FCC Moves Up Deadline To Convert to Digital TV

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FCC Moves Up Deadline To Convert to Digital TV

Mid-Size Sets Must Comply by Next Spring

By Mark Chediak
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, June 10, 2005; Page D05

Federal regulators moved yesterday to speed the adoption of digital television by ordering manufacturers to install the technology in all mid-size TV sets by next spring.

The Federal Communications Commission voted 4 to 0 to shorten a previous deadline by four months, requiring sets ranging in size from 25 inches to 36 inches to be capable of receiving digital broadcasts by March 1. Analog TV broadcasts are to stop by the end of 2006, as long as 85 percent of households have the capacity to receive digital transmissions.

The commission also denied a request from the Consumer Electronics Association and another industry group to eliminate a July 1 deadline requiring half of new mid-size TVs to have digital tuners.

Digital TV can be transmitted over the airwaves, but it uses a different part of the spectrum than analog signals. It is also an ideal way to transmit high-definition television.

Switching to digital transmission will free up the analog bandwidth for other uses, such as wireless voice and data services.

"The objective now is to take steps to bring the transition to a rapid conclusion," said Alan Stillwell, associate chief of the Office of Engineering and Technology at the FCC. Stillwell said manufacturers had been lagging in production of digital TVs.

Broadcasters already offer digital programming and are expected to ramp up their digital offerings over the next few years, with legislators pushing for adoption of the technology.

Gary Shapiro, president and chief executive of the Consumer Electronics Association, said his group was disappointed that the FCC refused to eliminate next month's deadline. Many consumers prefer buying cheaper analog sets, he said, adding that digital TV units cost an average of $200 to $300 more than traditional sets.

"You're not going to tell consumers what they're going to buy," Shapiro said. "It's impossible to mandate."

Further, Shapiro said he was concerned with an FCC proposal yesterday to require all TV receivers larger than 13 inches to have digital tuners by Dec. 31, 2006, six months earlier than the previous deadline.

"You're talking about doubling the price of a [13-inch] TV set," he said.

Broadcasters and wireless industry representatives lauded the FCC's decision as a welcome step. Wireless providers will likely purchase the analog airwaves now being used by television broadcasters.

Why is this conversion necessary? What are the benefits Vs the cost to consumers to convert presently owned sets to digital signal reception? It would seem to be a boon for the manufactures of TV sets. Which I might add are all manufactured off Shore.

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Why is this conversion necessary?

Progress, au, progress!

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so they can sell us new TV's?

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Phoenix32890

Progress. That sounds good but explains nothing. I was looking for an explanation of the necessity and more than that what are the benefits to be derived from the conversion. And indeed would the benefits out weigh the costs. Particularly to the American consumer.

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Re: FCC Moves Up Deadline To Convert to Digital TV

au1929 wrote:

Why is this conversion necessary? What are the benefits Vs the cost to consumers to convert presently owned sets to digital signal reception? It would seem to be a boon for the manufactures of TV sets. Which I might add are all manufactured off Shore.

The benefits are a much better signal that uses much less of the radio spectrum (which is already over-crowded) and space for additional channels. Digital TV also has the ability to provide interactive programming and a host of other features.

There is little, if any, cost to current set owners since most get their TV signal from a cable or Sat provider and the provider does the conversion from digital to analog as a part of their delivery.

The only people that will suffer are those that have an analog TV and pull their TV reception directly off the airwaves and haven't bought a new TV between now and the point when analog broadcasts are stopped.

IMO, the claim that digital TVs will cost $200-$300 more than an equeal analog TV are out to lunch. You can buy a 27" digital TV at Best Buy right now for $300. The comparable analog model is $179. That's a $120 difference and that's going to continue to drop as more digital TVs become available.

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au1929 wrote:

Phoenix32890

Progress. That sounds good but explains nothing. I was looking for an explanation of the necessity and more than that what are the benefits to be derived from the conversion. And indeed would the benefits out weigh the costs. Particularly to the American consumer.

Current TVs use 1940s technology. We are falling behind many other countries. HD TV will have, as the name implies, an image with much greater definition. Also, at least for high end TVs, the frame interlacing that resulted from the limitations of 40s technology, will be gone. There are many other benefits. It is unfortunate that the new TVs cost so much, but eventually the economies of scale will bring down the prices as they have with other technologies. When I first bought a blank videotape cassette many years ago, it cost $25. Now I can get one for under $2 much of the time.

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Brandon9000 wrote:

Current TVs use 1940s technology. We are falling behind many other countries. HD TV will have, as the name implies, an image with much greater definition.

A not-so-insignifcant point here - HDTV needs digital TV as an underlying technology but HDTV isn't what is being pushed here. There is also standard Digital TV which, while cleaner than analog TV, doesn't provide any increase in resolution.

The requirement for a digital tuner isn't a requirement for a HD tuner.

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"DTV" is a general reference to Digital Television technology. DTV broadcasts will either be HDTV (High Definition TV) or SDTV (Standard Definition TV). These will have different levels of resolution - HDTV will be capable of as much as 1125 scanning lines (interlaced), SDTV will continue with the current 525 (interlaced or progressive) scanning lines.

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Re: FCC Moves Up Deadline To Convert to Digital TV

fishin' wrote:

There is little, if any, cost to current set owners since most get their TV signal from a cable or Sat provider and the provider does the conversion from digital to analog as a part of their delivery.

So, I gather then, if one currently has an analog TV and a cable provider, there's no rush to go out and buy a digital model?

If these newer models have digital tuning, will they be more reliable with less repair needed?

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Re: FCC Moves Up Deadline To Convert to Digital TV

Reyn wrote:

So, I gather then, if one currently has an analog TV and a cable provider, there's no rush to go out and buy a digital model?

Anyone who may run into this should check with their cable provider to be sure but in general, yes. Most U.S. cable operators are already doing this. It might mean that you'd have to switch out your cable box with a newer one from the cable company if they didn't give you a newer one to begin with.

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If these newer models have digital tuning, will they be more reliable with less repair needed?

They won't necessarily be any more reliable from that standpoint. Most TV's already have a digital tuner that decodes the analog signal and this change really changes what is being decoded - not the basic technology of decoding itself. Think of it more as changing out your Cable box for a Satellite box - you still have a box with pretty much the same level of complexity but they operate differently.

The TV Stations broadcast signal is what should become more reliable. Less fading and static along with a much sharper picture.

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Hmmmm.

I saw Bill Moyers on the Daily Show last night and he said something to the effect that the rush for HDTV will be a death blow to public broadcasting.

Seems PBS doesn't have the funds to make the leap.

I'm not Little Ms. Conspiracy but given the flap over PBS lately this is interesting news.

I do understand that this is directed at the makers of TV sets and not broadcasters and I have no idea if or how one will effect the other.

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It effects broadcasters too! For you to recieve a digital signal they have to send one out! lol

I'd have to guess that the cost of buying new transmitters will pinch smaller PBS outlets. The local PBS stations have already gone HD here but this is a much larger area than many. WGBH out of Boston is broadcasting 4 HD channels right now.

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I always believed my teachers when they said "there's no such thing as a stupid question" so....

Even if we all upgraded our TVs couldn't we still pick up the other kind of signal?

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The biggest issue is that broadcasters have to upgrade their equipment and then discontinue analog broadcasts.

They have a license from the FCC to use a portion of the radio spectrum for analog broadcasts and, by now, a license to a different part of the radio spectrum for digital broadcasts.

On the cut-off date, all of the licenses for the analog broadcasts expire and the stations have to shut down those analog transmitters so there won't be any analog stations to pick up.

If you buy a TV with a DTV Tuner in it right now it will also have an analog tuner so that you can get both types of signals for the transition period. The FCC would be thrilled if everyone went out and did this. Many people don't see much point in replacing a TV that still works just fine though. Wink

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Interesting!

I haven't given replacing ours any thought at all but perhaps I should.

All we really watch are videos and DVDs around here. It would take me weeks to even notice if all of the stations stopped broadcasting everything but the Daily Show!

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FCC Moves Up Deadline To Convert to Digital TV

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