| Digital TV has a lot of benefits. So many in fact that | | | | farther away from the transmission source of an |
| TV broadcasters, the consumer electronics industry, | | | | analog TV signal, the picture and sound get fuzzier |
| and the Federal government have allied to make | | | | but are still understandable. As you get farther away |
| digital TV the sole mode of over the air TV | | | | from the source of a digital signal the transmission still |
| transmission in the United States starting on February | | | | fades, but you won't notice any degradation of the |
| 19, 2009. Of course who benefits most from this | | | | picture quality until it suddenly becomes to weak and |
| conversion remains to be seen. | | | | disappears all together. This means that many people |
| Excluding all of the potential economic and political | | | | who put up with fuzzy over the air analog TV |
| benefits and pitfalls, digital TV has a number of | | | | probably won't be able to receive a digital signal |
| benefits when compared to the older analog format | | | | broadcast from the same location and at the same |
| that's primarily in use right now. Digital TV uses | | | | strength. This alone might make those big rooftop |
| computer equipment to convert the images and | | | | antennas of the mid-twentieth century much more |
| sounds of TV into digital data (a bunch of ones and | | | | popular again. |
| zeros) before transmitting them to their viewers. | | | | Another major problem with digital TV is that a digital |
| Once the digital TV signals arrive at their destination, | | | | TV tuner is needed to watch it and this hardware |
| other computer equipment cleans interference out of | | | | isn't built into older TV sets (or a lot of newer ones |
| the signal and reconstructs all of that computer data | | | | either, for that matter!). This means that in order to |
| into the TV programming that the viewer can watch | | | | watch over the air TV after February 19, 2009, |
| on his or her TV screen. The fact that the | | | | anyone with an analog only TV set either has to buy |
| interference can be cleaned out means that the | | | | a new TV set or get a special set top box that |
| picture can be much clearer than it would ever be | | | | contains a digital tuner and can convert the digital |
| from an analog signal. Digital TV also allows for the | | | | signal into an analog signal that the TV set can |
| use of an on screen program guide- even with over | | | | understand. |
| the air programming- and other similar features. The | | | | And that's where the political and economic |
| fact that digital TV can also be subjected to video | | | | advantages and disadvantages come into play! TV |
| compression technology means that it can take up a | | | | electronics manufacturers stand to make a lot of |
| lot less bandwidth than analog TV and that leaves | | | | money because of this conversion- all the more so |
| more frequencies available to be used for other kinds | | | | because they continued to sell analog only TV set |
| of transmissions. | | | | even after they knew the conversion was imminent. |
| Of course, like anything else digital TV has some | | | | Ultimately the American people will benefit from the |
| drawbacks when compared to analog TV. The | | | | conversion to digital TV, but in the mean time some |
| biggest disadvantage is that analog TV can provide a | | | | special interests will definitely come into play as a lot |
| more cohesive signal over a greater distance than an | | | | of TV viewers will probably be understandably |
| equivalent digital signal. In other words, as you get | | | | frustrated and confused. |