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2009 to usher in new television era
By Chris Faulkner/MVM News Network
If it's true that many young people today think history began when they were born, then the Baby Boomer generation may be the only folks around who remember the first - and only - major change in television broadcasting: Sending color pictures over the air waves instead of just black-and-white.
The year was 1954, although it wasn't until the early 1960s that Americans started buying color sets in droves.
That might be hard to comprehend for today's youth, who can transmit photos by way of their cell phones and - with a photo enhancement program like Photoshop(tm) - change any picture they want into black-and-white and then back again.
Since that time 54 years ago, the world has seen many changes that involve televisions but didn't change the picture quality: videotapes, more channels, DVDs, even more channels, TiVo, so many channels that if there isn't a Stuff Envelopes in Your Spare Time Channel yet, there will be by next year.
At midnight Feb. 17, 2009, the television industry will stop sending analog signals and start sending only digital/high-definition signals. This will not only give viewers a clearer picture, but will also free up the airwaves for use by emergency responders.
Up until now, if people didn't want to embrace technology they didn't have to. Keep the antenna instead of subscribing to cable or getting a satellite dish; pass on the computer and its dozens of annual and semi-annual upgrades (it's not considered a good computer unless it's already obsolete when you take it out of the box); toast your bread in an old-fashioned toaster instead of a specially designed portable toaster oven.
But this change will affect those of us content to live in the 20th century.
If you're an antenna owner, but you at least have a new televison that has the digital tuner built in, then you're ready to go. If you have an older television set, you'll need to get a converter box for each set you own or you won't see anything but (blizzard).
For those viewers who subscribe to cable or own a satellite dish, you can still get your reception as usual. But your picture may not be much better without changing to a high-definition set.
Chuck Siekman, co-owner of Camera Land in Burlington, also sells large-screen and plasma televisions. With all the signals being sent out digital next year, cable and satellite viewers “will have the opportunity to convert to a new high-definition TV and get a dramatically better picture,” Siekman said.
To measure “dramatically,” Siekman offered these numbers.
The traditional analog television broadcast uses 193,000 pieces of information to build the picture (similar to the number of pixels that are used in creating a digital photograph).
A high-definition broadcast uses almost a million pieces of information. For the even fancier Blu-ray technology DVDs, two million pieces are used.
With the introduction of high-definition television sets into the marketplace, stations are now simulcasting the signals, that is, sending both analog and digital signals at the same time.
What to do if you don't want to buy a new TV
As much as it may seem as if everyone has cable or a dish, Camera Land co-owner Chuck Siekman said 20,000,000 television viewers rely on just an antenna. It's hard to get many channels that way in this part of Iowa, but Siekman said a large population of people in New York City and Los Angeles are content with just picking up the major networks and any other local stations.
Siekman said the elderly and those with small incomes may not be able to afford cable or dish and may not even want to get the converter box.
But there is good news on that front: The U.S. government is offering rebate checks of $40 to go toward buying a converter box. Those boxes are likely to run between $40 to $75, Siekman said.
According to information on the Web site www.dtv2009.gov/, Congress created the TV converter box coupon program for those people who wish to keep their analog TV sets. The program offers two $40 coupons, good toward the purchase of the special converter boxes needed. A box is needed for each analog set in the home.
To get the coupon, do one of the following between now and March 31, 2009:
n Go to www.dtv2009.gov/ and apply online.
n Call the Coupon Program 24-hour hotline 1-888-DTV-2009 (1-888-388-2009).
n Fax a coupon application to 1-877-DTV-4ME2 (1-877-388-4632).
n Deaf or hard of hearing callers may dial 1-877-530-2634 (English/TTY) or 1-866-495-1161 (Spanish/TTY). TTY Service is available from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Eastern Time Monday through Friday.
The year was 1954, although it wasn't until the early 1960s that Americans started buying color sets in droves.
That might be hard to comprehend for today's youth, who can transmit photos by way of their cell phones and - with a photo enhancement program like Photoshop(tm) - change any picture they want into black-and-white and then back again.
Since that time 54 years ago, the world has seen many changes that involve televisions but didn't change the picture quality: videotapes, more channels, DVDs, even more channels, TiVo, so many channels that if there isn't a Stuff Envelopes in Your Spare Time Channel yet, there will be by next year.
At midnight Feb. 17, 2009, the television industry will stop sending analog signals and start sending only digital/high-definition signals. This will not only give viewers a clearer picture, but will also free up the airwaves for use by emergency responders.
Up until now, if people didn't want to embrace technology they didn't have to. Keep the antenna instead of subscribing to cable or getting a satellite dish; pass on the computer and its dozens of annual and semi-annual upgrades (it's not considered a good computer unless it's already obsolete when you take it out of the box); toast your bread in an old-fashioned toaster instead of a specially designed portable toaster oven.
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If you're an antenna owner, but you at least have a new televison that has the digital tuner built in, then you're ready to go. If you have an older television set, you'll need to get a converter box for each set you own or you won't see anything but (blizzard).
For those viewers who subscribe to cable or own a satellite dish, you can still get your reception as usual. But your picture may not be much better without changing to a high-definition set.
Chuck Siekman, co-owner of Camera Land in Burlington, also sells large-screen and plasma televisions. With all the signals being sent out digital next year, cable and satellite viewers “will have the opportunity to convert to a new high-definition TV and get a dramatically better picture,” Siekman said.
To measure “dramatically,” Siekman offered these numbers.
The traditional analog television broadcast uses 193,000 pieces of information to build the picture (similar to the number of pixels that are used in creating a digital photograph).
A high-definition broadcast uses almost a million pieces of information. For the even fancier Blu-ray technology DVDs, two million pieces are used.
With the introduction of high-definition television sets into the marketplace, stations are now simulcasting the signals, that is, sending both analog and digital signals at the same time.
What to do if you don't want to buy a new TV
As much as it may seem as if everyone has cable or a dish, Camera Land co-owner Chuck Siekman said 20,000,000 television viewers rely on just an antenna. It's hard to get many channels that way in this part of Iowa, but Siekman said a large population of people in New York City and Los Angeles are content with just picking up the major networks and any other local stations.
Siekman said the elderly and those with small incomes may not be able to afford cable or dish and may not even want to get the converter box.
But there is good news on that front: The U.S. government is offering rebate checks of $40 to go toward buying a converter box. Those boxes are likely to run between $40 to $75, Siekman said.
According to information on the Web site www.dtv2009.gov/, Congress created the TV converter box coupon program for those people who wish to keep their analog TV sets. The program offers two $40 coupons, good toward the purchase of the special converter boxes needed. A box is needed for each analog set in the home.
To get the coupon, do one of the following between now and March 31, 2009:
n Go to www.dtv2009.gov/ and apply online.
n Call the Coupon Program 24-hour hotline 1-888-DTV-2009 (1-888-388-2009).
n Fax a coupon application to 1-877-DTV-4ME2 (1-877-388-4632).
n Deaf or hard of hearing callers may dial 1-877-530-2634 (English/TTY) or 1-866-495-1161 (Spanish/TTY). TTY Service is available from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Eastern Time Monday through Friday.
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