Why do we have to have a DTV box?

Question

Why do we have to have a dtv converter box, I mean, an Antenna is cheaper than, a $75 box. Why is the government forcing us to buy this?

Answer 1

Nobody is forcing you to buy anthing.  If you have cable or satellite service you don't need a digital converter box.  (And they're not called freeview boxes.)  If you have a new, digital TV you don't need a converter box because the TV can handle the digital transmissions without the box.  But the spectrum occupied by some of the television channels is needed for other services.  This means moving the television stations around and getting more efficient use out of the frequencies.  When the stations switch to digital they can send out more than one program at a time.  When I installed by digital converter box I found that 2 of the local stations had 4 different programs running at the same time on separate streams.  And you will still need an antenna.  I don't know where the idea that you'd  no longer need an antenna came from.  If you want to receive a local station from it's air signal you need an antenna.

Answer 2

No one is forcing you. You need the 'freeview' box to receive and convert the new digital signal broadcasts. Broadcasters will stop transmitting the old analogue signals in a few years.

Answer 3

Air channels are being reduced, and due to that, it costs the government more to keep antenna service, so--now the government is forcing people to buy these in order to keep the economy from getting worse.

I hope I helped you.

-L