FCC approves rules for 2009 digital TV transition

While we passed the T-minus two year mark earlier this year, the FCC has just now approved rules "that it says will ensure that millions of cable subscribers will still be able to watch broadcast programming after the digital television transition in 2009." Judging by reports, not a whole lot of new material was covered, but the new FCC rules reportedly mandate that cable operators "either convert the digital signal to analog at the point where the cable signal originates or supply customers with a down converter device that will change digital signals to analog at the TV set." Interestingly, the FCC "did not require operators to pass through every bit of information, as broadcasters had pushed for," and while smaller cable systems will be able to request a waiver, all providers will be required to "guarantee that analog cable customers will receive broadcast channels until February 2012."

[Via BroadcastingCable]

[Crayola @ Sep 12th 2007 2:45PM]

Breaking news from FCC:

Electromagnetic radiation cause baldness in 2 out of 4 men.

[njfuzzy @ Sep 12th 2007 3:00PM]

I'd say 2.5 out of 4.

[Elmer @ Sep 12th 2007 2:48PM]

You might want to update that picture of the FCC Commissioners. Thankfully, unless you support consolidation of our spectrum, Michael Powell is no longer its chairperson.

[newgalactic @ Sep 12th 2007 2:50PM]

And judging by their smiles, the major service providers have said their "Thank You's".

[Michael @ Sep 12th 2007 2:52PM]

I would assume that satellite users such as myself will notice nothing? Will this affect HD broadcasting?

[Jim Bailey @ Sep 12th 2007 2:55PM]

In other words the cable company must supply you a cable box, so you can receive their overly compressed 480i 6-bit color signals. For HD TV owners, the required cable box will give you 720i badly compressed and forget about any additional sub-channels the broadcaster is transmitting. Now they can finally force a box on you, with the hope that you will finally use the add-ons: Bad-PVR (with lots of DRM), and pay-per-view, etc.

[Evan @ Sep 12th 2007 5:18PM]

So, nothings really changed.

[Cash @ Sep 13th 2007 4:03AM]

Bad DRM? The box sits on your tv and lets you record then playback shows, so who cares if it has DRM? If you want to move your recorded shows around just go buy a new Tivo or something and pay the premium for added functionality. Personally I could care less if cable companies lock down their PVR boxes. If I want to take a recording with me I just hook my Archos up to it and make a recording, or I just get the show or movie off the net.

The only thing that has me confused about this whole deal is the purpose of it in the first place. All the cable boxes I've ever used were able to output their content through a standard RF connector, except for this latest box I picked up recently that comes in two models: one with and one without the RF option. Even then, it still had the standard composite outputs that all but the oldest and cheapest tv's come with. I'm also bothered that the FCC didn't take this opportunity to crack the CableCard whip some more, and get more companies to support the 2.0 ver that allows for two way communication so On Demand and other features that require that spec will work on CableCard equipped TV's and Set Top Boxes. And while we're listing the gripes, why the hell is it that DirecTV and Dish customers can get 150 HD channels, but I'm only getting 7? Upgrade your junk already... I know you have the cash because you just increased your rates AGAIN.

[blarvh @ Sep 12th 2007 2:56PM]

This was done here in Finland last week. Only here we only get 6 months of analog cable.

[granny down east @ Sep 12th 2007 3:02PM]

...and those of us who prefer CRT/OTA will do ...what?
No Cable on this island.

[blarvh @ Sep 12th 2007 3:18PM]

It's called a digital converter/tuner.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_tuner

[badbob001 @ Sep 12th 2007 3:24PM]

A down-converter device to allow digital cable signals to be viewable on an analog tv... hmm... uh, fcc, you mean a cablebox?

[JL @ Sep 12th 2007 4:28PM]

Correct me if i'm wrong but if you already have digital cable/cablecard equipped DVR (thinking TiVO HD) you don't have to worry about this???

[Andy @ Sep 12th 2007 4:38PM]

Correct.

[Andy @ Sep 12th 2007 4:39PM]

But you will need a box on every TV in the house.

[Ray-- @ Sep 12th 2007 4:40PM]

so what does this mean for Comcast who already shut off analog cable in some cities? Now they have to go back to all those customers and give them more equipment?

[Spyvie @ Sep 12th 2007 5:02PM]

Does this mean they don't have to carry Clear QAM HD signals anymore?

That would be a step backwards for me (Comcast Denver)

[t-bone @ Sep 12th 2007 7:05PM]

When did cable come in to play? I thought mandatory the switch to digital only applied to OTA broadcasters and cable could continue to do whatever they pleased.

[Jim Bailey @ Sep 12th 2007 7:51PM]

But its in the cable company's interest to compress the HD signals to allow for more channels on the existing infrastructure without needing further upgrades (i.e. to allow for more pay channel offerings). If I read the post correctly they do not have to pass the "must carry channels" bit-for-bit. In other words it will be VERY compress non-standard 480i/720i without the additional sub-channels. They may even require you to have a box just to receive anything, hope you don't love that built-in HD tuner.

[Arif Ullah Khan @ Sep 13th 2007 2:17AM]

coollllllll

[Lori @ Nov 18th 2007 10:33PM]

What about emergency situations? Living on the Gulf Coast, I have a battery powered t.v. for when the power goes out and I need to watch the news broadcast about a hurricane. Will those still continue to be broadcast in analog?