FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Charbonneau: What Hoosiers should
know about the digital TV transition
(STATEHOUSE) – On Feb. 17, 2009, the era of analog broadcast television in Indiana will end as the entire nation completes a transition to an all-digital system and Sen. Ed Charbonneau (R-Valparaiso) wants Hoosiers to be prepared.
A federally imposed law is requiring full-power television stations nationwide to stop using the older method of transmitting TV signals known as analog and begin broadcasting exclusively in digital by the February deadline, Charbonneau said.
Although switching from analog to digital broadcasting allows stations to offer clearer pictures and sound quality, how the digital TV transition affects Hoosiers could be a bit unclear.
“Some people might believe the digital transition will render their TV useless, but that isn’t the case,” Charbonneau said. “It’s important to separate fact from fiction in order to prepare ourselves.”
Consumers subscribing to television services through satellite, cable or telephone companies need not to worry about their televisions not working after the switch since they are already receiving a digital signal.
Hoosiers using rabbit ears and those without digital television sets will need to make necessary adjustments, such as:
- Purchase a digital-to-analog converter box that sits on top of the analog TV and plugs into the existing analog set. This box may cost $40 to $70 and allows continued free television reception. Consumers can apply for up to two $40 coupons to use towards purchasing digital-to-analog converter boxes. For more information on the government’s Digital-to-Analog Converter Box Coupon Program visit www.dtv2009.gov, or call 1-888-388-2009 or 1-877-530-2634;
- Upgrade to a digital television set; or
- Subscribe to a cable, satellite or a telephone company service provider.
Charbonneau said in addition to improving the picture and sound quality on televisions, the switch to all-digital broadcasting allows for more channels and available features to viewers.
More important, this switch will help make Americans safer.
Charbonneau said that as technology evolves, the public and private sectors use larger portions of the broadcast spectrum to communicate. Digital broadcasts will use smaller sections of the spectrum than analog broadcasts. This will help ensure that state and local emergency responders have an adequate spectrum to communicate and respond to natural or man-made disasters.
“While any change can be difficult, this one represents good news for both consumers and first responders,” Charbonneau said. “This switch will free parts of the valuable broadcast spectrum for public safety communications such as police, fire departments and rescue squads.”
For questions about purchasing new television sets, what programs are available in DTV and more, visit www.dtv.gov or call 1-888-CALL-FCC.
Sen. Charbonneau represents Senate District 5, which includes Starke County and portions of Porter, LaPorte, Marshall, Jasper, Pulaski, and St. Joseph counties.
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