The Digital Shift: Broadcast

The broadcast digital shift affects over-the-air signals sent out by local TV stations. Stations across the country will be discontinuing their analog broadcasts on February 17, 2009, and switching to digital only. If you do not have cable and get TV over a , this change will affect you. You will need a to be able to continue receiving channels.

Like the cable equivalent, the broadcast digital shift will allow for higher quality reception and more advanced services. It'll also open up space in the broadcast spectrum for broadband services as well as for emergency uses.

Again, the broadcast digital shift is not directly related to the cable shift -- the two just happened to be occurring at the same time until this week's decision to delay the cable move.

Putting It All Together: The Final Timeline