Thank you for being a valued part of the CNET community. As of December 1, 2020, the forums are in read-only format. In early 2021, CNET Forums will no longer be available. We are grateful for the participation and advice you have provided to one another over the years.

Thanks,

CNET Support

General discussion

When analog tv is dead

Aug 30, 2005 7:06AM PDT

I have three tv's in my home, one in the LR with a cable box, and two in BR's with the cable going directly to the television tuners. When the FCC turns off analog, I believe that the tv in the LR will be unaffected because of the digital cable box, and the BR tv's will be useless unless I add cable boxes to them as well. Since I do not want a cable box in the BR's, my question is this...if I purchase replacement tv's with built-in ATSC digital tuners, will I still be able to connect those tv's directly to the cable the way I do now?

Discussion is locked

- Collapse -
When analog tv is dead...long live the King
Aug 31, 2005 12:54AM PDT

Well analog TV is going to be around for a log time.
I think it is by the end of 2007 that all TVs MUST have a ATSC tunner. My guess is that they will still have NTSC tuners also, at least for a few years.
The FCC keeps changing the cut off for the broadcasting.
Any way, change over will not affect how Satellite and Cable send the signal and provide it to the end user.
Now what happens 10~15 years from now when TVs no longer have NTSC tunners?????? You may have to put a cable box by every TV. But thats 10 years from now, enjoy today. John

- Collapse -
yes
Aug 31, 2005 6:27AM PDT

if you get a tv with an ATSC tuner you can still use it just the same as now, and you might even pick up a few digital stations by adding a tv with a atsc tuner.

As far as the other posts go about enjoying analog for another 10 years I wouldn't bet on it. With all tv's having to have ATSC tuners by july 07, the cable and satlite companies will have to update to HD or digital in order to keep the masses happy with what they haev bought or have been forced to buy.

- Collapse -
ATSC tuners by july 07
Aug 31, 2005 8:00AM PDT

I knew it was 2007, but didn't remember which part of 2007. Thanks for reminder.
There are millions of standard TVs out there, I own six of them and 5 VCRs that have standard NTSC tuners.
So what is going to happen is kinda "blowin in the wind"
So between the July 07 and when they stop NTSC broadcasting is ???? John

- Collapse -
A few?
Sep 1, 2005 6:45AM PDT

Great. So I can screw the cable right into the back of the new television, with no unsightly cable box. But what do you mean by "you might even pick up a few digital stations by adding a tv with a atsc tuner."? Assuming that I buy the new tv with an atsc tuner (that's the whole point, right?) and the fcc turns off all analog broadcasting, I hope I'll be getting a whole lot more than a "few" channels. Why wouldn't I get everything I get now, nearly 70 channels, in digital?

- Collapse -
More info.
Sep 2, 2005 1:01AM PDT