The United States government is requiring TV stations to cease broadcasting analog channels. April 7th, 2009 is the current date the FCC is requiring U.S. stations to broadcast using digital signals instead of existing analog signals. With a conversion date slightly over three years from now and little publicity on the topic, what is an American consumer to do?
First, let’s take a look at what is driving these changes and then we’ll look at what options American consumers have regarding their home television sets.
Why convert to digital TV?
There are three main factors driving the industry change from analog signals to digital. Standardized digital conversion will create a common and effective way for TV broadcasters to encrypt their content and protect against piracy. Digital content not only provides better content for viewers, but perfect reproduction for content piracy. No longer is there a “copy of a copy” effect. Every reproduction of digital content is as clear as the original. Existing laws and standards don’t allow broadcasters to protect their content because they have to provide analog versions. The conversion to digital broadcast will allow encryption to be employed.
The second reason for digital TV conversion is to raise money through the sale of frequency spectrums. VHF (Very high frequency) channels are currently used for TV stations 2-13, but that frequency range is also used for FM radio, navigation systems, aircraft communications and two-way radios for police, taxis and marine communications. UHF (Ultra high frequency) channels are used for all other TV stations that are not digital. This frequency range is also used currently for cell phones, cordless phones, wireless networking, ham radio and other licensed two-way communications (GMRS, FRS) and microwave ovens. During the mid 90’s the FCC auctioned PCS spectrum frequencies, which current digital cellular phones operate on and generated over $7.7 billion in revenue for the A and B blocks alone. When TV stations convert to digital frequencies, the FCC plans to auction the newly available spectrum to the highest bidder. Revenues from this auction are expected to exceed $10 billion with $5 billion legislated to pay down the federal deficit.
The final reason driving the conversion to digital broadcast comes from providers themselves. In addition to being able to protect their content, TV stations will be able to provide better content. Digital TV will be broadcast in higher resolution, meaning your picture will be clearer and sharper. The aspect ratio, the way the picture is displayed, will be different…more like the way movies in theaters are displayed. Think rectangle instead of square. Digital TV will also supply Dolby digital surround sound. Most importantly though is the ability to broadcast more than one channel at a time. For instance, HBO currently broadcasts eight channels on digital cable and digital satellite. Subscribers who have analog cable only receive one HBO channel.
Is a new TV required?
So what does all this information mean to American TV watchers? First of all, you won’t necessarily have to buy a new TV. If you’re one of the less than 30% who still watches TV using only an antenna, your TV will go blank on April 7th, 2009, but you’ll be able to fix that situation using a digital converter box instead of buying a new TV. The consumer electronics industry is hoping the price point of that device will be less than $70. For the remaining 70% of American TV watchers who subscribe to cable or digital satellite services, your current set top box will act as the converter for your TV. However, some features that only a new digital TV will have is the ability to display the full digital resolution and the wide screen aspect ratio.
Another benefit to a digital TV is you won’t need a separate cable or satellite receiver. Digital TVs have those tuners built in, but you may need a decoder card to receive subscription based programming. Cable and digital satellite providers plan on providing video on demand using these cards instead of a set top box.
Digital TVs are already on the market and you may have one without even knowing it! All large screen TVs, 36” and above, were required to be digital ready July 1, 2005. Intermediate sized TVs, 25” to 36” are scheduled to be digital ready by July 1, 2006 and all TVs above 13” should be digital ready by March 1, 2007. This should be in plenty of time to meet the 2009 legislation. Manufacturers are hoping the deadline will be moved up as are certain members of Congress like Senator John McCain of Arizona.
Will consumers know the difference?
The adoption of HDTV is a good measure of how consumers will respond to digital TV. Purchases of HDTVs have been strong, especially with prices dropping, but there is still a lot of confusion between the different types of TVs available and the required HDTV services. A December survey by Forrester Research showed that while 16 million Americans have purchased HDTV sets, less than half of them have registered for services that will allow them to view it.
Some HDTV programming is provided “in the clear,” but cable or satellite customers need to have a special set top box or decoder (CableCard) to view programming in HD. The biggest reason consumers gave for not obtaining the proper programming options to receive HDTV was they felt the picture quality was already improved just by the purchase of the HDTV set.
Cable and satellite providers will be providing consumer education over the coming year to educate them about the additional requirements for viewing HDTV. Hopefully, this education programming will help raise awareness for the Digital TV conversion of 2009 as well.
Digital television – the bottom line.
The 2009 digital TV conversion should benefit consumers in ways they can’t even imagine. It won’t require everybody to purchase a new television set. Manufacturers and retailers will continue to provide analog TVs as the law allows over the next 24 months and new VCRs and DVD players will be made with both analog and digital tuners. TV content providers will be able to provide better and more interactive content for viewers because of a defined digital TV standard. And other consumer electronic communication devices will be made better because of expanded frequency availability for things like cordless phones, cell phones and walkie-talkies of all varieties. Digital TV should be a very good thing indeed.
Archive for October, 2008
DirecTV and other satellite TV systems offer more options in daily television viewing. Satellite TV receiver is accompanied by all TV systems required for completed installation. Satellite TV receiver is manufactured by several reputed companies like Phillips etc. A satellite TV receiver has control hub for all the audio and video equipment which is pre-owned by any consumer. It is easily connected to any appliance with the existing cables.
In some cases in order to connect a satellite TV receiver the phone line may need to be split if there is any DSL connection in the house. The rear panel of a satellite TV receiver comes with all important card access, the receiver ID number, AC power input, phone jack, Dolby digital outputs, antenna input (if you wish to connect to an off satellite antenna or analog cable system), TV/VCR output, S-Video Output, and Component Video Output and the Sat In, which connects the coaxial cable from the satellite dish antenna. The instruction manual gives all the information you need for anyone installing it themselves.
The complete system of installing a Satellite TV along with a satellite TV receiver comes with user manual, power supply cord, phone cord, RF Coaxial cable, RCA type Audio/ Video connecting cable, S-Video connecting cable, Telephone Cord, Access card, and the Infrared Universal Remote control with 2 AA batteries. This all is accompanied by the Satellite direct TV dish.
Some times satellite TV receiver may get overheated. This may cause the decoder messages to disappear at times. It may also seem that the satellite TV receiver has gone dead. Since overheating is a main surge in satellite TV receiver it may be overcome by placing two capacitors on the power supply board. These capacitors should be replaced for reliability before the working of satellite TV receiver comes to a total halt.
Satellite TV receiver can be for analogue communication signals or digitally compressed signals. There is only one company that currently manufactures a satellite TV receiver that can process both analogue and digital signals. Analogue satellite TV receiver processes signals in analogue format. For an analogue satellite TV receiver one must need to remember the actual settings required to tune in all the channels and communication. Analogue satellite TV receiver can be stand alone unit. It is usually cheaper but can receive signals from only one satellite. An analogue satellite TV receiver has built in antenna controller which can steer a motorized dish from one satellite to another.
Main job on any satellite TV receiver is to maximize the strength of incoming signals from the satellite. This job is done equally well by an analogue satellite TV receiver or a digital satellite TV receiver. Multi-mode switches allow one satellite TV receiver to provide video to more than one house.
Satellite TV receiver comes with various features such as advanced program guide, parental controls, multi-satellite capabilities, universal remote, etc. Digital satellite TV receiver has digital audio output and can record up to seventy hours. They also have a built in DVR and season pass function, wish list function, etc.
May it be analogue satellite TV receiver or digital satellite TV receiver both work with the satellite TV set up to give the best quality of signals received from the satellite from various channels.
Directv HDTV versus the high definition option through your satellite dish network. Which do you go with? In many ways, Direct TV and the Dish Network are comparable like with similar programming and similar pricing structures. But who offers the best service and quality in high definition television? First of all, let’s find out exactly what high definition television (aka HDTV) is and if you would even want that option in your TV satellite dish system.
Clarity is what most people think of when they think of HDTV. The picture quality is outstanding and many people have exclaimed that it is like they walked right into the TV, as if it was part of our world. The picture on the screen is so life-like; you could almost feel that sun on the TV shining on you or could almost feel the blades of grass beneath your feet as if you were in the TV show yourself. The sound that accompanies the high definition picture is also very life-like. It is digital sound, not analog, so it is almost like having your CD player inside your TV.
Both the Directv HDTV and the one that the Dish Network offers are similar. The clarity of the picture is about ten times better than an analog broadcast. The format of the shows and movies you watch through the HDTV programming is a wide screen format, much like what you experience at a movie theater. The audio feed of the programming you watch via HDTV is digital – that means, it is crisp and clear.
The difference between the Directv HDTV and the Dish Network’s version is a matter of programming. Depending on what you are looking for in satellite TV’s programming will influence your choice of these two rivals. So, let’s do a quick comparison of the two. The Dish Network offers a few more channels in high definition TV than does Direct TV. Several movies channels and news channels are in HDTV as are a few sports channels and pay per view movies. In other programming offerings, they are more global, offering extra foreign markets.
Directv HDTV does not have quite a many HDTV channels, but if you are a sports fan, the Directv option may be the best bet for you. While the Dish Network’s HDTV programming does offer some sports, your Direct satellite TV in high definition has more sports options, including the NFL Sunday Ticket, the Holy Grail for the football fanatic. Football widows despised the day that HDTV came out, that is for sure! Not only does the Directv HDTV have great sport coverage, it also has a few major networks that Dish Network does not have like Fox and NBC.
So, if the sports thing is not for you and you appreciate the more international flavor the Dish Network has to offer in regards to high definition TV, then they are the logical choice. However, if the sports are a major selling point for you, then the Directv HDTV is the way you should go.
Free is a four letter word in the Satellite TV business. You probably have seen the advertisements for a free satellite TV. Some vendors that carry the top two satellite TV providers – Direct TV and Dish Network – even tout free equipment like a satellite TV receiver and TV satellite dish. The question for many consumers is what really constitutes free satellite TV.
The definition of free can be paraphrased as something that costs nothing or is gratis. In other connotations, free can mean not enslaved or not obstructed. So, if you want to take the meaning of free literally, in regards to free satellite TV, it could be construed as not being enslaved by a price tag. Sounds like a winning plan, does it not? However, the term free can be a bit misleading at first when you are in the market for satellite TV system.
For the most part, the equipment like the TV satellite dish and the satellite TV receiver is free. And depending on the marketing promotions the two major providers have, you may also find that you get the high definition version of the satellite Dish Network or the Directv Tivo for free as well. The holidays are the best times to hook up with one of those sweet deals.
The free part ends with the equipment in many cases. The programming and other services will cost money. For instance, with Directv, you have to pay a deposit, depending on what your credit rating holds. However, that is refunded to you or applied towards the programming package you choose, whether it is a basic Family package or the programming package with all the movie channels included.
With the Dish Network, there is usually a charge for activation. However, as with Direct TV, it is credited towards your desired programming package. Even though Dish Network may have less programming choices for the sports fanatic, they more than make up for it with a free digital recording or high definition satellite TV receiver. They even have a larger, overall selection of HDTV programming.
Directv HDTV receivers cost extra as does the Directv Tivo option, unless of course, you hit upon one of those infrequent marketing promotions offering the option for free, as mentioned previously. With Direct TV, they offer more for the sports fan as far as play-off programming package deals. And music lovers can enjoy over twenty music channels alone!
The bottom line is that the word free basically means the same with both major satellite TV providers – the Dish Network and Direct TV. You have got to research the promotions they both have to offer as well as their programming packages. Just remember, free is a four letter word, one that is spoken, well freely, in the satellite TV market. Ask your questions, read the fine print and find out exactly what their ‘free’ means to you and your pocketbook.
Conditional access (CA) lets viewers choose what to watch from thousands of programs at the touch of a button. This pay per view technology also lets parents block shows and games the don’t want their kids to watch. All thanks to the little top boxes that sit on their television sets. This non technical article presents conditional access for home viewing.
Satellite Broadcasts – Conditional Access
Conditional Access enables broadcasters to block programs from some viewers and charge others to see the show. Broadcast options such as pay-per-view (PPV), video-on-demand (VOD) and broadcast video are all based on conditional access technology. The basis of conditional access technology rests on scrambling and descrambling the pictures on your screen. Just as important is entitlement and entitlement management to determine which viewers are permitted to the see the show and block other viewers.
Satellite digital TV – Conditional Access
While digital TV and conditional access seem to have been here forever, they are relative new comers compared to movies. The conditional access digital TV standards were first finalized in 1993. Since then, conditional access enables broadcasts and billing for satellite broadcasters, cable and terrestrial stations. Satellite Digital TV stations are major conditional access users and vital to their financial growth and product development.
Scrambling / Descrambling – Conditional Access
Conditional access is the gate keeper that lets subscribers see the show and makes the show incomprehensible to unauthorized users. Entitlement checking takes place simultaneously with the broadcasting of the show controlled by the conditional access gate keeper. The show broadcast also includes encrypted codes – “Control Words” – to enable the descrambling for authorized viewers with conditional access permission. These codes are sent inside dedicated messages called entitlement control messages for the “top box” on your TV set to decode.
Entitlement Management – Conditional Access
The entitlement management function consists of distributing entitlements to receivers. There are several kinds of entitlements that match different levels of subscriber service: As we all know, the most popular are monthly and pay per view. This info is sent inside dedicated messages entitlement management messages and Shazam! There’s the show you wanted to see, now all you need is a cold drink, popcorn and some friends to enjoy the show.
What you are about to read should not come as a shock to you, especially if you are a subscriber of cable TV.
Comcast Corp, the dominant cable provider in the nation, has raised cable TV rates for the third time in three years The rates will go up about 6 to 7 percent, depending upon where you live. Other cable providers, like RCN, have also raised rates by about 8 percent.
7 percent is double the rate of inflation. Comcast’s prices have risen three times faster than inflation since 2000.
Although cable price increases have moderated in recent years from the double-digit hikes of the 1990s, many research analysts predict that costs will keep going up.
“Operational costs” are the culprits for the rate hikes. “Operational costs” include energy costs, improvements in customer service and network maintenance. Cable companies have millions of miles of outdated lines buried below ground, and are in the process of converting their technology to digital, which will be expensive. Comcast spent nearly $200 million in the past year to maintain and enhance its fiber-optic network in the Bay Area alone.
More Facts
Cable rates have climbed 40 percent in the past six years, from an average $34.40 in 2000 to the $47.93 just announced for 2006. During that same period, inflation increased 14.3 percent, according to the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Is it any wonder why the sale of satellite tv is increasing?
There are about 65 million homes nationwide with cable TV, a number expected to decline to 61 million by 2008. DirecTV accounts for 15 million subscribers and EchoStar’s Dish Network for 12 million.
Because satellite providers don’t have to pay taxes levied by local governments and feature smaller infrastructures, consumers get more bang for the buck with satellite.
With cable, additional charges are typically assessed for installation and equipment. These charges range from $30 to $80. Satellite Tv offers free instulation, free movie channels, and free upgrades, usually as an incentive to get customers to sign up for their services.
More pros of a satellite dish.
* Digital picture means better quality
* More flexible programming options
* Cost is cheaper per channel
* Good solution for those living in rural areas
According to a J.D. Power study, the average cost of satellite service is about 4% less than cable. Satellite subscribers
save an average of about $2.00 monthly compared to cable.
So, as the rates for the cable companies continue to rise,
you can expect comsumers to continue the migration to
satellite tv.
Remember way back when in the caveman days of satellite TV? The TV satellite dish was big and bulky. Really, it was an eyesore in your neighborhood, but also a sort of status symbol. Not everyone at the time could afford one. However, the constant adjustments of the dish were a hindrance. Today, the TV satellite dish is a sleeker, more condensed design that fits well on the roof of a house. Two of the most popular satellite TV providers are Direct TV and Dish network.
“Back in the day”, satellite TV appealed to viewers who were searching for programming that was not mainstream, something that no one else would typically get with traditional local broadcasting. Things like live feeds from foreign news sites were popular. Today, however, plugging in to the satellite dish network of your choice is popular and fairly inexpensive. You have the same programming choices as cable networks as well as a lot more programming from other parts of the world.
Many supposed die hard fans of cable are now quietly signing up for Directv or the Dish Network, the two leading most popular satellite TV companies around. The reason? Better customer service and better overall quality in programming and picture. Now you are probably thinking that your direct satellite TV is cost prohibitive. However, nothing could be further from the truth. Depending on which satellite TV provider you go with, you most likely could receive a free satellite TV system. So that just leaves you with the cost of programming, which is usually cheaper than cable.
The great thing about satellite TV, whether you go with the Dish network or Direct TV, is that you will less likely have occurrences of disrupted service, unlike your standard cable. Signals are sent from the satellites in space and cloud cover, homes and other objects do not alter the signal at all.
So what do you need to get started? First you have to make a choice of which provider you will go with. Unfortunately, you cannot always go and purchase standard equipment like a satellite TV receiver or a TV satellite dish. Both the satellite Dish Network as well as Direct TV has some proprietary components. So once you decide which provider you will go with, then you can purchase the remaining equipment. Just remember, before you buy anything, research local retailers! Sometimes, they offer special promotions where you get a free satellite TV system, including the satellite TV receiver.
You can either install the system yourself or have a technician come to your home and take care of it for you. Now the hardest part of it all will be deciding on whether you should subscribe to one of the extra perks like Directv Tivo or Directv HDTV! Decisions! Decisions!
When we speak of transmission of pure digital television, we mainly talk about its reception and display of the signals. These signals come to us through the broadcasting over air or by transmission through the satellite system or cable system in our houses. There is a class of Direct TV that is getting a lot of name at present which is called DirecTV HDTV. When we combine a digital TV of high resolution with a Dolby surround sound (AC-3), we get a DirecTV HDTV. To have a stunning image, this combination has been made.
A new production and transmission equipment at the DirecTV HDTV station and even a new equipment for reception for DirecTV HDTV is required by the consumer. The strongest selling point for DirecTV HDTV is the higher resolution picture. After media’s perfect show up about DirecTV HDTV, the DirecTV HDTV has reached to all the electronic stores. The higher resolution which produces crystal clarity, as never seen before through picture tube, gives us a life like picture and digital sound. A usual TV gives us an effective picture resolution of about 210,000 pixels whereas in the highest resolution DirecTV HDTV format, each picture contains 2 million pixels. This nearly gives us ten times more detailed picture. The basic aim behind DirecTV HDTV is not to increase the definition per unit area but it is rather that the visual field percentage contained by the image should be increased. The proposal about all DirecTV HDTV was first submitted by General Instrument Corporation on May 31, 1990
By December 1990 ATRC also launched the same followed by Zenith and AT&T and the MIT. At present Japan is the only country which broadcasts DirecTV HDTV services to the viewers. The number of converters and receivers sold to the customers has reached to 100,000 and 30,000 respectively. The possibility of starting a digital satellite HDTV service in Japan has been eliminated by the establishment of the analog broadcast service, DirecTV HDTV. Right now, many stations do not broadcast HDTV program.
Slowly, the current analog TV can be either replaced or a new set-top box can be purchased for converting the digital signal. While purchasing any TV receivers we should first ensure that the new receiver has all the input jacks that match the connectors on the VCR, cable boxed DVD player etc.
We should always go in for a composite, S-video and component video as a minimum set of analog jacks so we can use our existing analog equipment with a new set.
The move is on. Last year millions of Americans switched from cable TV to satellite TV.
Why? When you compare satellite TV to cable TV you’ll discover the main reasons are cost, picture quality, program choices, and customer satisfaction.
Let’s check out the differences …
Cable vs. Satellite TV Fees
Cable TV fees across the country average $39.99 per month. In our area the cost for cable TV is $37.30 a month for 64 channels, plus $10.95 a month to add digital channels. Installation in one room is $39.95, plus $9.95 for each additional room.
Satellite TV fees from Dish Network are $31.99 per month for 60 channels, while Dirac TV charges $41.99 per month for 115 channels. Both satellite TV providers currently offer free satellite TV equipment and free installation in up to four rooms.
Cable vs. Satellite TV Programming
Cable TV in most areas offers almost as many channels as satellite TV, and is broadcast in analog (over-the-air) format. If you want to have digital picture and sound you’ll have to pay an additional fee, usually $10 to $15 a month.
Satellite TV offers more channels than cable TV (more than 250 channels), and more HDTV (high definition TV) programming. All satellite TV channels are broadcast in digital format for the highest quality picture and sound.
Cable vs. Satellite TV Equipment
With cable you only need cable boxes that connect the incoming cable line to your televisions. There is usually no charge or rental fees for cable boxes, however, If you want a digital video recorder, you’ll have to pay an extra fee.
With satellite TV you need a satellite TV dish and TV receivers. Both Dish Network and DirecTV offer that equipment, plus installation, for free. Dish Network will give you a DVR (digital video recording) receiver or an HDTV receiver at no charge, while DirecTV charges $49.99 for DVR receivers and $299 for HDTV receivers.
Cable and Satellite TV Reliability and Customer Satisfaction
Cable TV outages average 3% to 5% per year. J.D. Powers and Associates ranks cable companies as good to poor in customer satisfaction.
Satellite TV outages average about 1%. J.D. Power and Associates has ranked the two satellite TV providers — Dish Network and DirecTV — higher in customer satisfaction than any of the cable TV companies for the last five years
The Bottom Line
If you only watch a couple of shows a week, and you live in an area where you can’t get over-the-air TV and cable TV costs less than $20 per month, then cable may be your best option.
If, on the other hand, you want the biggest variety of shows, movies, sports, and news for the least amount of money … you want to watch your all your shows in digital video and sound … and you want the option of watching them in HD format and recording them
on a DVR receiver, then satellite TV is what you’re looking for.
The satellite TV systems and services offered by DIRECTV and DISH Network are almost identical — both offer more than 250 program channels, all-digital programming, HDTV (high definition TV) options, and DVR (digital video recording) capabilities.
So when you compare DIRECTV to DISH Network you’ll discover the biggest differences between them are the subscription fees and programming.
Here is a blow-by-blow comparison of DIRECTV vs. DISH Network …
Satellite TV Equipment
* Direct TV offers free satellite TV equipment (the dish and receivers), and free installation in up to four rooms of your home. If you want a DVR receiver you will be charged an additional $49.99. The charge for HDTV receivers is $299.99.
* DISH Network gives you free satellite TV equipment and free installation in up to four rooms of your home. You can get a DVR receiver or an HDTV receiver at no charge.
Satellite TV Programming
* DIRECTV offers 255 program channels, including movie channels, music channels, pay-per-view movies and events, sports packages, and international programming. Programming packages start at $41.99 per month for 115 channels.
* DISH Network offers 256 program channels, including movie channels, music channels, pay-per-view movies and events, sports packages, and international programming. Programming packages start at $31.99 per month for 60 channels.
Customer Service
* DIRECTV has excellent customer service with 24/7 online support, and 24/7 toll-free telephone support.
* DISH Network also has excellent customer service with 24/7 online support, and 24/7 toll-free telephone support.
Customer Satisfaction
* DIRECTV is ranked #2 in customer satisfaction among all the cable and satellite TV providers.
* DISH Network is ranked #1 in customer satisfaction among all the cable and satellite TV providers.
The Bottom Line
Both DIRECTV and DISH Network offer top-of-the-line satellite TV equipment and all-digital programming for the best picture and sound available.
DISH Network’s basic programming package is cheaper than DIRECTV’s, but DIRECTV’s Total Choice has a more channels.
DISH Network has more movie packages and foreign programming, while DIRECTV offers more sports packages.