Frequently Asked Questions
What happened to analog broadcasts?
All full-power analog television broadcasting in the USA ended on June 12, 2009. So anyone using an analog TV to receive over-the-air broadcast television will now see nothing but "snow" on their analog TV sets. If you have an old, analog TV that you no longer need, you can find out where to recycle it at this website: http://earth911.com/
What is High Definition television?
High Definition Television (HDTV) is a television picture with more realistic looking pictures than the television pictures you are used to watching. An HDTV set displays pictures that are sharper, wider, and free of interference. An HDTV picture closely resembles what you see in movie theaters. The sound can be better than CD quality and can be in Surround Sound for a real home theater experience.
What is the difference between analog and Digital Television?
Digital TV (DTV) is a new method of sending pictures to your home. Analog is the old method used to bring you channel 10 for the past 45+ years. The most noticeable difference between Analog TV and DTV is the clear picture and the high quality sound you get with DTV. Because it's digital, there is no picture degradation.
What is the difference between High Definition and Standard Definition?
Standard Definition (SDTV) is a term used to describe a picture that looks pretty much like your old analog pictures. The picture from a DVD is SDTV; it isn't even close to true HDTV. The traditional "analog" picture was made up of 480 active picture lines. High definition TV uses up to 1080 lines, delivering a vivid display with incredible detail. Standard Definition TV (SDTV) is pretty much any picture that is not High Definition TV.
What is the difference between Digital TV and HDTV?
Digital TV (DTV) is the method that television stations, cable, and satellite systems use to send pictures to your home. HDTV describes a picture as being in High Definition (a very clear picture). Digital and HDTV are not the same thing. If a sales person tells you that digital and HDTV is the same thing, then you need a different sales person. Just because someone is transmitting a digital signal does not mean that the picture you see will be in High Definition. It could be an SDTV (Standard Definition TV) picture. This holds true for "digital cable" and "digital satellite" as well as broadcast TV. Some of KTVL's broadcast day is spent transmitting an standard definition picture. "Digital" is the method used to get the picture to your set. "HDTV" is one of several different quality pictures that can be broadcast by a digital television station.
Will an older, analog television receive an HDTV signal?
No. You cannot receive HDTV (high definition television) on your current analog TV set. The tuner in an analog set will not even realize that a digital signal is there.
Does that mean I have to buy a new TV to watch my shows?
No. You can purchase a "digital tuner" or convertor box that will pick up our digital signal and then convert it into a picture that your analog set can display. You'll be able to watch your favorite shows on your current TV. But since the TV set is analog, the picture you see will never be in High Definition.
How much does an HDTV set cost?
Like any new innovation, HDTV sets were introduced into the market at a relatively high cost. The price has been falling ever since. Shop around at our local electronics retailer, you're sure to find a lot of good options.
What equipment do I need to receive KTVL in HDTV?
An antenna and an HDTV set with a built in digital tuner (or an HDTV monitor with an external digital tuner and an antenna) is all you need.
Do I need a satellite dish?
Not necessarily. Our HDTV signal is not yet available on satellite, but we expect that it will be very soon. Right now you can receive Channel 10 HDTV with a TV antenna and an HDTV set with a digital tuner either built into the set, or an external tuner.
Can I get HDTV from cable or satellite?
Yes. But you must subscribe to their HDTV service and obtain their "HDTV converter box". Our digital signal is now available on Charter Cable in most areas; however, our digital signal is not currently available on satellite. If you're a satellite subscriber please ask them to add KTVL's digital signal to their local HD line-up!
I have digital cable (or digital satellite). Does that mean I have HDTV?
Not necessarily. Digital cable or digital satellite is not the same thing as HDTV. Most "digital" channels on cable and satellite are actually analog pictures converted to digital, which means that they are really SDTV pictures. As in broadcast television, "digital" is the method used to get the picture to your TV set, it does not mean that everything is available in HDTV.
Does KTVL offer any high definition programming? Currently, almost all of programming from the CBS Television Network is in HD. When we are not broadcasting true HD from CBS, we broadcast our standard definition signal in digital, but not HD.
What kind of shows will I see in HDTV on KTVL?
Lots! Most CBS programs in primetime, and sports coverage and many daytime and late night shows are in HD. To see the CBS prime time program schedule with the HDTV programs highlighted, go to http://www.cbs.com/info/hdtv/. You can also go to www.ktvl.com and click on the "PROGRAMMING" tab in the top of our home page.
Why did we change to digital broadcasts?
Congress passed a law mandating that all television stations broadcast a digital signal by the year 2002. All TV stations are required to broadcast both a digital and an analog signal until February 17, 2009. On that day our analog transmitter will be turned off and our analog broadcast frequencies returned to the government. Once this digital conversion has been completed, Congress will auction off the old analog channels. Congress generated a lot of money by auctioning off these frequencies (reportedly almost $19 Billion). Congress is supposed to use this money to balance the budget (Deficit Reduction Act of 2005).
Did my analog TV set become obsolete on June 12, 2009?
Yep. In fact, technically, your analog TV set was already obsolete before then. But that doesn't mean it's useless. You can purchase a digital tuner and connect it to your analog set if you want to watch broadcast television. Note that I said broadcast television, which means over-the-air TV.
If you subscribe to cable or satellite, you should not have noticed that anything changed on 6/12/09. This is because you are not actually watching broadcast television when connected to cable or satellite. Only if you use an antenna are you watching broadcast television.
What happened to analog broadcasts?
All full-power analog television broadcasting in the USA ended on June 12, 2009. So anyone using an analog TV to receive over-the-air broadcast television will now see nothing but "snow" on their analog TV sets. If you have an old, analog TV that you no longer need, you can find out where to recycle it at this website: http://earth911.com/
What is High Definition television?
High Definition Television (HDTV) is a television picture with more realistic looking pictures than the television pictures you are used to watching. An HDTV set displays pictures that are sharper, wider, and free of interference. An HDTV picture closely resembles what you see in movie theaters. The sound can be better than CD quality and can be in Surround Sound for a real home theater experience.
What is the difference between analog and Digital Television?
Digital TV (DTV) is a new method of sending pictures to your home. Analog is the old method used to bring you channel 10 for the past 45+ years. The most noticeable difference between Analog TV and DTV is the clear picture and the high quality sound you get with DTV. Because it's digital, there is no picture degradation.
What is the difference between High Definition and Standard Definition?
Standard Definition (SDTV) is a term used to describe a picture that looks pretty much like your old analog pictures. The picture from a DVD is SDTV; it isn't even close to true HDTV. The traditional "analog" picture was made up of 480 active picture lines. High definition TV uses up to 1080 lines, delivering a vivid display with incredible detail. Standard Definition TV (SDTV) is pretty much any picture that is not High Definition TV.
What is the difference between Digital TV and HDTV?
Digital TV (DTV) is the method that television stations, cable, and satellite systems use to send pictures to your home. HDTV describes a picture as being in High Definition (a very clear picture). Digital and HDTV are not the same thing. If a sales person tells you that digital and HDTV is the same thing, then you need a different sales person. Just because someone is transmitting a digital signal does not mean that the picture you see will be in High Definition. It could be an SDTV (Standard Definition TV) picture. This holds true for "digital cable" and "digital satellite" as well as broadcast TV. Some of KTVL's broadcast day is spent transmitting an standard definition picture. "Digital" is the method used to get the picture to your set. "HDTV" is one of several different quality pictures that can be broadcast by a digital television station.
Will an older, analog television receive an HDTV signal?
No. You cannot receive HDTV (high definition television) on your current analog TV set. The tuner in an analog set will not even realize that a digital signal is there.
Does that mean I have to buy a new TV to watch my shows?
No. You can purchase a "digital tuner" or convertor box that will pick up our digital signal and then convert it into a picture that your analog set can display. You'll be able to watch your favorite shows on your current TV. But since the TV set is analog, the picture you see will never be in High Definition.
How much does an HDTV set cost?
Like any new innovation, HDTV sets were introduced into the market at a relatively high cost. The price has been falling ever since. Shop around at our local electronics retailer, you're sure to find a lot of good options.
What equipment do I need to receive KTVL in HDTV?
An antenna and an HDTV set with a built in digital tuner (or an HDTV monitor with an external digital tuner and an antenna) is all you need.
Do I need a satellite dish?
Not necessarily. Our HDTV signal is not yet available on satellite, but we expect that it will be very soon. Right now you can receive Channel 10 HDTV with a TV antenna and an HDTV set with a digital tuner either built into the set, or an external tuner.
Can I get HDTV from cable or satellite?
Yes. But you must subscribe to their HDTV service and obtain their "HDTV converter box". Our digital signal is now available on Charter Cable in most areas; however, our digital signal is not currently available on satellite. If you're a satellite subscriber please ask them to add KTVL's digital signal to their local HD line-up!
I have digital cable (or digital satellite). Does that mean I have HDTV?
Not necessarily. Digital cable or digital satellite is not the same thing as HDTV. Most "digital" channels on cable and satellite are actually analog pictures converted to digital, which means that they are really SDTV pictures. As in broadcast television, "digital" is the method used to get the picture to your TV set, it does not mean that everything is available in HDTV.
Does KTVL offer any high definition programming? Currently, almost all of programming from the CBS Television Network is in HD. When we are not broadcasting true HD from CBS, we broadcast our standard definition signal in digital, but not HD.
What kind of shows will I see in HDTV on KTVL?
Lots! Most CBS programs in primetime, and sports coverage and many daytime and late night shows are in HD. To see the CBS prime time program schedule with the HDTV programs highlighted, go to http://www.cbs.com/info/hdtv/. You can also go to www.ktvl.com and click on the "PROGRAMMING" tab in the top of our home page.
Why did we change to digital broadcasts?
Congress passed a law mandating that all television stations broadcast a digital signal by the year 2002. All TV stations are required to broadcast both a digital and an analog signal until February 17, 2009. On that day our analog transmitter will be turned off and our analog broadcast frequencies returned to the government. Once this digital conversion has been completed, Congress will auction off the old analog channels. Congress generated a lot of money by auctioning off these frequencies (reportedly almost $19 Billion). Congress is supposed to use this money to balance the budget (Deficit Reduction Act of 2005).
Did my analog TV set become obsolete on June 12, 2009?
Yep. In fact, technically, your analog TV set was already obsolete before then. But that doesn't mean it's useless. You can purchase a digital tuner and connect it to your analog set if you want to watch broadcast television. Note that I said broadcast television, which means over-the-air TV.
If you subscribe to cable or satellite, you should not have noticed that anything changed on 6/12/09. This is because you are not actually watching broadcast television when connected to cable or satellite. Only if you use an antenna are you watching broadcast television.
Last update: October 2007
Special thanks to Richard Kihn, Chief Engineer of our sister station KFDM-TV/KFDM-DT in Beaumont, Texas, for sharing all his useful research!
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