Digital Television

What do we mean by digital?
 

analog

525 lines of resolution
4:3 aspect ratio
FM quality sound
6 MHz bandwidth
 

digital
up to 1080 lines of resolution (480, 720)
16:9 aspect ratio
CD quality sound
up to 30 MHz bandwidth
 
DTV covers ANY digital transmission system
High Definition Television (HDTV) is one specific digital transmission system (1080)
 

1987 FCC is asked to act on digital television
two options:
1. DTV must be receiver compatible (an analog set must be able to decode digital signals)
2. DTV must be simulcast while analog is phased out

FCC favored option 2 (though option 1 is still possible)
 
FCC allocated a digital channel for every licensed TV station

when analog is phased out, the analog channels will be returned to the FCC
 
a problem!
DTV or HDTV?
costs - for the industry and for consumers
 

Nov. 1, 1998 - 42 stations begin broadcasting digital signals

all TV stations were to be broadcasting digitally by May 1, 2003

this goal wasn't met
 
broadcasters are slowly producing more programs in digital (HD)
 
by December 31, 2006 analog was supposed to phase out

(initial projections anticipated 85% of American households would have digital TV by then)

this didn't happen!
 
the new "final" phase out date
February 17, 2009
subsidies for converter boxes
Wilmington, NC test market Sept. 8, 2008
 
 

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