People who watch over-the-air television broadcasts from television stations are faced with a shut down of analog signals, leaving them without reception unless they buy a new digital TV or an analog-to-digital converter box. The final date for analog broadcast has been set for June 12.
All TVs manufactured after March 1, 2007 are required to receive digital broadcast signals, but for people who cannot afford a new digital TV, the government is offering two coupons per household that are good for a $40 discount on analog-to-digital converter boxes.
The converter boxes range from $40 to $60 and allow consumers to continue using their old TVs after the digital transition.
According to The Washington Post, the billion-dollar program providing the discount coupons ran out of money in January, leaving the millions on the waiting list for coupons unprepared for the original analog cutoff date, Feb. 17. This led President Barack Obama to delay the transition until June.
Since the cutoff date was changed, the Federal Communication Commission has made various other cutoff dates that vary from station to station and by region.
The changing cutoff dates, difficulty getting converter box discount coupons and the way the transition has been handled by the government has caused confusion among consumers.
The process can be confusing for those with limited knowledge of technology.
Phone numbers are available for assistance, but most of the instructions and resources are available on the Internet.
A poorer individual or an elderly person still using rabbit ears to watch local television may be unlikely to have the Internet to go to for information.
People with limited resources are the ones that need to be informed about emergencies most.
Karyn Brown, Mississippi State coordinator of broadcasting concentration, said delaying the transition helps people who are having difficulty with the transition so they can receive the warnings and updates that television provides.
“I think what’s most important for the elderly or people who can’t afford a TV that is capable of getting the digital signal is just making sure they can get weather information and emergency information,” Brown said.
She said she came across a woman that was having difficulty figuring out what she needed for her TV.
“I was in Target in Jackson, and a lady in front of me had the converter that she was buying,” Brown said. “The thing I felt bad about was that she was very confused. She was having a conversation with the clerk and she said, ‘I hope I have everything I need, this is what they’re telling me.'”
Communication professor Lawrence Strout said the delay gives people more time to be informed about the switch and to get prepared for hurricane or tornado season.
“People have battery-powered TVs and almost all of those are analog. You think you’ve got this backup battery TV and you don’t if a disaster strikes,” Strout said. “I moved here from the Coast and I know there are a lot of people who have the little analog TVs. I have friends down there that are going to have to update that.”
The idea of improving TV broadcasting is not a new one and on June 12, the improvements in the U.S. will finally be complete.
WLBT in Jackson is one of the stations already transmitting digital signals.
Eddy Vance, WLBT broadcast engineer, said the station started transmitting digital signals in August 2005. WLBT has been transmitting both digital and analog signals since then.
“We will be shutting down the analog transmission on June 12 and will be coming back up on digital on [digital] Channel 7 instead of Channel 9,” he Said.
Vance said WLBT is transmitting in digital standard definition and HD, and that the converter box gives a better quality picture than analog on a conventional analog television.
According to dtv.gov, digital broadcast offers higher quality audio and video and uses less bandwidth than analog.
The airwaves currently used for analog television will be relocated for police, fire and emergency rescue communications.