What is DTV?
Digital television (DTV) is an innovative new type of over-the-air broadcasting technology that enables TV stations to provide dramatically clearer pictures and better sound quality.

DTV is more efficient and more flexible than the traditional broadcast technology known as analog. For example, DTV makes it possible for stations to broadcast multiple channels of free programming simultaneously (called multicasting), instead of broadcasting only one channel at a time. DTV technology can also be used to provide future interactive video and data services that are not possible with analog technology.

What is the Digital TV Transition?
Americans are about to watch television in a very different way. Congress passed a law in 1996 that requires TV stations to switch from broadcasting television using analog signals to broadcasting using digital signals. This switch is intended to ultimately provide consumers a much better TV picture, to free up valuable frequencies for use by public safety agencies and create opportunities for new communication businesses. This analog to digital transition will take effect at midnight on February 18, 2009 -- when federal law will require TV broadcasters to cease any and all analog transmissions.

What is analog television?
Analog television service is the traditional method of transmitting television signals. Analog transmission has been the standard broadcast technology since the inception of television. Analog is not as efficient as digital television: it uses up much more of the valuable spectrum than digital, and TV stations can only transmit one channel of programming with an analog signal versus up to four or more programs with a digital signal in the same amount of spectrum. Analog is also susceptible to interference and “snow” that make a picture less clear.

How will this affect me?
Consumers who receive over-the-air television signals through antennas on television sets that are equipped with analog tuners – and who do not subscribe to cable – will be affected by the transition. Televisions with analog-only tuners that receive signals directly 'off air' (using a roof-top antenna or rabbit ears) will be unable to receive the new digital signals. If you have an analog TV, you must either:

• Purchase a device that converts the new digital signals to analog.
• Purchase a new TV set with digital tuning capability.
• Subscribe to cable TV or satellite service.

What will happen if I use cable or TV?
As long as your televisions are connected to Ritter Communications cable service, you will continue to receive all of your favorite shows and all the great programming you’ve come to expect.

How do I know if my television is analog-only?
It is best to consult your owner's manual. Analog TV sets have NTSC tuners. NTSC tuners can receive analog signals only.

Digital TV sets have ATSC or QAM tuners. ATSC tuning will receive off-air digital signals. QAM tuning will receive cable TV digital signals. Digital TV sets may also have an NTSC tuner.

The only televisions that have DTV tuners are those that have been sold as having an integrated or 'built-in' DTV broadcast tuner. TV sets like this have been available since about 1998. HD sets sold as 'monitors' or 'HD-ready' are capable of displaying HDTV but do not have a built-in HDTV tuner. The FCC now requires that most TVs with analog tuners also be marketed with built-in or separate DTV or HDTV tuners, and this will soon be a requirement for all TVs - so most of the TVs you see in stores now will be DTV or HDTV 'built-in' products. Be sure to check, however, just in case one is not.

Effective May 25, 2007, a "Consumer Alert" label is supposed to appear "on or adjacent to" any television with only an 'analog' TV tuner, at the point of display for advertising or sale, whether in-store, in print, or on a website. This does not apply to monitors with no tuner.  

CONSUMER ALERT
This television receiver has only an analog broadcast tuner and will require a converter box after February 17, 2009, to receive over-the-air broadcasts with an antenna because of the Nation's transition to digital broadcasting. Analog-only TVs should continue to work as before with cable and satellite TV services, gaming consoles, VCRs, DVD players, and similar products. For more information, call the Federal Communications Commission at 1-888-225-5322 (TTY: 1-888-835-5322) or visit the Commission's digital television website at: www.dtv.gov.

How much will this cost?
In an effort to assist Americans with the transition, the federal government has established a program to provide analog TV owners up to 2 coupons worth $40 each toward the cost of purchasing 'converter boxes' which would convert the new digital signals broadcast by TV stations into an analog signal that can be received by analog TV sets. These converters are expected to cost between $50 and $70 each. The coupons cannot be combined to buy a single product so some out-of-pocket expense by consumers is expected. Coupons may be requested starting January 1, 2008, and will expire 90 days from issuance. Consumers may call 1-888-DTV-2009 to request up to two $40 converter box coupons. The last coupons will be sent out by March 31, 2009.

Unfortunately, only 33.5 million coupons will be provided by the federal government on a first-come, first-serve basis which means millions of Americans will end up having to pay the full cost of purchasing their converter boxes -- or new digital TVs - in order to continue receiving TV signals.

What is a DTV converter box?
A DTV converter box is an easy-to-install electronic device that hooks up to your analog television set and over-the-air antenna and converts the digital television signal into analog, making it viewable on your analog TV. The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) will issue up to two converter box coupons valued at $40 each to households to help defray the cost of the converter box.

Will I need a special antenna to receive DTV over the air?
If you currently use an indoor or rooftop antenna to receive over-the-air analog broadcast television signals and you have good or excellent reception quality, the same antenna should be able to provide you with reception of digital television broadcast signals. For more information about using an antenna to receive local television broadcast channels, visit www.antennaweb.org.

Will I be able to continue to use my existing VCR with a DTV converter box for timed recordings?
Yes, but after the digital transition, you won't be able to pick up over-the-air programs for recording from the tuner in the VCR, so the input to the VCR must be connected to the output of the DTV converter box. The tuner in the DTV converter box will need to be set to the desired channel to be recorded prior to the start of each recording period programmed into the VCR.

How many Americans are affected by this transition?
As many as 120 million Americans could be negatively affected by this transition according to some estimates*.

When will the transition take place?
The transition will take place at midnight on February 17, 2009.