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The Scoop on Analog Passthrough
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With all the news and buzz about the transition to digital one fact has
been over looked. It seems that not all television stations are required
to convert to digital on February 17th, 2009. The federal government has
provided an exclusion for low-power and translator stations.
What is a television translator or low-power television station?
A TV translator station rebroadcasts the programs of a full-power TV
broadcast station. Translator stations typically serve communities that
cannot receive the signals of free over-the-air TV stations because they
are too far away from a full-power TV station or because of geography
(such as uneven terrain or mountains). Many translator stations operate
in mountainous or more remote areas of the country.
Low-power television (LPTV) stations usually provide a locally-oriented
or specialized television service in the communities they serve. These
communities may be in rural areas or may be individual communities
within larger urban areas.
How do you know if you are watching a translator or low-power station?
If you are watching a full-power station (such as channel 16) but tune
your TV to another channel (such as channel 21) to receive it, you are
watching a translator. A translator also has its channel number in the
middle of its call letters (such as W47AL).
An LPTV station identifies itself on-the-air with the name of its
community of license. The call letters of low-power stations usually end
in -CA or -LP (for example, WTMO-CA, WGOM-LP), although sometimes the
call letters are in the same format as a translator station (such as
W26BV).
Will translators and low-power stations convert to digital by February
17, 2009?
Currently there is no requirement for translators and low-power stations
to convert to digital. While some LPTV and translator stations will
convert to digital by February 17, 2009, others will transition after
February 2009, and many will continue to broadcast in analog until
required to change by the FCC.
How can I find a list of translators and low-power stations in my area?
Click HERE for a listing of the translators and low-power stations in
your state.
How can I find out when my local translator or low-power station will
broadcast in digital?
LPTV stations broadcast a locally-oriented program service, and many
will be notifying viewers of their digital conversion plans.
Because translators rebroadcast the programming of a full-service
station, they will broadcast many messages regarding the conversion of
the full-power station. These messages may be confusing to viewers if
the translator does not also plan to convert to digital by February 17,
2009.
Check information sources in your local community regarding the digital
conversion plans of the translators and/or low-power stations you watch.
NTIA will work with translators and LPTV stations to help them inform
the public of their digital conversion plans through local newspapers
and other media, civic organizations, schools and community groups.
How can I continue to watch analog translators and LPTV stations after
February 17, 2009?
Here are your options:
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Keep an analog TV connected to an antenna to view an analog station. |
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Purchase a digital-to-analog converter box which has analog pass-through capability. Analog pass-through allows you to watch analog television stations as well as digital television through the converter box. |
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Purchase a digital-to-analog converter box without analog pass-through, and then add a splitter or A/B switch to receive both analog and digital signals. |
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Purchase a digital television set. All new television sets on the market can receive both analog and digital stations. |
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Subscribe to a local cable television or other pay service which carries the analog station. |
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