Research conducted by and information submitted by Castle Pines North resident Linda Nuzum

*A recent vote by the Senate postponing the upcoming transition of analog to digital television broadcasting from February 17 to June 12, gives those not prepared for the transition a chance to breathe a sigh of relief and get informed.

The publicity about the digital television (TV) transition scheduled for February 17 says that TV’s that receive over-the air broadcasts will need to have either a built-in digital tuner or use a Digital TV converter box, but that TV’s connected to cable or satellite service are not affected.

But even if you have cable or satellite, do not just sit back and ignore the digital revolution – cable customers need to take a closer look, and all customers might want to check out the new free over-the-air HDTV broadcasts from local stations.

Digital revolution for cable and how it affects you

Comcast customers who inquire about the February 17 transition have been getting mixed signals about TV’s that are connected directly to cable (those with no a Comcast cable set-top box). Most customers are being told that no action is needed; however others have been told they will need a converter box for these TV’s.

The February 17 date only affects over-the-air broadcasts, so your cable TV service should continue to work as before.

However, cable customers should be aware that they may someday need a digital cable set-top box to view their favorite programs. This is because Comcast and other cable TV companies are in the midst of their own “analog to digital” TV revolution. They are doing this to meet demand for new cable programming, especially high definition (HD). Comcast says that for every channel they remove from analog, they have room to add 10 digital channels, or 3 HD channels.

The Comcast switch is not a single national conversion date like the February 17 over-the-air broadcast transition; instead Comcast is handling it differently in each local market.

In our area, it has been pretty gradual: some channels have been moved from the analog channel lineup to the digital channel lineup. For instance, in 2008, MSNBC was moved to digital only. Once this happens, all customers – including those who subscribe to a digital cable plan – must have a Comcast cable box connected to each TV in order to watch that channel.

Note that Comcast’s digital service requires a Comcast set-top-box, not one of the “coupon” boxes being advertised for the February 17 transition for the broadcast stations. And a new TV with a digital tuner likely will not handle it either. A few television models are digital cable ready but most current mainstream TV sets do not have this feature.

Comcast has a separate website to explain the Comcast digital conversion, at http://www.comcastdigitalworld.com.

Comcast customers are having a lively discussion of this topic on the COMCAST FORUM:

http://forums.comcast.net/comcastsupport/board?board.id=CTV_Digi_Tran

Also visit http://www.avsforum.com for additional discussion threads on this topic, as well as many other audio-video topics.

What TV’s are digital cable ready?

Those with CableCard can receive the digital cable signals but still need a digital cable box for interactive features such as OnDemand and pay-per-view.

To totally eliminate the need for a Comcast set-top-box, look for TV’s with Tru2way [TM]. Several TV brands intend to offer Tru2way on certain sets. Visit http://www.tru2way.com/ for more information.

Free HD TV?

The February 17 transition may encourage viewers to take another look at broadcast TV — the new digital service offers additional local channels, and the digital signal has higher quality picture and sound — in fact many report that the local TV stations’ free over-the-air broadcasts have better HDTV quality than the HDTV offerings from cable or satellite services.

How good is the over-the-air broadcast service here in Castle Pines, on the fringe of the metro area?

In theory it could work with a good antenna, but results will be affected by topography. Some have tried it with success, while others report poor results.

Want to explore getting over-the air broadcasts in the Castle Pines area?

Antenna experts advise that it could be possible with a good antenna, such as the type that is installed in an attic, although results will vary based on terrain. If you have tried and failed, it might be worth another try after the February 17 transition date, because some of the local stations will not be operating their digital transmitters at full power until after the conversion date.

General information about the broadcast TV digital transition –
www.dtv.gov

General information about antennas and digital TV –
http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/consumerfacts/dtvantennas.html

Check out antennas that are recommended for YOUR address –
http://www.antennaweb.org

Have you tried getting an over-the-air broadcast here in Castle Pines?

If so, please share your thoughts by sending an email to Webmaster and we may post your comments on our website for your neighbors to read. Let us know how well it worked for you, along with what neighborhood you are in, what type of topography is around you, and what type of equipment you have used.