The US government has a solution to the transition from analog to digital televisions by 2009
By: Captain Maverick
Mar 14, 2007 03:18 AM GMT
The U.S. Department of Commerce today unveiled a plan to help subsidize the switch from analog to digital television, though congress said that the country is not prepared to switch over completely by 2009. The National Telecommunications and Information Administration plan would provide each household two $40 coupons that they then can use toward the purchase of a set-top box that can translate digital signals so television shows can be viewed on analog TVs.
The coupon program is designed to help ease the transition to digital TV. Not only will the transition help expand consumer choices, but more importantly, the digital transition will enable more efficient use of the nation's airwaves, providing new advanced wireless services and increased public safety services for all Americans.
The plan could see as many as 33,750 coupons issued, but it is unlikely to be enough to convert the tens of millions of analog TV sets. There are about 73 million TVs in America, though many of them are hooked up to cable, or satellite TV service. About 151002070223f the TV-watching population depends on an antenna for its service. The coupons will be much like gift cards. Government officials hope that enough consumers will either decide to buy TVs that can automatically receive the digital signals or switch to digital cable or satellite TV to ease demand for the boxes.
The end is near, for analog as the signals are scheduled to cease February 19, 2009. From then, TV programming will be transmitted digitally. Digital signals allow broadcasters to air high-definition programming with its movie-quality picture and CD-quality sound or several "standard-definition" programs or other programming streams.
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