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The digital television (DTV) transition refers to the
switch from analog to digital broadcast television. Congress has mandated that
after February 17, 2009, full-power television stations will stop broadcasting
in analog, and will continue broadcasting in digital only. While the majority
of consumers in the U.S. can receive the programming of full-power
over-the-air stations, there are three other categories of broadcast TV
stations - "low-power," "Class A," and
"translator" stations. There is currently no statutory deadline for
these stations to convert to digital broadcasting.
The FCC established low-power television (LPTV) service
in 1982 to provide opportunities for locally-oriented television service in
small communities. These communities may be in rural areas or may be
individual communities within larger urban areas. More than 2,100 licensed
LPTV stations are in operation. LPTV programming can include
satellite-delivered programming services, syndicated programs, movies, and a
wide range of locally-produced programs.
Class A TV stations are former LPTV stations that have
certain interference protection rights not available to LPTV stations. These
stations are technically similar to LPTV stations, but unlike LPTV stations
must air at least three hours of locally-produced programming each week and
comply with most of the non-technical regulations applicable to full-power
stations. Approximately 600 licensed Class A TV stations are in
operation.
A TV translator station rebroadcasts the programs of a
full-power TV broadcast station. TV translator stations typically serve
communities that cannot receive the signals of free over-the-air TV stations
because they are too far away from a full-power TV station or because of
geography (such as uneven terrain or mountains). Many of the 4,700 licensed TV
translator stations operate in mountainous or more remote areas of the
country.
There are several ways to determine whether the broadcast
stations you view over-the-air (with a rooftop antenna or "rabbit
ears" attached to your TV) are LPTV, Class A or TV translator stations.
Class A stations are required to visually or aurally identify their stations
with their community of license and call sign (that includes the suffix
"-CA" for Class A) at sign on, sign off, and on an hourly basis.
LPTV stations also must regularly identify their station call sign. When
locally originating programming, they must visually or aurally identify their
call sign and community of license at sign on, sign off, and hourly. LPTV call
signs may consist of four letters followed by the suffix "-LP" (for
low power) or, alternatively, five characters beginning with the letters K or
W followed by two numbers (their operating channel) and two additional
letters.
Also, some TV translators are identified by the
full-power TV stations whose signals they rebroadcast. Further, LPTV, Class A,
and TV translator stations may regularly broadcast information as to their
status, and may include information regarding the DTV transition.
While the February 17, 2009 deadline for ending analog
broadcasts does not apply to low-power, Class A, and TV translator stations,
the FCC will require these stations to convert to digital broadcasting
sometime thereafter. More than 2,100 of these stations have been authorized to
construct digital facilities and some are broadcasting in digital already. The
FCC is currently considering the remaining issues involved with the low-power
digital transition and will make decisions regarding these stations in the
future.
If you have an analog-only television that receives free
over-the-air programming (with a roof-top antenna or "rabbit ears"
on the TV), you will need to purchase a digital-to-analog converter box in
order to watch digital broadcast television. Each U.S. household is eligible
to receive two $40 coupons to be used toward the purchase of two
digital-to-analog converter boxes. The National Telecommunications and
Information Administration (NTIA) is administering the coupon program. More
information can be found at www.dtv2009.gov,
or by calling 1-888-388-2009 (voice) or 1-877-530-2634 (TTY).
If you purchase a digital-to-analog converter box to
watch digital broadcasts on an analog TV and also wish to continue watching
analog LPTV, Class A, or TV translator stations, you should purchase a
converter box with "analog pass-through" capability, which allows
analog broadcast signals to pass through the converter box to be tuned by your
analog TV. NTIA's TV Converter Box Coupon Program has certified converter box
models that have analog pass-through capability. A current list of
coupon-eligible converter boxes is available at https://www.ntiadtv.gov/cecb_list.cfm.
The converter box models that have analog pass-through capability are noted on
the list with an asterisk next to them. In addition, NTIA will mail a list of
current coupon-eligible converter boxes, noting with an asterisk those that
have analog pass-through capability, to each household that receives converter
box coupons. You can also check with your retailer to determine whether the
converter box you are purchasing has analog pass-through capability.
If you purchase a digital-to-analog converter box without
analog pass-through capability, you may have to connect an “A/B switch”
and/or a “signal splitter" to bypass the box if you wish to view analog TV
broadcasts. Check with the manufacturer of the digital-to-analog converter box
and your retailer if you need instructions on how to connect the box to view
broadcasts from both analog and digital stations.
For more information about the DTV transition, go to www.dtv.gov
or contact the FCC by e-mailing dtvinfo@fcc.gov;
calling 1-888-CALL-FCC (1-888-225-5322) voice or 1-888-TELL-FCC
(1-888-835-5322) TTY; faxing 1-866-418-0232; or writing to:
Federal Communications Commission
Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau
Consumer Inquiries and Complaints Division
445 12th Street, SW
Washington, DC 20554.
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Federal Communications Commission · Consumer
& Governmental Affairs Bureau · 445 12th St. S.W. ·
Washington, DC 20554 |
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1-888-CALL-FCC (1-888-225-5322) ·
TTY: 1-888-TELL-FCC (1-888-835-5322) · Fax: 1-866-418-0232 · www.fcc.gov/cgb/
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