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In Feb 2009, analog TV will go away and I'll have to put up with digital HDTV. Will I still be able to get a TV signal from my roof-top antenna? I understand I'll need an HDTV set - that's no problem. However, since I don't watch much TV, I don't want cable or satellite TV. It isn't worth it to me. Since I live near large cities, I get about 6 stations well and another 6 stations not so well. I know the fuzzy stations won't work with HDTV - either you get the station or you don't. There's no in between.
If a roof-top antenna is OK, will I need a different type of antenna or can I keep the one I have.
In this post in the TV forum, the writer shared this link. Below is an excerpt from the link:
Time for a new TV? Look for the digital tuner
If you decide to go shopping for a new digital TV (DTV) instead, keep two things in mind:
1. Many brand-new TVs sold today, and most low-priced models, are still analog. If you find one at a price that seems too good to be true, remember: When 2009 rolls around, you’ll still need to buy a separate converter box to watch over-the-air broadcasts.
2. Many so-called “digital TVs” do not include a digital tuner—which means they cannot receive over-the-air broadcasts unless you purchase a separate digital receiver. This includes many HDTV models and some digital TV monitors labeled “HD-Ready.”
Again, the key question is: Does the set have a digital tuner? How can you tell?
A digital tuner is sometimes called an “ATSC tuner” (after the Advanced Television Systems Committee, which created the U.S. digital TV standard). So look for a label that refers to an ATSC or digital (or “ATSC digital”) tuner. A TV labeled “HD Built-In” or “Integrated HDTV” should include a digital tuner.
An FCC regulation, requiring manufacturers to include digital tuners in all digital TV sets by March 1, 2007, is being phased in. Today, all TVs with screens larger than 25 inches, imported into the U.S. or manufactured here, are supposed to include digital tuners. Yet a surprisingly large percentage of big-screen TVs on retail shelves today remain analog-only. In addition, the regulation contains a loophole that allows “TV monitors” to be sold without tuners—under the assumption that consumers will hook them up to cable or satellite service.
Shop with care and know what you’re buying, as the descriptions of TV sets found in stores and newspaper ads can be confusing or, in some cases, flat-out wrong. A voluntary labeling program for analog TVs was announced by the Consumer Electronics Association, but Congress has resisted calls for mandatory labeling.
In Feb 2009, analog TV will go away and I'll have to put up with digital HDTV.
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Not fully true... you will have to switch to digital TV but you are not forced to HDTV (read the previous post carefully). There are plenty of sets that are digital but not HD.
In Feb 2009, analog TV will go away and I'll have to put up with digital HDTV. Will I still be able to get a TV signal from my roof-top antenna? I understand I'll need an HDTV set - that's no problem. However, since I don't watch much TV, I don't want cable or satellite TV. It isn't worth it to me. Since I live near large cities, I get about 6 stations well and another 6 stations not so well. I know the fuzzy stations won't work with HDTV - either you get the station or you don't. There's no in between.
If a roof-top antenna is OK, will I need a different type of antenna or can I keep the one I have.
"Put up with Digital HDTV"? Well, sort of right, but no cigar.
The conversion is to DTV - digital television - not HDTV, which stands for "high-definition television." Granted, DTV allows broadcasters to air shows in HDTV (most of the major networks do for prime-time, and PBS has a 24/7 national HD feed), but much of DTV is barely any sharper than analog TV, if not worse at times. In addition, unless you have a set capable of displaying HDTV resolutions (most big-screen TVs on the market), you won't see a high-definition picture even if the show is being broadcasting HD. This, however, DOES NOT mean you'll need a HDTV set ... rather, a converter box, which is generally much cheaper (under $100 now). Programs broadcast in HD will be downconverted to your TV's "SD" (standard definition) resolution.
One advantage of DTV, besides being able to broadcast HDTV, is multicasting - in Duluth, for example, we have 12 digital over-the-air channels to choose from vs. 5 analog channels. (Duluth has ABC, CBS, NBC, PBS, and FOX affiliates; however, CW, My Network TV, a 24-hour weather service, at least 3 additional PBS feeds, and the Sportsman Channel are broadcast additionally over digital signals).
As for an antenna: yes, DTV is much more fidgety than analog TV. You may well need an outdoor antenna. You'll also need to know if your local digital stations are broadcasting on VHF, UHF, or both. If they are on UHF, you should buy a UHF-only antenna; with a high-quality model (like the Channel Master 4228), you might get those stations that look "fuzzy" in analog; if they are on both VHF and UHF, as in some markets, you'll need a VHF/UHF antenna. What city are you in? That would help.
Thanks for the responses and links. I meant "digital" tv, not digital HDTV. As for the set itself, I was planning on replacing my 12 year old set with a new flat panel set and skip the converter box altogether. Yes I know this will cost extra, but the 12 year old set won't last forever and I like the looks of the flat sets and they take up less room.
My main concern was the ability to get decent over the air digital signal with a roof-top antenna. Would I be able to get a hi-def picture?? I live within 25 miles or so of TV transmitters (San Francisco and San Jose) and I'm happy with the number of stations I get now and I don't want to subscribe to cable or dish tv.
I'm just trying to beat the rush when analog tv goes dead in Feb 2009. I don't think most of the public will be aware of the change until their sets go blank on them in 2009 .
No more TV for me then. I think the broadcast networks will finally die when that happens. Of course it's more likely that it will flop just like metric and the dollar coin did 30 years earlier and come back 30 years later. I'm starting to see progress on both of those fronts right now.
Radio Shack has a rooftop digital antenna that will allow you to pick up your regional stations in the new format.
Another rip-off for extra cash. Any good-ole outdoor UHF antenna will do fine.
I wonder why they chose 8VSB over COFDM. If the latter is more suitable for the city, then why did they choose the one for the rural areas which most Americans don't live in?
A UAF/VHF roof antenna is all you need. Roof antennas are sold in a few sizes, and the larger ones usually reach out farther from your home, while the small ones closer from your home. The digital signal is HD (High Definition). If you have a DVD player with video up-converting via HDMI, and then play a DVD movie, you will notice that the signal going out the HDMI cable and into a HD TV is 1880.
If you already have a good TV that you like, you don't have to buy a HD TV. The Federal Government will provide a $40.00 credit for a converter that you can connect to the analog TV. That's all there is to it.
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