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Digital TV - Frequently Asked Questions
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| What is
Digital TV (DTV)? |
| Why is
DTV better than analog TV? |
| Will
consumers have to pay to receive DTV broadcasts? |
| What
about my existing analog TV? |
| What
are the different signals that viewers will see on DTV? |
| What to
look for when shopping for a new TV set today? |
| Are the
new TV sets readily available? |
| Do I
need to convert to digital right away? |
| If I
have digital cable, do I have DTV? If I buy a DTV will it work with
digital cable? |
| For More Info log onto www.digitaltvzone.com |
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What is Digital TV (DTV)?
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| Digital TV (DTV) is turbo-charged television,
yielding clearer pictures, better sound, more programming and more viewing
excitement than traditional analog television. Digital TV offers a picture
free of “ghosts,” “snow” or interference. The crisper, sharper
image is due to the increased number of pixels the digital signal puts on
the screen, the higher the number, the sharper the picture and
High-definition Television (HDTV) has the highest resolution available.
Furthermore, HDTV provides 5.1 channels of Dolby
Digital CD-quality surround sound, adding to the ultimate home theater
experience. Digital TV also enables broadcasters to multicast, bringing
viewers multiple channels of over-the-air programming simultaneously in a
Standard-definition Television (SDTV) format. |
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Why is DTV better than analog TV?
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| Digital TV brings viewers five times the picture
resolution and clarity of analog TV, making viewers feel like they are
right in the middle of the action on their screens. Digital TV uses binary
code, the same system of ones and zeroes that runs on computers and
digitally recorded compact discs.
Switching TV broadcasts to digital is like
switching from cassette tape to compact disc or from a VHS tape to a DVD,
the pictures are clearer, and sound is improved, giving viewers the
opportunity to experience their favorite programs on a whole new level. In
addition, with a 16:9 aspect ratio compared to today’s 4:3 aspect ratio
of analog television, Digital TV lets viewers see much wider images.
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Will consumers have to pay to receive DTV Broadcasts?
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| No. Unlike digital cable where consumers pay
monthly fees for services, Digital TV provides high quality programming
and more content via free, over-the-air broadcasts.
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What about my existing analog TV?
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| Until the total conversion to Digital TV is made,
broadcasters will generally simulcast the same programs on two different
channels. One in a digital format and one in analog.
Viewers with analog sets will be able to convert a
digital signal to an analog signal by hooking up a digital tuner decoder
box to their sets; however, they will not be able to experience the
crystal clear pictures and sound quality that an HDTV set provides, nor
will they experience the advantages of datacasting or interactive
television.
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What are the different signals that viewers will see
on a DTV?
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Digital TV gives broadcasters the flexibility to
bring viewers programming on different types of digital signals —
ranging from high-definition to standard-definition. Digital TV signals
have better resolution than analog TV, which has been in use for more than
50 years. High-definition digital signals also have five times the
resolution than that of analog. With Digital TV, broadcasters can send
various signals to consumers, including:
High-definition Television (HDTV) - An HDTV signal
allows a broadcaster to transmit a wide-screen picture with many times
more detail than is contained in current analog TV pictures. HDTV brings
viewers programming so crisp and so clear, it produces an image as sharp
as reality. In addition HDTV offers unsurpassed audio quality.
Standard-definition
Television (SDTV) - An SDTV signal is another type of signal that viewers
experience through DTV. While SDTV signals eliminate ghosting and snow
they are particularly remarkable because they occupy less space on the
allocated spectrum than high-definition signals and bring viewers multiple
channels of free, over-the-air programming from the same station.
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What to look for when shopping for a new TV set
today?
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When shopping for a new TV set, consumers today
have choices. Please visit www.CE.org
for more information.
• An integrated Digital TV set — This option
allows viewers to receive analog and digital signals. An integrated set
can project high-definition (HD), enhanced-definition (ED) or
standard-definition (SD) signals. An HDTV set has the highest resolution
available and provides the ultimate home theater experience. An integrated
Digital TV set provides consumers the most convenient, hassle-free way to
experience Digital TV.
A Digital TV monitor and a separate digital tuner
decoder box - This option allows consumers to upgrade to Digital TV when
ready. If consumers choose to purchase only a Digital TV monitor, they
will get a wide-screen format and improved picture. In order to receive an
over-the-air signal with a Digital TV monitor, consumers must purchase a
set-top decoder box. These boxes may be used with HD, ED or SD monitors.
An analog set - If consumers buy an analog set
today, they will not receive any of the benefits of Digital TV, including
the clearest pictures and sound ever available. Because an analog set does
not have a digital tuner, consumers will have to purchase a digital tuner
decoder box to watch Digital TV.
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Are the new TV sets readily available?
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Digital TV sets are available at both retail stores
nationwide as well as online. Like CD players, computers and personal
digital assistants, the prices for Digital TV sets continue to drop as the
technology becomes more prominent. In fact, prices for Digital TV sets
have decreased by 50 percent over the last two years and are available in
stores today starting at under $2,000. Equally important, sales of DTV
monitors and sets (monitors with integrated tuners) are rising each month.
According to the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA),
the total manufacturer-to-retailer products sold in 2001 totaled 1,459,731
units. Total sales for the year surpassed CEA’s initial 2001 forecasts
of 1.1 million units. Between January and March of 2002, the sales of
integrated sets and set top boxes had already reached 148,369 units. CEA
projects that 2.1 million Digital TV products will be sold in 2002, 5.4
million in 2004, 8 million in 2005 and 10.5 million in 2006. |
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Do I need to convert to digital right away?
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| The Digital TV transition is happening now. As of
early June 2002, 422 stations in 128 markets, that include 87 percent of
American TV households, are broadcasting a digital signal.
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If I have digital cable, do I have DTV? If I buy a
DTV, will it work with digital cable?
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Digital cable is not the same as Digital
Television. First, Digital TV can deliver picture quality superior to that
of digital cable. Second, most cable companies do not yet carry
broadcasters’ digital signals.
Digital cable refers only to how signals are transferred across cable.
Moreover, because there are not yet universal interoperability standards,
a digital set that is plugged into a digital cable set-top box only will
receive an analog signal, withholding all the advantages of Digital
Television from a consumer.
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