The Big Switch

Over-the-Air Households Prefer Free Broadcast Television After DTV Transition

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Almost half of over-the-air households reject post-transition pay TV, instead preferring to receive free, over-the-air digital television by either purchasing a converter box or digital TV set, according to a recent Association of Public Television Stations (APTS) study. Roughly 43 percent of over-the-air households indicated they would buy a converter box or purchase a digital … Read more

DTV Transition, Internet Integration Big at CES

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Amid all the fancy new high-end electronic gadgetry at the International CES show, many TV-centric attendees had a major interest in the government’s $40 coupon program for digital-to-analog set-top boxes for over-the-air viewers—especially with the U.S. digital television transition just one year, one-month and a little over one week away. For example, the $39.95 Digital … Read more

Will there be enough HDTV converters for the transition?

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A CNN article details concerns by major retailers about keeping up with demand for HDTV tuners as the DTV transition approaches. Best Buy Inc.’s chief executive (Brad Anderson) said Tuesday that he is “very nervous” about being able to supply customers with the millions of digital TV converter boxes needed ahead of the shutdown of … Read more

FCC Chair Affirms Date for Digital TV Transition

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Johnathan Davis over at the International Business Times wrote an interesting article about the firmness of the FCC’s February 17, 2009 for the Big Switch to DTV. FCC Chairman Kevin Martin is quoted as saying that the deadline for the switch is a “hard deadline”. Mr. Martin further explained that a firm deadline was important … Read more