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DTV Explained
In the beginning there was black & white (VHF ch. 2-13) tv.
In most areas there were only 2 or 3 tv
stations. As time went on stations started broadcasting in
"Living Color". At this point people with
black and white tv sets needed to upgrade to a color tv set.
Soon after this all new tv shows were in
color.
The next progression in television was the implementation
of additional broadcast station. These
new stations used (UHF ch. 14-83). Not all tv's could tune
to these new station. This created the
need for a set top box that would tune in UHF channels 14 -
83. Now days all tv's have both VHF
and UHF tuners built into them.
It's now time to go to the next level. There are more
broadcast channels available then ever before.
Stations are now digital compressing (squeezing) 2 to 5
channels into 1 broadcast channel. While
the stations are still broadcasting using (VHF ch. 2-13) &
(UHF ch. 14-83) the format is now digital.
This can best be compared to going from records to
compact disks.
To tune into these digital channels you must have a digital
tuner. New TV's will have
a digital tuner built in. Older tv sets have the old analog
tuners in them and will not be able to
decrypt the digital signal. The way to work around this
problem is to use a set top box that can tune
in to the VHF/UHF station and decrypt the digital signal.
Once the set top box is hooked up to your antenna it tunes
in to a digital channel and it will then
reformat it from digital to analog and you will be able to view
it on your older tv set.
On June 12, 2009 the analog tv broadcast will be
discontinued. Only the DTV format will be
transmitted. If you still need a set top box you should have it
hooked up by June 12, 2009.
Once you get your set top box hooked up you will have to
have it preform a scan for new channels.
This is done with the push of one button. Some boxes will
preform this function automatically when
they are plugged in. After the scan is completed your box is
ready to use. You can select your
channels either with the channel up/down arrows on your
remote or you can direct tune using the
numbers on your remote.
If you use direct tune you will no longer enter you channel
numbers as single or double digits.
Example: To select channel 2 you will no longer enter 2 or
02.
What was channel 2 in the past with just one program on it
will now have anything from two to five
programs on it (each broadcaster will determine the amount
of programs). To select a program you
must enter the channel number plus the program number
using a dot or dash between the numbers.
Example A: To select channel 2 you would enter "2.1" or
"2-1". (some remotes use a dot others us
a dash but the function is the same)
Example B: To select channel 7 you would enter "7.3" or
"7-3". (some remotes use a dot others us
a dash but the function is the same)
In the example A: 2 is the channel number and 1 is the
program number. If you wanted program 4
you would enter "2.4" or "2-4".
In the example B: 7 is the channel number and 3 is the
program number. If you wanted program 1
you would enter "7.1" or "7-1".
Some set top boxes will have program guide listing. The
listing may look like example C.
Example C:
Ch. 2.1 News
Ch. 2.2 Sports
Ch. 2.3 Weather
People who have cable or satellite should already have a
set top box in place to preform these
processes. The cable & satellite company's have done all
the work for you.
One last point of interest is that are a lot of company's
marketing DTV antenna's. If you already
have a antenna that you are currently using to receive
analog VHF/UHF tv you can use the same
antenna for DTV.
In the beginning there was black & white (VHF ch. 2-13) tv.
In most areas there were only 2 or 3 tv
stations. As time went on stations started broadcasting in
"Living Color". At this point people with
black and white tv sets needed to upgrade to a color tv set.
Soon after this all new tv shows were in
color.
The next progression in television was the implementation
of additional broadcast station. These
new stations used (UHF ch. 14-83). Not all tv's could tune
to these new station. This created the
need for a set top box that would tune in UHF channels 14 -
83. Now days all tv's have both VHF
and UHF tuners built into them.
It's now time to go to the next level. There are more
broadcast channels available then ever before.
Stations are now digital compressing (squeezing) 2 to 5
channels into 1 broadcast channel. While
the stations are still broadcasting using (VHF ch. 2-13) &
(UHF ch. 14-83) the format is now digital.
This can best be compared to going from records to
compact disks.
To tune into these digital channels you must have a digital
tuner. New TV's will have
a digital tuner built in. Older tv sets have the old analog
tuners in them and will not be able to
decrypt the digital signal. The way to work around this
problem is to use a set top box that can tune
in to the VHF/UHF station and decrypt the digital signal.
Once the set top box is hooked up to your antenna it tunes
in to a digital channel and it will then
reformat it from digital to analog and you will be able to view
it on your older tv set.
On June 12, 2009 the analog tv broadcast will be
discontinued. Only the DTV format will be
transmitted. If you still need a set top box you should have it
hooked up by June 12, 2009.
Once you get your set top box hooked up you will have to
have it preform a scan for new channels.
This is done with the push of one button. Some boxes will
preform this function automatically when
they are plugged in. After the scan is completed your box is
ready to use. You can select your
channels either with the channel up/down arrows on your
remote or you can direct tune using the
numbers on your remote.
If you use direct tune you will no longer enter you channel
numbers as single or double digits.
Example: To select channel 2 you will no longer enter 2 or
02.
What was channel 2 in the past with just one program on it
will now have anything from two to five
programs on it (each broadcaster will determine the amount
of programs). To select a program you
must enter the channel number plus the program number
using a dot or dash between the numbers.
Example A: To select channel 2 you would enter "2.1" or
"2-1". (some remotes use a dot others us
a dash but the function is the same)
Example B: To select channel 7 you would enter "7.3" or
"7-3". (some remotes use a dot others us
a dash but the function is the same)
In the example A: 2 is the channel number and 1 is the
program number. If you wanted program 4
you would enter "2.4" or "2-4".
In the example B: 7 is the channel number and 3 is the
program number. If you wanted program 1
you would enter "7.1" or "7-1".
Some set top boxes will have program guide listing. The
listing may look like example C.
Example C:
Ch. 2.1 News
Ch. 2.2 Sports
Ch. 2.3 Weather
People who have cable or satellite should already have a
set top box in place to preform these
processes. The cable & satellite company's have done all
the work for you.
One last point of interest is that are a lot of company's
marketing DTV antenna's. If you already
have a antenna that you are currently using to receive
analog VHF/UHF tv you can use the same
antenna for DTV.
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