Technical Bits and Bytes about the DTV Transition

Technical Bits and Bytes about the DTV Transition: Making the Mission Possible

The DTV Transition is a Typical Mass Market Transition Mass media communications most important Interpersonal communications most important Characteristics of “Laggards” • Point of reference is the past • Averse to innovations • Resistant to change • Difficult to influence • Isolated as a group • Limited resources

How to Work with the Public on Technical Topics in the DTV Transition

Broadcasters’ Perspective: TV Spectrum Shrinks by 108 MHz Post February 2009 27% Spectrum Loss 2 -4 5 -6 14 -69 Channels 52 -69 National Telecommunications And Information Administration 7 -13

Initial Range of Responses to February 2009 DTV Deadline Race with the clock “We’ll be okay. ” Anxiety-producing “This could be rough. ” Panic-ridden “We are doomed!”

Reality of February 2009 DTV Deadline D T V Transition

The Post-Transition Frequency Plan Four Different Station Categories:

The Post-Transition Frequency Plan The “Kotters”= Stations returning to their NTSC channel There are 517 “Kotters” Source: FCC 3 rd Periodic DTV Review May 2007

The Post-Transition Frequency Plan The “Jeffersons” = Stations that plan to stay on their transitional DTV channel There are 1178 “Jeffersons” Source: FCC 3 rd Periodic DTV Review May 2007

The Post-Transition Frequency Plan The “Gilligans” = Stations that aren’t going back and aren’t staying where they are There are 117 “Gilligans” Source: FCC 3 rd Periodic DTV Review May 2007

The Post-Transition Frequency Plan The “Waltons” = Stations that don’t have a paired DTV channel and will flash-cut There are 137 “Waltons” Source: FCC 3 rd Periodic DTV Review May 2007

The Post-Transition Frequency Plan Will Stations Have an Identity Crisis With Viewers?

Do You Think You May Have a Channel Identity Crisis? Example: Two Chicago Stations Station Initial DTV Final DTV WBBM 2 3 12 WLS Station Branding Does Not Need to Change: Analog Ch. 7 52 7

PSIP Solves Channel Change Identity for Broadcasters… But Consumers Must “Plan to Re-Scan” their TVs Example: Chicago TV channels 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 EL N AN CH 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 2 3 12

The Post-Transition Frequency Plan Moving to new channel Moving back to NTSC Singletons Staying on current DTV

The Post-Transition Frequency Plan Ch # 2 7 3 7 4 2 5 13 6 8 Source: Final DTV Table, October 2007

The NTSC Frequency Plan

The Post-Transition Frequency Plan Source: Final DTV Table, October 2007

“Rabbit Ears” Aren’t Cool Associated with poor quality/bad reception Reminiscent of “your father’s TV” Offensive to rabbits “Indoor” or “Set top” Antenna Sounds a Lot Better!

Consumers Need Help with Antennas General Antenna Guidelines • Outdoor is better than indoor • Higher is better than lower • Closer is better • Bigger is better

“Smart Antenna” Interface This Technology Needs Solves Antenna. AAiming Issues Cheering Section For Implementation “smart antenna” Set top box Antenna cable plus control signals (CE-909 A) Control cable (CE-909) Antenna Pattern Ch 9 Ch Ch 7 Ch 4 5 • Set top box communicates with antenna • Electronically controls antenna gain and pattern based on reception quality • User doesn’t have to adjust antenna • No mechanical rotor

WWW. ANTENNAWEB. ORG

Regulatory Considerations • Regulatory flexibility for transitioning to the final DTV channel plan under consideration in FCC’s 3 rd Periodic Review § Released May 2007; Comment cycle completed Aug 2007 § The industry is waiting… and waiting… for answers • Cable carriage rules on viewability and material degradation resolved § Order adopted in September 2007 § Further Notice on carriage of analog signal converted at cable headend • “Interference Zone” (or “White space”) proceeding…

Potential New Entrants in Broadcast Spectrum Your New Neighbors?

Unlicensed devices in TV bands • FCC and Congress involved • White Spaces Coalition (Microsoft, Google, Dell, Earthlink, Intel, HP, Philips) • IEEE 802. 22 standards committee • Broadcasters want certain restrictions for avoiding interference: § Fixed service only; no personal/portable devices § No co- or adjacent channel operation, geolocation in addition to RF sensing

Is All Television Going Digital? Yes, but not yet TV LP A Class D T V Translators Best Bet for Consumers that Watch Low Power TV: Buy a New DTV Set or converter box with analog pass-thru Low Power Stations Will Remain Analog…. For Now Class A – 560 stations LPTV – 2357 stations Translators – 4410 stations FCC Docket 03 -185 Report and Order adopted Sept 2004 but did not set deadline FCC will set an analog shutoff deadline at some point

Consumer Confusion About the DTV Transition If you have a DTV set: • Plan to re-scan • The channels they are a-changin’ • VHF is growing; UHF is not enough • Check www. antennaweb. org If you don’t have a DTV set: • They work much better than a few years ago • They cost much less than a few years ago • All new TV sets will receive DTV signals • Non-digital sets for sale must have a disclaimer • HD-ready sets need HD set top boxes • Analog sets need digital converter boxes

“But I’m Sure The Salesman Said The Set I Bought Two Years Ago Would Receive HDTV…” Not if it says this: But if it says this, it’s ok:

Digital-to-Analog Converter Boxes Versus HD Set Top Boxes • HD Set Top Boxes § Available now § Approx. $200 and up § Analog and Digital HD outputs § Some also receive analog TV § Some with DVR or other functions • D-to-A Converters § Available 1 Q 2008 § Approx. $50 to $70 minus $40 gov’t coupon § Analog outputs only § Some have analog “pass-thru” § No other functions allowed

Common Consumer Questions Page 1 • How do I know what digital channels are on the air? § Call us or check www. antennaweb. org. • With a converter box, can I see HDTV on my old analog TV? § You can see the program, but not in HD resolution. • What’s the difference between a digital HD set-top box and one of the new digital converter boxes? § HD ability. • Can I use a converter box with my HDTV monitor? § Sure, but why would you?

Common Consumer Questions Page 2 • How do I tune DTV channels on my new digital TV/set-top box/converter box? § Two-part channel numbers: X-Y • Will my old big outdoor antenna work for all DTV channels? § A good antenna is a good antenna, as long as it covers VHF and UHF. • Can I receive DTV on my computer? § DTV receiver cards and USB devices for computers are available.

Common Consumer Questions Page 3 • • If some of the stations I receive continue to broadcast analog on translators and some are only digital, how do I receive both types? § New DTV sets have both analog and digital tuners. For converter box setups, digital channels are tuned on the converter box, analog channels by the TV set. How do I receive surround sound on my digital television? § Digital television sets can connect to an external surround sound audio system

Common Consumer Questions Page 4 • Your DTV channel number is 4 -1 but I hear your actual channel is 32. What’s that all about? § Digital channel identification keeps the branding of the analog channel and allows multiple services. So channel 4 -2 is the second digital channel from good old channel 4. • I could receive your DTV station when you were on channel X, but now you have changed to channel Y, I can’t see your station. What’s going on? § The station is switching to a new channel due to the DTV transition. Re -scan your DTV set.

Common Consumer Questions Page 5 • • • Why does the picture keep changing shape? § Some program segments are 16 by 9 wide-aspect ratio, and some are 4 by 3 standard aspect ratio Why do people look fat? § Your TV is set to stretch 4 by 3 pictures to fill the 16 by 9 screen. You can reset it. Why are you transmitting black bars? § 16 by 9 pictures on a 4 by 3 screen puts black bars at the top and bottom. 4 by 3 pictures on a 16 by 9 screen puts black bars on the left and right.

Thanks! Questions? Feb 17 2009