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COUNTDOWN TO DIGITAL TV
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until February 17, 2009, the official transition from analog to digital television.
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| Digital
Television is available in Eastern Carolina! |
| WITN-DT is licensed to broadcast on digital channel 32. On
digital receivers this will display as channel 7.1 per regulations from
the Federal Communications Commision. You now have the ability to watch
either WITN-TV’s standard analog Channel 7 or our new enhanced digital
channel 7.1. Either way you will receive the same great programming you
have come to expect from WITN-TV and NBC!
So what's new?
If you have a digital television set equipped with a digital
receiver you will be able to watch WITN-DT on digital channel 7.1 or
see the WITN 24/7 Weather Channel on channel 7.2 and enjoy superior
quality HDTV
programming from NBC.
Some of our cable carriers also offer WITN-HD on their local
digital broadcast tier. WITN-HD can be found on channel 707 on
Suddenlink (formerly Cox) HDTVDigital cable boxes (different from
standard digital cable boxes) and the WITN 24/7 Weather Channel on
channel 167 on Suddenlink Digital Cable boxes. In the southern part of
our viewing area on Time Warner Digital Cable out of Newport and
Jacksonville you can find WITN-HD on channel 934 and the WITN 24/7
Weather Channel on channel 931.
So what is digital television and what does it mean
for you, the consumer?
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| Digital
TV - Frequently Asked Questions |
| For More Info log onto http://www.digitaltvzone.com/ |
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What
is Digital TV (DTV)?
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Digital TV (DTV) is turbo-charged television, yielding
clearer pictures, better sound, more programming and more viewing
excitement than traditional analog television. Digital TV offers a
picture free of "ghosts," "snow" or interference. The crisper, sharper
image is due to the increased number of pixels the digital signal puts
on the screen, the higher the number, the sharper the picture and
High-definition Television (HDTV) has the highest resolution available.
Furthermore, HDTV can provide 5.1 channels of Dolby Digital CD-quality
surround sound, adding to the ultimate home theater experience. Digital
TV also enables broadcasters to multicast, bringing viewers multiple
channels of over-the-air programming simultaneously in a
Standard-definition Television (SDTV) format.
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| Why is
DTV better than analog TV? |
Digital TV brings viewers five times the picture resolution
and clarity of analog TV, making viewers feel like they are right in
the middle of the action on their screens. Digital TV uses binary code,
the same system of ones and zeroes that runs on computers and digitally
recorded compact discs.
Switching TV broadcasts to digital is like switching from cassette tape
to compact disc or from a VHS tape to a DVD, the pictures are clearer,
and sound is improved, giving viewers the opportunity to experience
their favorite programs on a whole new level. In addition, with a 16:9
aspect ratio compared to today's 4:3 aspect ratio of analog television,
High Definition Television lets viewers see much wider images.
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| Will
consumers have to pay to receive DTV Broadcasts? |
| No. Unlike digital cable where consumers pay monthly fees
for services, WITN-DT will provide high quality programming and more
content via free, over-the-air broadcasts on digital channel 32
displaying as channels 7.1 and 7.2.
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| What
about my existing analog TV? |
Until the total conversion to Digital TV is made on February
17, 2009, WITN-TV will generally simulcast the same programs on two
different channels. One in a digital format on Channel 7.1 and one in
analog will continue on Channel 7.
Viewers with analog sets will be able to convert the digital signal on
Channel 32 to an analog signal by hooking up a digital tuner decoder
box to their sets; however, they will not be able to experience the
crystal clear pictures and sound quality that an HDTV set provides, nor
will they experience the advantages of datacasting or interactive
television.
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| What are
the different signals that viewers will see on a DTV? |
Digital TV gives broadcasters the flexibility to bring
viewers programming on different types of digital signals — ranging
from high-definition to standard-definition. Digital TV signals have
better resolution than analog TV, which has been in use for more than
50 years. High-definition digital signals also have five times the
resolution than that of analog. With Digital TV, broadcasters can send
various signals to consumers, including:
High-definition Television (HDTV) - An HDTV signal allows a broadcaster
to transmit a wide-screen (16:9) picture with many times more detail
than is contained in current analog TV pictures. HDTV brings viewers
programming so crisp and so clear, it produces an image as sharp as
reality, appearing almost 3-D. In addition HDTV offers unsurpassed
audio quality.
Standard-definition Television (SDTV) - An SDTV signal is another type
of signal that viewers experience through DTV. While SDTV signals
eliminate ghosting and snow they are particularly remarkable because
they occupy less space on the allocated spectrum than high-definition
signals and bring viewers multiple channels of free, over-the-air
programming from the same station.
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| What to
look for when shopping for a new TV set today? |
When shopping for a new TV set, consumers today have
choices. Please visit http://www.ce.org/
for more information.
- An integrated Digital TV set - This option allows viewers to
receive analog and digital signals. An integrated set can project
high-definition (HD), enhanced-definition (ED) or standard-definition
(SD) signals. An HDTV set has the highest resolution available and
provides the ultimate home theater experience. An integrated Digital TV
set provides consumers the most convenient, hassle-free way to
experience Digital TV.
- A Digital TV monitor and a separate digital tuner decoder
box - This option allows consumers to upgrade to Digital TV when ready.
If consumers choose to purchase only a Digital TV monitor, they will
get a wide-screen format and improved picture. In order to receive an
over-the-air signal with a Digital TV monitor, consumers must purchase
a set-top decoder box. These boxes may be used with HD, ED or SD
monitors.
- An analog set - If consumers buy an analog set today, they
will not receive any of the benefits of Digital TV, including the
clearest pictures and sound ever available. Because an analog set does
not have a digital tuner, consumers will have to purchase a digital
tuner decoder box to watch Digital TV.
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| Are the
new TV sets readily available? |
Digital TV sets are available at both retail stores
nationwide as well as online. Like CD players, computers and personal
digital assistants, the prices for Digital TV sets continue to drop as
the technology becomes more prominent. In fact, prices for Digital TV
sets have decreased by 50 percent over the last two years and are
available in some stores today starting at under $500. Equally
important, sales of DTV monitors and sets (monitors with integrated
tuners) are rising each month.
According to the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA), the total
manufacturer-to-retailer products sold in 2004 totaled 7.3 million
units. Total sales for the year surpassed CEA's initial 2004 forecasts
to reach $10.7 million. Just a few years ago CEA had projected that 5,4
million Digital TV products will be sold in 2004, 8 million in 2005 and
10.5 million in 2006, so as you see in 2004 sales began to greatly
exceed expectations. HDTV is getting hot, check around, you may find
that your neighbor has already made the switch!
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| Do I
need to convert to digital right away? |
| The Digital TV transition is happening now. All television
broadcasters are now required to offer a digital signal.
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| If I
have digital cable, do I have DTV? If I buy a DTV, will it work with
digital cable? |
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If I have digital cable, do I have DTV? If I buy a DTV, will
it work with digital cable?
Digital cable is not the same as Digital Television. First, Digital TV
can deliver picture quality superior to that of digital cable. Second,
not all cable companies carry broadcasters' digital signals. Please
check with your local cable provider.
Digital cable refers only to how signals are transferred across cable.
Moreover, because there are not yet universal interoperability
standards, a digital set that is plugged into a digital cable set-top
box only will receive an analog signal, withholding all the advantages
of Digital Television from a consumer.
Some of our cable carriers are now offer WITN-HD on their local digital
broadcast tier. WITN-HD can be found on channel 707 and the 24/7
Weather on channel 167 on Suddenlink (formerly Cox) digital cable
boxes. On Time Warner Digital Cable out of Newport and Jacksonville you
can find WITN-HD on channel 934 and 24/7 Weather on channel 931.
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