Starting February 17, 2009, all TV channels will be broadcast solely in digital. If your TV set only has an analog tuner (known as an NTSC), you’ll need to either:

1. purchase a new TV with a digital tuner (known as ATSC).
2. subscribe to cable or satellite services
3. buy a convertor box for the analog TV

You can get a coupon from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration on a first-come first-serve basis, worth $40 each toward the purchase of a convertor box. Each household is eligible for two coupons. Find out more at www.ntia.doc.gov and www.dtv.gov

Digital Television Facts at a Glance

Analog

• Date for final transition to digital is February 17, 2009. After that date, full-power stations will only broadcast digital signals.
• Consumers will always be able to connect an inexpensive receiver, a digital to analog converter box, to their existing analog TV to decode DTV broadcast signals.
• Digital to analog converter boxes will not convert your analog TV to high-definition.
• Analog TVs will continue to work with cable, satellite, VCRs, DVD players, camcorders, video games consoles and other devices for many years.

DTV

• Digital cable or digital satellite does not mean a program is in high-definition
• Digital pictures will be free from the “ghosts” and “snow” that can affect analog transmissions
• Multicasting is available
• HDTV is available
• Data streaming is available

HDTV

• High-definition broadcasts offered
• Best available picture resolution, clarity and color
• Dolby theatre surround-sound
• Dolby surround-sound
• Wide screen “movie-like” format

Last updated: March 15, 2008