On Feb. 17, 2009, federal law requires that all full-power television broadcast stations stop broadcasting in analog format and broadcast only in digital format. Here’s what these requirements will mean for you and your television viewing.
Emery County will be turning off all of their analog television translators on or before the Feb.17, 2009 dead line. This includes Channel 26, which is analog and will go off the air Jan. 1, 2009.
If you watch television on an antenna then you will need to have a newer television with a digital receiver or a set top box connected to your television. Emery County has had these new channels in place and running for almost two years now so there is no reason that people have to wait until the Feb. 17, 2009 deadline.
Emery County has installed digital TV translators so that all county townships have digital TV signals available using a good outside UHF antenna.
The federal government has a coupon program in place to help with the cost of upgrading your equipment which consists of two $45 coupons per household you can find more information at this web site https://www.dtv2009.gov/.
The Emery County website offers this information for the switch: What will you need to receive the new over the air digital television signals in your home?
v1: You will need a reasonably good UHF television antenna and feed line (COAX), if you have a splitter inline to feed more then one television you may need a good low noise UHF pre-amp or distribution amp.
The UHF flat panel antenna’s sold by ACE Hardware and others work very well for over the air digital TV.
Position the antenna’s orientation so it faces our transmitting sites, for the Northwest part of Emery County you want to point at Horn Mountain west of Orangeville.
One thing to remember while you are testing your antenna, if you have a reasonable good picture on your TV now with the regular old Analog channels using your antenna you will have a perfect picture with the digital television signals.
2: You will have to have a digital television receiver labeled as (ATSC) built in or stand alone set top box.
Most larger screen TV’s on the market today have the ATSC (digital receiver) built in. If your looking to buy a new television be sure to look for the ATSC or digital receiver listed on the box or display.
If you buy a TV that says “HDTV monitor” then it most likely does not have a digital receiver built in.
Be sure to ask your sales person to make sure it has the digital television receiver built in.
For the televisions that do not have a “ATSC” digital tuner built in then there is a set top box that plugs into your existing TV just like a DVD player does.
The set top boxes are a bit expensive still at $189 at Wal-Mart, Circuit City, and others. If you buy a new TV with a digital tuner built in it only raises the price of the set about $40 dollars.
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