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"Fact Bytes" are handy reference guides about timely, useful subjects. Each "Fact Byte" lists publications, websites, and organizations that can give you authoritative information. Topic: Digital Television

Digital TV is here. Analog TV Broadcasting Ends February 17, 2009.

On February 17, 2009, federal law requires that all full-power television broadcast stations stop broadcasting in analog format and broadcast only in digital format.

Congress passed a law changing to all-digital television broadcasting, also known as the digital television (DTV) transition, because all-digital broadcasting will free up frequencies for use by first responders such as police, fire, and emergency rescue. Also, digital is a more efficient transmission technology. It allows broadcast stations to offer improved picture and sound quality. Broadcast TV stations will be able to offer more programming options for consumers through multiple broadcast streams (multicasting). In addition, some of the freed up frequencies will be used for advanced commercial wireless services for consumers.

If you receive television signals using a satellite dish or cable TV service, you may not notice any difference when the change to digital broadcasting takes place. If you own an older television and rely on a rooftop TV antenna or a set of rabbit-ears on your TV set, you probably receive your television by an analog signal. The analog signal will go away after February 17, 2009. Your TV picture will stop working unless you take steps to convert to the new ditigal signal.

You have several options:

You could replace your old TV set with a new television with a built-in digital receiver, or

You could buy a digital-to-analog set-top converter box to attach to your TV set.

To help consumers make the conversion to digital TV, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), a part of the Department of Commerce, is offering coupons to consumers that offset part of the cost of buying a digital-to-analog converter. Households can qualify for up to two coupons while supplies last.

For more information about the change to digital television broadcasting, visit some of the websites listed below.

Websites & Electronic Resources

Federal Communications Commission Consumer Facts about Digital Television: a fact sheet explaining the switch to digital television.

Digital Television: Tomorrow's TV Today!: a website maintained by the FCC that counts down to the transition date. It offers information for consumers.

Digital-to-Analog Converter Box Coupon Program: to sign up for the Digital-to-Analog Converter Box Coupon Program visit the NTIA’s website at www.ntia.doc.gov/dtvcoupon, or call 1-888-388-2009 (voice) or 1-877-530-2634 (TTY).