Are you confused about the HDTV switchover that’s happening next year yet? Many people think that their old tube TVs won’t work after the switch is done. I am here to dispel all the rumors out there and maybe start some new ones. The official word is that the FCC is mandating that the local network television channels have to stop broadcasting analog TV channels on February 17th 2009. What that means is that if you have an analog TV (like an old tube TV) you need to invest in cable or satellite TV, or purchase an HDTV tuner in order to watch TV by the above date.
If you do purchase the tuner, and you watch HD programming, everything you watch will have bars on the top and the bottom of the screen. It would be similar to what you see when you watch some DVDs that are “widescreen”. The reason for this is that HDTV has introduced a new TV shape. It is rectangular shaped, similar to what you see in the movie theater. When TV was introduced in the 30s the square shape that the TV has, was the shape that movies had back then also. So the movie industry has really dictated what the TV shape has been. To reemphasis, rectangular TV screen good, square shaped TV bad.
The government is giving a $40 credit to anyone wanting to purchase an over the air tuner for their old TV. People will still be able to watch TV with their old sets with a pair of rabbit ears and these tuners. Now keep in mind, the cable and satellite companies are not under the same obligations to provide completely digital service. What that means is not every cable channel or satellite channel has to be HD by that date. Most of the really popular channels already are though, like ESPN, Discovery Channel, HGTV, Food Network, TBS, TNT, HBO, Showtime etc... My assumption is, that when the big switchover takes place next year, the cable channels that are already broadcasting in HD will no longer be available in analog. This would give the cable companies more space to fit more HD channels and since you will need a box for the local networks anyway it won’t make a difference if those channels are only available in HD.
Any way you slice it, HD is here, and it is here to stay, whether you like it or not. If you have seen any HD shows on a good HDTV you can’t do anything but like it, especially sports. You don’t have to throw out your old TV sets by next year, but if you want to have a vastly improved picture and one less box next to your TV, it’s time for an upgrade. Anyone for watching some baseball players spitting their tobacco out in High Def? How about some wrinkled old man giving us the news of the day?
If you do purchase the tuner, and you watch HD programming, everything you watch will have bars on the top and the bottom of the screen. It would be similar to what you see when you watch some DVDs that are “widescreen”. The reason for this is that HDTV has introduced a new TV shape. It is rectangular shaped, similar to what you see in the movie theater. When TV was introduced in the 30s the square shape that the TV has, was the shape that movies had back then also. So the movie industry has really dictated what the TV shape has been. To reemphasis, rectangular TV screen good, square shaped TV bad.
The government is giving a $40 credit to anyone wanting to purchase an over the air tuner for their old TV. People will still be able to watch TV with their old sets with a pair of rabbit ears and these tuners. Now keep in mind, the cable and satellite companies are not under the same obligations to provide completely digital service. What that means is not every cable channel or satellite channel has to be HD by that date. Most of the really popular channels already are though, like ESPN, Discovery Channel, HGTV, Food Network, TBS, TNT, HBO, Showtime etc... My assumption is, that when the big switchover takes place next year, the cable channels that are already broadcasting in HD will no longer be available in analog. This would give the cable companies more space to fit more HD channels and since you will need a box for the local networks anyway it won’t make a difference if those channels are only available in HD.
Any way you slice it, HD is here, and it is here to stay, whether you like it or not. If you have seen any HD shows on a good HDTV you can’t do anything but like it, especially sports. You don’t have to throw out your old TV sets by next year, but if you want to have a vastly improved picture and one less box next to your TV, it’s time for an upgrade. Anyone for watching some baseball players spitting their tobacco out in High Def? How about some wrinkled old man giving us the news of the day?
The HDTV switchover
Jim Carter's Technology Blog
Posted 3/13/2008
