New Broadcast Format by 2007?

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I know that all television stations have till like 2007 or something to update to a new broadcasting format, wondering if anyone can shed light on that information I can find it anywhere.
 
In the US Analog TV broadcasting will be shut off on Feb 19th 2009.
By then all TV stations will have transitioned to Digital broadcasting. (AKA: "DTV") The standard used for this in the US is ASTC. - An 19mbps transmission standard that carries MPEG2 video, up to either 4 channels of SDTV, or one of HDTV and one of SDTV.

HDTV is not required by the change, jsut DTV. So all a station really has to do is upgrade it's tranmitter (& related equipment).
This has no effect on production or content.

Unless you are: A station engineer. or: a consumer who wishes to watch TV. this does not have any impact on you.


- Mikko
 
"broadcast quality" is allready a loose term.

Tehnically speaking it means 4:2:2 video, beacuse that is what is actually broadcast.
In the analog world the "highest" format is BETACAM-SP which records at the highest level available that can be broadcast: Component video at about 4:2:2.

But as we have seen, DV (4:1:1) and even lower formats have been used in broadcasts for some time at various levels. There are local stations that still work with S-VHS broadcast masters. So it's a pretty loose term.

- Mikko
 
Im guessing youd have to buy a new tv then?

no more tube tvs...? wat if you have like satellite or something? would they convert the signals automatically?
 
You'll need a converter box for your SD television set if you want to keep your current TV.
 
actually, people will be able to purchase "set top converters" instead of having to go out and buy new tvs. A couple of years ago, while doing research for school, I found that Sirus already had heavy patents in this area, but I imagine many other companies have jump on this wagon too...
 
While that is the mandatory transition time, you *can* switch earlier. Many stations are already in DTV. If you have a satellite or cable TV receiver, it doesn't matter to you, since you're not going to see any change, this only applies to terrestrial radio transmissions.

However, if you have satellite, some receivers (such as the one I have) will decode terrestrial DTV signals for you, and output it to component, S video, composite, DVI etc.. The quality is the same as digital cable, and the reception is either On or Off, usually on and crystal clear, even channels where I used to get unwatchable static. This is one of those cases, where I'm glad the government is giving them a swift kick in the ass to move things along, we've been frequency squatting long enough, and the alternative is much much better.

Another added little bonus is, they can also stream program meta-data, so you can get content titles, and more in an onscreen guide, again just like digital cable.
 
im.thatoneguy said:
While that is the mandatory transition time, you *can* switch earlier. Many stations are already in DTV. If you have a satellite or cable TV receiver, it doesn't matter to you, since you're not going to see any change, this only applies to terrestrial radio transmissions.

However, if you have satellite, some receivers (such as the one I have) will decode terrestrial DTV signals for you, and output it to component, S video, composite, DVI etc.. The quality is the same as digital cable, and the reception is either On or Off, usually on and crystal clear, even channels where I used to get unwatchable static. This is one of those cases, where I'm glad the government is giving them a swift kick in the ass to move things along, we've been frequency squatting long enough, and the alternative is much much better.

Another added little bonus is, they can also stream program meta-data, so you can get content titles, and more in an onscreen guide, again just like digital cable.
Click to expand...


This "mandatory" date has been continually pushed back. It has caused significant problems for broadcasters across the board.

There are benefits, don't get me wrong-- HD is first and foremost. 708 captions are much better than their previous incarnation.

Multicasting is going to fragment the audience further, however.

David Kuznicki
Production Manager, WGTE-TV30
 
david_kuznicki said:
This "mandatory" date has been continually pushed back. It has caused significant problems for broadcasters across the board.
Click to expand...

The Feb 19th, 2009 US analog shutoff date is currently law. Bush signed it in a few weeks ago.

- Mikko
 
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