On June 12, 2009, Broadcast Television will change forever from the mundane caterpillar world of analog to the full multicasting butterfly spectrum of digital TV.

Why? Television was, and has remained,, a free medium. When the meshing of radio and advertising occurred in the early 1920's, radio blossomed, more stations came on the air, and variety of programming exploded. Television, began like radio. Commercials paid and still pay for the content.

Television's programming has declined, as the broadcasters have fought an uphill battle against the variety and quality of “pay TV.” For many years they needed an “edge” to properly compete with cable TV, and this is where the story of Digital TV (DTV) begins. It was with the broadcasters, NOT cable TV, that digital television (DTV) was invented. HDTV was created for DTV. Digital TV will give broadcasters the competition-edge they've needed for years to realistically compete with Direct TV, Dish TV, FIOS, satellite TV, and cable. The FCC, who regulates broadcast television - FREE TV, not cable TV, has played an important part in the implementation of DTV. It is the FCC who has mandated the switch from analog to DTV, nationwide, on June 12, 2009.

The FCC regulates free TV, not pay TV. And, because broadcasters, your local TV stations, will be able to broadcast multiple programs, at the same time, broadcast TV will once, again, give the viewer quality programming.

There is a new bright future for broadcast television. Give them some time to make the switch to DTV, and in the not too distant future broadcast television will, too, become a viable option to pay TV.

The big digital switchover will occur this coming Friday, 12 June 2009. No longer will broadcasters of free TV have to present their programming in two different broadcast formats, analog and digital. It costs a lot more to use two formats. After Friday, no-more-analog.

If you haven't purchased a converter box for your analog TV, it will be useless after 12:01am on June 12.

The DTV channel line-up is a bit like musical chairs. The VHF (channels 2-13) and UHF (14-51) will remain. During the digital transition, which ends Friday, June 12, stations were broadcasting in two formats, analog and digital. To compensate for this the FCC assigned temporary positions in the UHF-band for operating stations to broadcast their digital signals.

The option given broadcast stations were that after the transition was over (June 12) they, should they want to, could return to their original assigned frequencies.

Channels 2-6, once prime-ground for broadcasters, in the digital-world, it's simply lousy territory. The best frequencies are VHF Channels 7-13, and UHF channels 14-51.

Of the more than 1800 television stations in the U.S., only 43 have chosen to return to their old channels in the spectrum of channels 2-6.

Are you following this, so, far?

Just, in case your not here's an example:
Let's use KCBS Channel 2 in Los Angeles.
Pre-digital days broadcast was on Channel 2
Digital signal during "transition" was broadcast on channel 60. Final election (choice) is for broadcasting on channel 43. The new DTV station will be KCBS-TV channel 43.

So, you're probably asking, where did channel 43 come into the mix? Called "final election" (choice) is where the individual broadcaster selects a channel not occupied by another station to finally locate forever. KCBS-TV selected channel 43.

Now, there is a twist. I'm assuming there must have been some paperwork to fill out so as "to secure" the old channel location because there has appeared a few broadcasters were late in securing their original channel location and the original was given to another station. (confused, yet?)

I, too, have been very confused as to what channels will there be? Will they remain as always, or will DTV present a new set of channels?

I finally found an article which, finally, explains the whole mystery. The next three paragraphs are taken from the article titled "Hey Kids, Time For A Game Of Musical Chairs,!" It was written by PETER PUTMAN, CTS - a digital expert. ***

Mr. Putman explains:
"The FCC has given broadcasters several chances to pick their final digital channel once the analog transmitters go dark on 2/17/09. In more than one case, a station with an analog high-band VHF assignment (like WABC-7 in New York) has opted to give up its UHF assignment (in this case, channel 45) and move back to that old, familiar VHF channel.

In other cases, stations didn’t move quickly enough to keep their old analog VHF channel, like WCAU-10 in Philadelphia. Since VHF 10 has been allocated to a station in nearby Harrisburg, WCAU will shut down their digital station on UHF 67 (a channel they would have lost anyway, as it’s out of the DTV “core”) and park their semi on UHF 34, currently occupied by WYBE-DT, who will move back to their original UHF channel 35.

In yet other markets, a new digital station can’t even begin broadcasting until its FCC-assigned channel is vacated by another temporary DTV station. (Remember playing musical chairs as a kid?) WNYA-DT in Albany, NY has been assigned VHF 13. Unfortunately, it’s currently in use by WNYT-TV, who also operates an ATSC station on neighboring VHF 12. Once WNYT-TV (analog) goes dark, WNYA-DT can light up..."***

(If you have a DTV - HDTV and are planning to use only broadcast TV you'll need a UHF antenna, not the old VHF style. Many made were combos, and those will work.)

After 6/12/09, you may have to replace this antenna…

…with one of these for DTV reception, although something smaller will probably do the trick.
(both antenna images via Peter Putman)

In weak signal areas (left) analog images become grainy, while digital (right) stay the same, until they break up, freeze, or disappear.

Still, your analog TV will not be able to receive the new digital UHF band. With no analog signals your old reliable analog TV is junk!

Most people who have not been able to afford the new wide-screen TVs, LCD, or Plasma, have saved their viewing-selves by subscribing to pay TV, either through cable TV, or one of the other subscription services.

And, by doing that, you miss the whole point of the digital switchover. This isn't about pay TV, not in the least, this is about free TV, over-the-air broadcast television.

In the long run DTV could prove bigger news than that of cable, or any other pay-based system. Big news, finally, without paying...

Welcome, my friends, the the Twenty-first Century, a new beginning and a new century for free broadcast television. May they do well, and prosper.

Final Note:
Philo T. Farnsworth invented Television and transmitted the first picture from 202 Green St, San Francisco, California, on Sept. 27, 1927, and awarded Priority-of-Invention by the United States Patent Office in 1935. The science Farnsworth developed still today, with DTV, form the heart of modern Television.
Visit the Farnsworth National Website:
http://www.farnovision.com

***Some research comes from "Hey Kids, Time For A Game Of Musical Chairs!" by PETER PUTMAN, CTS.(1)
The complete article text:
http://www.hdtvexpert.com/pages_b/MusicalChairs.html

This article was written by Joseph E. Howard and
is Copyright © 2009 Pink Taxi Communications - XCM Inc.

(1) Mr. Peter Putman retains all rights to his referenced article.

Links to help-sites:

Old Channels - New Channels Find Your Local DTV Channels

DTV Glossary of terms:
http://www.wfyi.org/dtvGlossary.asp

Official Transition Site - FCC
http://www.dtv.gov/

Or, you can call your local TV stations, or visit their websites.

Make Money Writing $$$:
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