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Digital Killed the Analog Star How to navigate the DTV switch  Image courtesy Panasonic The end is near for millions of Americans. The days of using rooftop antennas and "rabbit ears" to receive free television over the airwaves will stop at midnight on Feb. 17, 2009, when all full-power television stations in the country will stop broadcasting in analog and switch to 100-percent digital broadcasting. The digital television transition will allow fire and police departments to use some of these airwaves for emergencies. "We're consolidating this spectrum so they can communicate better with each other," says Bart Forbes, public affairs specialist with the National Telecommunications & Information Administration, a bureau of the U.S. Department of Commerce in Washington, D.C. The government is also auctioning off other airwaves for new wireless services, so far raising more than $20 billion. The change won't affect Americans with televisions connected to cable, satellite or other pay television services, or those with televisions with a built-in digital tuner. "If they have cable, they should not be concerned," Forbes says. To make the switch to digital, consumers using antennas for their analog televisions have three options: Buy a television with a digital tuner; connect to cable, satellite or another paid television service; or keep the existing analog television and purchase a converter box that plugs into the television. The government is offering a $40 coupon toward the purchase of a converter box, which can be found at local retailers. |
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