or by word-of-mouth. You've heard terms like "high-definition," "digital subchannel," and "amplified antenna" thrown around among the talkings heads of news programs and commercial public service ads.
But what does this all mean to you? Feel overwhelmed by the change? Confused by the alien broadcast language full of mumbo-jumbo and technical terms?
Take a deep breath. Relax. This television station is going to cut through all the technical talk and speak to you in plain English. The fact of the matter is, the transition from "analog" to "digital" is as simple today as the transition from black-and-white to color was back in the 1960s. That didn't stop people from panicking and freaking out over a new style of television that, let's face it, we take for granted today as something entirely simple.
Digital television, or DTV, is the same deal. In fact, it's easier to understand and requires way less work than the color switchover of the '60s. Over the next few weeks, up to the actual switchover in February 2009, this blog will answer any questions you have about the analog-to-digital switchover. Here, you'll find information on which converter box to pick out ("converter" wha?), information about how to tune in to your favorite TV stations once you have your box, what you need to do (or don't need to do) if you're a cable or satellite subscriber, and answer the questions you write in to us.
Our goal is to make sure you don't lose access to your favorite stations (we hope one is us) come February of next year. So as we say in television, "stay tuned..."]]>