Downside to digital TV
Estimates from a computer simulation run by Centris, a market research firm in Los Angeles, found that more than 9 million households that now get programming over the air could lose one or more stations they now receive.
Mike Duffy wanted to be ready to switch from over-the-air analog TV broadcasts to an all-digital term that will occur across the country next February. His Chattanooga, Tenn., TV station antenna, and he had never had a problem getting analog TV signals. He assumed he would include no difficulty with digital signals. So he hooked up a digital converter box to his old TV and attached the rabbit-ears antenna he had always used.
His new digital picture was sharp and detailed - for as long as he remained sitting in his chair. When he stood up the picture would deteriorate into blocky images or disappear completely. It did seem to be affected by the position of people in the room," he said. Duffy had discovered that over-the-air digital signals behave differently than analog signals.
That won t trouble to most Americans come the switch. They either own a digital TV or get their signal through cable or satellite. But 17 million households have an analog TV that receives its signals over the air - 13 million of them use a rabbit-ear antenna on top of the TV set.
An extra 18 million homes have TVs that get over-the-air signals, nevertheless the residents have other TVs that are connected to cable or satellite services. Estimates from a pc simulation flight by Centris, a market trial firm in Los Angeles, found that more than 9 million households that now pay for programming over the air could lose one or more stations they forthwith receive.
Although digital broadcasts testament provide a superior picture and added channels than senile analog broadcasts, digital reception is enhanced easily blocked by hills, trees and buildings than analog reception. An antenna is a simple device, an assembly of metal rods that turns electromagnetic waves into electrical currents. They come in various sizes and styles whereas the length of the rods are designed to clutch specific frequencies.
The bigger the antenna, the more bars, the improved at receiving a weaker signal," said Dave Wilson, director of technology and standards for the Consumer Electronics Association. The leading reason for most of the different shapes is that many times you want the antenna to not just change the electrical field, however to amplify a anemic signal, or fail an interfering signal."
For a lucid device, the antenna has generated a portion of misinformation. For example, you may hear approximately digital antennas or HDTV antennas. On the contrary you do not need an HDTV antenna to get digital high-definition signals. Digital HD is broadcast on the same UHF and VHF frequencies as analog TV.
The antennas need not be different. A characteristic antenna is not required to appropriate the new extra channels from a station. Provided your antenna receives the local PBS channel, for example, it will collect all the digital subchannels. For those locations suffering the cliff effect, a new antenna is needed to pull the signals in.
For TV reception on UHF and VHF frequencies, an indoor antenna like rabbit ears may work whether the signal is very strong. A weaker signal may require a disc-shaped outdoor antenna that receives signals from all directions.
An all the more weaker signal will desire a V-shaped outdoor antenna, perhaps with a motor to point it directly at each broadcast expression tower. Before buying an antenna, buy the converter box and attach it to your old antenna and to your TV. You may get all of the stations you want. The boxes are available at electronics stores.
As Duffy found, picking the equitable antenna can require some experimentation. After the rabbit ears, he tried different receivers and antennas in different locations. Reception is now good, he said, but not perfect, which has him thinking about a rotating antenna or a expression amplifier.
The Consumer Electronics Association and the Federal Association of Broadcasters sponsor a Web site to help people through the process, antennaweb.org. The stop uses software that determines which aerial you duty based on your objective relative to station antennas. It as well advises you where to point it. Very check antennaweb.org to make persuaded your antenna suits the post-February frequency.
Some digital stations that are just now available may move from UHF to VHF after Feb 2009. At the site, click on the "choose antenna" button, then fill in your street address. The location organises types of antenna by a color code, from yellow for low-strength multidirectional antennas to violet for blimp directional antennas that may also need an amplifier to pull in weak signals. It is easier finding the right spot for an antenna. The best placement is elsewhere on a mast as grand up as possible," said Wilson of the Consumer Electronics Association.