Conversion to digital television

Just like television's transformation from black and white to color, the conversion to a digital signal will go down in broadcast history.

In February of 2009, all of the country's full power television stations will turn off their analog signal, leaving only their digital signals from which to broadcast.

While we've been mentioning the changeover, a survey by Best Buy says 54 percent of consumers still don't know why the transition is happening.

The Federal Communications Commission is mandating the switch from analog to digital for TV stations.

WLUC-TV6's Chief Engineer, Sonny Reschka, says the FCC wants the change so the broadcast spectrum on which the stations air today, can be used for public safety communications or be sold to private companies.

"Digital TV is a set of digits; ones and zeros,” said Reschka, “where analog is levels, amplitudes and modulations that get affected with distance, obstructions, trees."

Besides clearer pictures and sound, stations will be able to offer multiple channels.

"The greatest ability of digital is to broadcast even more than you were in analog, whether it's HD or surround sound," Reschka said.

In fact, you won't need cable for HD television; you'll be able to get it free from some broadcast stations with your digital TV.

As for TV6, we've already invested $1.4 million in new equipment to broadcast in digital.  TV6's analog and digital signals have been broadcasting simultaneously for four years now.

In just eight months, like other stations, our analog signal will go off for good, and broadcasting will be 100 percent digital.

Get more information on the switch here, and watch for the next part of this series.