Written by Roger Doering, Engineer
TV-18, The Camp Verde TV Club, inc., and RPD Electronics
What is digital television as opposed to analog television? Digital television is a method of encoding television signals in a digital format for broadcast. The video signal levels and color information is encoded using binary ones and zeroes modulated onto an 8 bit vsb carrier. Analog television encodes television signals in an analog voltage modulated onto a video am carrier and aural on fm subcarrier. The first televisions made were analog. Digital is newer technology.
8 VSB Digital Television Modulation Explained
NTSC Analog Television Modulation Explained
What is happening on June 12, 2009? June 12, 2009 is the date that the ball stopped moving in terms of a cutoff date for analog television and the beginning of only digital television for FULL POWER over the air television stations. Full Power Stations have been required to operate both their analog transmitter and their digital transmitter for some time. In 2009, the full power stations will simply turn off their analog transmitters, and will be broadcasting completely in a digital format. Some full power stations may petition the FCC to cut their analog signals prior to June 12. Why the use of capital letters on FULL POWER stations? Because they are the ONLY stations affected in terms of an FCC mandate. The Low Power Television stations consisting of local LPTV, Class A, and translator stations are not yet required to make the conversion. These stations are permitted to convert if they want to, but are not requried to and will likely remain analog until the industry as a whole with the FCC makes a decision sometime after 2009. Most of the television channels being watched in the Verde Valley are low power stations, not a full power stations.
What stations which are received off air in the Verde Vallley will be affected? Currently, there are three full power stations in the area that I am aware of. These stations are required to drop their analog signal in 2009 and only be broacasting in digital format after that date. These stations are
channel 2 KNAU Flagstaff (NBC)
channel 7 KAZT Prescott
channel 13 KFPH Flagstaff (Univision)
How will I be able to watch these three full power stations after 2009? You can buy a digital television set or if you wish to use your present analog television set you will need a set top box.
Since so few stations are affected should I get a set top box during the transition? It is your choice, but it would probably be a good idea because you can take advantage of subsidies and be prepared for the time when the rest of the stations convert to digital if and when they choose to do so.
What is a set top box? A set top box contains a digital television tuner which receives the digital television signals off air and converts the signal from digital to an analog format that an analog television set can use.
What is the set top box coupon program? The government is subsidizing the conversion to digital by giving each household up to two $40 coupons to be used towards the purchase of set top boxes. One coupon to be applied per box. You can get the coupons online or by phone. Information at: https://www.dtv2009.gov/ApplyCoupon.aspx
How do I connect my Set Top box to watch existing Analog stations and Digital stations
with my TV set? I wrote a separate page to show several ways to do this. Learn about set top boxes with analog pass through.
Set Top Box Connection Methods
What will Low Power stations, translators, and class A stations do after 2009? Nothing right away.* The majority of the channels being watched over the air here are translators or low power television stations. A translator receives a signal from another station (often a full power station) and retransmits it. A low power television station broadcasts material either from satelite or other media, often locally produced that it presents. A class A station is a low power television station that broadcasts a certain required amount of locally produced programming and children's programming. There is no mandated time set for low power, translaters or class A stations to drop their analog signals and convert to digital. However, the FCC has granted the low power station, class A, and translator stations with the authority to convert their operation to digital at any time if they should choose to. I am not aware of a planned conversion date of any low power, class A, or translator to digital of any station on Mingus or Squaw Peak at the present. If the market were to switch to predominantly digital tv sets, these stations likely would convert to digital sooner, but at the moment, they are holding to the analog format until sometime past the 2009 full power cut off date. To know what each low power or translator or class A station will do, one needs to contact each of the stations and ask their engineers about their plans for digital. I spoke with most of them and two are looking into converting to digital and the rest are going to hold off until the FCC mandates it or the market shifts significantly to digital.
*Those translators which are now receiving an analog signal from a full power station will need to find another way to receive their signal as the analog signal will disappear in 2009. They will need to either get a set top box, receive the digital signal and feed it's analog output into their translator system or use another method of receiving their signals. Once the translator is modified the viewers will not notice any change to their way of viewing these stations. Translator clubs such as The Camp Verde TV Club on squaw peak rely on donations for operation and are accepting contributing to upgrade their facilities.
The Camp Verde TV Club on Squaw Peak Website
Will the FCC eventually require the low power, translators, and class A stations to convert to digital? This is not yet known. The FCC is still discussing it. Refer to this link After the 2009 deadline, the FCC will take another look at this market.
The low power television stations and translators in the Verde Valley are
channel 16 K16BP repeating KUTP Phoenix (UPN 45)
channel 18 K18DD class A Camp Verde local broadcasts
channel 19 K19FD lptv rebroadcasting The Hope Channel (satelite)
channel 21 K21GE lptv rebroadcasting 3ABN (satelite)
channel 23 K23FZ rebroadcasting K18DD Camp Verde 18
channel 34 K34EE repeating WB61 Phoenix
channel 36 K36AE rebroadcasting KSAZ Phoenix (FOX 10)
channel 38 K38AI rebroadcasting KTVK Phoenix (3)
channel 40 K40AD rebroadcasting KPHO Phoenix (CBS 5)
channel 42 K42AC rebroadcasting KAET Phoenix (PBS 8)
channel 44 K44CN rebroadcasting KNXV Phoenix (ABC 15)
channel 47 K47IK rebroadcasting KAET Phoenix (PBS 8)
channel 49 K49HP rebroadcasting KTVK Phoenix (3)
channel 51 K51HV rebroadcasting TBN (satelite)
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channel 55 K55IY rebroadcasting KPHO Phoenix (CBS 5)
channel 57 K57DC rebroadcasting KPNX Phoenis NBC 12)
channel 59 K59BP rebroadcasting KNXV Phoenix (ABC 15)
The above list subject to change without notice, not responsible for errors or ommissions. For current listing refer to the FCC CDBS database.
Further information for consumers in rural areas
General information on Digital Television and the DTV rollout click here
What other change will occur in 2009 affecting all over the air stations? Channel 52 and up will be encouraged to move into core channels below channel 52. Those stations located channel 52 or above will be allowed to operate on the condition that they cause no interference to new services being moved into this spectrum.
How will digital broadcasting affect Cable and Satelite? Satelite and Cable viewers will for the most part not see any change in 2009. Contact your provider if you have any questions. The most you may need for cable is a special set top box. Satelite viewers will continue as they are to watch stations in the standard digital format. Satelite viewers wanting to watch in high definition will need to have all the right stuff and have it properly configured.