del oeste de Massachusetts
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on Latino Communities
Nationwide
on Latino Communities
Nationwide
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of Massachusetts Latino Chamber of Commerce and the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
Natalia Muñoz is a member of the National Association of Hispanic Journalists
of Massachusetts Latino Chamber of Commerce and the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
Natalia Muñoz is a member of the National Association of Hispanic Journalists
UPDATED NEWS FEED
Get Ready - Digital Television Coming Soon
In the United States the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has set a digital television mandate for February 18, 2009 requiring all analog video signals be converted to digital. If you, or someone you know, are currently watching television over the air (with an antenna and not cable) then you need to be aware and prepare for this conversion if you want to continue to be able to watch television after February 18, 2009.
The conversion has been in the planning stages for a while now and technically makes sense. Digital television signals will provide clearer pictures and more programming and, by eliminating the analog signals, will free up wireless signals for enhanced emergency communications (fire, police, EMT, etc) and wireless devices like cell phones and computers.
The conversion will not be easy though. People that have analog TV sets and receive signals over the air will have to purchase a digital-to-analog converter box to continue to use with their analog televisions. They may also have to buy new antennas.
The United States Commerce Department has approved a plan that would allow every U.S. household to be eligible for two $40 coupons that could be used towards the purchase of a digital-to-analog converter box beginning in January 2008. These boxes will be connected in between your television and antenna and will convert the digital signals to analog so you can watch them on an analog television. The conversion boxes are expected to cost between $50 to $70 each, so the coupon will not cover the full cost. Consumers will have the option of either requesting the rebates through the mail, phone, or via the Web and you will be able to redeem the coupons and pick up the converter boxes at most major retailers. The U.S. Congress has allocated $990 million to pay for the rebates and has the option to increase the program by another $510 million if needed.
In addition, if you currently have an antenna that does not receive UHF channels 14 and above, you will have to purchase a new antenna or an additional antenna component to receive most of the digital channels.
If you are in the market for a new television set be sure it has a digital tuner built in. According to the FCC rules - any television shipped after March 1, 2007 in the U.S. had to have a built in digital tuner. And, as of May 25, 2007, retailers that were still selling televisions without built in digital tuners had to be clearly marked as such either on the set itself or in close proximity. The warning is required to say that the television will not be able to receive over-air broadcasts after February 18, 2009 unless a separate set top digital-to-analog converter box is used. Warnings were given out to several retailers back in June and last month several fines were issued to some very larger U.S. retailers.
If you currently have a television and want to find out if it has a digital tuner built in to it, you will have to check the manual that came with your television set or the manufacturers website.
There is more information on the FCC website. Click here.
Gordon Snyder is a professor at Springfield Technical Community College. He is also director of the National Center for Telecommunications Technologies. He can be reached at gsnyder@stcc.edu
In the United States the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has set a digital television mandate for February 18, 2009 requiring all analog video signals be converted to digital. If you, or someone you know, are currently watching television over the air (with an antenna and not cable) then you need to be aware and prepare for this conversion if you want to continue to be able to watch television after February 18, 2009.
The conversion has been in the planning stages for a while now and technically makes sense. Digital television signals will provide clearer pictures and more programming and, by eliminating the analog signals, will free up wireless signals for enhanced emergency communications (fire, police, EMT, etc) and wireless devices like cell phones and computers.
The conversion will not be easy though. People that have analog TV sets and receive signals over the air will have to purchase a digital-to-analog converter box to continue to use with their analog televisions. They may also have to buy new antennas.
The United States Commerce Department has approved a plan that would allow every U.S. household to be eligible for two $40 coupons that could be used towards the purchase of a digital-to-analog converter box beginning in January 2008. These boxes will be connected in between your television and antenna and will convert the digital signals to analog so you can watch them on an analog television. The conversion boxes are expected to cost between $50 to $70 each, so the coupon will not cover the full cost. Consumers will have the option of either requesting the rebates through the mail, phone, or via the Web and you will be able to redeem the coupons and pick up the converter boxes at most major retailers. The U.S. Congress has allocated $990 million to pay for the rebates and has the option to increase the program by another $510 million if needed.
In addition, if you currently have an antenna that does not receive UHF channels 14 and above, you will have to purchase a new antenna or an additional antenna component to receive most of the digital channels.
If you are in the market for a new television set be sure it has a digital tuner built in. According to the FCC rules - any television shipped after March 1, 2007 in the U.S. had to have a built in digital tuner. And, as of May 25, 2007, retailers that were still selling televisions without built in digital tuners had to be clearly marked as such either on the set itself or in close proximity. The warning is required to say that the television will not be able to receive over-air broadcasts after February 18, 2009 unless a separate set top digital-to-analog converter box is used. Warnings were given out to several retailers back in June and last month several fines were issued to some very larger U.S. retailers.
If you currently have a television and want to find out if it has a digital tuner built in to it, you will have to check the manual that came with your television set or the manufacturers website.
There is more information on the FCC website. Click here.
Gordon Snyder is a professor at Springfield Technical Community College. He is also director of the National Center for Telecommunications Technologies. He can be reached at gsnyder@stcc.edu
GORDON SNYDER