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U.S. realizes that digital might not be so good

by on26 December 2008

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Some stations to reach fewer viewers

 

Nearly two percent of the U.S. telly-watching public will lose their signal when then country switches to digital transmissions in February, according to federal regulators. The Federal Communications Commission comment comes as Americans start to realize that many of the analog TV sets will be useless after the changeover.

Apparently, many television stations will shift their broadcast footprints with the mandatory transition by changing transmitter locations, antenna patterns or power levels.  The FCC has not demanded that TV companies replicate their analog coverage so those users who can't pick up a picture any more will just have to lump it.

The rule of thumb is that if you get a fuzzy analog signal you probably will not get any digital picture. This will mean that some punters will have to splash out on more powerful antennas in addition to converter boxes  to continue receiving certain channels.

While the digital transition was supposed to be the greatest thing since sliced bread, many of the drivers for the push came from the fact that the FCC hoped to make a killing flogging the freed up channels.

You can read more here and here.

Last modified on 29 December 2008
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