Problems with transition to all-digital TV signals
On February 17, all transmission of TV signals will have to be digital. Cable and satellite subscribers will not notice but those who rely on over-the-air signals will have to adjust. CNET has an article that says the transition may cause trouble:
Less than a month after the inauguration, millions of Americans who don’t subscribe to cable or satellite services may see nothing but static on their screens. The reason is that on February 17 broadcasters must stop all analog television transmissions–the only kind that older televisions can receive over the air–and continue only digital transmissions.
Make no mistake, the digital transition is long overdue and will greatly benefit the American people. But this transition will not go nearly as smoothly as the political transition has gone unless some steps are taken immediately to soften the blow and subsequent uproar.
We already have evidence that the transition may not go well. One smart move was that broadcasters in Wilmington, NC agreed to turn off their analog signals in September. That test-run allowed the FCC to see what might happen. It was not pretty. Despite the relatively substantial resources devoted to preparing the city, when broadcasters turned off their analog signals, calls poured in to television stations, city offices, and even 911 call centers from frustrated and confused residents.
The good news is that the Wilmington transition ended with no major calamities and now the freed-up spectrum is available for other more valuable uses. But the Wilmington area has fewer than 13,000 households that rely on over-the-air broadcast, whereas the entire U.S. has about 17 million such households. Another 19 million households subscribe to cable or satellite but have at least one TV that uses broadcast signals. In other words, the small brouhaha in Wilmington will be hugely magnified when the entire country makes the switch.
Did you enjoy this post? Why not leave a comment below and continue the conversation, or subscribe to my feed and get articles like this delivered automatically to your feed reader.
Comments
No comments yet.
Sorry, the comment form is closed at this time.