TV's digital switchover has a downside

TV's DIGITAL SWITCHOVER HAS A DOWNSIDE
[SOURCE: USAToday, AUTHOR: Mike Snider]
Until now, millions of TV viewers who use reliable rooftop antennas and rabbit ears to get their signal have not been affected by the nation's transition to digital TV. That's about to change. By Feb. 18, 2009, the signals the sets receive will be shut off. Those old analog channels, which have been used for 60 years, will be reclaimed by the government and auctioned for billions of dollars to other communications services. The nation's broadcasters will transmit only digital signals. And older TV sets will stop working — unless hooked up to cable or satellite systems or an add-on digital tuner. So far, the focus on the digital TV (DTV) rollout has been the spread of high definition. About 30% of U.S. homes have digital HDTV sets, which receive the new channels. But nearly 20%, or more than 20 million homes, rely strictly on antennas to receive free over-the-air broadcasts. The National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) says another 14.7 million have at least one antenna-powered TV. Legislators, broadcasters, manufacturers and consumer groups have known about this dilemma for more than a decade. But as the turn-off date approaches, all are concerned about confusion and a lack of awareness; the NAB estimates more than 60% don't know about the transition.
http://www.usatoday.com/printedition/life/20070807/d_topstrip07.art.htm

* Is your television ready for the digital age?
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