I’ve got cable, so don’t need a converter box, but it is a simple fix for those who receive with an antenna.
How complex a procedure is if for all the TV station to convert to a digital signal? What is the procedure? Can they just slip a new board into the transmitter, or do they have to rework the entire transmission system?
And, do they need different antennae too?
It takes an entirely different transmitter and antenna system. Even if the old system could work, stations have been transmitting both their original analog and their new digital signals for several years already during the transition period. Also, while a few low-end stations could hook their old analog signal to the digital transmitter, most are taking the opportunity to upgrade their whole signal chain, from cameras on, to HD or at least fully digital operation. Where commercials and programs might have been played back via videotape, now it will be played out of a hard disk server.
So, while the station owners have been whining about the expense, and dragging their feet, the transition will save them money by minimizing labor.
Thanks, gaffa for the good info. Very interesting.
Despite the vast amount of info for the need for converter boxes for the old sets, I’ll bet there will still be a huge number of people very shocked next week when they get no signal. 
The US analogue switchoff is next week? I thought it wasn’t until February.
Of course, you are right. Feb 17th if I recall correctly. I posted before I was really awake!
Glad to help. Of course, like anything, there are exceptions. Some broadcasters who got adjacent channels (analog 19, digital 20) were able to use a system that would transmit a mediocre digital channel along with the analog to meet the bare minimum requirements of a few years ago.
I believe it will go fairly smoothly. It is a bigger transition than the one from B&W to color, as old B&W sets could still receive the new color signals.
I’m just wanting to find a tiny portable set with a digital tuner to replace my old one. A plug-in box doesn’t help there.
Also important to note that most VHF stations (channels 2-13) will go dark, as they are being refarmed up to UHF frequencies. Those with rabbitears antennas will probably need a new UHF antenna. Also important to note that UHF waves do not propagate as far as VHF, so those who were previously on the ‘fringe’ of the coverage area will probably get no signal at all.
I thought that was the idea, but some stations lobbied to remain on VHF. Channel 2 in Chicago is on digital 3, and channel 9 in Kansas City is on digital 7.
I think the biggest shock will be when people realize that their over the air VHS and DVR recorders will no longer record their programs.
I’ve been searching for an digital broadcast OTA capable DVR that is not TIVO and none of the big box stores are carrying anything.
The standard broadcast DVR’s were very scarce two years ago when I bought mine and it looks like I’ll have to either upgrade my satellite package to get a decent digital broadcast DVR or switch to cable.
A got a couple from Walmart that are smaller than a PC CD drive
Not necessarily. Few people use DVRs with over-the-air antennas. Most use them with cable systems, and those will continue to work until the 2012 analog cable switch-off. People who use DVRs with satellite receivers tend to have them hooked up via composite video or S-video. But even if you have the DVR hooked up to the satellite receiver via RF channel 3 or 4, it will still continue to work.
TiVo was the only survivor. ReplayTV got sold many times, finally dropping out of the hardware business entirely and converting to a software-only model before finally being sold to DirecTV as a way to protect themselves from being sued for violating TiVo’s patents by owning all of ReplayTV’s patents.
Anything offered by your satellite company will not be a decent DVR by definition. TiVo and ReplayTV patented all the good ideas for DVRs, and any device that attempts to work around those patents generally sucks. Ask anyone who fell for DirecTV’s offer of a “DirecTV DVR” to “replace” their DirecTiVo how they like it. Or any user of a Scientific-Atlantic box if they have any previous experience with TiVo or ReplayTV. I use a TiVo, a ReplayTV and the awful, wretched S-A box, and have used a DirecTV DVR and can see the where the last two had to do things via painful work-arounds to try to get around the patents.
Dish has had to drop their DVR as it was found to be infringing, and DirecTV has acknowledged the mistake they made and are bringing back the DirecTivo.
They are not generally battery powered. I’m talking about a small set one would take to the ballpark.
:smack:
Stations will continue to map to their analog station but most will stay on their digital TV station. Channels 2 -6 are subject to a lot of electrical interference. But it is MUCH cheaper to stay on VHF so many stations, especially in heavily cabled areas will choose even low VHF (Ch 2 - 6) because if they lose views it won’t matter.
I know I live only 3 miles from Sears Tower where the digital transmitters are and I can’t get any Digital TV station. I get 16 very clear analog TV stations. So when digital takes hold I’ll have to get cable.
Check out
To see where the TV stations are actually broadcasting from;
You can see Channel 13 is the most popular channel for DTV. In fact Channels 7 - 13 are greatly desired. Hardly anyone is using Channels 2 - 6
Exactly what did Dish have to get rid of? Their ViP722 is a pretty spiffy HD DVR with two tuners (I’ve got two of them in my house) and they’ve got a couple other models to pick from.
Yeah, are they going to wipe the software on my 625?
It’s been going back and forth. Here’s a summery.
I hate to ask the obvious, but are you sure everything is hooked up okay? My situation is different from yours, since I’m on a first floor apartment, but I’ve found that the number of digital signals is comparable to the number of analog. (I’ve used two different converter boxes, one set to channel 3 output, the other using the audio/visual cables). In my case the closest transmitter is 15.3 miles away, and I can receive a couple of stations that are 60 miles out, for a total of twelve stations.
There were only three VHF stations here to begin with, using channels 5 (PBS), 11 (NBC), and 13 (CBS). Channel 11 plans to stay VHF, which is a pain for my parents, because they’re not keen on installing an outdoor antenna, and most indoor antennas apparently just aren’t up to the task of receiving good VHF. They have a steel roof, which makes an attic installation pointless, and makes indoor antenna reception even worse. I got 'em this Winegard antenna, which works great for the UHF, but the VHF is still hit or miss.
I installed a large outdoor-type antenna in my attic last year, and I’m picking up everything at 100% strength, including the VHF station. Boy, do the local channels look pretty; the over-the-air signal is stunning compared to the HD channels on the Dish.
We have a local (40 miles so) that is on our dish, air & an all digital that is on air now. We also have a huge VHF on a stick and the normal dish hook up to three different satellites. There are connection points on the recording box for the both dish and air feeds and also on the LCD TV for air & dish feeds. We recored off all of them no problem.