WILL MY T.V. STILL WORK IN 2009?? - Montana Owners Club

jackel1959 · 12-07-2007, 04:44 PM

Many of you may already know the answer to this, but when my Mom asked me and I couldn't answer her question with certainty, I had to do some research. So I did a little surfing and found this on ConsumerReports.org. I have cut and pasted the first portion of the article, which is very clear and concise and says it all. I have also included the link to the entire article.

How to survive the digital TV transition
The impending switch to all-digital broadcast TV will be a step forward, but it could be bumpy for many.

Over the next 18 months or so, you'll be hearing a lot about the digital TV transition. Here's what you need to know: On Feb. 17, 2009, broadcasters must shut down their analog systems and transmit only digital TV signals to comply with the Digital Television Transition and Public Safety Act.

While that sounds cataclysmic, the change will affect only the way free TV will be broadcast over the air, to a rooftop or indoor antenna. All TVs (no matter what type) connected to cable, satellite, or one of the new telephone company fiber-optic services should continue to function as they do now.

And here is the link to the entire article: http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/e...ics-computers/
news-electronics-computers/pulling-the-plug-on-analog-tv-206/

Waynem · 12-07-2007, 04:58 PM

I have an old Montgomery Ward Signature 2000 TV receiver in the back bedroom. I have had it for 15+ years. I just turned it on, selected all HD Channels for Dish Network, choose the Discovery Channel, and it came in perfectly. Matter of fact, it looked better than the non HD channel. So I will "assume," that in 2009 the older TV's will be able to recieve broadcasts in HD. Maybe sometime in the future, technology will change in the HD Broadcasts that will have an effect on the no HD TV's. (IMHO)

p.s., if you don't have cable and rely on an antenna, HD will not be recieved, so those 5er's that crank up the analog antenna will not receive a picture.

bigmurf · 12-07-2007, 05:13 PM

Need a black box but government will give you some credit.
DTV.GOV has the details.

OntMont · 12-07-2007, 05:51 PM

Is digital TV necessarily the same as HD?

jretz · 12-07-2007, 06:41 PM

Digital has to do with the way the signal is processed. Older TV's us Analog receivers, the new system will require TV's to have digital receivers or you will need a converter box as bigmurf pointed out. OntMont, digital TV is not HD, you need a digital receiver to receive the HD broadcast, some stations broadcast on digital channels but do not have HD quality pictures. Also if you are using a cable box or satellite box you will not need the digital receiver. The digital receiver is only required if you are receiving your stations over the airwaves on an antenna.

Mudchief · 12-08-2007, 12:39 AM

I am currently watching Satellite HD that is converted to analog for one of my units and like Waynem said above the picture is better. However sometimes I do notice that the picture is cutoff on the sides. So far that has not been a issue to us.

Okie Guy · 12-08-2007, 05:22 PM

Your analog signal will continue to work. Most TV stations have added their digital transmitor but will continue to brodcast the analog signal in addition to the digital(HD) signal. Most of us in the TV business think there will be another push to postpone the switch date for a while longer. We will have to see what happens. The rules seem to change daily.

sreigle · 12-14-2007, 06:08 PM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by Waynem

I have an old Montgomery Ward Signature 2000 TV receiver in the back bedroom. I have had it for 15+ years. I just turned it on, selected all HD Channels for Dish Network, choose the Discovery Channel, and it came in perfectly. Matter of fact, it looked better than the non HD channel. So I will "assume," that in 2009 the older TV's will be able to recieve broadcasts in HD. Maybe sometime in the future, technology will change in the HD Broadcasts that will have an effect on the no HD TV's. (IMHO)

p.s., if you don't have cable and rely on an antenna, HD will not be recieved, so those 5er's that crank up the analog antenna will not receive a picture.

Our living room tv has a digital tuner although it's not a true HDTV TV. It receives and translates HD signals. We can receive those channels and get the sharper image when using the crankup antenna. The bedroom tv has only the analog antenna. It gets only the analog channels. For example, if channel 5 is also broadcast on 5.1 as HD, the living room tv receives 5.1 and the bedroom tv does not.

So, apparently, hdtv signals are, in fact, broadcast over the air. Not just on satellite and cable.

bw2 · 12-28-2007, 03:17 AM

You will see new commercials telling you of the governments program where you can apply for two (2) coupons for $40 each for two (2) 'over the air' set top boxes. The boxes are expected to cost around $79/$80 and we should see these new boxes to hit the local electronics stores & of course Walmart, sometime soon, in 2008. This box will convert the new digital signal back to analog. This will allow you to continue to receive TV over your "Rabbit Ears / Outside Antenna". The scheduled date when the local TV stations are to stop transmitting analog signals is February 2009. If you have Direct TV, Dish Network, or a CATV company service, they already convert the digital signal back to analog. At this time, CATV companies are required to continue to transmit analog signals, if they do so today & are not converting their system to digital, until 2012. I plan on getting the set top boxes to carry in the 5'r and get the digital TV while traveling. ( I am too cheap to buy a new TV at this point)
Hope this helps a little.

indy roadrunner · 01-03-2008, 11:17 AM

OK, I ordered two coupons from the Govnt today primarily for the Televisions in the Monty. My stick house is Satelite so they are of no concern. Question is - how do we hook up the Bedroom in the Monty and the big TV over the fireplace in the monty? Or is only one box required where the cable comes off the outside antenna into the booster box in the front closet? Would the box be hooked up before it goes into the booster or after? Bear in mind my education level on this stuff involves turning on the TV and a picture appears - I am successfull - anything more complicated than that and I need directions drawn out on a piece of paper.

Charlie · 01-03-2008, 12:16 PM

I'm not sure when they started putting TVs into the Montanas that are digital capable. I see that yours is an '06. It is possible that you might not have to have a converter as your TV's may already be digital capable. If not, my guess is....the converter will be positioned between the booster and the TV.

Okie Guy · 01-03-2008, 02:43 PM

Here is a number to call for the "Converter Box Coupons." 1-888-388-2009 You will have to have a converter box when the old analog tower transmittors are turned off in Febrary of 2009. There were talks of pushing back the date. Now it looks like the cut off date will stand and stations will either get with the program or sink.

fulltimedreamer · 01-04-2008, 05:36 AM

The converter will go between the antenna booster in your RV and the coaxial connection on the back of your TV. This is the same function a Cable STB (set top box) or Satellite STB performs today (Most cable and all Satellite signals are digital.) The new converters change the digital signal transmitted by your local TV broadcaster to an analog signal your old TV can understand. If you have purchased a TV recently, it may have an ATSC (digital) tuner in addition to the NTSC (analog) tuner. In this case, you will not need a converter as the ATSC tuner will receive the digital signals being put out by your local broadcasters.

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