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CEA says news is good for American DTV adoption

28 December 2007 18:45 by Rich "vurbal" Fiscus | 4 comments

Despite the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) criticizing the federal government, and especially the FCC, for lack of preparation for the digital transition coming in just over a year, the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) says more than 50% of American households have at least one digital TV (DTV).

The GAO report criticized the FCC for lacking any sort of benchmarks to measure their progress in preparing Americans for the day when their analog TVs will no longer be able to receive Over The Air (OTA) TV broadcasts without a converter box of some kind. Cable and satellite customers are already prepared, with cable companies being required to support analog TVs past the February 17, 2009 cutover and satellite services already using digital streams that require special receivers.

The real concern among many in Washington isn't so much the general public as a particular segment of the population who are mostly spectators in the digital video revolution. By and large older Americans haven't seen a need to buy digital TVs just for the technology, and unless they're educated about either purchasing a new DTV or getting a voucher for a converter there's likely to be repurcussions on Capitol Hill as legislators get complaints from angry constituents.

Source: PC Magazine

Permalink to this article

Making sure you're ready for DTV (17 February 2008)

US DTV conversion likely to boost cable subscriptions (15 February 2008)

US House and Senate schedule more hearings to assess readiness for DTV transition (2 February 2008)

Survey calls FCC / CEA claims about a smooth DTV transition into question (21 January 2008)

CES 2008: Best Buy head worried about U.S. readiness for DTV transition (10 January 2008)

CES 2008: EchoStar to make DTV converters free after government voucher (8 January 2008)

Vouchers for DTV converter boxes now available from the U.S. government (3 January 2008)

FCC blasted again by GAO - this time over DTV transition (16 December 2007)

FCC settles for improved reporting from cable industry (28 November 2007)

LG gets certified with first set-top digital converter box (9 October 2007)

GAO blasts FCC for anti-consumer bias (4 October 2007)

GAO report criticizes government inaction in DTV transition (30 September 2007)

FCC: Cable companies must support analog until 2012 (12 September 2007)

Cable companies reassure customers with analog televisions (6 September 2007)

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Discuss this article!
2colors (Inactive) 28 December 2007 21:58
Why aren't the cable companies required to improve the quality of what they broadcast? So all the stations look good on a plasma/lcd. [ + quote]
tleewade (Newbie) 29 December 2007 8:32
*Originally posted by 2colors:* Why aren't the cable companies required to improve the quality of what they broadcast? So all the stations look good on a plasma/lcd. because hd a small number have it not the majority and you dont have to have hd for the transiation to digiatal tv . maybe when hd get main stream for most people then they will haf to. unless something better comes along thats better and cheaper. a possible fact. hd pretty good but not required. [ + quote]
ali2007 (Inactive) 29 December 2007 13:33
Why aren't the cable companies required to improve the quality of what they broadcast? So all the stations look good on a plasma/lcd. your is money x money x greed = money calculate the above equation [ + quote]
borhan9 (AfterDawn Addict) 29 December 2007 19:15
The fact is that the DTV is going to happen whether we like it or not and this change is good and prices are dropping but people are forced to change too keep up because the current analog signal is going to be obselte. Just the way it is. [ + quote]