I'm confused about whether or not my TV (w/ or w/out a conventional antenna will WORK after ??? (date?)?

Question

? My TV won't WORK? ?I'll have to buy a new TV? I CAN use my antenna, IF I BUY a BOX? I've been told that even my 'cable' / 'satellite' won't work unless I buy a NEW TV, or BOX????

I'm confused!!! What IS this all about...???

Answer 1

(This answer assumes you are located in the US, but it's similar in most of the world)

You have been getting some bad information. What is true is the US is changing to an (almost) all digital broadcast system on 2/17/09.

But, digital TV signals can be cheaply converted to analog TV signals that older TVs can understand. Except for some small TVs that do not have external connections for an antenna or A/V cables, all older TVs will still be usable after 2/17/09.

For people using antennas, this means you will need to buy a converter box (or a recorder with an ATSC tuner included) for each non-digital TV to keep watching broadcasts. Starting on 2/17/08, the government will start handing out coupons that will let each household buy a couple of them for about $20 each. Without the coupon they will be more like $60.

The converter goes between the TV's antenna and the TV.

Both digital and analog TV use the same antennas. If you get good analog reception, you should be able to use your old antennas. Despite marketing hype, there is no difference between analog and digital TV antennas. But digital broadcasts are more fussy about signal quality. In some areas all the digital broadcasts will be in UHF (analog channels 14-69). UHF only antennas are smaller then VHF/UHF antennas.

Cable customers will have a similar way to get analog signals.

Satellite signals are already digital, there is a converter built into the satellite receiver. If your satellite receiver includes an over the air (OTA) receiver for picking up local stations, you might need a new receiver with a digital OTA tuner to keep receiving local stations.

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PS:
The answer from "Broadcast Engineer" is 100% correct.

Answer 2

Common sense accurate answer:

All you need is a converter box if you want to use an antenna. And you need an antenna or an antenna plus a signal amplifier (some countries call this a signal booster) if the antenna alone will not produce good quality digital signals.

Lots of people think you need a new TV. You only need a new TV if you want the best picture possible from HDTV channels showing HDTV programs. But if all you want to do is keep watching TV as you do now you only need a converter.

Right now when you watch a TV program that was produced in HD it is being converted for you to an analog signal which is not HD (high definition) but is SD (standard defintion).

Cable will probably only change in the following way:

If you have an analog TV you will have to get a cable box if you do not already have one.

Future cable boxes may only work with digital TVs after 2012 in the United States. For the analog TV you have now you would then need a converter box. BUT WAIT! The cable company is not going to throw out all their old boxes so this may take a long time to happen (more than 3 years).

Satellite boxes may undergo the same gradual change but again not until after February 2012 in the US and not until they run out of analog compatible boxes.

What it is all about for the over the air channels is bringing HD to the masses, bringing better quality pictures, and reducing the number of channels needed so that:

1. Emergency service radios used with Police, Fire and Government agencies such as Homeland Security can talk to each other on new frequencies.

2. Auctioning other channels for use with other services to pay off the national debt.

In other countries the goals may be somewhat different.

Basically digital offers the chance to have HD content on the air or have more programs -- up to six -- on one channel.

Answer 3

After February of 2009, all tv stations will be required by law to broadcast in digital, not analog. If you have cable tv and use a set top box, or if you have satellite, with a set top box, you don't have to worry about it, since these boxes will automatically convert the broadcast signal to digital. If you use an antenna, it will start recieving only digital signals, and the only way you will be able to view them is: a)buying a tv with a digital tuner, (Which is what Best Buy, Circuit City, et al, would love for you to do) or b)using a converter box, which I presume will be cheaper, but possibly more of a hassle. To reiterate, if you have CABLE or SATELLITE with a SET TOP BOX already on your tv, you have nothing to worry about. (Yes, I know I'm going to have to get some boxes from my cable company for the rest of my tvs, I'm sure they'll hassle me about it when the time comes...) I hope this cleared it up somewhat.

Answer 4

You have until 2009 to upgrade to a new television that is digital. You can still keep your same tv, but you will need a converter. What they are doing is switching the tv signals. If you have cable or satellite you are just fine. They are just switching the tv channels that nobody pays for... like abc fox nbc that go on the tv without any connections

Answer 5

Your conventional tv will not work w/ antenna but will with cable or sat. 2/19/09 analog cut off date this will free up UHF transmissions for only digital tvs with HDTV tuners. This actually makes total sense as far as airwaves go.

Answer 6

it is very confusing in feb 2009 you will have to buy a specail box so your tv will work on digital. the fcc has a web site on it but the details are are confusing to me too. i am sure more information will be released soon on what you will have to buy. they are saying the box will be 40 to 50 bucks some how the fcc will give out a rebate for 40 buck so it should not cost you so much.