DTV and HDTV…What is it and what does it mean for you?

Before investing in a new TV, be sure you have all the facts about digital broadcast television and understand the differences between Digital Television (DTV) and High Definition Television (HDTV).  There are a lot of choices out there and TriCounty Telecom (TCT) wants to help you be prepared to make a wise purchasing decision.

TriCounty Telecom is currently in the process of upgrading to a fully digital headend.  This means all of the television signals sent to your home will be of digital quality.  The upgrade will also allow for the addition of new channels to our lineup, including high definition programming.  Our deadline for completion of the upgrade is early 2009, but our goal is to have the work completed by third quarter 2008.

Following are some frequently asked questions and answers.

What is analog television?

Analog television service is the traditional TV system.  Analog television has been the standard broadcast technology since the inception of television using magnetic waves to transmit and display pictures and sound.

What is Digital Television (DTV) and why are television broadcasters transitioning to DTV?

Digital television (DTV) is revolutionizing the television marketplace, offering improved service quality, greater service innovation, and new capabilities not currently available from the analog broadcast television service.  DTV will allow broadcasters to offer viewers better image and sound quality and also more programming choices.

There are other benefits to the nation as well.  The DTV service is designed to use radio spectrum more efficiently than the current analog service.  Therefore, upon completion of the DTV transition, the Federal Government will reclaim and reassign analog broadcast television spectrum to other important uses, including public safety and advanced wireless services.

When will the DTV transition be completed?

Broadcasters are already using digital channels to offer DTV programming in their local markets all over the United States.  (Broadcasters in the TriCounty Telecom market include: WCTI, WNCT, WFXI, WEPX (MyNetwork), WITN, ENCT (The CW) and WUND).  On February 18, 2009, full power television stations will stop analog broadcasting and return their analog channels so those channels can be put to other uses.

Will consumers need new equipment to watch broadcast television when the transition is complete?

When the DTV transition is complete on February 18, 2009, analog TVs will continue to work.  However, broadcast television viewers, those who do not subscribe to cable or satellite, will need either a television set capable of receiving DTV programming or a digital-to-analog converter box.  Converter boxes will be available from consumer electronic products retailers at that time.  The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) of the U.S. Department of Commerce is developing rules that will allow households to obtain coupons that can be applied toward the purchase of digital-to-analog converter boxes.  For more information, see www.fcc.gov/cgb/consumerfacts/digitaltv.html

TriCounty Telecom subscribers will need a digital receiver from TCT.

How do I obtain and redeem converter box coupons?

During the period from January 1, 2008 to March 31, 2009, a household can request no more than two coupons, each valued at $40.  All coupons will be sent to requesting households via the United States Postal Service.  Recipients must redeem the coupons within 3 months of issuance, but may not combine their two coupons toward the purchase of a single converter box.  NTIA will provide more detailed program information when it finalizes rules for the digital-to-analog converter box assistance program.

If I am shopping for a new TV, what does the February 17, 2009, shutoff of the analog channels mean to me?

If you plan to purchase a new TV that will rely on a roof-top or indoor antenna, you should make sure it has a built-in or integrated HDTV or DTV tuner.

What is high definition TV (HDTV)?  How is it different from analog television?

HDTV is a name given to two of the digital television (DTV) formats.  HDTV provides high resolution programming.  A current analog TV picture is made up of horizontal lines on the picture screen; an HDTV picture can have more than twice as many lines, allowing for stunning picture detail.

HDTV uses a “widescreen format.”  “Widescreen format” refers to an image's aspect ratio, which is a comparison of screen width to screen height.  Analog television has an aspect ratio of 4 by 3, which means the screen is 4 units wide by 3 units high. The aspect ratio of HDTV is 16 by 9, similar to a movie theater screen.  HDTV programs can include Dolby Digital surround sound, the same digital sound system used in many movie theaters and DVDs.

HDTV uses the same amount of bandwidth (the size of the communications channel) as the current analog system, but with HDTV, about six times more information is transmitted.  This capability translates to much better quality in picture and sound.

Is HDTV the same thing as DTV?

No.  HDTV is the highest quality of DTV, but it is only one of many formats.  In addition to HDTV, the most common formats are Standard Definition Television (SDTV) and Enhanced Definition Television (EDTV).

SDTV is the baseline display and resolution for both analog and digital.  Transmission of SDTV may be in either the traditional (4:3) or wide-screen (16:9) format.  EDTV is a step up from Analog Television.  EDTV comes in widescreen (16:9) or traditional (4:3) format and provides better picture quality than SDTV, but not as high as HDTV.

TriCounty Telecom will be offering HDTV programming when our headend upgrade is completed.  The specific channels to be offered and the pricing of the HD package have not yet been determined.