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