http://dtvfacts.com/latest The switch to digital television Fri, 07 Dec 2007 16:04:17 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en DTV converter boxes may be in violation of FCC rules, low-power television (LPTV) broadcasters have charged in a complaint filed with the regulatory agency. Digital-to-analog converter boxes are designed to smooth the transition to digital TV broadcasts in 2009. These devices, which allow over-the-air DTV signals to be viewed on old-technology ... http://dtvfacts.com/latest/531/lptv-converter-box/ If the switch to digital TV in 2009 matters to anyone, it’s those folks who depend on an antenna (rather than a pay-TV service) for their viewing pleasure—especially the ones who still own traditional analog-only TV sets. About 14 percent of U.S. households watch TV over the air exclusively. That’s 15.5 ... http://dtvfacts.com/latest/530/how-many-americans-watch-tv-over-the-air/ FCC Chairman Kevin Martin’s plan to give cable subscribers additional channels from local broadcasters fell off the commission’s agenda this week. But it may pop up again at the FCC’s December 18 public meeting, according to an AP report. Martin promoted the idea that minority- and women-owned businesses (among others) ... http://dtvfacts.com/latest/529/multicast-must-carry-democrats/ FCC Chairman Kevin Martin’s latest plan to force cable carriage of broadcasters’ multicast channels appears to be advancing. At its November 27 public meeting, the commission will address “initiatives designed to increase participation in the broadcasting industry by new entrants and small businesses, including minority- and women-owned businesses.” Under a ... http://dtvfacts.com/latest/528/multicast-must-carry-plan-on-fccs-agenda/ For customers of small cable companies, the road to digital TV could get bumpier if seven senators can persuade their colleagues to overrule an FCC decision. Federal regulators simplified the DTV transition for consumers in September, announcing that cable systems will be required to carry local stations in both analog and ... http://dtvfacts.com/latest/527/dtv-small-cable/ If you expect to be shopping for a DTV converter box this winter, Best Buy may not be your best bet. U.S. households can begin requesting $40-off coupons from the government in January 2008, and many owners of old analog TVs will be eager to redeem them. But Best Buy, ... http://dtvfacts.com/latest/526/best-buy-stalls-on-converter-box-coupons/ • Consumers who don’t understand the digital TV transition “may be stampeded into making the wrong choice and spending a lot more money than they have to,” a consumer group official says. • Movie studios oppose “digital cable ready plus” (DCR+), a two-way plug-and-play technology favored by the Consumer Electronics Association. • ... http://dtvfacts.com/latest/525/consumers-may-overspend-on-dtv-transition/ Giving Credit Where [Partial] Credit Is Due Dept.: Best Buy announced Wednesday that it will carry DTV converter boxes and participate in the U.S. government $40-off coupon program next year (as we predicted in August). If you watch local stations over the air on an analog TV, finding a life-extending ... http://dtvfacts.com/latest/524/converter-box-best-buy-2/ LG Electronics will sell DTV converter boxes under its Zenith brand, according to the Associated Press. Zenith, once the leading American TV manufacturer, was a pioneer in remote control and digital television technologies. Today, South Korea’s LG positions Zenith at the lower end of the U.S. consumer electronics market. With ... http://dtvfacts.com/latest/523/zenith-converter-box/ • Will “white space” broadband devices actually protect your digital TV reception? Doug Lung, offering a technical analysis of the claims, remains unconvinced. Even cable TV reception could be threatened, he writes. • The Center for American Progress wants Congress to (finally) address the public-interest obligations of DTV broadcasters. But FCC ... http://dtvfacts.com/latest/522/white-space-reception-cable/