Digital TV is replacing the analog TV system we have used for more than 50 years. Digital television and HDTV are going to make the news, sports, entertainment and information that you view every day on your TV more dynamic and enjoyable.

Federally Mandated Change to Digital

HDTV is coming to Colorado and the rest of the country because the Federal Government made a decision that all over-the-air television signals in the United States will be broadcast in the digital format.

Presently, TV stations are operating on two channels, one using the analog format and the other using the digital format. Congress has set February 17, 2009 as the date on which all free over-the-air television signals will be broadcast only in the digital format. At the same time, the present analog TV format will be discontinued. While that date may seem far away, for broadcasters it is not. Erecting a new tower and installing new equipment will take time.

Why the Change to Digital?

There are technical and practical reasons why the Federal Government made the decision to convert broadcast TV to a digital format. The conversion to digital TV will result in a more efficient use of the radio spectrum presently used for TV. On the DTV conversion date, the Federal Government requires each TV station to return to the government one of the two channels presently being operated. The returned spectrum has been designated by the Government for alternative uses, including use by emergency first responders. You may recall that during times of emergency, such as 9/11 and Hurricane Katrina, emergency responders have had difficulty communicating with each other. Emergency communications will be improved when the returned TV spectrum becomes available for emergency use. Other parts of the returned spectrum will be auctioned by the Federal Government for other uses, including wireless communications. The auction of that spectrum is also expected to generate significant revenues for the Federal Government.

Digital and HDTV

It is important to note that Digital TV does not always mean high definition. Consumers will have a choice of receiving free over-the-air digital TV on an HDTV set or a digital TV that does not have the same picture qualities as HDTV. This is called "enhanced" DTV.

There is no question that an HDTV receiver has amazing qualities for superior picture and sound. Besides a wider screen, the high definition picture has more detail and crisper images. (By the way, television broadcasts around the world are converting to HDTV.) It is important to note that even if you don’t buy an HDTV set, the new enhanced DTV sets still offer significant improvements in picture quality and sound over the existing analog system.

The Need for Digital Converters

Will your existing TV receive the new digital signal? The answer is "no," not without a converter box. On the DTV conversion date, you will need a converter box that will convert the digital free over-the-air signal to an analog format required by your existing TV. It is expected that your cable or satellite provider will also make it possible for you to continue to use your existing analog TV for their services. The converted analog signal will lack the high quality of the transmitted digital signal.

The U.S. Congress has funded a Set Top Converter Box Program that will give every household in the United States the opportunity to receive two $40 coupons toward the purchase of a converter. You can apply for a Converter Coupon at www.dtv2009.gov.