Why are all televisions switching to all digital?

Question

Why are all televisions switching to all digital?

Answer 1

The US government has an entire web site devoted to this. Start here to get your answer:

http://www.dtv.gov/consumercorner.html#f...

Answer 2

The three before me are all correct except that the screen aspect ratio is changing. If you are asking why don't we do digital and analog and make the transition optional, the government has been auctioning off the portion of radio bandwidth that has been in use for analog TV transmission for billions of $$. The budgets that have been approved are based on getting that revenue. As you know, Uncle Sam has got to get his chedder.

Answer 3

Analog broadcasting is long overdue for replacement. We have been watching NTSC since the 1940's. The DTV transition actually started something like 25 years ago. Originally, HD was supposed to be common place before 2000. I am very glad it's finally happening. There are 363 days left till all analog transmissions cease. It's time for a flat screen anyway!!! Once you see HD, you'll never want NTSC again.

Answer 4

Digital television in the US had late beginnings. It started for us in 1991 when President George H. Bush asked FCC Chairman Sykes to work on a high definition television system. Bush was worried that Japan's NHK and Europe's HD-Mac were going to overrun us from a technology standpoint.

We were long overdue for an overhaul. We were (and are) still watching the original television signal invented by Philo T. Farnsworth and advanced by David Sarnoff in the early 1930s. We added color right on top of the original signal in 1954 with the help of the National Television System Committee (NTSC) with major backing by Sarnoff, then CEO of RCA (owner of NBC.) We added stereo sound in 1982, and that's been it. Outdated, antiquated and ready to retire!

All major players with interest in television were arguing about what our new signal should be. Digital or analog, how many lines of resolution, how much bandwidth should each channel have, etc.  A prominant group broke off and formed The Grand Alliance which presented the FCC and the Advanced Television System Committee (ATSC) with the signal we are currently using. It was designed by Zenith, and it's digital.

There are several advantages. Using the same 6 mhz per channel that the old analog channels used, broadcasters can now send HDTV or four 525 line studio grade NTSC shows, or scads of data in several formats. Possible data uses would be stock market tickers, sports scores, etc...

The broadcasters, worried that the FCC might begin parcelling out their television spectum to data delivery services, stepped up and said they planed to use it for HDTV, and they couldn't afford to give it up.

The first commercial HDTV digital broadcasts were sent in November 1997, by the 4 networks in the 10 largest markets. This was an FCC madate. One of the networks failed to make the deadline in the Greater Los Angeles Market and was fined until they complied in January 1998.

The analog broadcasts were set to expire several times, beginning in 2006 but this has been delayed until a large enough percentage of households were ready. Next February will be the end of NTSC analog television.

People that receive analog television from an antenna can request a $40 certificate from the FCC to help pay for a converter box that will allow their analog TV to continue working.These boxes are expected to cost around $60.

I would recommend getting a new, all digital TV. The analog TVs could produce a maximum of about 250,000 picture elements. (480x640) The new digital televisions can produce up to 2,000,000 picture elements. (1080x1920) That's almost 10 times more picture detail!

Also, because we have two eyes, side by side, instead of one in the middle, we take in information better in widescreen. The film industry adapted to widescreen years ago and television is just now catching up.

Well, there you have it. The short version. lol

Hope this helps.

Answer 5

Because the best way to bring us into a new age is to go cold turkey with the old technology. Most tv's will still be able to work just fine. Don't think of digital as HDTV. It is not at all!!!! Digital is just the way it's broadcast. Screen sizes and formats will not change. HDTV is actually a change in the picture resolution.

Computer manufacturers have been doing similar with computers. Most don't have floppy drives because they are a horrible technology.

Answer 6

becuz the world is turning to the new age and that wat ppl want