Bonners Ferry Local Guide including all of Boundary County Idaho

All About DTV

Friday, August 24, 2007; KTRV

What is the Digital-to-Analog Converter Box Assistance Program? On February 18, 2009, full power television stations will stop analog broadcasting and transition to digital broadcasting. Households that do not subscribe to cable or satellite services will need either a television set capable of receiving DTV programming, or a digital-to-analog converter box. Digital-to-analog converter boxes will make DTV signals viewable on analog TV sets. These converter boxes will be available in retail stores during the transition. The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) of the U.S. Department of Commerce is developing rules that will allow households to obtain coupons that can be applied toward the purchase of digital-to-analog converter boxes. For more information on the Digital-to-Analog Converter Box Assistance Program click on NTIA's frequently asked questions. What is the digital TV transition? The switch from analog TV (the traditional TV system using magnetic waves to transmit and display TV pictures and sound) to digital television (the new TV system using information transmitted as "data bits" -- like a computer -- to display movie-quality pictures and sound), is referred to at the digital TV (DTV) transition. In 1996, the U.S. Congress authorized the distribution of an additional broadcast channel to each TV broadcaster so that they could introduce DTV service while simultaneously continuing their analog TV broadcasts. In addition to improved picture and sound quality, an important benefit of DTV is that it will free up parts of the broadcast spectrum for public safety as well as other valuable uses. This is possible because the modern technology of DTV is more efficient than analog TV technology. DTV allows the same number of stations to broadcast using fewer total channels (less of the broadcast spectrum) which will free up scarce and valuable spectrum for public safety and new wireless services. - Full Story