Eleven
Things To Do Right
Now To
Prepare For DTV!
•
DTV is
coming! Your old TV will no longer work after February 17, 2009
unless you buy a converter box so that you can see the new digital
broadcast signals.
•
What if
you have satellite or cable? Where can you get a converter box?
Will the converter box let you see shows in digital cable on your
old TV? Can you get a discount on a converter box?
•
Will the
DTV Fairy flitter down, wave her magic wand and sprinkle digital
fairy dust on your old TV so you won’t have to deal with this
stuff?
How
You Can Survive The
Coming
DTV Revolution!
•
Your Old Analog TV will work as it does
now until analog broadcasting stops on February 17, 2009. You can
still use your old TV after the transition is over, but you need a
converter box to receive broadcast DTV signals and “dumb them
down” into the format your old television can
display.
•
Even with a converter box your current analog
television will not be capable of displaying the full picture
quality of DTV. To enjoy HDTV picture quality, you must have
a DTV Plasma or LCD TV.
• If you
have cable or satellite, it will continue to
work as it always has. You may need a new cable box to receive DTV
signals and convert them into the format of your analog television,
even after the DTV transition is complete. If you subscribe to
cable or satellite you should contact your provider regarding
converter boxes, and ask them what you will need and when.
•
To Receive Digital Signals over the air requires
an antenna (preferably outdoor) and a DTV receiver that can decode
the digital signals. Usually the same antenna that provided
reception of analog TV signals will work for DTV reception.
•
A DTV
Set-Top Box may also receive
multicast channels and high definition programming and display them
as an analog picture. Check with your cable or satellite provider
to determine if and when you will need a new set-top
box.
• Converter Box $40 Coupon Program Beginning in 2008,
your household can get up to two coupons worth $40 each toward the
purchase of digital converter boxes. The National
Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) runs the
coupon program, and will issue the coupons begining January 1,
2008. For information check out www.ntia.doc.gov.
• A DTV Monitor can’t receive
DTV broadcasts without additional equipment; it’s just a
display device that can’t read a DTV signal. A DTV set-top
decoder must be connected between the antenna and the monitor to
receive and display over-the-air DTV programming.
•
Check With Your Retailer to see if the DTV
receiver or set-top decoder you buy is compatible with the DTV
Plasma or LCD monitor you’re buying. Most monitors have
a built in analog receiver and can display regular TV programming
and signals from DVD players and VCRs.
• You May Already Have DTV if you subscribe to
the digital package from your cable or satellite provider and get
digital programming, often called HDTV. But the digital cable tier
and satellite service are not necessarily DTV. Your cable or
satellite system may be using digital technology as a more
efficient way of delivering analog programming to you.
•
If Your TV is an old style
analog CRT (picture tube) television , then you are not getting
DTV, even though the reception may be somewhat improved. You need a
Plasma or LCD TV with a DTV tuner to get the razor sharp HDTV
image. You’ll also need a 5.1 Dolby Surround Sound stereo
amplifier and speakers to get the DTV Dolby sound. (See
Home Theater System).
• HDTV Sets are “backward
compatible”, meaning existing analog equipment (VCRs, DVD
players, camcorders, computers and video games) will work on
digital TV sets, but they won’t display images in high
definition. Their video will be displayed in the best
resolution that each device can provide.
Samsung 42 Plasma TV - 42 - ATSC, NTSC - 4:3 , 16:9
- Stereo Sound - HDTV 
Polaroid 42 Plasma TV - 42 - NTSC, ATSC - 181
Channels - 16:9 - Stereo Sound - HDTV
123
Guide
To Plasma TV
• The
DTV Revolution is coming, and it will be
televised!
•
You
need to prepare for February 17, 2009 by upgrading your home video
equipment to the new digital standard. You’ll need converter
boxes for your old style analog (picture tube) TVs and new cable or
satellite boxes from your provider.
•
Even
better would be to spring for a brand new big screen Plasma or LCD
TV which can display the new digital TV signal in all it’s
HDTV glory. While you’re at it pop for a Dolby Surround Sound
stereo to hook it up to.
•
The
future of digital broadcast TV is here . . . you can stand still
and be swept away or climb aboard and sail blissfully into the
future!
It’s
as easy as 123!
