A long era of analog signals has come to an end with the entry of digital signals. How does this change things for the Americans?
For a majority of Americans, who receive TV signals via fiber networks, satellite or cable, this move will not make a difference. Even those that are already watching digital TV broadcasts, including HDTV using an antenna are fine too. This change will only affect the households that use old analog TV sets via an antenna.
These people faced the hiss of static recently as broadcast TV stations switched from analog TV signals to digital signals. Millions of people were unprepared for this change, not because they were not informed, but either because they did not take this seriously or they simply cannot afford to set up digital reception.
Americans have been hearing about this transition for the last decade. Many deadlines were given but not met, and the shift was kept being postponed. The most recent was February of last year, which was postponed one final time to the deadline of June 12, which was for real.
President Obama issued a statement – “We have worked hand in hand with state and local officials, broadcasters and community groups to educate and assist millions of Americans with the transition…I want to be clear: there will not be another delay.”
And here we are, the final transition has taken place. Despite several public service announcements and billions of dollars spent by the U.S. government to ensure people are ready for this change, millions face a blank screen when they switch their TVs on.
Statistics reveal that about 17 million households in the US depend on antennas. Although, the number of households that are unprepared has reduced to half from what it was in February, there are almost 2.8 million households who do not have access to TV after the shift.
A converter costs anywhere between $40 and $60 in electronics stores and there are millions who cannot afford to buy one currently. The Commerce Department has been doing its bit to help people buy the necessary equipment for the switch, by issuing $40 vouchers. The department is said to have received about 400,000 requests for the converter box coupons. The government has sent coupons for almost 60 million converter boxes. Each household is limited to two coupons and they intend to keep providing these vouchers to all households until July 31.
While some people are unable to buy the converter boxes, others have problems installing them. Poor reception can also be a problem because of wrong installation of antennas or using the wrong kind of antenna. Since digital signals travel differently through the air, some TV viewers may also not be able to receive some digital channels.
But why the shift, after all these years of using analog signals successfully? Technological advances?
The method of using analog signals and broadcasting TV over-the-air came into its own in the 1940s, and was very inefficient when compared to the new method of digital TV signals. Digital broadcasting of TV signals works far better than analog. Another reason is that an auction was held in March 2008 to sell the spectrum or part of the airwaves that carry analog TV broadcasts, to private companies. Through this, the government made $19.6 billion. Now only part of the spectrum is public property and will be used in cases of emergency broadcasts. Digital signals use up much less spectrum than analog signals.
The move to digital TV has also helped many TV makers and consumer electronics makers. Because of this shift, these people found millions of consumers who bought converter boxes, antennas and digital TVs.
We have seen that the government benefits a great deal from this shift, but how about the consumers? Aren’t they being burdened? In what way is this going to be beneficial to them?
Consumers benefit from better picture quality from digital signals and since digital uses up less wireless spectrum for transmission, it is possible for broadcasters to offer more channels. In fact, some of the stations have already added more channels.
Even people who have not been prepared for this transition are still being given time, as there are about a hundred TV stations in the United States, which are providing “analog nightlight” services. This is a voluntary program where the TV stations have decided to keep an analog signal on, even while transmitting digital signals. More than half of these stations are going to be on air for 30 days more.
Another fact is that it is only the high-power broadcasters that are expected to make this shift to digital signals, which means that a few low-power analog stations will still be available in certain areas.
Overall, in spite of the initial hiccups, the shift is expected to bring about a huge positive change in TV viewing, to a nation addicted to television.
