DISH Network’s programming packages are broadcast in 100% digital. If you’re not sure what that means exactly here’s some information on what digital television really is. Digital television (DTV) is a telecommunication system for broadcasting and receiving moving pictures and sound by means of digital signals, in contrast to analog signals in analog (traditional) TV.Digital television has several advantages over traditional TV, the most significant being use of a smaller channel bandwidth. This frees up space for more digital channels, other non-television services such as pay-multimedia services and the generation of revenue from the sales of frequency spectrum taken by analog TV. There are also special services such as multicasting (more than one program on the same channel), electronic program guides and interactivity. Digital television often has a superior image, audio quality and better reception than analog.

The Transition to Digital Television (DTV)

TV stations serving all markets in the United States are airing digital television programming today, although most will continue to provide analog programming through February 17, 2009. At that point, full-power TV stations will cease broadcasting on their current analog channels, and the spectrum they use for analog broadcasting will be reclaimed and put to other uses.

The FCC’s digital tuner rule specifies that as of March 1, 2007, all new TVs must include digital tuners. This rule prohibits the manufacture, import, or interstate shipment of any device containing an analog tuner, unless it also contains a digital tuner. Despite this prohibition on manufacture and shipment, retailers may continue to sell analog-only devices from existing inventory. As a result, at the point of sale, many consumers may not be aware that this equipment will not be able to receive over-the-air-television signals after February 17, 2009.

Analog TVs Will Need Additional Equipment For DTV

Consumers who rely on antennas (including outside antennas and “rabbit ears”) to receive over-the-air broadcast signals on TV sets having only analog tuners will need to obtain separate digital-to-analog set-top converter boxes to watch over-the-air TV. These boxes receive digital signals and convert them into analog format for display on analog TVs. Analog sets connected to such converter boxes will display digital broadcasts, but not necessarily in the full, original digital quality.