Analog TV shutdown all but set for 2009

Mark your calendar for February 17, 2009. That's the date set by Congress, as part of a sweeping budget-cutting bill, that broadcasters will be mandated to shut down their analog broadcasts (both the Senate and broadcasters had previously agreed to the date, so the bill now only awaits the President's signature to become law). However, if you can't bear to part with that old Philco or Admiral, you won't have to toss it. The government will be setting aside $1.5 billion in subsidies to help consumers get converters to allow older analog sets to receive digital broadcasts. And, no, you can't request a piece of that to pick up a 60-inch plasma, so don't even think about it.

[Brian Short @ Feb 2nd 2006 10:49AM]

It seems unlikely that this will actually go through. There are about a bazillion old sets out there that people just aren't going to get rid of, and you can bet that they'll raise a stink about it with their representatives.

[Liam Billington @ Feb 2nd 2006 10:59AM]

When the UK government shut down analogue in a certain area (cant remember where) the whole region got free DVB-T boxes! You can pick them up quite cheaply in the UK for �30.

Unfortunately HDTV is a way off yet in the UK. :-(

[Jon @ Feb 2nd 2006 11:31AM]

Why thank you government, I would looove some free spy boxes.

[Mel @ Jan 14th 2008 8:38PM]

I like the way you think. That is sooo true.If only more people could see through the government like that. We might could make a difference, but people are so brainwashed by the gov. and media that they won't face the truth.

[werk @ Feb 2nd 2006 11:41AM]

#1, did you even read the article? The government is subsidising converters that will allow people with analog TVs to view digital content.

And before someone jumps on how much of a waste of money it is, the sale of the analog spectrum will more than pay for it.

Now, just how well the government will handle this changeover and the converter program is up for debate...

[Robert Aitchison @ Feb 2nd 2006 12:00PM]

I won't belive it till it happns but when it does it won't be soon enough.

Today HDTVs cost a LOT more than their SDTV counterparts, primarily due to their "premium" factor.

Once analog signals are gone and they can't even sell SDTVs you will see dramatic price drops (30% or more) for HDTVs within a very short time.

[JPristel @ Feb 2nd 2006 12:33PM]

Analog TV will go the way of AM radio. It'll never be gone.

[Josh Bernoff @ Feb 2nd 2006 12:52PM]

Who does this affect? The poorest, oldest segments of society -- those who don't buy new TVs frequently, don't have cable or satellite, and are least equipped, technically, to hook up the over air receiver.

When we wrote about this at Forrester, we predicted the "little old lady march on Washington". Scheduled for February 2009 -- bundle up!

[Lakelady @ Jan 24th 2008 8:42PM]

I have friends who have as many as 4 old TVs on "rabbit ears". They do not pay any cost for TV programming and will not be able to do so in the future. Will they have to buy one of these converters for each of their 4 TVs. After the expense of buying these "boxes", I am assuming that they will still only get the 5 chanels that currently have very poor programming. They mainly use their TV for watching the news. Who cares if the news in analog? Keep it free!

[joshman @ Feb 2nd 2006 12:54PM]

This only affects a small amount of televisions in the US. The majority of the population have cable or satellite service. This only affects people still getting the television programming by the way of an OTA antenna. And those customers will have the option to get a converter box, which will be subsidized, so they will not be forced into buying a new television. You have to realize the majority of the channels available are not in HD and most will never make the move.

[Jamar @ Feb 2nd 2006 12:58PM]

You mean- it'll fall into obscurity and be used for all of the broadcasts that aren't good enough for HD? (That's the situation in China, at least in my opinion, but I'm just a long-term Chinese-American student in China)

[Michael @ Feb 2nd 2006 1:30PM]

But will my TiVo work with converters in 2009? (it doesn't right now...)

[Josh Bernoff @ Feb 2nd 2006 1:35PM]

Let's clear up a few misconceptions here:

1. When analog TV sales end, the low-end digital TVs won't be HDTVs. They'll just be the same old crappy analog TVs with the converters built in. About $50 more expensive, but with the same picture.

2. The analog TV won't go the way of AM, it will go away. The whole point of the shutdown is for the government to reclaim the spectrum and sell it off. Even if channels don't switch to HDTV, they'll still be pumping out digital broadcasts, not analog.

3. Subsidies or no subsidies, people with old TVs and no cable will be confused. Of the people who now watch TV with rabbit ears, many are going to find this "hook up a converter thing" just mystifying. (My apologies to those who are smart but just over-the-air die-hards -- I'm not talking about you, I'm talking about your grandmother.)

[Bo Spencer @ Jan 24th 2007 4:12PM]

There are some of us that don't spend our entire day in front of a damn tv, and when we do, being able to see the covered up zits on an actresses face is not that important. A clear picture, in color, with sound is really all we care about. call us stupid, or behind the times, but there are other things we would rather spend our $1,000 + on than a new tv. So when you criticize us for staying in the dark ages understand that we are different and don't rush to the manufacutrer's efvery new gadget to plop down huge sums of money for something we really didn't need in the first damn place. It's kind of like the cell phone gadget phase. Most of the lambs of our society think that really need a cell phone that tkaes pictures, receives itty bitty tv signals, sets text messages that are oh so important, and soon will help them with their bathroom activities. All I want is a damn phone - just a phone!

[Thomas @ Feb 2nd 2006 2:45PM]

The less television in our lives the better.

[JR @ Feb 2nd 2006 6:34PM]

I actually am cool enough to use an OTA antenna, because I rarely watch TV and I wouldn't want to pay for cable that I would barely use. Maybe it's only me, but there is something about analogue TV that just seems cool. Also, in order to broadcast the digital signal to OTA antennaem, wouldn't we need to allocate a different frequency spectrum? Wouldn't that defeat the purpose of freeing the one we are currently using?

[Chris McDowell @ Feb 2nd 2006 9:19PM]

Analog tv signals use a large spread of the spectrum to transmit one tv channel. Going digital(OTA digital signals will be sent over the air also) will allow the government to send out either more channels or higher quality channels(HDTV). So instead of having 6 channels on the specrum they can now send out 12(not an accurate number but you get the idea) HDTV(OTA) signals require multiple channels but now using digital there are more channels and you can therefore have more hdtv channels than are possible with analog spectrum. This means the government can make a more effective use of the spectrum than is currently possible with analog. People with analog tv's cannot convert digital(OTA) signals into a picture without the converter box. New tv's that are digital can convert the Digital(OTA) signal into a picture. Old tv's will require a box that converts the digital signal that is still being sent OTA into an analog signal that is sent down their coax cable just like it is now from their antenna to their old tv. Digital is still being sent OTA just like analog. Hope this clears it up. You will still be able to use a bunny ears type device on your old tv you just need the converter box inbetween and possible a new set of digital bunny ears.

[tcc3 @ Feb 3rd 2006 2:14AM]

Forgive me if I dont hold my breath. The cutoff date originally was supposed to be 2006, but broadcasters whined and drug their heels enough to postpose the date. Now that theres better hd market penetration, most major stations are upgraded, and many shows are recorded HD, maybe itll actually happen this time.

[Craigeth @ Feb 4th 2006 9:55AM]

TV is slowly dying. IP-TV is the way of the future.

[JPW @ Feb 4th 2006 3:48PM]

>HDTV(OTA) signals require multiple channels

Chris McDowell, you were so close! But I still have to step in. The whole point is that the spec for HD was designed to fit neatly into a conventional 6MHz channel--the MPEG-2 compression significantly reduces the native data rate. The 5.1 Channel sound you get is icing on the cake.

Maybe you meant to say that multiple DTV channels of content can fit into the same bandwith that a conventional channel would occupy. DTV offers many options where only one existed in NTSC.

Hope this helps,

-JPW
Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers� Manager, Rochester Section

[Daniel Thomas @ Feb 8th 2006 12:39PM]

I currently have analogue cable tv. We have 3 very good tv's which are non HD but are less than 5 years old. Will I be ok as long as I get the Digital receivers available from the cable company? Also, I know that the FM radio band 88 to 108 mhz frequency is in between channel 6 and 7. will FM radio as we know it be gone as well? If it is shut down as far as OTA transmission, will cable companys still be able to run closed circuit anologue on the existing frequencies? How will AM radio be affected? I enjoy tinkering with old AM/SW tube radios and enjoy hearing them play. Thank you, Regards.

[Rick Roberts @ Feb 11th 2006 11:19AM]

Wow, it never ceases to amaze me how the simplest things can confuse us. We've had radio for almost a century and TV for more than half a century, but for most of us it's still magic. This is a good thing. The spectrum will be more efficiently used. The taxpayers will come out ahead.

Broadcasters will drag their feet, in hopes of hogging more total bandwidth when it's all said and done. They have a lot of clout and it remains to be seen whether the government has the nerve to stand up to them.

[Nick @ Dec 13th 2007 3:19PM]

Broadcasters are not dragging their heels anymore. Right now, broadcasters are forced to pay for power for two transmitters - one analog and one digital. Twice as much power as they were used to paying for before. From that perspective, the sooner this is all over, the better.

Another issue is that broadcasters are currently sending their digital signals on an alternate channel number, and using PSIP to 'remap' their digital channel to their analog counterpart for display purposes. In 2009 when all the analog transmitters are gone, all of the broadcasters are going to reshuffle their transmitter frequencies one more time so as to wind up on their permanent channel number. The low VHF channels are too noisy for 8VSB, so 2-6 will have to move up to a channel above 7. Channels 60 and up are going to be removed to be sold. Most of the rest of the existing broadcasters are likely to move their digital transmitter to their analog channel, while the 2-6 and 60+ channels will just go find a space somewhere else.

The other good news about digital broadcasting is that the rules about adjacent channel allocation are more permissive, because digital reception is typically an all-or-nothing affair (it either comes in perfectly, or not at all. The margin between those two states is fairly narrow).

As others have pointed out, replacing the analog RF and demodulation stages in a receiver with an 8VSB receiver and MPEG2 decoder should not have a significant impact on small or battery operated devices. They do make USB bus-powered 8VSB/QAM receivers that are the size of a bic lighter, though to be fair those typically don't have the MPEG2 decoder in them, which a TV would obviously need.

I think the largest impact the shutdown is going to have is going to be on embedded television devices. Folks who got a TV built-in to the back seat of their Escalades are going to be rather pissed when they stop working.

[aldo mazzella @ Feb 17th 2006 1:11AM]

It is my understanding the the VLF band will be gone and all digital TV transmissions will be in VHF? and higher frequency bands. Since digital reception is usually a go or no-go situation, what happens in those areas of the country (like a hilly area) where the OTA TV reception at the higher frequencies is marginal or doesn't exist? Is the government going to build additional antenna towers so that the same tv coverage of the Country exists? Having a digital converter box won't help if there is no signal.

[Jason Martin @ Apr 29th 2006 2:06PM]

Nobody seems to notice another problem associated with this. And that is the additional costs and other problems involved with these forced-to-use receivers.

What if you have a relatively new Tube TV mounted on a wall, or under the kitchen cabinet, or on top of a narrow shelf or furniture? How are you supposed to attach these receivers? And you can't just set the box on top of your TV as they usually don't have a flat top to work with. What about an available plu? Just how many splitters must one use for this 'blessing'? And lets not forget the additional power used by the boxes.

So now there is possibly additional costs for carpentry, mounting, wiring, power consumption, and people giving up and buying several expensive new TVs to replace all the others. For most families with multiple TVs, they were accumulated over time, usually with the kids inheriting hand-me-downs or they end up in secondary family rooms. Even with the two $40 coupons, some families may need to buy three, four, or even more boxes.

This just ain't right. I'm all for advancing technology, but not for forced upgrading or else "No soup for you!" consequences.

~Jason

[Kevin @ Dec 13th 2006 6:30PM]

I think you are making a mountain out of an ant hill. Although it would seem disastrous to low income families...I don't believe it is that bad. What about when gas went unleaded? People had to buy additives for their older cars. If you want to live in the past...you have to pay extra.

[Alllen Smith @ May 1st 2006 10:41PM]

A big concern I have about losing the analog broadcast signals is the effect it will have during power outages, especially during severe thunderstorm/tornado watches and warnings. When we have a bad storm, it is not unusual for me to lose power and often my cable signal. Currently, I have a battery operated 5" B&W TV that picks up at least three local stations very clearly with its built-in antenna, even when down in my basement. Come 2009, this set will no longer work and I will only be able to receive radio updates. How long will be before a comperable digital set is produced that will pick up a digital signal down in a basement. Something to think about.

I personally think that analog signals should be around for at least ten years after the last analog set is mauufactured and sold.

[steven @ Dec 31st 2006 9:04PM]

The converters use electricity. In a sense, that would mean the government is raising my electric rates for what, reality TV, letterboxed shows lots of commercials, network and program logos crappy reception on some of Cox cable channels. When I watch a DVD, all that disappears and I can pause and rewind with the DVR-PVR fee from Tivo or Cox digital cable. My city no longer takes computers and now TV's. What is going to happen in America if millions TV's get dumped in the landfill at once?

[New 360 Owner @ Jan 12th 2007 6:00PM]

Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but instead of requiring cable users to have set top boxes, wouldn't it just be easier for the cable company to convert the incoming digital signals at their end and transmit an analog signal to their customers?? They would only need to have 1 converter in each service area that does the work for all instead of hundreds or thousands distributed to each individual household. Also, are we going to be forced to pay extra for said set top box?? It is not our fault the government mandated this. The cable company should be sending a bill to the government for them.

[Bill @ Mar 13th 2007 12:51PM]

If I buy a converter box for my old analog TV, or if I buy a new digital TV, will I need a new antenna to receive the digital signal or will my present antenna still work ? Will anyone even manufacture an antenna to recieve digital signals over the airwaves ?

[Bob @ Apr 18th 2007 5:42PM]

There are a LOT of HDTV antennas out there. Check out WalMart or Radio Shack. Your present antena might even work. OTA HDTV is GREAT. I can pick up HDTV channels from as far as 50 miles away with my $50 indoor/outdoor radio shack antenna. These channels come in crystal clear. I convert the HDTV signal to analog (so I can view on my old analog 32" TV) using a USDTV receiver (available on eBay). This receiver is apparently similar to what will be available next year for the analog tv owners using an antenna to get tv. If you've got an HDTV with built in tuner you can get a tremendous (free) HDTV signal without having to subscribe to cable or sattelite.

[Bill @ Apr 22nd 2007 9:36AM]

Bob, Thank you. One more question, what type of coaxial cable will I need to connect my antenna to a digital-to-analog converter for my existing analog TV ? That is, RG???, impedance, and probably 2-conductor ?

[Nola Moore @ Apr 13th 2007 6:47PM]

I'm obviously living in a bubble. If your tv is not HDTV ready, does this mean that it is analog?
Thankyou to the people 'in the know'.

[Nat Kayle @ Jun 8th 2007 9:39PM]

I’m a broadcast engineer and I’d like to clear up some misinformation here. First, digital TV uses the same channels as analog- except for those over ch.51 which will be reallocated to communications services. There will be both Hi-Def and standard-definition digital-TV- just as there is both color and black & white analog TVs. A standard-def TV will cost little more than a current analog TV. It does not take a ‘special’ antenna to receive digital TV but it does take a good antenna- marginal indoor antennas may not work. If you watch cable or satellite, the cable or satellite company will do the D-to-A converting for you- at least for now. Of course these pictures will just be standard definition.

[Matt @ Jul 11th 2007 12:26AM]

I think they really need to consider the waste problem. All the mindless ("it says digital, it must be good") Americans will toss their old set without a second thought and cause a major environmental problem. As far as I see, it's all a bunch of hype, digital is better, blah blah blah. Everything is about money, and these politicians probably wouldn't know Beta from VHS. Why would they care if 97% of television sets produced since what, 1946 are rendered obsolete? The funny thing is, some of these older sets, with their build quality, will LONG outlast the garbage they produce today. There, I'm done, next.

[Faberdo Jones @ Aug 15th 2007 6:35PM]

I know that the analog switch off is most likely going to happen in 2009 but from what I know this is how the whole thing is going to be.

* If you have an analog TV then you will need to buy a digital to analog converter.

* You will most likely need to subscribe to cable if you can't get a good picture in your screen. If you get a good picture then you're fine and now you can recieve digital signals after the switch off.

* I have heard that analog to digital converters might be sold in stores and the local cable provider dont worry the goverment will give you a chance to claim 2 coupons for 2 converters.

Thats pretty much it, you don't need to buy a new television if you are okay with your current TV. You will not need cable either just a digital to analog coverter and a good antenna. Remember if you're telvision has a built in digital tuner then an antenna is all you need.

[Bill @ Sep 15th 2007 7:40PM]

If I buy a digital TV and attach my current roof mounted antenna currently used with my analog TV, will the new digital TV automatically scan through the incomming channels and allow me to choose the channels I wish to view as my current analog TV does ? Or, will I somehow have to program selected digital channels into the digital TV ? I don't even know what the designations are for the digital channels being broadcast over the air. For instance, I only know that ABC, channel 7 in the NY area is 7.2 for digital. Where can I find out what the digital designations are for CBS (2), NBC (4), FOX (5), MNT (9), CW (11), PBS (13) ?

[bob @ Oct 16th 2007 11:06AM]

You should check out the avs forum for local New York over the air digital information [url=www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=275729&goto=newpost][/url]

[frank @ Oct 20th 2007 10:17PM]

I am getting digital signals from a new DVD recorder with a built-in digital tuner-toshiba. The signals are stunning-dvd quality! I use regular rabbit ears! It is Connected to an old sony tv--I get cable but the local brodacast signals on my cable system are for some reason bad. I use the dvd recorder to feed the signals into tv via s-video input. I live in Manhattan so local signals are great. The only difference between analog and digital is the digital signals will be on or off-you get picture or a blank blue screen--just move antenna around! Use the digital tuner in a new dvd recorder --great solution to add to old analog tv!

[Jacob Bogenschutz @ Oct 21st 2007 5:40PM]

Personally I think that it is a good thing - Are you trying to tell me that there are thousands of TV sets that are 30+ years old that are still working perfectly on a daily basis? - if that's the case I think that you've more than got your moneys worth out of that piece of technology.

The whole point here is that the current system of TV broadcasting is wasting large amounts of bandwidth (that means space in the form of transmission, ie: MHz...) That could be used for other more important things... like Fire, Medical, Police, Air traffic, not to mention other emerging technologies such as wireless internet, automatic utility meter readers and a wealth of other things I'm sure.

Someone else made the argument that it would cost extra money for modifying current installations and extra power to run it - if they can put it into a USB sized portable stick for your computer already - I don't think thats a problem, Power useage? have you ever measured how much power your TV from 1950 consumes compared to most any consumer device available today? Sure there's a price to pay for change - but there isn't much point in even getting out of bed every day if your not willing to deal with change.... So quit your Bi@tchin!

I hope I helped someone get the picture - no pun intended...

[Melissa May @ Oct 22nd 2007 6:56PM]

I am very troubled that NO ONE has brought up that only battery operated televisions can pick up analog broadcasts when the electricity is out (i.e. when a natural disaster knocks out electricity. Why is NO ONE screaming out that this will disable people's ability to get emergency information? If you have to use a converter to get a signal, that requires electricity.

[jean @ Jan 4th 2008 9:17PM]

melissa may,
I think your'e the smartest person on here. You go girl! Thats the one thing I was more concerned about as well.
Even when you go primative camping, and for no power from storms, We need our battery operated tvs. Thats why I spent so much for a good battery operated tv to begin with, so We could have a good picture so everyone could see it when we go camping. Are we supposed to give up camping with our families now.Too bad our kerosene lamps wont work the tv. It is the one thing we still allow our kids to have when we go camping, I'm sure after this takes place, they will cry they dont want to go anymore.

[Carol'nflorida @ Jan 23rd 2008 8:50PM]

Coming from the lightning capital in the US. it is very important that we have exact weather coverage. I use a palm-sized color portable tv just for this purpose. As I am typing this there are tornado warnings going across the tele-type. It doesn't seem by any of these msg.'s that there is an answer for this. Anyone?

[dick @ Jan 2nd 2008 6:59AM]

i have analogue tv sets connected with cable tv.
how will this effect me?

[chris @ Jan 3rd 2008 7:33PM]

Why can't they stage the switchover where VHF remains as is for a few more years? Just do the cutoff in the UHF band that never was more than few more marginally receivable OTA channels? The most important thing here is to prevent a massive disposal problem. Add a tax to the new sets to fund converter boxes. There will be normal market forces at work and the transition will be made at a manageable pace.

[ginette g @ Jan 6th 2008 9:36AM]

I sincerely feel that your comments are rather presumptuous. We live out in a rural area, where the choices are: rabbit ears, good antenna or satellite. No cable… And I really don't know too many households who would be able to afford more than a couple of satellite hook-up boxes within their household. We are a family of five, (the three oldest children are adults, and are on their own) the 15 year old twins, remain at home, my husband and I, and my father lives with us. We have several "old" sets that we use throughout the house, none of the 5 TVs are less than 10-15 years old. IF this conversion takes place, who will have to go without the possibility of viewing TV? Gees, our only broadband access is through satellite, and have you seen what that costs per month!

[ken @ Jan 29th 2008 12:12AM]

ok here's the 100,000,000 question what will happen to the analog spectrum when it becomes avaliable on feb 17th 2009? my theory is cell phone companies will buy it and use it for none other then "yes" video cell phone confrencing, but thats my thought in the next step of technology tell me what you think let me know.

[Mary Petrangelo @ Jan 31st 2008 10:21AM]

I am a disables persona nd can not afford to pay for a converter. I hav a set that was my moms, and it is only about 4 years old, I can't afford to get a new set either. So what are people like us to do?? Totally unfair. I know that the HDTV's are more costly , for now anyway, but give us a bvreak!!
My TV is my only source of entertainment as I can't afford much else.

[mikey @ Apr 29th 2008 2:45AM]

The government will give you up to two (2) coupons for forty dollars off a converter, the prices are droppping to you may have to pay ten dollars each for the converter. google digital converter coupon and it will take you to the website

[Bill @ Feb 3rd 2008 10:33AM]

I read an article stating that shortly after the transition date of Feb.17,2008, the NY stations, i.e; ch.2 thru. 13 will be converting to UHF channels. This means that unless you have a super UHF antenna on your roof you will not be able to receive the digital signals anymore either. Has any one else heard of this proposal and when it might happen ?