According to the FCC, "On February 17, 2009 all full-power broadcast television stations in the United States will stop broadcasting on analog airwaves and begin broadcasting only in digital." For many Americans with older analog receivers, this means either buying a converter box or not watching over-the-air TV anymore.
Spark listener Laurie heard about this, and has been wondering what the switch to digital will mean north of the border:
Do you know how this will impact Canadian television viewers? My TV is about 10 years old, but I really like it. Will I have to buy a new TV if I want to watch American television?
On the May 28th episode of Spark, columnist Amber Mac will take a look at what Canadians need to know about digital television.
Do you have a question for Amber? Leave it in the comments below.
Original photo by JasonRogers.
I get asked this quite a bit as well. Canada has a different switchover time, and a different percentage of the population using traditional terrestrial television (IE: aren't on cable or satellite).
Here is the official word from Industry Canada.
<a href="http://http://www.ic.gc.ca/epic/site/oca-bc.nsf/en/h_ca023...target=”_blank”><a href="http://<a href="http://www.ic.gc.ca/epic/site/oca-bc.nsf/en/h_ca02319e.html“” target=”_blank”>www.ic.gc.ca/epic/site/oca-bc.nsf/en/h_ca02319e.h…“target=”_blank”>http://<a href="http://www.ic.gc.ca/epic/site/oca…” target=”_blank”>www.ic.gc.ca/epic/site/oca-bc.nsf/en/h_ca02319e.h…
An interesting follow-on story is the differences between how the USA has approached this (Tried to bring in the "Broadcast Flag" which would have disallowed owner control over any technology that touches television signals) and the European (Incentives to switch with Freeview stations <a href="http://http://www.freeview.co.uk“target=”_blank”><a href="http://<a href="http://www.freeview.co.uk“” target=”_blank”>www.freeview.co.uk“target=”_blank”>http://<a href="http://www.freeview.co.uk,” target=”_blank”>www.freeview.co.uk,etc).
I see nothing coming out of the Canadian government about our transition — will there be motivations to switch, or a chill on technology providers?
My question is whether once the switch to digital is made we will see TVs with the digital tuner already built in. In other words, can we eventually stop having to buy digital boxes for every TV?
Harold: They’re available today in the U.S. and happily not just in the huge flat panel versions. I think a 15″ tube telly with a digital tuner costs about US$/CA$ 200.
Make that US$/CA$ 150 for a 20″ flat screen (tube, not flat panel) television with a digital tuner. Depending on your location, you may also need an improved antenna.
Yesterday I bought a DVD recorder so that I can send my parents some “home movies” of their granddaughter. I paid a little extra for one with a digital tuner, so that I can continue to use my existing television even after the analogue broadcasts are switched off.
If you own a television larger than a computer monitor, it would be most beneficial to purchase a digital box. Not everyone can afford to purchase a brand new television for $1000–especially with the prospect of a declining economy, rising inflation and the doubling of gasoline prices. For those who do want to rid themselves of the older analog sets, there might be many “poorer” folk who would love to give their unwanted sets a new home. This recycling would keep some of the older televisions out of the landfills.
All the solutions proposed above will apply, BUT what will the cable companies like Rogers do. if they continue to convert the basic channels to analog, then we have until 2011 to select and install a digital solution. If they don’t, then we will need a converter box not only for box each TV, but also for each VCR or else they become paper weights.
This is a huge marketing oppoptunity for the cable guys as the satellite companies can’t do it. Question is have they considered it. This would enable them to keep all basic cable viewers. I for one would be willing to pay a small premium for the connversion service if it means my VCR’s get a few years life extension.
If I need to buy all new digital equipment, then the satellite option is open and depending on $, etc. I will go the lowest cost route.
Will the US and Canadian converter boxes be the same? Meaning, if I go buy a box in the US for watching US stations from Canada, will that same box work for Canadian stations in 2011?
Once again technology will be forced on us by the Government. I’m happy with my 6 channels way up north in Ontario (10 hours from Toronto… just the way I like it).
I say it’s time I begin to fight back with Free-to-Air Satellite! Screw the cable company’s sorry CBC
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I don’t believe it will affect Canadians unless you’re getting signals from satellite from the US.
Question: I live in suburbs of Detroit and I receive CBC from Windsor by antenna. When will this CBC channel start broadcast digitally?
US channels are already broadcasting digital but this Canadian channel hasn't. It's too hard to switch back & forth the cables to switch between analog & digital.
I’m concerned too Nimo.
I’m in Detroit and I really enjoy CBC (channel 9) – but can’t pick the channel up on my new converter box (Zenith DTT900). Am I doing something wrong?
I don’t think all different digital converter box will have CBC Channel 9 but I hope they will have it soon because I love to watch Hockey Night in Canada on CBC.
This is overstebing boundaries by both the CRTC and FCC. Analog brodcasting was the dominate from for free tv. The thing is is that the only people who use free tv are of low income; they can not afford a box, or they haven’t made the effort because the don’t have to. Brodcasters are not making as much money from this as they used to, so why should they have to pay for new transmitters (or the taxpayer for that matter) when the ones they have work fine?
The solution then I belive is to end subsidisation to help brodcasters maintain networks, until they are economicaly viable, not force a new technoloagy which is not wanted by brodcasters or consumers.
I purchased a digital converter a few months ago to watch US channels. So far the only Canadian channel I can get is CBC Ottawa. Is there a schedule of when other Canadian stations are converting. Specifically I am interested in Montreal area stations.
@Don — it’s not a complete or official list, but there’s some good information here: http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/archive/index.php/t-602881.html
Of course, your over-the-air digital reception depends greatly on your location, your tuner, and the antenna you use.
I have basic cable from Charter willit keep going or will cable continue After February 17th
With my income dropping like a stone lately, I’m looking at reducing costs. Cable is #1 on the list of my luxuries. Will I be able to use “bunny ears” with a digital box? How about watching TV on my computer? How would that work?
I do all of my home ‘TV’ watching on the ‘net. There are places to stream current shows and torrent older shows that aren’t available online or on DVD.
Granted, I don’t happen to think much of the current crop of TV (reality shows? puhleeze) but even if I did, there are many ways of getting this stuff.
Digital TV (I'm in the U.S.) is the best invention since sliced bread. All my tv's have the converter box (which ran about $60 US without the gov't subsidy, $20 US with) and the picture and sound are amazing! I had been using rabbit ears, now I get to watch TV that is as clear as cable, without the hefty monthly fees. I could afford to get cable, but I feel the airwaves should be free to the people. This is a huge improvement over the analog signal. I look forward to watching Hockey Night in Canada when Channel 9 Windsor goes digital. Go Wings!
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I have seen US tv in Pennsylvania,compared to British and Irish tv it is total crap.I assume that Canadian tv is far superior since it is regulated and exists to educate,inform and entertain. I am surprised that there is a market for such crap in Canada.
Here in Ireland there is a view regarding US tv,there is no need to produce quality tv as all companies can make money by doing their worst. Endless comedy, cops and robbers,games are stopped so that the viewera can be bombarded with commercials as they call them. We are fortunate enough here to be able to receive all British free to air channels digital satellite for a once off investment.Brilliant documentaries,games that continue unintrrupted.Canadians safeguard your superior quality of life,your state controlled tv.
CBS TV had a show commerating the centenary of the Statue of Liberty.The presenter referred to all the great people who saw this as they entered th US.I expected him to refer to Andrew Carnegie, Henry Ford and other such people instead he told his gullible US audience about thegreat contribution some obscure movie stars had made to Uncle Sam.Canadians thank God for CBC.
I remember watching a dickhead tv channel in Penn state one night when the ball game was interrupted for commercial break.One of the ads was for a LP/CASETTE collection of songs titled 100 songs of death,songs to remind you of your pa, ma,your pet Shep or whatever.Do you Canadfians want this drivel as the norm for TV.On another similar channel neighbours were in court becase a dog had escaped over the fence and impregnated the neighbours dog.This was primetime tv.The local pub had 50 such channels.I hope those Canadians receiving those idiot channels are not paying for this abuse of techology.
The worst of European TV can be recieved in Ireland by digital satellite but it is still far superior to US tv.Nobody appears on a talkshow having claimed to have made love to an alien or states that they shot their best for going to bed with their partner.Canadians thank God that this is the norm in broadcasting in your country.When you cross frontiers in Europe tv upholds the identity of the terrority that you are in.You may travel rfrom Seattle to Sacremento and from New York to New Mexicoand find the same lack of identity in the endless drivel polluting the airwaves.
Apology for inferring that us tv standards were the norm in Canada.The above should read insert not before the words" the norm" above.Also insert friend after word best above.All tv owners in Eurpoe are obliged to pay an annual license fee regardless of what channels are received.This fee guarentees quality in programme output.