digital and anolog TV and Boxes?

Question

I was wandering about digital and anolog things i heard that soon anolog will not be available so we can not watch tv if its anolog. I also want to know about digital set top box...wat i want to know is when will anolog tv will not be available (if its true)? and if i get a digital set top box and i can connect it to my laptop can i watch digital tv on it?

Thank you...

Answer 1

(This answer assumes you are in the US)

What is happening is the US is changing from an analog TV broadcast system to a digital one.

This does not mean that you need a new TV. Digital TV signals can be converted to analog ones to make them compatible with older TVs.

If you get your TV signals over the air (OTA), you would need to get a converter box for your old TV. Starting in Jan 2008 the government will have a coupon program that will let each household buy a couple of them for about $20 each. Most analog OTA signals will be shut off after 2/17/09.

If you get your TV signals by satellite, these already use digital signals. The receivers contain a converter.

Cable companies are required to maintain analog service until at least 2012.

>if i get a digital set top box and i can connect it to my laptop can i watch digital tv on it

Well, yes and no. If you get TV signals OTA or from a cable system that uses something called "unencrypted QAM", you can buy a digital USB tuner that will let you use your laptop as a TV.

Other than that, there are USB attachments that will let you see analog signals from a converter on your laptop, but watching non OTA/QAM digital signals directly will probably not be possible. This is not a technical limitation. It's because of copy protection/DRM/HDCP.

Cheat Sheet
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Old type OTA TV signals = NTSC = "Analog TV"

New type OTA TV signals = ATSC = "Digital TV" = DTV

Digital signals used on some cable systems = QAM

OTA = "Over the Air" = stuff you get through your TV antenna

"CECB" = government speak for TV converter boxes that qualify for their coupon program. Stands for "Coupon-Eligible Converter Box"