Q & A:

All you need to know about the Analog Shutdown

General Information

What does Analog Shutdown mean? What's the Digital TV Transition?

On February 17, 2009, all full-power TV broadcast stations in the US will stop broadcasting analog over-the-air TV (NTSC), and the Digital TV Transition is considered to be completed. Over-the-air TV will then only be broadcast digitally in the so-called ATSC format.

Did you know? Digital TV has significant advantages over analog TV: not only is it much more efficient allowing for a richer choice of channels while still freeing up bandwidth for other services, but it also brings a crisp clear picture and CD-like audio quality. There are even many channels available in stunning HD quality, with resolutions up to 1080i.

I receive TV using an indoor (rabbit ears) or rooftop antenna. What will change for me?

From February 17, 2009, any analog TV set or TV tuner directly connected to an indoor or outdoor antenna will not be able to receive TV any more. You will need to replace your analog TV by a digital-enabled TV with a digital TV (ATSC) tuner built in, or you can connect a so-called converter box to your analog TV.

Did you know? Already now, there are many digital TV channels available over-the-air, many of them in HDTV. With Pinnacle PCTV, you can join the digital revolution right now and turn your PC into an HDTV.

I have an analog VCR connected to an indoor or rooftop antenna. Will it still be able to record TV after February 17, 2009?

No. You will need to replace your VCR by a digital video recorder with digital tuner built-in, or you can connect your VCR to a converter box.

Did you know? Pinnacle PCTV products not only allow you to watch digital TV in standard and high definition on your PC, but you can also pause live TV and resume later, or fast forward and rewind as if it was a DVD. You can even record TV in native digital quality to your hard drive, or direct-to-DVD.

I receive cable TV. Does the Analog Shutdown change anything for me?

No - the Analog Shutdown only refers to the full digitization of over-the-air (terrestrial) TV. Cable providers are, however, showing attempts to slowly reducing the amount of analog channels in their networks to free up space for new digital services.

Did you know? With all current Pinnacle PCTV products, when connected to cable, you can receive all analog TV channels on your PC, plus unencrypted digital cable channels (ClearQAM). Many of the latter are even in HD. The unencrypted digital cable channels are available in all cable packages, even the most basic ones. So you can get digital HDTV on your PC with basic cable, at no additional cost. You cannot, however, directly receive encrypted digital premium channels with Pinnacle PCTV products. (The A/V inputs on some Pinnacle PCTV products additionally allow you to capture from your cable box in standard definition.)

I am a satellite TV subscriber. Will there be a change for me?

No - if you use subscription-based satellite TV (such as DirecTV^® or DISH Network^®), you already receive digital television.

Did you know? You can hook up any Pinnacle PCTV that comes with A/V inputs to a satellite TV receiver to capture TV in standard definition to your hard drive or direct-to-DVD. What's even more exciting: you can use Pinnacle PCTV to receive local over-the-air HDTV on your PC, at no additional cost and with no additional subscription required. So, while you may probably want to keep satellite TV for your living room TV, you can easily turn virtually any computer that's decently powerful1 into an additional HDTV.

Where do I find more information on the Analog Shutdown and on digital TV in general?

Check the following links:

www.titantv.com is a great online TV program guide. Once you've entered your zip code, you can see which digital over-the-air (ATSC) channels are available in your region, and what's on (be sure to select "Digital Broadcast" for ATSC listings).

www.dtv2009.gov/ for general consumer-oriented information on the Digital TV Transition and the FTIA converter box coupon program (note: TV tuners for PCs are unfortunately not eligible for the coupon program)

http://www.dtvanswers.com/ (guess what?) answers frequently asked questions related to digital TV and the Analog Shutdown.

http://www.dtvtransition.org/ for even more info's on the Digital TV Transition.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atsc, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_cable, or www.atsc.org are good resources for the real techies who want to learn more about the technology that's behind digital over-the-air TV.

Did you know? Depending on how far you are from the transmitter, an indoor antenna may be sufficient to receive crisp clear digital TV, or you may need a rooftop antenna. In most urban areas, depending on your exact location, the portable telescopic antenna that comes with some Pinnacle PCTV products allows you to receive at least a few digital TV stations. The portable antenna is especially convenient for watching TV on your laptop when you're in the garden or in the park. For the best experience at home, however, and for those living further away from the broadcast transmitters, we recommend hooking it up to a rooftop antenna, or, if you're a cable subscriber, to your cable jack. www.antennaweb.org gives you a prognosis which digital channels are available in your region, and what types of antennas will likely be required to receive them.

TV tuners for PCs and the Analog Shutdown

I am interested in buying a TV tuner for my PC. What do I have to keep in mind?

Most analog-only TV tuners have long disappeared from the shelves, so basically all TV tuners for PCs available today should be able to receive digital over-the-air TV. Many TV tuners, however, are not ready for unencrypted digital cable TV (ClearQAM). Beside, especially cheaper models often are based on older technology and are not as sensitive as the latest generation hardware.

Did you know? All products in Pinnacle's current PCTV line-up not only support digital over-the-air TV (ATSC), but also unencrypted digital cable TV (ClearQAM). So, whether you connect your Pinnacle PCTV to cable or to an antenna, you can always be sure to get all the free digital channels that are available. Also, all Pinnacle PCTV's are based on latest chip technology, providing much better reception than devices based on older-generation chipsets. With Pinnacle PCTV, you are ready for the future.

Shouldn't I rather wait until February 2009 for the Digital TV Transition to be finalized before buying a TV tuner for my PC?

No, there is absolutely no need to wait. In fact, you can enjoy the benefits of digital over-the-air TV already today.

Did you know? All Pinnacle PCTV products are fully future-proof as they include a digital tuner that works with both antenna and cable signals. With Pinnacle PCTV you can be sure you are ready for the transition - and you can enjoy the benefits of digital (HD)TV already today.

I am already using an HDTV-ready tuner on my PC. What will change for me?

This primarily depends on how you have connected your HDTV-ready TV tuner (such as e.g. the Pinnacle PCTV HD Pro Stick). If it's connected to cable, there will be no change related to the February 2009 analog shut-down. However, if you use your TV tuner with a rooftop or indoor - "rabbit ear" or telescopic type - antenna, you will realize that the analog TV channels will turn to black or "snow" (noise). The digital TV channels, both standard and high definition, will of course remain.

Did you know? The shut-down of analog over-the-air TV frees parts of a sparse resource: radio-frequency bandwidth. In future, at least some parts of the newly available bandwidth might be used for additional digital TV channels. We recommend performing a new channel scan in TVCenter Pro after February 2009 (and in general every six months or so) in order to always have access to all channels that are available.

I have an older, analog-only TV tuner card or box. What are my options?

As with analog TV sets, with analog-only TV tuners for PCs (such as the older Pinnacle PCTV Pro USB), from February 2009, you will not be able to directly receive over-the-air TV via an indoor or rooftop antenna any more. You will still be able to receive analog cable TV and, if available, use its A/V inputs though.

Did you know? Today's models of Pinnacle PCTV all include a digital tuner for both digital over-the-air TV (ATSC) and unencrypted digital cable TV (ClearQAM). The USB "stick" models are as small as a memory stick, and give you the easiest access to free HDTV on your laptop or desktop PC - at an amazingly low price.

I have never considered adding a TV tuner to my PC. Why should I bother now?

Have you ever thought about the fact that most laptop or desktop PC monitors have a higher resolution than today's LCD TVs or plasmas? The great thing about digital TV tuners is that they let you receive stunning HDTV on your PC, at no additional cost - allowing you to get the best out of your monitor. If you already have a PC, upgrading it with a TV tuner is the most cost-effective way to get an (additional) HDTV. Furthermore, using state-of-the-art DVR software, you can make use of your PC's hard drive space for time shifting and HDTV recordings, thus turning your PC into a full-blown DVR,

Did you know? With Pinnacle PCTV, you can watch TV either in full screen, or in a freely sizeable and moveable window while working on other stuff on your PC. The Pinnacle TVCenter Pro software that's included with all Pinnacle PCTV's also allows you to pause and resume TV, or to record shows to your hard drive. With TVCenter Pro, you can even record your favorite program direct-to-DVD! Recordings can either be started manually (one-touch), or easily scheduled using the program guide.

OK. Now which Pinnacle PCTV is the right for me?

All of today's Pinnacle PCTV products include a digital TV tuner for digital over-the-air (ATSC) and unencrypted digital cable TV (ClearQAM). That said, your choice mostly depends on whether you want to use it with a laptop or desktop PC, and which features or accessories are important for you. The USB "sticks" are the most versatile and easy-to-install tuners for laptops and desktops. If you're looking for a tuner only for your desktop PC or home theater PC, you may want to consider PCTV HD Pro Card as it fully integrates into your PC. If you have a Mac, Pinnacle TV for Mac HD Stick the right product for you. If you are not sure, let us help you pick the best solution for you here or check out the feature comparison chart here.

Did you know? All Pinnacle PCTV products come with Pinnacle TVCenter Pro software that allows you to watch, time shift and record TV on virtually any Windows XP or Windows Vista PC. If your PC is running Windows Vista Home Premium, Windows Vista Ultimate, or Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005, you can also use any Pinnacle PCTV to upgrade the pre-installed Windows Media Center with TV capabilities - good to know that all Pinnacle PCTV products are fully certified by Microsoft for Windows Vista and XP compatibility.