All full-power TV stations were required to stop broadcasting in analog signals in June 2009, replaced by digital signals. Digital signals are more efficient, freeing up airwaves and providing clearer pictures. Congress created a TV Converter Box coupon program to help the poorest individuals. Analog TVs now require converter boxes unless connected to cable or satellite services. Peripheral devices were unaffected but may have degraded image quality. Manufacturers have started producing new connection devices to improve sound and picture quality.
By mandate from Congress, all full-power television stations were required to stop broadcasting in analog signals effective June 12, 2009. Instead, the stations now broadcast in digital signals. This analog conversion is of interest to anyone with a television that can only receive analog signals. The program is administered through the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, or NTIA.
Digital signals are more efficient than analog ones. While analog TVs create a direct reflection of the analog signal through electrical impulses, digital signals are compressed versions of the analog signal, made up of numbers. When in digital format, the same frequency can carry much more information.
Analog digital signal editing offers three advantages over analog due to the compressed nature of digital signals. First, analog conversion freed up crowded airwaves, leaving more room for emergency responder analog signals. Second, analog conversion leaves more room for advanced wireless consumer services. Finally, digital signals provide a clearer picture for most viewers.
Congress planned for the transition by instituting changes well in advance of the transition. In March 2007, sellers of all analog television equipment were required to disclose the facts about analog conversion at the point of sale. Shortly before this requirement, new laws mandated that all televisions shipped via interstate commerce use digital signals. These new digital TVs were clearly marked as having digital tuners, but labels that showed a “digital monitor,” “digital-ready,” or “HDTV-ready” didn’t necessarily contain digital tuners. Both digital televisions and HDTVs can receive digital signals.
Congress became concerned with the cost of analog conversion to the poorest individuals. These people would essentially lose the ability to watch television due to analog conversion. For this reason, Congress created a TV Converter Box coupon program. This allowed families to receive coupons to defray the cost of analog converter boxes.
Analog TVs no longer worked unless connected to cable or satellite converter boxes. These services already used digital signals. If there was no cable or satellite service connected to the television, an analog converter box was needed. These TVs could still use the same antenna as long as the antenna was capable of receiving the higher UHF channels.
Peripheral devices such as VCRs, DVD players, camcorders, and video games were unaffected by the analog conversion, but the image quality was sometimes degraded. For this reason, manufacturers have started producing new connection devices to improve the sound and picture quality from such devices.
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