The Digital TV (DTV) Transition

On June 12, 2009 all television broadcasters in the United States switched from broadcasting the traditional analog signal to an all-digital signal. This was originally scheduled to happen on February 17, and many broadcasters will stopped analog transmissions at that original date.

(Well, almost all. Some low-powered stations are exempt, and continue to broadcast the analog signal.)

If you get your TV via cable or satellite, you probably aren't affected by this change.

If you get your TV with an antenna, and your signal has stopped, you can either get an inexpensive convertor box to allow reception of the new digital signal, or you can upgrade your television to a model that accepts the digital signal directly.

There is a Federal Government Program which provides coupons for purchasing these convertors. This program is continuing even after the June 12th transition date.

For the most part, the same free programming is available in the digital format as was available in the traditional analog format. In fact, many stations will be able to offer additional channels in the digital format.

The official government website on this topic is dtv.gov.

A coalition of industry and government organizations has a very useful site at dtvtransition.org.

Do I need a new TV?

No.

If you get your television over the air using an antenna, you will probably just need a convertor to allow your current analog television to receive the new digital signal.

These converters are usually priced between $40 and $70, and are available at most retailers that sell televisions.

However, flat-screen television prices are very attractive at this time, and all new televisions are digital-ready and don't require an adaptor. So, if you were thinking about upgrading your television, this is a good time.

Do I need a new antenna?

Maybe.

If you had good reception on your analog antenna, it should work fine with a convertor box or digital television.

If you had marginal reception your analog antenna, you may lose some channels with the digital signal and may need to upgrade your antenna.

You can learn more about antenna options and see specific details about which signals are available at your location at antennaweb.org.
They have excellent tools to determine what signals are available and what antenna you will need to get them.