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DTV transition in the United States Further information: Digital television transition The DTV transition in the United States (also called the broadcast digital trans- ition) is the switchover from analog (the tra- ditional method of transmitting television sig- nals) to exclusively digital broadcasting of free over-the-air television programming. The transition from analog to digital television has been described by David Rehr, president and CEO of the National Association of Broadcasters, as representing "the most sig- nificant advancement of television technology since color TV was introduced".[1] Under the Digital Transition and Public Safety Act of 2005, full-power broadcasting of analog television in the United States would have ceased after February 17, 2009. To help U.S. consumers through the conver- sion, the Act also established a federally- sponsored DTV Converter Box Coupon Program. The DTV Delay Act changed the mandat- ory analog cutoff date to June 12, although stations are permitted to cease analog trans- missions before the new mandatory cutoff date. The legislation was enacted on Febru- ary 4, 2009, and on February 11, 2009, Pres- ident Obama signed it into law.[2][3] The pur- pose of the extension is to help the millions of households who have not been able to get their coupons and converters because de- mand for coupons exceeded the funding provided for in the initial bill, leaving millions on a waiting list to receive coupons. Funding for extra coupons is provided by the Americ- an Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. By midnight on the original cut-off date of February 17, 2009, 641 stations representing 36 percent of U.S. full-power broadcasters were transmitting exclusively in digital.[4] Congressional mandate US full-power analog TV broadcasts are re- quired by law to end in 2009.[5] Since March 1, 2007, all new television devices that re- ceive signals over-the-air, including pocket- sized portable televisions, personal computer video capture card tuners, and DVD recorders, have been required to include di- gital ATSC tuners.[6] Prior to this, the re- quirement was phased-in starting with larger screen sizes. Currently, most U.S. broad- casters are transmitting their signals in both analog and digital formats, though a few are digital-only. Digital stations transmit on an- other channel, which was assigned to each full-power broadcaster in a three-round digit- al channel election. The transition from the analog NTSC format to the digital ATSC format was origin- ally required to be completed on February 17, 2009, as set by Congress in the Digital Transition and Public Safety Act of 2005.[7] Following the analog switch-off, the FCC has reallocated channels 52 through 69 (the 700 MHz band) for other communications traffic,[8] completing the reallocation of broadcast channels 52–69 that began in the late 1990s. These channels were auctioned off in early 2008, with the winning bidders to take possession of them in June 2009, as of February 11, 2009. Four channels from this portion of the broadcast spectrum (60, 61, 68, and 69) will be held for reallocation to public safety communications (such as police, fire, and emergency rescue). In addition, some of the freed up frequencies will be used for advanced commercial wireless services for consumers, such as Qualcomm’s planned use of former UHF channel 55 for its Medi- aFLO service.[7][9] For U.S. cable television, the FCC voted 5-0 on September 12, 2007 to require operat- ors to make local broadcasts available to their users in analog. This requirement lasts until 2012, when the FCC will review the case again. This was necessary since many cable companies, including major ones like Comcast, have been taking analog channels away from customers. There was at least one attempt to pass a bill that would have provided temporary ex- emption to some television stations. In 2007, a bill in the U.S. Congress called the DTV Border Fix Act was introduced, which would have allowed all television stations within 80 kilometers (50 miles) of the Mexican border (especially in areas such as San Diego and From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia DTV transition in the United States 1 the Rio Grande Valley) to keep their analog signals active for another five years; while the bill passed the Senate, it did not pass the House.[10] The SAFER Act was passed by Congress in December 2008 and signed by President Bush just before Christmas.[11] The act has been called the "analog nightlight" act, and allows analog stations on channels that will not conflict with post-transition digital sta- tions the option of leaving their analog trans- mitters on for an additional 30 days, but only to provide disaster information and informa- tion regarding the digital transition. Because the U.S. Commerce Department no longer has money to fund additional coupons for converter boxes, and on account of other potential problems, the Barack Obama transition team asked Congress in a January 8, 2009, letter to delay the end of analog TV. The Commerce Department an- nounced January 5, 2009, that the $1.34 bil- lion limit on coupon funding had been reached. Obama officials feared the public had not been given enough information about the switch. Gene Kimmelman, a vice presid- ent of Consumers Union, which wanted a delay, feared older people, those outside cit- ies and the poor needed help.[12] Speaking to a group of area residents as part of a nation- wide campaign to persuade people to up- grade, FCC chair Kevin Martin said in Raleigh, North Carolina that a delay was "un- likely". He said it would be "unfair" to all those who have made the effort to switch, and to those who bought the reallocated spectrum that was sold with the understand- ing analog broadcasts would end Feb. 17, 2009.[13] The delay passed Congress despite this prediction (see below). Transition testing Wilmington, North Carolina test market As part of a test by the FCC to iron out trans- ition and reception concerns before the na- tionwide shutoff, all of the major network sta- tions in the Wilmington, North Carolina mar- ket ceased transmission of their analog sig- nals on September 8, 2008, making it the first market in the nation to go digital-only. Wilmington was chosen as the test city in part because the area’s digital channel positions will remain unchanged after the transition.[14] The low-power CBS affiliate WILM-LD signed on its new digital signal in time for the transition. The test excluded UNC- TV/PBS station WUNJ, which will keep their analog signal on as they are the official con- duit of emergency information in the area.[15] Viewers were notified of the change by months of public service announcements, town hall meetings, and local news coverage. Only 7% of viewers were affected by the loss of analog broadcasts, the remainder sub- scribing to cable or satellite services, but this produced 1,800 calls to the FCC for assist- ance. Officials are concerned by the implica- tions of this for larger markets or those where reliance on over the air broadcasts ex- ceeds 30%.[16] More disturbingly, while many calls from viewers were straightforward questions about installation of antennas and convert- ers, or the need to scan for channels before being able to watch digital television, hun- dreds more were from viewers who had in- stalled converters and UHF antennas cor- rectly but had still lost existing channels. Most affected were full-power broadcasters which had been on low-VHF channels. WECT (NBC 6 Wilmington), a signal which in its analog form reached to the edge of Myrtle Beach, could no longer be received by many who had watched the station for years - a vic- tim of a move to UHF 44 at a different trans- mitter site. WECT’s coverage area had been substantially reduced; for many who for many years were on the fringes of the analog NBC 6 signal, WECT was no more.[17] However weeks before, new digital-only WMBF-TV, a new NBC affiliate in Florence, South Carolina came to the air to serve Myrtle Beach with a city-grade signal; like WECT, WMBF is owned by Raycom Media. On November 7, 2008 the FCC issued an order allowing distributed transmission sys- tems to be constructed by stations which oth- erwise cannot cover their original analog footprint with their new digital channels and facilities.[18] While broadcasters may now ap- ply for DTS facilities, this decision was made far too late to allow the extra transmitter sites to be constructed and operational be- fore the February 17, 2009 analog shutoff.[19] From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia DTV transition in the United States 2 Local tests Various local stations conducted tests to help viewers assess their readiness for the trans- ition. A few are described below. On September 24, 2008 and October 18, 2008, Sacramento-based KCRA-TV conducted a DTV test during their 6:30pm newscast to see if Sacramentans were ready for the digit- al transition. For 30 seconds, viewers were shown a simulation of the analog signal being turned off. If the viewer had a capable set with the required equipment to comply with the DTV standards, they would see a PASS graphic on their screen. If the viewer was viewing TV on an analog TV set with an an- tenna, they would see a FAIL graphic on their screen along with additional information on how to make their TV ready. Unfortunately, this test had a glitch as some Comcast cus- tomers got a FAIL sign when their TV should have displayed PASS. KCRA issued a state- ment on their site explaining technical diffi- culties with the KCRA signal delivered to Comcast customers and work to fix the glitch. Another test took place on September 25, 2008 to test DTV readiness. KCRA’s next DTV test took place on December 15, 2008, when all other Sacramento-based TV stations participated. On October 28, 2008, 13 stations in the greater New York market also conducted a test. Viewers of the digital signal, including cable and satellite households, saw the regularly-scheduled programming. WABC-TV in New York went a step further and used its 5pm newscast as a DTV special. The New York market anticipates conducting a dozen or more of these "soft" shutdowns, during various day parts and longer periods of time, before June 12, 2009. On October 30, 2008 on 5 PM, WBNS-TV conducted a test so Ohioans can know if they have DTV or not. On November 17 at 6:25pm, television sta- tions in all of the 6 television markets in Pennsylvania (Erie, Pittsburgh, Johnstown- Altoona, Harrisburg-Lancaster-York, Phil- adelphia, and Wilkes-Barre-Scranton) suspen- ded regular analog broadcasts for 60 seconds as part of a test. Some stations left viewers with a snowy screen, while others put up a message informing viewers that if they can see the message they are not ready for the transition to digital television in February 2009. Similar tests were conducted among broadcasters in the Milwaukee market on September 15 and December 17 (2008) and on January 8 (2009), and another in Buffalo, New York on December 15.[16] On January 12, 2009, five television sta- tions in the Louisville market conducted three similar tests at 6:50 am, 12:30pm, and 7:30pm.[20] FOX affiliate KOKI in Tulsa, Oklahoma has conducted several tests during their 9 PM news broadcast. Viewers who were not ready for the transition saw a message on screen explaining how they can get more informa- tion about how to prepare their televisions for the transition. On January 18, 2009, a television station in Puerto Rico also conducted a test. Viewers of the digital signal, including cable and satellite households, saw the regularly sched- uled program. Impact of the transition An onscreen message warning of the analog shutdown. Digital TV uses a more efficient transmission technology that allows TV stations to offer improved picture and sound quality, as well as offer more programming options through multiple digital subchannels(multicasting). Television stations have been preparing for the transition from analog to DTV since the late 1990s, when they began building digital facilities and airing digital channels along- side regular analog broadcasts. Today, 1609 out of 1745 full-power television stations na- tionwide offer digital programming, however, most of the smaller, low-power broadcasters, for whom switching to digital would be cost- prohibitive, will still be permitted to transmit in analog for several years to come.[21] Since the majority of US viewership is no longer us- ing over-the-air antennae to receive signals, but has switched to cable and satellite, the From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia DTV transition in the United States 3 impact will be much smaller on current NTSC receivers which will continue to use NTSC content and devices after the cut-off date. Set-top boxes will enable existing over-the-air NTSC only receivers to watch over-the-air ATSC signals. Consumer awareness While broadcasters have been forced by Federal Communications Commission regula- tions to devote the equivalent of more than a billion dollars worth of airtime to public ser- vice announcements regarding the digital transition, the amount of information con- veyed in these short advertisements is by ne- cessity limited. Both the on-air announce- ments and government-funded telephone hot- lines receiving viewer enquiries have been directing consumers to Internet sites to seek information,[22] a problematic approach as many of those most-affected do not use on- line media as a primary source of information. Obsolete equipment Consumers may discover their old analog televisions, VCRs, DVRs, and other devices which lack a digital tuner no longer receive over-the-air television, though previously re- corded content can still be replayed.[23] There are several solutions to alleviate this problem. One solution is to purchase service from a local cable company or national satel- lite service which will provide analog signals to older devices. A second solution is to buy an external tuner (called a converter box) that receives DTV signals directly and con- verts them to analog for the television. Users of analog VCRs, DVRs, or other re- cording devices which lack a digital tuner have a unique problem of no longer being able to record programs across multiple channels. In order to make them work with DTV the viewer must use an external tuner box and set the device to record the output from that box, typically L-1 for the line input. Some manufacturers like Zinwell and Dish sell external converter boxes/tuners that will automatically change channels at preset times. If for example a viewer wanted to tape Law & Order at 10 PM EST and The Late Show with David Letterman at 11:30 PM EST, they can program these external tuners to switch from NBC to CBS at the appointed times. The analog VCR or DVR will continue recording the L-1 line input. Alternatively the user may purchase a new TV, DVR, or DVD recorder with a built-in di- gital tuner. However these newer technolo- gies have their own drawbacks, such as no way to store programs long-term (DVR) or being limited to only 1-2 hours with high quality XP mode (DVD-R). [24] There’s also the drawback of losing existing investment in blank tapes & associated equipment in the older, familiar technology. For these reasons viewers may prefer using the VHS or Super VHS VCRs that they are used to, and which offer better capabilities (permanent storage and 11-hour tapes), even though they lack built-in digital tuners. Loss of service A major concern is that the broadcast techno- logy used to transmit ATSC signals called 8VSB has problems receiving signal inside buildings and in urban areas, largely due to multipath reception issues which cause ghosting and fading on analog images, but can lead to intermittent signal or no recep- tion at all on ATSC programs.[25] DTV broad- casts exhibit a digital cliff effect, by which viewers will receive either a perfect signal or no signal at all with little or no middle ground. Digital transmissions do contain ad- ditional data bits to provide error correction for a finite number of bit errors; once signal quality degrades beyond that point, recovery of the original digital signal becomes im- possible, and the screen freezes, or blinks back and forth to totally blank black. The maximum power for DTV broadcast classes is also substantially lower; one-fifth of the legal limits for the former full-power ana- log services. This is because there are only eight different states in which an 8VSB signal can be in at any one moment, thus like all di- gital transmissions, very little signal is re- quired at the receiver in order to decode it. Nonetheless, this limit is often too low for many stations to reach many rural areas, which was an alleged benefit in the FCC’s choice of ATSC and 8VSB over worldwide- standard DVB-T and its COFDM modulation. Additionally, without the hierarchical modu- lation of DVB, signal loss is complete, and there is no switch to a lower resolution be- fore this occurs. Even if power limits were From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia DTV transition in the United States 4 increased, it would not solve the multipath is- sue however. A hundred-kW analog station on TV chan- nels 2 to 6 would therefore be faced with the choice of either lowering its power by 80% (to the twenty kilowatt limit of low-VHF DTV) or abandoning a frequency which it occupied since the 1950s in order to transmit more power (up to 1000kW) on the less-crowded UHF TV band. Such stations can keep the same channel number, however, because of ATSC virtual channels. Unfortunately, the higher frequencies are challenged in areas where signals must travel great distances or encounter significant terrestrial obstacles. Most stations in the low-VHF (channels 2-6) will not be returning with their digital signals to these frequencies after February 2009. About 40 stations will remain in the low-VHF after the transition, with the majority in smal- ler markets (with a few notable excep- tions).[26][27] The FCC has long discouraged the digital allocation on low-VHF channels for several reasons: higher ambient noise, in- terference with FM radio (channel 6 borders FM at 88MHz), and larger antenna size re- quired for these channels.[28][29] Some an- tenna manufactures such as Channel Master are creating antennas for channels 7-51 which are more compact than their channel 2-51 counterpart, since most consumers will not need those long-wavelength low-VHF channels. Stations that broadcast in analog on chan- nel 6 have had an additional benefit of having its audio feed broadcast on 87.7 MHz, which is at the very low end of the FM radio dial. As such, many stations that use channel 6 have taken advantage of this, and directly promote this feature, especially during drive time newscasts. Digital television, however, does not have this feature, and after the transition, this additional method of reception will no longer be available. WRGB, channel 6 in Al- bany, New York, has proposed using a separ- ate transmitter on 87.7 which will transmit a polarized analog audio signal, avoiding inter- ference with the digital TV feed and allowing the station to keep its audio on 87.7 FM after the transition to digital.[30] The Consumer Electronics Association has set up a website called Antenna Web[31] to identify means to provide the correct signal reception to over-the-air viewers. The TV Fool website[32] provides geographic map- ping and signal data to allow viewers to estimate the number of channels which will be gained or lost as a result of digital trans- ition; while it estimates that marginally more stations will be gained than lost by viewers, this varies widely with viewers of low-VHF analog signals in distant-fringe areas among the most adversely affected. An estimated 1.8 million people will lose the ability to access over-the-air TV entirely as a result of the di- gital transition. Viewers in rural and mountainous regions are particularly prone to lose all reception after digital transition.[33] Other issues US markets which have presented unique problems for digital transition include: • New York City-Newark was one of the early U.S. terrestrial digital television pioneers with state-of-the-art ATSC facilities installed atop the World Trade Center as early as 1998, but those facilities were destroyed in the September 11 attacks, and for a number of years, New York lacked one single point of sufficient height from which to cover the entire region without severe multipath interference issues in downtown Manhattan, New York. The 1776-foot 1 World Trade Center, proposed to replace the former World Trade Center, will not be completed until some time in 2013, so several scenarios were considered to enhance service. One such system, called distributed transmission, was being funded by a $30,000,000 federal grant to assure that no viewers are left without service. The DTS would have used low power transmitters to fill gaps in coverage from the Empire State Building. The Metropolitan Television Alliance, a group of eleven New York and New Jersey broadcasters organized soon after the destruction of the facilities at the World Trade Center, has been leading the development of the DTS system. In 2004, a partial solution was implemented: the top of the Condé Nast Building at 4 Times Square was reinforced and installed with a massive multiplexed UHF antenna. This relieves overcrowding at Empire State by using the site of a local Clear Channel radio facility to replace master antenna installations destroyed at WTC. From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia DTV transition in the United States 5 • New Orleans, Louisiana and portions of Mississippi were operating some digital transmitters from temporary locations or from towers belonging to other stations due to damage done during Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita in 2005. While stations are now back on-air, the coverage area often does not match that specified on the station licences due to the change in antenna locations. • Denver, Colorado faces unique multipath interference problems largely due to its mountainous location; its antennas on Lookout Mountain will need to increase in height to overcome obstacles to digital reception, but attempts to get local zoning approval have met with strong opposition. Federal legislation was ultimately used to require that Denver stations be allowed to construct their post-transition digital facilities but sharp nulls and gaps in coverage remain. • Sparsely-populated mountainous regions such as Montana and Utah currently rely heavily on broadcast translators to rebroadcast network stations into underserved communities; while these low-power retransmitters are not themselves required to broadcast digitally, many will need costly upgrades to receive a digital signal from the originating station - if the signal can be received at all. 23% of the 4000 licensed translators have received a federal subsidy[34] to make the conversion,[35] but many others will simply go dark. In sparsely-populated markets such as Glendive, Montana, translators are needed to reach a widely- scattered audience but the readiness of many small municipally-owned translators remains largely unknown. • Many other stations in the Rocky Mountains had chosen to end analogue broadcasts early because of poor winter conditions at transmission sites in February; stations needed to be sure they can make the on-site adjustments. For these broadcasters, the DTV Delay Act and its extended deadline of June 12, 2009 comes too late to be of use as the digital transition has already been completed. • Vermont, a market in which all major stations are as of February 2009 digital- only, is problematic as both a rural state and a mountainous region. WCAX CBS 3 Burlington and WPTZ NBC 5 North Pole are now both UHF broadcasts from Mount Mansfield, causing many viewers to lose the stations. • Buffalo, New York is one of several markets in which the primary stations are VHF stations that operate on 2, 4, and 7. All three stations were assigned DTV channels in the UHF spectrum; all will lose significant broadcast coverage in the transition, and viewers in the western Twin Tiers region will lose all of their broadcast stations. • Syracuse, New York had since 1948 employed low-VHF channels to feed networks to adjacent markets (notably CBS to Utica, NBC to Watertown). These markets are sixty to seventy-five miles distant. Utica will lose CBS service because its affiliate, based in Syracuse, broadcasts on channel 5 analog (with a strong enough to reach Utica), but its channel 47 digital signal does not reach anywhere near Utica. Channel 5 has historically refused to cede its Utica territory to another potential affiliate. Similarly, Watertown, New York and Kingston, Ontario (which lack NBC locally) will lose a Syracuse NBC 3 affiliate once the DTV transition renders Syracuse a UHF island.[36] • On January 15, 2009, Hawaii became the first state in the United States to have its television stations switch from analog to digital early. Existing analog facilities at Mount Haleakala on Maui are to be removed due to ongoing radio interference with astronomy equipment operated under the watchful eye of the United States Department of Defense and the University of Hawai’i.[37] The digital stations are being deployed using new facilities at Ulupalakua and the old towers will be removed before bird nesting season begins in March. By making the switch early, the broadcast towers atop Haleakala near the birds’ nesting grounds can be dismantled without interfering with the Hawaiian petrels’ nesting season.[38] There are 80 media markets in which more than 100,000 households receive television signals by over-the-air broadcasts.[16] Frequency reallocation The reclaimed channels will be used for a variety of service, including mobile phones, From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia DTV transition in the United States 6 MediaFLO (55) and public safety (63/64 base, 68/69 mobile). Most of this mobile spectrum has been sold to existing incumbent pro- viders, with AT&T Mobility and Verizon as the largest bidders. The elimination of UHF channels, rather than VHF channels as in the rest of the world, precludes the use of band III (high VHF) for Digital Audio Broadcasting as is standard elsewhere. It also makes more diffi- cult the reassignment of channels 5 and 6 (76 to 88MHz) for LPFM. There are also no chan- nels set aside for analog broadcasts of the Emergency Alert System, rendering most portable emergency TV sets useless. While a small number of portable ATSC sets have started to appear, these are costly.[39] A port- able converter box (such as Winegard’s RCDT09A) would require a bulky external battery and mobile ATSC is not yet available. A Google-sponsored program called Free the Airwaves has started with the goal of us- ing the "empty" white space within the re- maining TV for unlicensed use, like for Wi- Fi.[40] Digital-to-analog converters After the switch from analog to digital broad- casts is complete, analog TVs will be incap- able of receiving over-the-air broadcasts without the addition of a set-top converter box. Consequently, a digital-to-analog con- verter, an electronic device that connects to an analog television, must be used in order to allow the television to receive digital broad- casts.[41] The box may also be called a "set- top" converter, "digital TV adapter" (DTA), or "digital set-top box" (DSTB).[42] It does not actually allow the TV itself to decode digital, but rather tuning and on-screen display is done by the box itself, and output via com- posite video and via coaxial cable on channel 3 or 4. Coupon program An example of the FCC converter box $40 subsidy coupon, which is in the form of a bank card which cannot be used for anything except for a converter box purchase.[23] To assist consumers through the conversion, the Department of Commerce through its Na- tional Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) division handled re- quests from households for up to two $40 coupons for digital-to-analog converter boxes[43] beginning January 1, 2008 via a toll free number or a website.[44][45] The pro- gram is paid-for with a small part of the 20 billion dollars taken-in from the DTV spec- trum auction. However, these government coupons were limited to an initial sum of $890 million (22,250,000 coupons) with the option to grow to $1.34 billion (33,500,000 coupons),[46] which is far short of the estim- ated 112 million households (224 million re- deemable coupons) in the United States.[47] Nevertheless, not every household will take advantage of the offer, as reports indicate half of all households already has at least one digital TV.[48] In January 2009, the NTIA began placing coupon requests on a waiting list after the program reached its maximum allowed funding. Only after unredeemed coupons expire can new requests be ful- filled.[49] These coupons may be redeemed toward the purchase of a digital-to-analog converter at brick and mortar, on-line, and telephone retailers that have completed the NTIA certi- fication process.[50] Retail prices for the boxes range from $40 to $70 (plus tax and/or shipping); after applying the coupons, the price to the consumer should be between $5 and $40 per box. Because it is actually used as a payment, despite the name "coupon", consumers must pay state and local sales tax on the coupon amount, which in effect From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia DTV transition in the United States 7 reduces its value by about three dollars (based on 7½% tax). There has been possible evidence that the presence of the government coupon program has inflated the prices of converter boxes by between $21 and $34 above what they would be otherwise.[51] However, this may be due to non-coupon retailers lowering profit mar- gins to compete. Extension of transition to June 12 On January 21, 2009, Senator Jay Rockefeller introduced a bill in the Senate titled the DTV Delay Act, because millions of Americans will not be ready for the cutoff on February 17 due to a shortage of converter box coupons, and proposing that the transition date be moved to June 12. Rockefeller, chairman of the Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, and Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchis- on, worked together on the bill. Hutchison supported the idea because Rockefeller did not intend to ask for another postponement. On January 22, The Nielsen Company said 6.5 million Americans had not prepared for the switch. Opponents pointed out that TV stations would face extra operating expenses, and those who paid to use the spectrum to be made available would have to wait. Under later amendments, stations could choose to end analog broadcasts before June 12 even if the bill passed, and any frequen- cies freed up by such action could be used by fire and police departments and other emer- gency services. Those whose converter box coupons had expired would be allowed to ap- ply for new coupons. The House postponed a similar bill (by House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Henry Waxman), until the Senate’s version was complete.[52][53] The Senate unanimously voted on January 26, 2009 to delay the digital TV transition to June 12, 2009.[54] However, the House of Re- presentatives voted on and defeated a similar measure on January 28.[53] Rep. Joe Barton led the movement in the House to defeat the measure, saying that "the DTV transition is neither stuck nor broke", and that any prob- lems with the DTV transition can be fixed.[55] Barton also said, "I guarantee you, no matter when you set the date— Feb. 17, June 12, July the Fourth, Valentine’s Day— there are going to be some people that aren’t ready."[56][57] On January 29, the DTV Delay Act passed in the Senate.[58][59] On February 4, the House also approved this measure.[60][61][62] The bill was submitted to President Obama on February 4, who did not immedi- ately sign it into law. On February 9, Presid- ent Obama posted the bill on The White House’s Official Website, giving the public five days to weigh in on it. Under a midnight February 10 deadline imposed by the FCC, broadcasters disclosed whether they would still cease broadcasting analog signals on the original date of February 17, or if they would delay until June 12, should the DTV Delay Act be signed into law.[63] On February 10, the FCC published the list. 491 stations stated they intended to transition on February 17. The FCC reserved final say on which stations would be allowed to transition on February 17 and which ones would be forced to contin- ue analog broadcasts, depending on how many viewers in each market have been de- termined not ready for the transition [3][64][65][66] Owned & Operated stations of five major networks (ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC and Telemundo, plus the CW, myNetworkTV and independent stations owned by CBS and myNetworkTV stations owned by Fox), as well as the station groups of Gannett, Hearst- Argyle and Meredith, committed to keeping all or most of their analog signals active until the new June 12 cutoff date.[67][68] In total, 191 stations already have turned off their analog transmitters for good. [64] On Febru- ary 11, 2009 President Obama signed the bill into law, officially moving the cutoff date to June 12, 2009.[2] On February 20, 2009, the FCC released an order stating that stations that wish to go all digital before the final June 12, 2009 date must inform the FCC of that decision by March 17, 2009.[69][70] Nightlighting See also: Short-term Analog Flash and Emer- gency Readiness Act That same day, the FCC announced it would allow 368 of the 491 applied stations to go all-digital on the original February 17 date, 100 of which will be allowed to use their analog signal to inform unprepared viewers of the new transition date, or for emergency situations such as severe weather From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia DTV transition in the United States 8 (called "nightlighting"). The FCC concluded that the other 123 stations who applied present a "significant risk of substantial pub- lic harm," if they go all digital on February 17. The FCC stated "We considered the pres- ence of major networks and their affiliates critical to ensuring that viewers have access to local news and public affairs available over the air because the major network affiliates are the primary source of local broadcast news and public affairs programming". The FCC would not permit the 123 stations in "at- risk" markets to proceed unless they certify with the agency by 6 p.m. ET on February 13 that they comply with eight additional re- quirements, including ensuring that at least one station that is currently providing analog service to an area within the DMA provides DTV transition and emergency information, as well as local news and public affairs pro- gramming ("enhanced nightlight" service) for at least 60 days following February 17.[65][71][72][73] On February 13, the FCC said 53 of the applied 106 at risk stations have qualified to go all digital on February 17. The other 43 qualify for nightlight service, with 10 others which couldn’t comply with the nightlight clause. The total number stations which be- came digital only on February 17 was 421.[74][75] Provisions in American Recov- ery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 House Republican Joe Barton from Texas, who strongly opposed the DTV Delay Act, (see above section for further details) intro- duced a bill that would insert $650 million in DTV transition assistance into The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 to be used for making more converter box coupons available and for DTV education, which is strongly supported by the Obama administra- tion.[53][76] The American Recovery and Rein- vestment Act of 2009 passed with this revi- sion in the House with a vote of 244-188 on January 28, 2009, [77][78] and the Senate passed the bill on February 10 by a vote of 61-37. [79] Congressional negotiators announced on February 11, 2009, that they had reached agreement on a $789 billion economic stimu- lus bill. [80]President Obama signed the final $787 billion version into law on February 17, 2009 in Denver, Colorado. [81] The final ver- sion includes the DTV provisions.[82] While the economic stimulus bill does al- low additional funds for coupons, there is also a risk that currently-available retail stock of the converter boxes themselves could prove inadequate. The Consumer Elec- tronics Association had estimated three to six million boxes remained in-stock at the begin- ning of February 2009; Nielsen Media Re- search reported five million households as "completely unready" for digital transition in this same time period. The average US household uses 3 television screens.[83] However, the converter box coupon program only allows 2 coupons per household. On May 1, 2009, Nielsen Media Research reported that 3.1 % of Americans are still completely unprepared for the transition. [84] The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 also allocated funds for expert in- stallation services for those switching to DTV. [85] The FCC awarded the contract to several companies to provide expert installation ser- vices.[86] References and notes [1] "Broadcasters Prepare For DTV Transition". TWICE. 2008-01-07. http://www.twice.com/article/ CA6517473.html?industryid=23099. Retrieved on 2008-03-23. [2] ^ Obama Signs DTV-Delay Bill, Broadcasting & Cable, February 11, 2009 [3] ^ S. 352, "A bill to postpone the DTV transition date." [4] Federal Communications Commission (2009-02-18). DTV Call Centers Field Over 28,000 Calls Tuesday. Press release. http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/ edocs_public/attachmatch/ DOC-288641A1.pdf. Retrieved on 2009-02-18. [5] Section 3002 of the Digital Transition and Public Safety Act of 2005 amending the Communications Act of 1934, section 309(j)(14), codified at 47 U.S.C. § 309(j)(14). [6] "FCC rule requires all new TVs to be digital". The Boston Globe. 2007-02-26. http://www.boston.com/business/ technology/articles/2007/02/26/ From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia DTV transition in the United States 9 fcc_rule_requires_all_new_tvs_to_be_digital/. Retrieved on 2007-04-24. [7] ^ "All-Digital Television Is Coming (And Sooner Than You Think!)". http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/consumerfacts/ digitaltv.html. Retrieved on 2008-03-23. [8] "FCC: Wireless Services: Lower 700 MHz". Federal Communications Commission. 2004-10-28. http://wireless.fcc.gov/services/ index.htm?job=service_home&id=lower700. Retrieved on 2007-05-09. [9] http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/ attachmatch/DOC-275789A1.pdf [10]OpenCongress.org: Bill S.2507 (2007), "DTV Border Fix Act of 2007" [11]Lung, Doug (2008-12-24). "President Signs ’Analog Night Light’ bill". TV Technology. http://www.tvtechnology.com/article/ 72102. Retrieved on 2009-05-03. [12]Tessler, Joelle (2009-01-10). "Obama Team Urges Delay in Digital TV Transition". The Charlotte Observer. http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/ article/ ALeqM5hlGcM0ZxYV5dDtZR_9xfCPZnkFaAD95JA0LG0. Retrieved on 2009-01-29. [13]Murawski, John (2009-01-15). "Digital TV Delay Urged". The News & Observer. http://www.newsobserver.com/business/ story/1367908.html. Retrieved on 2009-01-15. [14]Wilmington, N.C., to test mandatory switch to digital TV - USATODAY.com [15] | StarNewsOnline.com | Star-News | Wilmington, NC [16]^ Albiniack, Paige. "Lessons From Wilmington". Television Broadcast (New Bay media): pp. 8. http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ newbay/tvb_200809/ index.php?startid=8. Retrieved on 2008-09-28. [17]FCC OKs digital workaround for DTV signal range problems, Matthew Lasar, ArsTechnica, November 11, 2008 [18]FCC order on distributed transmission, November 2008 [19]Home Theater News: FCC Green-Lights DTV Range Fix, Mark Fleischmann, November 17, 2008 [20] "Louisville stations to test DTV signals". Business First of Louisville. 2009-01-06. http://www.bizjournals.com/louisville/ stories/2009/01/05/ daily26.html?ana=from_rss. Retrieved on 2009-01-06. [21]What is Digital Television? for the public, by DTV Answers. Accessed May 11, 2007. [22]Teletech DTV hotline less than helpful, former employee says, Rachel Abell, KVIA-TV ABC 7 [[El Paso, Texas|]], February 2009 [23]^ TV Converter Box Coupon Program Website - Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) [24]http://www.audaud.com/ article.php?ArticleID=3167 [25]http://www.fcc.gov/Bureaus/ Engineering_Technology/Documents/ reports/dtvreprt.pdf [26]http://www.highdefforum.com/ 281306-post103.html, Retrieved on 2009/01/29. [27]http://www.tvtechnology.com/article/ 60648, Retrieved on 2009/01/29. [28]http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/ attachmatch/FCC-06-150A1.pdf, Retrieved on 2009-01/29. [29]http://www.highdefforum.com/ 281967-post110.html, Retrieved on 2009/01/29. [30] "The Mystique of Channel 6", tvtechnology.com, 2009-02-26 [31]http://www.antennaweb.org Antenna Web [32]TV fool [33]Digital Transition May Leave Some Without Signal, WMUR 9 New Hampshire, February 18, 2009 [34]Many rural TVs will go dark, not digital, David Migoya, Denver Post, February 10, 2009 [35]Low-power rural stations will continue in analog for several more years • RICHARD ECKE • Great Falls (Montana) Tribune • February 1, 2009 [36]Cogeco to replace channels:Syracuse feeds to be lost, MIKE KOREEN, Kingston Whig-Standard, January 2009 [37] "DTV.gov Frequently Asked Questions - Hawaii". http://www.dtv.gov/Hawaii/ consumercorner.html#faq3. [38] "Hawaii first state to make DTV switch". Honolulu Star-Bulletin. 2008-10-15. http://www.starbulletin.com/business/ 20081015_Hawaii_first_state_to_make_DTV_switch.h [39]Portable Digital TVs Have Promise, But Need Work, Chicago Tribune, January 28, 2009 From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia DTV transition in the United States 10 [40]http://www.freetheairwaves.com/ [41]A television commercial shown on American television featuring This Old House announces that this is true. [42] "What is a set-top converter box?". Digital TV Facts. 2007. http://dtvfacts.com/58/what-is-a-set-top- box/. Retrieved on 2008-03-23. [43]National Telecommunications and Information Administration - U.S. Department of Commerce (April 2007). "Preparing for the Digital Television Transition" (PDF). http://www.ntia.doc.gov/dtvcoupon/ PreparingForTheDTVTransition.pdf. Retrieved on 2007-05-12. [44]http://www.dtv2009.gov Digital Transition website Access date= 2007-12-31 [45]National Telecommunications & Information Administration [46] "Rules to Implement and Administer a Coupon Program for Digital-to-Analog Converter Boxes, Section II, Part A, Paragraph 9" (PDF). Federal Register, Vol 72, No 50, March 15, 2007, Page 12,097-12,121. http://www.ntia.doc.gov/ ntiahome/frnotices/2007/ DTVCouponFinalRule_031207.pdf. Retrieved on 2007-12-23. [47] "Projections of the Number of Households and Families in the United States: 1995 to 2010" (PDF). U.S. Department of Commerce, Economics and Statistics Administration, Bureau of the Census. http://www.census.gov/prod/ 1/pop/p25-1129.pdf. Retrieved on 2007-12-23. [48]CEA: Press Release Detail - Press Release Detail [49]Hart, Kim (2008-01-06). "TV Converter Program Runs Out of Funding". The Washington Post: p. D01. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/ content/story/2009/01/06/ ST2009010600089.html. Retrieved on 2008-01-06. [50]TV Converter Box Coupon Program Website - Locate a Converter Box Retailer near you [51]DTV coupon program mainly benefits retailers, not consumers, by Scott J. Wallsten, September 16, 2008 [52]Hart, Kim (2009-01-24). "Senate Nears Deal To Delay Digital TV". The Washington Post: p. D02. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/ content/article/2009/01/23/ AR2009012303608.html?sub=AR. Retrieved on 2009-01-24. [53]^ Broadcasting and Cable January 28, 2009 - DTV Delay Bill Fails To Pass In House [54]Hart, Kim (January 27, 2009). "Senate Passes Bill to Delay Transition to Digital Television". The Washington Post: p. D01. http://www.washingtonpost.com/ wp-dyn/content/article/2009/01/26/ AR2009012602014.html?sub=AR. [55]Hart, Kim (January 29, 2009). "House Kills Bill to Delay Switch to Digital TV". The Washington Post. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/ content/story/2009/01/28/ ST2009012802327.html. [56]Puzzanghera, Jim (January 29, 2009). "Delay in switch to digital TV is delayed". Los Angeles Times. http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi- dtv29-2009jan29,0,1220811.story. [57]Digital TV Transition Delay: House Defeats Bill, February 17 Deadline Intact, Huffington Post, January 28, 2009 [58]Allen, JoAnne; Cooney, Peter (ed.) (2009-01-30). "US Senate approves bill to delay digital TV". Reuters UK. http://uk.reuters.com/article/ rbssTechMediaTelecomNews/ idUKN2932967920090130?sp=true. Retrieved on 2009-05-03. [59]DTV Delay Act (Senate version), Retrieved on 2009-02-05. [60]House Approves DTV Delay, Sends Bill to Obama, TV Week, February 4, 2009 [61] "House Votes to Postpone Transition to Digital TV". Fox News. February 4, 2009. http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/ 02/04/house-votes-postpone-transition- digital-tv/. Retrieved on 2009-02-04. [62]Rabbit ears get reprieve with digital TV delay. CNN. 4 February 2009. Accessed 4 February 2009. [63]Eggerton, John (2009-02-09). "Obama Yet To Sign DTV Date Move Bill; Broadcasters Must Let FCC Of Their Transition Plans By Midnight". Multichannel News. http://www.multichannel.com/article/ 173843-Obama_Yet_To_Sign_DTV_Date_Move_Bill.ph Retrieved on 2009-05-03. [64]^ Eggerton, John (2009-02-10). "Nearly 500 Stations Want To Make Feb. 17 From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia DTV transition in the United States 11 Digital Switch; FCC Will Make Transition Determinations; 191 Stations Have Already Changed Over". Multichannel News. http://www.multichannel.com/ article/ 173978-Nearly_500_Stations_Want_To_Make_Feb_17_Digital_Switch.php. Retrieved on 2009-05-03. [65]^ All Full Power Television Stations by DMA, Indicating Those Terminating Analog Service on or before February 17, 2009 [66] "House Votes to Postpone Transition to Digital TV". Fox News. February 4, 2009. http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/ 02/04/house-votes-postpone-transition- digital-tv/. Retrieved on 2009-02-04. [67] "FCC Releases Rules For Implementing DTV Date Switch". Broadcasting & Cable. February 5, 2009. http://www.broadcastingcable.com/ article/ 173682-FCC_Releases_Rules_For_Implementing_DTV_Date_Switch.php. [68] "Meredith Won’t Pull Plug On Analog". Broadcasting & Cable. February 6, 2009. http://www.broadcastingcable.com/ article/ 173738-Meredith_Won_t_Pull_Plug_On_Analog.php. [69]Multichannel News February 20, 2009 FCC: Stations Shouldn’t Pull Analog Plug Until April 16 - Commission Releases Second Rules Order With Modifications For DTV Transition’s Second Wave [70]FCC Order 09-11 [71]Multichannel News February 12, 2009 FCC: 123 Stations Pose ’Significant’ Risk If They End Analog Feb. 17 - Agency Requires Some to Meet Additional Requirements to Go All-Digital [72]FCC Public Order February 11, 2009 [73]Multichannel News February 12, 2009 FCC Okays 368 To Make Feb. 17 DTV Switch - Another 123 Can’t Make Switch Unless Certain Conditions Met [74]Multichannel News February 13, 2009 FCC: 53 ’At Risk’ Stations Can Switch Feb. 17 - Join 368 Already Cleared To End Analog Signals [75]Multichannel News February 16, 2009 FCC: 36% Of Stations Will Make Switch By Original DTV Hard Date - 421 Stations Pulling Analog Signals Tonight [76]Multichannel News January 22, 2009 Senator Rockefeller Unveils New Amended DTV Date Bill [77]Multichannel News January 29, 2009 House Passes 800 Billion Stimulus Package Replete With Broadband Provisions [78] "House Passes Stimulus Plan Despite G.O.P. Opposition". New York Times. January 29, 2009. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/29/us/ politics/29obama.html?hp. [79]David Espo. "Stimulus bill survives Senate test". Associated Press via Atlanta Journal-Constitution. http://www.ajc.com/services/content/ printedition/2009/02/10/ stimulus0210.html. [80]New York Times Deal Struck on $789 Billion Stimulus. New York Times. February 11, 2009 [81]CNN.com February 17, 2009 Stimulus: Now for the hard part [82]Multichannel News February 11, 2009 Parties Find Compromise On Stimulus Package - Bill Keeps $650 Million For Converter Box Coupon Program [83]DTV converter boxes could run out, industry warns, WJLA-TV, Feb 6 2009 [84]Multichannel News May 1, 2009 3.1% Of U.S. Remain Completely Unready For DTV Transition: Nielsen [85]FCC RFQ for DTV Transition [86]FCC Awarded Contracts See also • Coupon-eligible converter box • Comparison of coupon-eligible converter box units External links • PBS Special on DTV (approximately 20 minute video) • DTVAnswers.com: What you need to know about the June 12, 2009 switch to DTV. • National Association of Broadcasters • DTVRedAlert.org • DTV Transition • Consumer oriented FCC site • FCC regulatory information on the DTV transition • Federal Coupon Program • Full Text of the DTV Delay Act from WhiteHouse.gov From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia DTV transition in the United States 12 Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ DTV_transition_in_the_United_States#Extension_of_transition_to_June_12" Categories: Digital television, History of television, United States proposed federal legislation, 111th United States Congress This page was last modified on 19 May 2009, at 15:18 (UTC). 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