February 2009, TV signal changes?

Question

My one friend here in Canada asked a local cable company and they said just USA. Is that it or do I need to buy Adapter Box's?

Answer 1

The date for Canada is August 31, 2011. They are switching to the same ATSC digital system that the US is using.

However just like the US, the analog shutdown is for over the air broadcasts only and has nothing to do with cable TV service.

The coupon type converters being sold in the US are made  for over the air signals only and were purposely designed so they couldn't be used with any major cable TV system.

Digital cable & over the air digital TV use a different type of digital signal. Cable companies can easily convert digital TV signals to the old analog type before sending them through their cable systems.

Many cable companies are planing their own analog shutdowns but the timing of such changes is a local matter. When such shutdowns occur people with analog only TVs will have to use a cable box or something similar rather that directly connecting to the cable outlets.

Answer 2

Satellite and cable customers will not be affected.

Answer 3

Nope as of yet it is still just the US that is going completely digital, we do not have to worry about the converter yet